In a private house      06/15/2019

How to make a 3d mold with your own hands. How to make a mold 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 by model gel for impressions used to create precise outlines of your baby's legs or arms.

Not only parents buy today, but also godparents, 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 transmits the smallest details child's hands.

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

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

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

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

To create a 3D cast, you no longer need to look for a sculptor or other master in this direction, since you can purchase a special model gel designed for a certain age of the child and create a unique picture or sculpture that reminds of the baby’s childhood.

In time, it will take no more than half an hour to create a cast, 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 pre-buy a frame in which the photo of the child will be placed.

The step-by-step process for making casts is quite simple and understandable:

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

IN Lately Many couples in love have also become interested in this gel, which can immerse their palms woven together and capture the tenderness of feelings for many years.

Such a surprise, for sure, will be happy for everyone, even not an avid romantic.

You can buy 3D gel for casts 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 offer it - they sell only gel bags that have a lower cost compared to the full set.

When purchasing a model gel, do not forget to provide for the amount of material, which the website consultants can also help you calculate.

Naturally, it is advisable to buy 3D gel for casts from trusted companies, especially if you want to make a cast of a child’s hand, since everyone can guarantee the safety of the composition, but how it actually exists is not known.

Do not miss the opportunity to get a unique family heirloom, the unusualness of which will attract and constantly remind you of a certain moment in your life. In addition, the cost of model gel for casts is loyal, so anyone can buy it.


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

In the modern world with various kinds technology (camera, video camera) you can track the development of the baby 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 in studios the so-called copies of the arms and legs of a child - casts that can be made from almost any hardening material - gypsum, 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 voluminous.

On the Internet you can find the very technology of their manufacture, but rarely where you will 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 arms or legs, we need:

Gypsum (or other hardening material)

Alginate (sold in dental stores)

Plastic container

Water (36.6 degrees)

Before you start work, you need to put your child to sleep in a playpen or a baby cradle (if the little one is still small). This is necessary so that during the removal of the impression, he does not move the handle or leg.

Then we prepare the impression mass. To do this, select the right 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. Whether it has frozen or not, you can check with your finger - touch the surface of the mass - if it does not stick to your hands, then the solidification is over. As a result, it should look like rubber.

Now, very carefully, so as not to damage the impression mass, we take the child's limb out of 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 gypsum into the water (and not vice versa!) And stir it to the consistency of thick sour cream and fill the resulting cast with this solution. We are waiting for a day. Then we carefully cut the alginate along the edges of the container with a knife, turn it over and make an incision on the mass in order to pull out the resulting cast.

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

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

Do-it-yourself casts of children's hands and feet

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

To make casts of handles and legs with your own hands, you do not need experience, you just need to carefully read the instructions. As a rule, sets contain all 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 a perfect outline is obtained depends largely on our small models.

How to prepare for a do-it-yourself volumetric cast of arms and legs:

  • take care of the good mood of the little model;
  • you can use sleep time;
  • residue from the mixture after making can 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 during which the mold completely hardens 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 foot or hand.

How to prepare a child for making a cast of children's arms and legs with their own hands


Take advantage of the moment when the little models are calm, it could be the moment of sleeping or watching a cartoon. Some dormouse can oversleep all the fun and do not even notice what is happening around them.

However, if the child is sensitive to cold, it is important to pre-moisten the hands or feet with water so that the baby has the opportunity to get used to the temperature of the mass.

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

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

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

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

Some children don't like having their leg or arm immobilized so less water can be added to speed up the setting time. If the child does not respond well to the moment the arm or leg is immersed in the mass, it is recommended to wait a while. eg 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 into a closed plastic container, you can mix the mixture directly in the same container. Be sure to measure the ingredients accurately as a poor ratio can affect the final result. You can use the 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 easily slide out of the hardened mold.


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 impair the quality of the product. Guide the baby's hand so that it slides accurately and gently into the prepared paste.

Don't worry if your child moves his arm. The beginning of the hardening process will show a change in the color of the paste, and this is the point 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 hardened form, guide the child's hand without touching the bottom or sides of the container.

How to prepare and pour plaster

Plaster pouring should not last longer than 5-6 minutes.

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

How to avoid air bubbles in plaster?

Air bubbles spoil volumetric casts, as a result, the plaster does not reach the fingertips, and the impression will not completely repeat the child's hand. This problem mostly occurs with pen impressions, as the fingers are longer on them than on the toes, 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;
  • tap the plaster container on the table intensively and repeatedly;
  • pierce large blisters that appear on the surface;
  • first, pour a small amount of gypsum and move it in different directions so that it spreads evenly throughout the mold;
  • pour the mass along the walls, 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 mass will not fill the holes to the fingertips;
  • in the case of legs, if you fill half the mold, you can take a brush and distribute the mass with it;
  • for handles, tilt the form with your fingers down so that the mass flows there.

In what position is it most convenient to make 3D casts

0-5 months. For the smallest children, it is necessary to carry out the procedure in a supine position, as for feeding.

Sometimes there is a need to quickly and easily make a high-quality cast of something. We have neither the means nor the desire to buy special and sometimes very expensive materials, and then ingenuity and minimal knowledge in chemistry come to our aid. We will tell you how, from improvised means, to prepare a mass for taking a high-quality cast with a good degree of detail.

Impression weight:

To begin with, it should be clearly understood that casts and, accordingly, impression masses are diverse. For example, there are special impression masses for taking impressions from the human body - they are harmless (almost harmless), and there are impression masses for taking impressions from keys, etc. Try to use them for their intended purpose, the described recipe is suitable for inanimate, relatively solid objects , key chains, coins, medallions…

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


Figure #1 - Starch and Sealant

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


Figure No. 2 - The mass no longer sticks to the hands

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