Low mold adhesion is another benefit of high rubber solids. Both cream rubber and evaporated rubber have high rubber solids (68% to 70%) which add life and bounce to the latex. Cream rubber is another type of natural rubber that comes directly from rubber trees but is no longer widely available due to the high cost of production. Prior to evaporated rubber, the best rubber to use for mask compounds was cream rubber. Quality mask compounds made today will also typically use evaporated latex (a type of uncompounded natural latex) as their rubber base component, since the rubber's solids are higher with evaporated rubber. High quality mask latex, like the ever popular RD-407, contains a good balance of rubber to filler and a properly balanced cure system. Mask latex can shrink anywhere from 5% to 15% depending on the brand used. The type and quantity of accelerators and curatives that are added to the mix is an important factor in shrinkage. Shrinkage and feel can also depend on the “cure package” that is used in the rubber. The lower the amount of filler added, the softer the rubber will be, but the higher the shrinkage. Generally speaking, the more filler that is added to the rubber mixture, the stiffer the latex will become and the less it will shrink or feel like rubber. The loss of some of these liquid components in the rubber is what causes the latex to shrink. As the latex cures to a flexible solid, some of the liquid components draw into the mold and to a much lesser extent into the air. Mask compounds average about 58-62% solids including filler, vulcanizers and non latex components of the recipe. The reason is simple: liquid latex is not 100% solids. In addition to lifecasts, a wigblock, mannequin head, or other kinds premade headforms can also work well. An added benefit to using an armature is that it helps the eye holes of the mask line up better too. A longer neck on your head form will help offset the shrinkage factor. This is because latex masks shrink as they dry. The best armatures are those made from a person with a long neck, like Doug Jones, or an artificially elongated neck.
If your armature is a lifecast or premade headform created from a lifecast, you know that the mask will fit an average size human when it is complete (unless of course you use the lifecast of a child, women (smaller head on average) or a person with a smaller than average head or short neck).
Why is a head armature often used when creating latex masks?Ī human head form, also known as a head armature, is used as a base upon which to create your character in clay.
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Feel free to e-mail us if I we missed something or made any omissions or errors. This Guide will cover the materials and techniques that are commonly used in both latex masks and prop making.įor those of you seasoned veterans out there, there may also be some good info here which you can add to your knowledge base. For all you lurkers out there that have ever wanted to try your hand at Latex Mask Making but didn’t know where to start, we have put together an intensive Mask Making Guide in question and answer format.