Handcrafted,Cockermouth
Life casting is becoming a popular way to capture those precious moments. Sarah Sinclair visited Hand Crafted in Cockermouth to see if it is all it’s cracked up to be.
Nothing is more precious than time with our loved ones. So, perhaps unsurprisingly, casting has become increasingly popular with families and couples, wanting to capture a perfect moment. Local business Hand Crafted is helping their customers do just that.
Artist Louise Dickinson, known as “Lou”, has a degree in Art and Design and a qualification in production arts, where she studied the ins and outs of media make up. It was then that she discovered the process of casting.
She said: “A lot of people don’t actually know what it is, it’s quite a new concept.
“We’ve had interest from everyone and a real variety of people coming in. It’s really popular with families, people love the idea for their kids.”
The casts are made using Alginate, a product containing seaweed; it is great for your skin, not unlike what you might find on your face during an expensive facial. It doesn’t taste great, but it is safe to eat, which is good news for those hoping to take younger children along.
The process itself is remarkably simple, I couldn’t believe how quick it was. Lou mixed up the Alginate powder with water I was then asked to submerge my hand in the middle and wiggle it around to reduce the air bubbles. It is crucial not to touch the sides or bottom edges of the container; it is harder than it looks, but this is the only tricky part. I then had to wait for two minutes while the mixture set. As it hardens and turns from a luminous pink colour to white, it traps my hand and Lou assures me I will be able to release it almost instantly.
Once my hand was out, the impression had been made and I was free to go; the rest was up to the professionals. Over the next few days the plaster would be left to dry out and behind the scenes, Lou then removes all the inevitable air bubbles and gives the cast the final touches. She then covers the model in a stone cast plaster to create the hard finish.
Lou said: “I really enjoy the process and I love the outcome, seeing the finished product.”
A week later the cast was ready to come home. The end product is finished to a high quality professional standard and offers a lifelong memento of your loved one.
