Casting a Dancer's Foot: A Step-by-Step Guide

What we're going to do now is cast a dancer's foot. This is one of the most common castings that you'll do, probably because dancers simply love to have their feet cast. We're going to do this in a similar way to how we cast the couple's hands earlier.

The first step is to have our dancer, Lydia, place her foot in the bucket. However, the bucket isn't tall enough to cover her heel, so we're going to add an extension just like we did before. We'll try two different sizes to see which one works best.

Lydia puts her foot in again. It’s just barely tall enough, so we decide to go with the taller extension. Perfect. Now, we’ll proceed the same way we did with the couple's hands.

Preparing the Mixture

It takes about 10 lbs of water plus the alginate to fill this bucket, but 10 lbs is too much to mix all at once. Additionally, I want to go slightly above that amount. I’ve found that the maximum you can mix at once is about 8 lbs of water, so I’ve measured out 7 lbs of water in two buckets. This gives us 14 lbs of water in total.

For the alginate, we need 7 lbs of water per batch, which equates to 35 oz (or 994 g) of alginate per bucket. The water weighs 3174 g for 7 lbs, and the alginate is 997 g or 35 oz.

Choosing the Right Alginate

This alginate is different from the one we used before. It’s called FiberGel, which is typically used for faces or body casting because of its added fibers that make it stronger and more tear-resistant. The fibers help it hold together better, which is important for capturing all the little details of the slipper without leaving pieces behind.

Getting Ready to Cast

Once everything is measured and ready, we’re good to go. This alginate has a setting time of about 5 minutes, which allows us to mix it slightly warmer (around 90°F), making it more comfortable for Lydia while still giving us 4-5 minutes to work before it sets.

We’ll mix one batch and then immediately start mixing the next batch. It’s crucial to add the second batch while the first is still liquid, as set alginate won't stick to itself. If necessary, an ingredient called AlgiSlo can be sprayed to help with adhesion, but we shouldn't need it here.

Preparing the Slipper

Next, we coat the slipper in corn oil. It’s important not to use olive oil, as it doesn’t work as well. Corn oil is inexpensive and effective. We thoroughly soak the slipper inside and out but avoid the ribbons so they can still be tied. We do coat the little strap that helps the slipper stay on.

Lydia puts the slipper back on and ties it. I also coat the ribbon in oil to ensure nothing sticks. It’s okay if a bit of oil gets on the skin because alginate doesn’t stick to skin at all.

Positioning and Casting

We position Lydia’s foot towards the front of the bucket, ensuring the thickest part of the alginate is at the back, which will allow for a deeper cut when we open the mold.

I then rub the alginate over her foot to prevent bubbles from forming on the surface. Once her foot is well-coated, I pour in the rest of the alginate and start mixing the next batch.

It’s important to spread the new batch over the first one while it’s still liquid, as set alginate won’t stick to itself. If it sets, the layers will separate when the mold is removed.

Removing the Cast

Now, we face the challenge of removing the bucket from her foot. It’s too low to work on comfortably, so Lydia climbs onto a counter. The mold is heavy, weighing about 20 lbs, so we carefully lift it off her foot.

We separate the top section of the bucket and pull it forward, revealing the bottom of her slipper. Then, we cut down the back of her foot in a zigzag pattern. I use a very dull instrument to avoid injury, making sure to cut straight next to her foot but zigzagged closer to the bucket.

When Lydia’s foot is halfway exposed, she gently slides it out, and I realign the bucket to close the seam on top.

Finishing Touches

The only place prone to bubbles is the top of the heel since it’s flat. To avoid this, I ensure plaster reaches all the way up to the heel by gently sloshing it around.

After a few minutes, we remove the plaster cast. There’s a tiny seam in the plaster that can easily be smoothed down, making it almost invisible. This mold could potentially be used a second time, unlike most alginate molds that tear apart during removal.

If desired, the mold could be reassembled to cast another slipper, but usually, one perfect cast is enough.