How to Make Elf Ears - Casting your Actor's Ears (Part 1)

Ear Casting is the first video of our even part series "Creating Elf Ears" on how to make custom silicone Elf Ears. This video covers the process on how to cast an actor's ears and create a plaster mold of the ear using Alginate as the ear casting material. The plaster ear is then used to sculpt your elf ear onto using clay. Or you can go further and create resin ears for more durability and detail.

To simplify the other materials used in this special series on creating elf ears, here is a list of what you need for the rest of the process.

THE PLASTER used in this process is called Hydrocal B11 White. This plaster is best because you can scrape it and clean it easier than Ultracal 30 plaster. Which either one is good it's just I prefer Hydrocal.

THE SILICONE used in the molding process can be either a Tin Cure silicone or a platinum silicone. Platinum preferred my most effects artist. I have been using Dragon Skin 30 for the molds instead of the blue (Tin-Cure) stuff lately. Tin-Cure silicone sometimes causes the platinum silicone or PlatSil Gel 10 to not cure and remain sticky. So I have found you can't use different silicone for molding. Stay with platinum silicone for everything. Dragon Skin 10 seems to be the most popular and easiest to buy.

For the prosthetic ears use either use PlatSil Gel 10 silicone or Dragon Skin 10. (PlatSil is a little more expensive but I love its feel better than dragon skin.)
For coloring the silicone use the recommend silicone tinting products.

The plastic material I use in the video for making the ear forms is called Repo 1 (Reproduction plastic). You can also use Smooth On Smooth-Cast® 385. I think it might be cheaper and easier to use.