The following questions are for both Pregnancy Castings and Body Canvas.
What is a Dimensional Portrait?
Why a Dimensional Portrait?
Where do the casting sessions take place?
How is a Dimensional Portrait made?
How long does it take?
Are the materials safe?
How much of the body can I do?
How do you arrive at the design/imagery for the Dimensional Portrait?
How much does a Dimensional Portrait cost?
Can I decorate/paint my Dimensional Portrait, or commission you to do it?
A relative/friend is making my cast from a kit, but we'd like you to paint it. Is that possible?
Do you sell kits?
Do I have to be totally nude for the session?
I'm nervous about it hurting. How does it feel? Will I faint?
How far do you travel to do a session?
Can I bring others to the casting session? Can they take pictures during the session?
How will I hang the finished Dimensional Portrait?
Where should I hang the Dimensional Portrait?
How do I care for the Dimensional Portrait?
Do you work with other life casting materials besides plaster gauze when
doing a Dimensional Portrait?
Are you ever looking for models?
The following questions pertain specifically to pregnancy casting.
Bellymask, bellycast, or pregnancy casting?
When should I schedule my pregnancy casting session?
Can I include the father or my children?
Can you incorporate a pregnancy casting session into a baby shower?
What is a Dimensional Portrait?
A Dimensional Portrait is a painting of one's interior landscape of mind and body on a
3-dimensional
canvas. A cast of the human form
is used as an art canvas, rather than a flat 2-dimensional surface. It can be painted and decorated.
One can request as much or as little of the body for casting; front, back, or side profile, hand, foot,
torso, face, etc.
Why a Dimensional Portrait?
The Dimensional Portrait is an expressive and creative art form that can celebrate the joys of bringing
new life into the world, such as the Pregnancy Castings; assist in one's healing process associated with
an illness; connect with oneness - body, mind and soul are not separate; and purely to arouse the imagination
and evoke an emotion.
Where does the casting session take place?
Casting sessions are done in the
comfort of your own home. I come to you. This way you don't have to travel, you can listen to
the music you like, and use your own shower. I bring all the materials needed to make the
cast, and plastic tarps to cover the floor and furniture.
How is a Dimensional Portrait made?
A Dimensional Portrait is made by applying layers of wet plaster
gauze to your body. After it starts to harden, the cast is released and taken off. I then bring
the cast back with me to my studio to reinforce weak areas and prepare the cast to be painted.
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How long does it take?
A casting session can take 1 1/2 to 2
hours depending on how much of the body is done. It's about 20 minutes for setting up, an hour for
the casting process, and another 20 minutes to clean up.
Are the materials safe?
Yes, the materials are safe and non-toxic. I use the
same kind of medical-grade plaster gauze that hospitals use to make casts.
How much of the body can I do?
Deciding on how much of the body to cast is a personal decision. Different approaches
may come into play depending on whether or not the subject is pregnant. That, and what is trying to be
conveyed, usually drive the decision making process.
For pregnancy castings, many
women choose to do belly only, or belly with hands. Full torso, including the breasts and is a popular
way to go, displaying a more complete depiction of the mother's beautiful transformation. Another popular
choice is one where the father is included in the process and his arm and hand appear cast along
with one of the woman's. For something completely different - monthly or trimester castings (three, six
and nine months). Whichever kind you choose, the pregnancy cast will always serve as a memento of your
pregnancy to share with your child and family.
How do you arrive at the design and imagery for a Dimensional
Portrait?
There are several ways the design and imagery
can be arrived at, but usually it's one's "intention" for doing a Dimensional Portrait that
determines the process. For Pregnancy Castings the
design and imagery majority of the time is based on the theme in the nursery, imagery taken from
journaling during pregnancy, memory of place where baby was conceived, or something abstract and pleasing
that reflects the beauty of the pregnancy.
I present two to three different designs to choose from. Once a design has
been approved
I begin with painting.
How much does a Dimensional Portrait cost?
A Dimensional Portrait ranges in cost depending on how much of the body is cast and the complexity
of the design. Refer
to Fees for more information.
Can I decorate/paint my Dimensional Portrait, or commission you to
do it?
Normally, my work is commissions for the cast and painting. I take commissions on occasion
for "casts only" when a person is going through Art Therapy and would like a Body Canvas to
paint.
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A relative/friend is making my cast from a kit, but we'd like you to
paint it. Is that possible?
Yes, I would be happy to paint/decorate your cast. You can ship it to me, and I will use the same
box and packing materials for shipping it back to you. Shipping will be added on to the painting fee.
I will email or overnight the designs to you.
Do you sell kits?
I only sell kits for pregnancy casts (originally known as bellymasks) through bellymask.com.
Francine
Krause, originator of Pregnant Bellymasks, offers the best kits on the market. Her kits include
everything you need to create a Pregnant Bellymask - high quality materials and easy to follow, illustrated
instructions. To order a Pregnant Bellymask Kit, visit www.
bellymask.com.
Do I have to be totally nude for the session?
Well, not totally nude. You can leave your
hat on! Just kidding. It will depend on how much and what part of the body is being cast. If clothes
are to be part of the finished cast, usually they are added after the cast is made. Or if you
just want to cover part of the body while another area of the body is being cast, that is fine. But wear
something old because if the plaster drips on the clothing and dries it does not come off. A good example
of this is when I'm working with a pregnant woman doing a belly only cast. She may wear an old sports
bra because I will not be covering that area.
I'm nervous about it hurting. How does it feel? Will I faint?
I apply two layers of plaster gauze. I smooth the plaster gauze onto the body. When applying the
first layer most clients compare the experience to a massage. When applying the second layer my hands
can't be felt because the first layer will already have begun to harden.
It can be very relaxing. If there is any discomfort, it's in the releasing of the cast. Unpetroleum
Jelly or Crisco is applied to the body so the plaster gauze doesn't stick to the skin. Sometimes there
is a small area where not enough jelly is applied and you'll feel the cast sticking to the skin. It feels
comparable to the pulling off of a band-aide when the cast is released. For areas with
body hair that need protection, like an arm, I either put Unpetroleum Jelly on thicker or apply plastic
wrap.
If you have a history of fainting I require another person be
there with you. That person can help tend to your needs such as fan you, massage your neck and shoulders,
get you a drink of water, etc. For pregnant women I recommend a fan set on low or medium so she does
not become to warm.
The process of figure casting is not recommended for anyone who is claustrophobic.
How far do you travel to do a session?
I travel from Chicago to all the surrounding suburbs. For travel over 35 miles, there is an extra charge
for my time and gas.
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Can I bring others to the casting session? Can they take pictures during
the session?
You can have a relative or friend attend and they can take photos, still or movie.
How will I hang the finished Dimensional Portrait?
I deliver the Dimensional Portrait ready to hang with hanging wire in place. All you have to do is
find the wall space and hammer a nail or install a toggle bolt.
Where will I hang the finished Dimensional Portrait?
Wherever you decide to display your Dimensional Portrait, remember it is truly a unique and beautiful
sculptural art piece. So any room you feel would be enhanced by art would be a most appropriate selection.
But there are times where the portrait is a personal piece and a room that is more private, like
the bedroom, would be a more suitable setting.
For custom commissions, I create Dimensional Portraits that can be displayed in an office or place
of business to promote the awareness of body, mind and spirit.
How do I care for the finished Dimensional Portrait?
I recommend hanging the Dimensional Portrait away from direct sunlight and environments with high
humidity. The portrait is finished with a final layer of varnish to protect the painting, so for cleaning
all you need is a feather duster.
Do you work with other life casting materials besides plaster gauze
when doing a Dimensional Portrait?
I prefer working with plaster gauze because it provides an organic rawness to the finished portrait
and the finished cast is light weight. The Dimensional Portrait is not so much concerned with realism
as it is the spirit of the piece and a lot of times plaster gauze is used as a life casting medium for
expressive arts. There is a material called alginate that a lot of life casters
use. The end result is a cast that reveals every little detail of your form - wrinkles, texture of skin,
moles, etc. I do not use the alginate process where a mold is made and plaster is poured into
the mold (with plaster gauze the mold is the final cast). But I do know a local Chicago lifecaster
who could do the casting session and then pass on the lifecast for painting to me. Visit
Association
of Lifecasters International to view examples of this art form.
Are you ever looking for models?
Yes. In between commissioned work for clients, I like to do Dimensional Portraits where I can
create for a larger audience, the art of body, mind and spirit. In that instance I need models. When
inquiring about modeling please type "Art,
Body & Soul Model" in the subject of your email.
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Bellymask, bellycast, pregnancy casting?
Bellymask, bellycast and pregnancy cast are one in the same - a durable, lightweight cast of a woman's
pregnant form made from plaster gauze.
When should I schedule my pregnancy casting session?
The pregnancy casting session is usually scheduled during the first two weeks of the ninth month.
Sometimes a woman discovers Pregnant Bellymasks on TV or over the Internet when it's almost her due date.
I have done, and do, pregnancy casts on due dates! For women who are having a multiple birth, the cast
can be done during the eighth month or earlier.
Can I include the father or my children?
One way to include the father is by having one of the father's hands, along with one of the mother's
hands caressing the pregnant belly. Or both of the father's hands could be caressing the pregnant
belly. A child's hand can also be included. Their hand is cast after the pregnancy cast has been released
from the mother's belly. I attach the child's hand cast later. This way the child doesn't have to stay
still very long. If you feel your child
is not up to staying still for a few minutes, then you could include him/her in decorating the inside
of the pregnancy cast.
Can you incorporate a pregnancy casting session into a baby shower?
Yes, this is a fun and lovely way for all the friends to participate in a woman's pregnancy. I instruct
everyone how to wet the plaster gauze and apply it to the belly. Another way to celebrate a woman's
pregnancy is to incorporate the making of a pregnancy cast with a Blessingway ceremony.
