Tufstone Toad Troubles

[JMork]

This summer I began this toad project with an idea of my head of a gallery floor, or any space really, over-run with over sized toads. I have not had much experience with sculpting.

I am screwing up all over the place and learning like crazy. I now have three toads cast in Tufstone from a latex mold I have with an apoxie sculpt mother mold. The latex I used was not the best. I had tested it and it worked great, but this time maybe I didn't let it cure long enough - or according to the latex, I could have let one layer cure too long. At any rate, the first layers are peeling off from the inside of the mold. So my second two castings are all messed up.

Not only do I have that problem, but I can not de-mold these guys without popping off toes. I have attached my first one, which I am re-creating with apoxie clay. The second two came out with more toes, but are wrinkled from the peeling latex. I am attempting to finish them off to give as fun gifts to family members, anyway.


My question is, what should I do if I want to keep the dream alive and create my own toad army? I knew going in the arms would be a potential problem, yet imagined the latex would slide off without removing the toes. So far my thoughts are, make a new mold out of a silicone, using an entirely new sculpt. But this has already eaten up so much of my time!

If I wanted to make a copy of what I have, is there anything that melts/hardens that I can pour into the latex mold and then bring it out to modify - i.e. put the front legs against the body, put the toes together to make them stronger, and refine some of the toad's features? Should I go back to painting and leave the sculpting to the skilled? Thanks for reading through this mess.

[SPRINGFIELD]

I would like to know what type of latex you are using. I've had the best luck with using Cementex #80 latex. I guess latex is ok because I believe Tufstone is a Gypsum based product. Also did you use a mold release such as caster oil and alcolhol in your latex mold before casting?

If I already had a latex mold and I wanted to fix up the model before making another latex mold of off it. I would coat the inside of the mold with a poleyvinal mold release and than melt and cast a plastilina oil clay in it. Van Arken Clay workes real good for this. Or you can use a molding wax.
I have done this many times using Van Arken clay in a latex mold. For the release I use Colorations Washable Clear Glue mixed with water at 50% water and 50% glue. The stuff is basically a watersoluable poleyvinal.
Coat the latex mold with the poleyvinal mix let dry. Than melt your clay or wax carefully and pour into the latex mold. Very important to let the casting cool completely before removing from the mold. After removing just wash the mold and the casting of with not very warm warter.
After that you can fix up your cast model and make a new mold using latex or silicone. Also I would try to make a base for the frog or bring his legs in some as you suggested to avoid undercuts. Skinny things sticking out break off easily especially when using gypsum products.If you type in latex rubber In the search section of this sit you should get lots of information.
Also you could make a silicone mold and use some stronger resin based material.