squishy, soft media?

[mancourt]

Hello, I'm not very versed in sculpture media and was hoping someone could help me. I've been experimenting with different medias in my studio like concrete, etc. but want to move in the other direction with something soft and "squishy" if you will. I was hoping a media exist that could create this type of surface. Ideally a "Jello" like surface is what Im imagining...

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!!!:)

[StevenW]

You played with textiles?

[mancourt]

Thank you for your reply. I've worked with plastics, cotton, expandable foam, etc. I was just thinking there might be something more durable out there...
thanks :D

[obseq]

Hi, Mancourt,

This is an interesting question.

Are you seeking a material that will remain pliable/"squishy" once complete? Give us some additional information concerning your sculptural focus, and perhaps, specify, why this "squshiness" has piqued your interests.

[mancourt]

Thanks for the reply. Well, I build immersive installations which often involve a variety of elements. More recently I've been focussing on the sculptural qualities as opposed to the theatrical.

I would be interested in exploring either a Pliable material, or one with just a soft texture. I think either way is worth exploring for me. I didn't know a pliable media existed???

[StevenW]

Thank you for your reply. I've worked with plastics, cotton, expandable foam, etc. I was just thinking there might be something more durable out there...
thanks :D

Flubber? lol

[Harry McDaniel]

You could cast any shape you want in a mold-making rubber/silicone. It wouldn't be cheap though. By varying the wall thickness, you could sort of control the squishiness. You might also be able to buy some sort of soft sheet rubber to use in fabricating pieces (also expensive, I suspect). For a cheaper alternative, how about cutting shapes out of soft foam (as used in foam matresses) then "painting" a mold-making rubber on the surface for durability?

[grommet]

3 lb. Flex. Foam, Qt. Set $ 20.20
This is a castable flexible foam, and when packed it will also form a tough outer skin for casting finished objects with. It can also be used as a filler foam in a latex skin for making flexible parts for props and the like. Mix ratio is 65 parts B to 35 parts A by weight.

This is a description of a product from Douglas & Sturgess
Beyond that there's felting of various sorts to make soft objects... and i saw someone encase a gelatinous media in a heavy but pliable plastic layer so people could walk on it. Then there's the stuff that they make those gel shoe inserts from... mud...and whatever they make "falsies" from. yeah those are definitely squishy. Look for whomever makes stuff for mastectomy patients.

[dondougan]

Knew a sculptor who cast and worked with the plastic/rubber like artificial fishing worm lures are made out-of. Dayglo colors sandwiched in-between and oozing-out of things that looked like steel plates or iron castings. Haven't seen or heard from her in over 20 years. Jessica Pollard McLean.

You might be interested in seeing this artist's site: http://www.squishymatter.com/

I've used a little bit of silicone and urethane for casting squishy-stretchable positive models which I then have taken negative molds from while in a stretched/distorted shape -- however the resulting castings were all in hard/rigid final materials like plaster, dental stone, polyester & epoxy resins, ceramic, bronze, etc. Very few of the castings have so-far made it into finished sculptures (though I've got hundreds of w.i.p. parts in the studio).

Your exploration sounds interesting - post some images and let us know what you come up with.

Don
www.dondougan.com

[realsculpt]

try bjb industires they make workjuice for fishing lures, flabbercast, and other icky products. there are also gelll filled silicones and silicone gels. Also if it wont be in the heat you could use foamed geletain from M.U.D inc in california.