Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Cornstarch and Silicone Molds DIY

I love making my own silicone molds but the molding putty can get expensive!  Well, not any more.  Check out my cornstarch and silicone molds that cure in about 20 minutes!  These molds are super easy to make (also a bit messy) and you can make tons of them for very little money.  In my crafty lab, I found that air dry clay, Sculpey and 2-part plastics work best in these molds.  If you're not familiar with 2-part plastics, they are wonderful and cure in about 10 minutes.  I'll put a link to where you can get some below.  Have fun, go forth and make molds!
xo, Mark!
The stop watch mold is one of my favorites! 
 Add a little paint to give them some color!
Try the putty on a small statue or doll face!
Watch the short video tutorial here
Learn how to make Rubber Stamps with a similar method, here!
YOU'LL NEED
Cornstarch
Baby oil
Mixing bowl
Objects to cast
 Squeeze out enough silicone to cover your object
Add in about 1/2 the amount of cornstarch
Add a small dab of Americana Acrylic Paint
Add in several drops of baby oil
Mix thoroughly with a small spoon or stick
*Cover your hands in cornstarch and knead
Roll the putty into a ball
Press in your item making sure it covers all the details
Let cure for about 20 minutes
Remove the object
Fill with 2 part plastics, Sculpey or air dry clay


19 comments:

  1. Great info ...thanks for sharing. I am assuming this is not food grade?? for fondant etc??

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    1. Hi Carol, This is strictly craft grade.....no food. Great for clay, hot glue, plaster, 2 part plastics, melted plastics and can sometimes work with resin, but it depends on the silicone used. It's hit or miss.

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  2. Awesome tutorial, Mark!
    Thanks for sharing :)

    By the way, which is the use of the baby oil in this mixture? Makes the mold more flexible or easier to work with?

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    1. I'm not 100% sure about this, but I believe it helps as a releasing agent in the mixture. The oil makes it easier for the clay or 2 part plastic to release after it's set.

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    2. Ooooh! Thank you so much for your help, Mark!
      I'm trying this in a few hours and I'll let you know the results ;)

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    3. Yay! I can't wait to hear about your results! Wear gloves if you can, it gets very sticky!

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  3. I know this post is from a year ago but i need help! Ive done everything you said except i used vegetable oil instead of baby oil. It will not cure. Every object i cast pulls out half the mold. I let it sit overnight and still nothing.

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    1. Hm.....I'd try the baby oil for sure. Also, if you have a torch or even a long arm lighter, you can heat your resin piece (if it's sticky) a couple of times and that should facilitate the curing. I assume you're using resin? Resin can sometimes react to silicone.

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  4. Can you substitute flour for the cornstarch

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  5. Hi Mark
    Thank you for a great video about making molds.
    Can I ask where I can find the lady face with the wide crown on her head ? Or could you sell me a mold of her ??? Please ??? I’m collecting face molds and I NEED one with a crown on .. please can you help me ?? I will be so very grateful ...
    Hugs from Monica
    Spain

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  6. I have tried this recipe and my mold itself won’t harden. I might’ve used too much babyoil. It has almost set for 24hrs and is still like not quite playdough but very mailable. I don’t know if my mold is too thick or if I did something wrong. I even put it outside to try and see if the house is too cold to harden or cure the mold. Can you help me?

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  7. Is this skin safe to use to make a casting of your hand?

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    1. I got it on my hands and was fine, but if you have a silicone allergy, I would be careful. Maybe if you coat your hand in petroleum jelly first?

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  8. Thank you,very thorough, I have used this before without the baby oil but will try this and see how it goes. Great post

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  9. I tried this today, but I used almost the whole tube of silicone and half 16oz container of cornstarch and the baby oil. I did a fullsize skull head. I want to temp to make a candle. I'm stoked. I'll do this very slow, cause i'm not sure the heat from wax will make this mold soft, so I will probably pour tiny bit in at a time until I see if it works or doesn't get mushy or anything. :) lol It's gonna take longer than 20 minutes for sure. I wish I could share a photo. but cant seem to.

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    1. how did it go with using the wax in the soft mold? I am very interested in the results! I hope to hear from you soon.

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    2. Sorry, I meant to ask about the mold for the full size skull head as well. Did it work and I was wondering if you don't mind telling me what you were going to use the mold for it for? Just curious! lol!

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