In a private house      06/15/2019

How to make a 3D cast with your own hands. How to make a cast with your own hands. How to make casts of arms and legs from salt dough

The memory of unforgettable moments of childhood can be left not only by photography, but also model gel for impressions, used to create precise outlines of your baby's legs or arms.

Today they are purchased not only by parents, but also by godparents and grandparents who want the imprint of unique little children’s hands to remain not only on paper.

Using the gel, you can create an impression that conveys the smallest details child's hands.

Modeling gel is also used to create an exact shape that conveys lines, curves and other smallest subtleties of the body.

You can order the work of a master making impressions. Some of them also work in creating paintings with casts - this is a wonderful creation that will be interesting to you and your child when he grows up.

If necessary, you can purchase a gel for taking impressions yourself and perform the entire procedure yourself.

Instructions for use are usually included with the package. The most common modeling gel is offered by many companies, including Hands and Legs and Socrates.

To create a 3D cast, you no longer need to look for a sculptor or other craftsman in this field, since you can purchase a special modeling gel designed for a certain age of the child and create a unique painting or sculpture reminiscent of the child’s childhood.

Creating a cast will take no more than half an hour if you carefully follow the instructions in the instructions.

Some sets also include postcards on which you can later place the created cast. Or you can buy a frame in advance in which the child’s photograph will be placed.

The step-by-step process for making impressions is completely simple and understandable:

  1. Initially, you need to immerse the arm or leg in modeling gel, which hardens quickly. Creating the form in this case will take about 2 minutes. Moreover, you don’t have to worry that the consistency can cause allergies, since it is completely safe even for the little ones. The unique gel not only preserves the original size of the palm, but also repeats all the subtleties of lines, nails, and folds.
  2. After this, high-precision plaster for modeling needs to be poured into the resulting mold.
  3. After about two hours, the sculpture must be freed from the model material and thus obtain an absolutely exact copy of a small arm or leg. If desired, such a sculpture can be decorated in any way: coated with varnish or other coating, made with an inscription, decorated with some decorative elements.

IN Lately Many loving couples have also become interested in this gel, who can immerse their clasped hands together and capture the tenderness of feelings for many years.

Everyone, even not an avid romantic, will probably be happy with such a surprise.

You can purchase 3D gel for impressions in a wide range in many chain stores or on Internet portals. A set consisting of gel and plaster must be certified, like any other product.

The presence of instructions is also important, although they may not be offered - they only sell sachets of gel, which have a lower cost compared to the full set.

When purchasing model gel, do not forget to provide the amount of material, which the site’s consultants can also help you calculate.

Naturally, it is advisable to buy 3D gel for impressions from companies that inspire trust, especially if you want to make an impression of a child’s hand, since everyone can guarantee the safety of the composition, but what it actually is is not known.

Don't miss the opportunity to get a unique family heirloom, the unusualness of which will attract and constantly remind you of a certain moment in life. In addition, the cost of model gel for impressions is reasonable, so anyone can purchase it.


The most beautiful phenomenon created by nature is the birth of a child. Every mother strives to preserve in her memory those happy moments spent with her baby, his every movement, his smile, the first words “mom”, “dad”...

In the modern world, with the help various types equipment (camera, video camera) you can track the baby’s development from the very first day of life.

But many people want to look at their baby not only from photographs and videos. Therefore, they often order from studios so-called copies of the child’s arms and legs - casts, which can be made from almost any hardening material - plaster, chocolate, wax, liquid glass and other materials.

But in this article we will focus on other types of casts - the so-called 3D casts. In another way they are also called volumetric.

On the Internet you can find the technology for their manufacture, but rarely do you see information about them. component composition. In this publication we will reveal this secret to you.

So, to make a three-dimensional cast of a child’s hand or foot, we will need:

Gypsum (or other hardening material)

Alginate (sold in dental stores)

Plastic containers

Water (36.6 degrees)

Before you start work, you need to put your baby to sleep in a crib or cradle (if the toddler is still small). This is necessary so that he does not move his arm or leg while taking the impression.

Then we prepare the impression mass. To do this, select the required amount of alginate powder and water in accordance with 1.5 to 1.

Pour the alginate into the water (and not vice versa!) And stir with a mixer or a spoon. Just do it very quickly, as it freezes almost immediately.

Then we immerse the baby's handle (leg) in this mass, wait for solidification. You can check whether it has frozen or not with your finger - touch the surface of the mass - if it does not stick to your hands, then the solidification has ended. As a result, it should look like rubber.

Now, very carefully, so as not to damage the impression mass, we remove the child’s limb from it and put it back to sleep under the supervision of a baby monitor or video baby monitor. We will get a kind of deepening.

The next step is to prepare a solution of gypsum and water. Pour the plaster into the water (and not the other way around!) and stir it until it reaches the consistency of thick sour cream and fill the resulting cast with this solution. We wait a day. Then carefully use a knife to cut the alginate along the edges of the container, turn it over and make an incision in the mass to pull out the resulting cast.

That's all. As they say, everything ingenious is simple. Now your baby’s three-dimensional cast will be preserved for life and will constantly remind you of the moments of his childhood.

Currently, many parents make casts of children's hands and feet with their own hands. Such a memorable print looks very cute and will allow you to remember the wonderful moments of early childhood for many years.

DIY casts of children's hands and feet

  • Step 1: Mix mold powder with water. The result is a paste, which must be transferred to a container where the impression will be made. You need to place an arm or leg into the mass. The paste will begin to harden and take White color. Then, you should wait for approximately one minute for the mixture to completely harden if the water is used at room temperature;
  • Step 2. Move your arm or leg to make it slide out of the mold;
  • Step 3. Mix the plaster with water, making sure there are no lumps. Pour the mixture into the mold. Leave the imprint for a while so that the plaster hardens;
  • Step 4: Tear or cut off pieces of the mold to release the cast;
  • Step 5. After drying, paint the cast in the chosen color or varnish. If you purchased a set with a frame or stand, glue it in place.

To make casts of arms and legs with your own hands, you don’t need experience, you just need to carefully read the instructions. As a rule, sets contain everything necessary materials and tools. In addition, they often provide the opportunity to make several casts, because working with a child is completely unpredictable, and whether the perfect contour will turn out depends largely on our small models.

How to prepare for making a three-dimensional cast of arms and legs with your own hands:

  • take care of the little model’s good mood;
  • you can use sleep time;
  • Residue from the mixture after making may be difficult to wash off, so wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty;
  • the participation of two adults is necessary - one to take care of mixing the ingredients, the second to hold the baby and distract him;
  • if you have touched the sides or bottom of the mold, you can pour plaster into it and then smooth out any imperfections with sandpaper;
  • the time it takes for the mold to completely harden depends on the temperature of the water used - than colder water, the longer it will harden, the warmer the water, the faster the material will harden, room temperature water is optimal;
  • Make sure the containers are the right size for your baby's feet or hands.

How to prepare a child to make a cast of children's hands and feet with your own hands


Take advantage of the moment when little models are calm, this could be a moment of sleep or watching a cartoon. Some sleepyheads can sleep through all the fun and don't even notice what's happening around them.

However, if the child is sensitive to cold, it is important to wet the hands or feet with water first so that the baby has a chance to get used to the temperature of the mass.

If this doesn't help you can add warm water, but keep in mind that the higher the temperature, the faster the mass will harden.

In this case, you can add a little more water than indicated in the instructions or add not all the contents of the bag.

If you want to make a mold for casting while the child is awake, you must find a moment when the baby is in a good mood, calm, well-fed and well-rested. Provide an attractive toy, book, or other entertainment to distract your baby.

Don't worry if your little one moves his fingers a little, this will have a positive effect on the final result, allowing air bubbles to escape while allowing the mixture to get into the gaps between the fingers. If your child moves his hand, try gently moving the container behind his hand. Of course, you can hold the handle gently, but remember to remain calm and not forcefully hold your baby. Otherwise, the baby will receive unnecessary stress, and the quality of the impression will be reduced. The mass hardens quickly, so just wait a little and everything will be ready.

Some children do not like it when their leg or arm is immobilized, then you can add less water, which will speed up the hardening time. If the child reacts poorly to the moment the arm or leg is immersed in the mass, it is recommended to wait a while. for example, 2 weeks, and try again.

How to prepare molds for casting casts for children with your own hands

To make an impression with your own hands, mix the mold powder with water in any container and pour it into a closed plastic container; you can mix the mixture directly in the same container. Measure ingredients accurately as poor ratios can affect the final result. You can use a test sample, which is sometimes included with the kit, to have information about the curing process.

Wet the skin of children's feet or hands thoroughly so that they slide out of the hardened mold easily.


Thanks to this manipulation, your child will be able to get used to the temperature of the mass, in addition, we will minimize the risk of air bubbles that worsen the quality of the product. Guide your baby's hand so that it slides accurately and accurately into the prepared paste.

Don't worry if your baby moves his arm. The beginning of the hardening process will show a change in the color of the paste, and this is the moment at which the child should not make very sudden movements. After hardening (about 1-1.5 minutes), remove the handle. To avoid holes in the set mold, guide your child's hand without touching the bottom or sides of the container.

How to prepare and pour plaster

Pouring plaster should not last longer than 5-6 minutes.

  1. Prepare a plastic bowl, measure out the required amount of water and plaster in the appropriate proportions. Always add powder to water, not the other way around;
  2. Pour the plaster of Paris into the water slowly, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches the consistency of very thin yogurt. Mixing too intensively and for a long time can lead to the mass beginning to harden already during pouring into the mold. Also, stirring too much can cause bubbles to form. If you see bubbles on the surface, tap the container a few times to release them;
  3. Initially the plaster is very watery, but after a while it gently begins to thicken. The plaster is ready when it reaches the consistency of pancake batter. Then, pour a small amount of plaster into the mold and carefully move the container in different directions so that the mass fills exactly every hole;
  4. After filling the form 1/3, tap the container on the table surface;
  5. Pour in the rest of the mixture in batches;
  6. Leave the container to harden for several hours.

How to avoid air bubbles in plaster?

Air bubbles spoil volumetric impressions; as a result, the plaster does not reach the fingertips, and the impression will not completely replicate the child’s hand. This problem mainly occurs with hand impressions, since the fingers on them are longer than on the feet, and the plaster does not always flow well into these holes.

You can use the following methods to avoid this:


  • do not mix the gypsum mixture for too long;
  • vigorously and repeatedly tap the container with plaster on the table;
  • puncture large bubbles that appear on the surface;
  • first pour a small amount of plaster and move it in different directions so that it spreads evenly throughout the entire form;
  • pour the mixture down the sides, holding the container with the mold at an angle - if the mold is in a vertical position and you pour from above, there is a risk that the mixture will not fill the holes to your fingertips;
  • in the case of legs, if you fill half the mold, you can take a brush and use it to spread the mass;
  • For handles, you should tilt the mold with your fingers down so that the mass flows there.

In what position is it most convenient to make 3D impressions?

0-5 months. For very young children, the procedure should be carried out in a supine position, as for feeding.

Sometimes there is a need to quickly and easily make a high-quality cast of something. There is neither the money nor the desire to buy special and sometimes very expensive materials, and that’s when ingenuity and minimal knowledge of chemistry come to our aid. We will tell you how to prepare a mixture using available materials to take a high-quality impression with a good degree of detail.

Impression material:

To begin with, you should clearly understand that impressions and, accordingly, impression masses come in a variety of forms. For example, there are special impression compounds for taking impressions from the human body - they are harmless (almost harmless), and there are impression compounds for taking impressions of keys, etc. Try to use them for their intended purpose, the described recipe is suitable for inanimate, relatively solid objects , keychains, coins, medallions...

In order to make a mass for an impression you will need only two ingredients: ordinary silicone sealant(I used clear silicone sealant for sewer pipes) and potato starch.


Figure No. 1 – Starch and sealant

You need a deep, convenient container (disposable a plastic cup will do) mix starch and sealant one to one. You simply pour starch into a container (you determine the amount yourself, depending on your needs) and squeeze the silicone into it. Now take a spoon and start stirring it all continuously. I warn you! The mass must be mixed very thoroughly. At first the mixture is very sticky and viscous, but after twenty minutes it becomes empty and becomes like dough (plasticine), while the silicone no longer sticks to your hands or anything.


Figure No. 2 – The mass no longer sticks to your hands

Now all you have to do is apply your mixture to what you want to make an impression of, and wait until it hardens. The advantage of this method is that there is no need to use a release agent since starch prevents the silicone from sticking. And the mixture quickly hardens, turning (I put it on the radiator and it was ready within an hour) into a reusable rubber mold with which you can easily make plaster casts and other products.