Molded/Cast Decor project!

[moviescolin]

Hey everyone, it's been a while since I've posted anything. Lots of personal stuff went down over the past year!

Since things are starting to look up for me again, I've started a little project I've had in my head for years.

I've always wanted to do my own terrarium decorations, but not in the traditional way. I wanted to create hard plastic copies of things I could make, so that I could have several copies and potentially sell a few to reimburse myself for materials cost.

I've got several ideas brewing, but I wanted to do something relatively simple at first as a kind of "proof-of-concept."

So with all that being said, the first decoration on my laundry list of decorations is a custom background for the 8x8x12 Exo Terra Nano tank. I thought these tanks were really neat and convenient for raising juvenile or infant reptiles/amphibians, and I wanted to incorporate something that would make use of the height of the tank.

The piece is sculpted in WED (Water-based) clay, then silicone is poured over it to create an exact negative-mold, and then liquid plastic is poured into the hollowed mold to create an exact replica in plastic. Pricey stuff; the mold is about half-done. When I get more silicone I can finish it and cast the first couple of backgrounds, paint them and seal them in aquarium-safe sealant and test it out in a vivarium.

Let me know what you think! I don't claim to be the best sculptor in the world, but I think I fared pretty well here.

[deranged chipmunk]

I think that looks really cool. If you do start selling them, I would definitely be interested in one.

[moviescolin]

Thanks!

I want to do a tree buttress type thing too, but that gets a little complicated. I'll get the backgrounds done first, probably, and then on to more complicated ideas.