LEPRECON 30
May 7-9th, 2004

LIFECASTING & BODYPAINTING by
GREENAWALT & GULLWING

 


Welcome to the "LepreCon 30" webpage showcasing a collaborative effort of lifecaster Byur Gullwing and myself, bodypainter Mark Greenawalt.  This live demonstration was part of LepreCon 30, Arizona's annual art-oriented science fiction and fantasy convention featuring the largest art show of this genre in the Southwest!  This year's event was held at the Sheraton Crescent Hotel in Phoenix, Arizona on May 7-9th and the demonstration took place on Saturday night starting at 9:00 p.m. 

Gullwing began with a brief discussion of the art-form of lifecasting for an audience of approximately 30 attendees and then proceeded to demonstrate the step by step process with the first of two models.  With the help of Robert, his assistant, Gullwing began applying the alginate molding material to the model's back.  At her request, no photographs were taken of this lifecasting.  While Gullwing was doing his presentation, I began painting a finished lifecast on the opposite side of the stage.  More on that later.

Gullwing's second lifecast model was with a model named Kayla Rei.  I had previously done a bodypainting on Kayla at the Paper Heart Art Gallery that can be found at http://www.futureclassx.com/bodypaint/kaylarei/morrison/morrison.htm  and Gullwing had also worked with Kayla on a previous lifecasting project that can be found on his on-line portfolio at http://www.onemodelplace.com/photographer_list.cfm?P_ID=34921 .  

The images below show some of the steps that Gullwing and Kayla went through to create the lifecast.  The first image shows the application of the alginate material and the second shows that cotton was patted on the surface to increase it's strength.  The last picture is the final plasterer lifecast that was made from the mold.  Unfortunately, there are quite a few steps that I didn't have the opportunity to photograph.

Applying alginate on model

waiting for alginate to set Raw finished plasterer lifecast

After the application of the alginate, the next step was adding a structural shell made of plasterer and medical bandages.  Once all of the materials had hardened, the mold was pryed from the model.  The total time for each model was less than 45 minutes.  This was the final step that was demonstrated at the LepreCon showcase, but there were obviously several things that Gullwing had to do to complete the molds and pour the plasterer for the final lifecast.

While Gullwing was doing his demonstration, I started mine by painting a plasterer lifecast that was completed days before the show.  The theme of LepreCon this year was futuristic combat and as I started brainstorming, my plan was to paint a space scene and have a space ship hovering over the extraterrestrial moonscape.  Somewhere along the way I changed my mind and decided to replace the spaceship with a flying dragon (exercising artistic license).  Below is a photo of the lifecast before being painted, a progress photo of how much was completed in front of the live audience, and a photo of the completed painting.

unpainted lifecast Progress shot of the lifecast painting

This original hand-painted lifecast has been christened "Moon of Pern" as a tribute to the dragon novels by Anne McCaffrey.  It is currently for sale and will be on display at a Scottsdale art gallery this summer.  If you are interested in this lifecast or in having one made to order, feel free to contact mark@futureclassx.com and visit my website at www.futureclassx.com and/or LifeCast@aol.com and visit his site at www.lifecastaz.com .  

Oh, and by the way, the first collaboration between Gullwing and I was entered into the LepreCon 30 art show and we were very honored to have taken the 2nd Place Ribbon.  There were hundreds of pieces on display and I thought that quite a few of them were really awesome, especially the works by the featured artists Donato Giancola and Sylvana Anderson-Gish.  Here is a picture of this lifecast named "ISIS".  This "award-winning" lifecast is also currently for sale!


Please feel free to also visit the bodypainting web pages from my previous two live demonstrations at LepreCon 28 and LepreCon 29 at the links below:

http://www.futureclassx.com/bodypaint/tawnyagentleman/talon/lepreCon28.htm 
http://www.futureclassx.com/bodypaint/kay/shaleste/lepreCon29.htm 

 


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This page has been designed and maintained by FUTURE-CLASS X PUBLISHING.
Unless noted otherwise, Photography and Artwork by Mark Greenawalt c2004.  All rights reserved.
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