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Making Molds & More
PMC lends itself easily to working with molds you make yourself or with commercially made molds. Molds allow for repeated elements and the production of multiples. Hollow forms allow your work to be light and helps your PMC go farther. Here are some ideas about molds:
Soap
A simple way to get started is to carve a pattern into a bar of soap. Press PMC into the depression, peel it away, and you have a molded form. If you don’t like the result, re-work the carving and try again. Need a dozen? It’s a simple matter of repetition.
Rubber Molds
Hobby shops sell a variety of molds intended for candy, candles and plaster. All will work for PMC, as will the cookie and butter molds you'll find at the kitchen supply store.
To make your own molds, buy a two-part silicone mold compound. Most molds do not need lubrication but if the PMC sticks, coat lightly with a non-stick cooking spray.
Hollow Forms
Make beads and other hollow forms easily with PMC. Start by making a core from a material that will burn away completely. Examples include paper clay, Styrofoam, tissue, bread and cereals. Coat these with PMC, decorate and fire. In some cases the cores will smoke as they burn off and you will want to vent this from your shop or work area.