# Would this be a good material choice for a  Prosthetic mask?



## Hierientzal (Dec 26, 2009)

I ruled out fursuits due to my short funds, and I looked everywhere for a fursuit head under 200 bucks. Obviously its too hard a job to go any cheaper, so I am gonna give prosthetics a stab when I go to the local con. I found a really good online store that does prosthetic masks, they gave me 3 options of latex:

1: Slush Cast -Cheapest
2: Hot Foam -Is the most expressive
3: Cold Foam -I think this is most durable?

Is cold foam the most durable, is it heavy, does it fall off, and does it last the longest?


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## ScrapeGoat (Dec 27, 2009)

The problem is that you've described the methods of making the masks, but not the material. 

"Slush-cast"  just refers to a cast where you roll or brush the casting material around in the mold.  This would normally refer to a mask made from casting latex in this context.  Latex is very durable as long as you store it properly (away from oxygen and humidity).  It does not breathe well and has a tendency for humidity from your breath to condense on the inside (think Halloween rubber masks).  

Hot-foam is heat activated foam (I believe Urethane).  I have not worked with the process before so I can't speak for the durability of the product

Cold-foam is a heatless process that creates a foam when you mix a urethane foam base and a catalyst.  Burman TC-265 is  good example. It creates a long lasting foam that is reasonably durable, yet light and soft to the touch.  You can make it more durable and snag-resistant by coating the inside of the mold in latex prior to foaming it.    I love using this process, personally.


Can you be more specific on the types of materials they actually use, or provide a link to their website?


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## Hierientzal (Dec 27, 2009)

Thanks for the reply and here is the site.
http://www.northfur.ca/shop/


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## ScrapeGoat (Dec 27, 2009)

Hierientzal said:


> Thanks for the reply and here is the site.
> http://www.northfur.ca/shop/




Well, well...lookee here they have a FAQ that answers your very question:

hat is the  				difference between 'Hot Foam', 'Cold Foam', 'Slush/Slip' cast latex? 			 			 				 				
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 				Slush or slip cast latex is liquid latex  				that is poured into our moulds and through a build-up of layers  				create the prosthetics or masks. The result is a hollow latex shell.  				In the case of prosthetics, they have thin edges, while masks will  				have thicker edges. These hollow shells are glued to your face only  				around the edges. They are best suited for use for background characters,  				or anyone with few lines. They are tough and durable, lasting a  				dozen or more applications and usually donâ€™t need a remover since  				they can be peeled off like band-aids. They are flexible and will  				move with the mouth and some expressions, but they arenâ€™t as flexible  				or as expressive as hot foam latex. Since they are hollow, if theyâ€™re  				improperly applied, they can muffle the voice and make it sound  				nasal due to echoing.

				Hot foam latex is a foam latex that is whipped up, poured into our  				moulds, assembled with a face core and then placed in an oven to  				bake for a few hours. The result is a soft filled foam piece. They  				have thin edges and can be glued down completely to your face since  				it comes into more contact with more surface area than just the  				edges. These are best suited for main characters or for anyone with  				a lot of signing and lines. Since they are filled, there will be  				no problems with echoing. Foam latex is extremely flexible and expressive  				and will give the liveliest performance. However, foam latex is  				more fragile and can tear, so it requires a remover to remove the  				pieces. They have a lifespan of about 10-12 applications. 

				Cold foam latex is an expanding polyurethane foam (A-B Foam) that  				is sandwiched between slush cast latex layers. The result is a filled  				foam piece with thick edges. This type of material is best suited  				for mask making, props and anything that needs to be static as itâ€™s  				the least flexible of all materials we use. Itâ€™s the best basis  				for making costume heads that are furred since it can be flexible,  				yet solid enough to hold its shape. Itâ€™s also durable with the slush/slip  				cast latex skin, masks made with cold foam could last for 5 years  				or more. Itâ€™s not suitable for being glued on like a prosthetic.


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## Hierientzal (Dec 27, 2009)

-Slaps own face- thanks... This means I should stick with Cold. I certainly wouldn't want to keep buying these considering the fact that I do wear stuff like this 6 times a year.


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## ScrapeGoat (Dec 27, 2009)

Hierientzal said:


> -Slaps own face- thanks... This means I should stick with Cold. I certainly wouldn't want to keep buying these considering the fact that I do wear stuff like this 6 times a year.



Yeah, the latex-skinned cold cast masks will last for years if properly handled and stored.  They can be remarkably comfortable and realistic looking as well. 

Here's a pic of the mask I finished right before MFF using this very process. 
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=sevgc3&s=6


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## Hierientzal (Dec 27, 2009)

Nice mask. My prob is solved. I super appreciate this help.


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## SuperJay (Dec 28, 2009)

No, I'm not stalking you, this thread came up in our site's stats.

Anyways,  the FAQ does outline which materials are best for certain projects.
If you're making a fursuit head, something that WON'T be glued onto your face, yes Cold Foam Latex is your best bet.

An alternative to consider is attaching any of the 3 materials to a spandex hood.

The process of gluing prosthetics/masks onto your face over and over is what will shorten their lifespans.  They could all last for years if they're not being glued on.

http://northfur.ca/gallery/masks
There are a few examples of spandex/velour based masks in this gallery, some with hot foam would be the "spandex tiger", slush cast is the "skaven/rat mask" and cold foam would be the "spandex wolf".

The foam latex walrus mask is about 2 1/2 years old and it's still in good shape.

So if possible, avoid gluing the pieces onto your face if you want it to last for years.

If you want to know the weight of anything, let me know the item number and material, and I'll look it up.


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## ScrapeGoat (Dec 28, 2009)

NET STALKER!  Ahhhhh!   RUN!  


j/k actually had it not been for this thread I'd never have found your site. 
Nice stuff!  I would love to trade some construction notes/tips with you some time, since I'm doing some similar kinds of work (although non-commercial).


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## Sabian (Dec 29, 2009)

Why not use this as an excuse to get into SPFX and do some mask making, get creative. You can build a full torso sized foam latex oven for about $200 if you are handy. You only need a max heat of around 200 to cures it, you can use heat lamps or even an elctric griddle in the bottom. The key is the blower to move the air around, that is the most important thing. Then you can get some fun head amatures, some clay and start sculpting up your mask/muzzle.


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