The act of holding someone’s hand is seen in many cultures as a show of affection, trust, and care. We don’t always physically touch other people in the first place, and most of our skinship is limited to those very close to us. That’s why handholding is seen in such high regard, and why many consider it to be a symbol of mutual support, companionship, and cooperation.
One interesting way to immortalize your bonds with others is through the use of a hand casting kit. As the name may suggest, a hand casting kit takes the shape of your hands and creates a near-perfect copy of it. It’s a very artistic and symbolic way of showing your passion for one another, and it can serve as a unique and special decoration for your home.
This hand casting kit contains everything you need to make a hand mold for you and your significant other. It contains a bucket, some gloves, molding powder, a de-molding stick, and even a practice kit so you learn how to work with the materials before you really commit. There’s also some sandpaper included in the kit so you can clean off rough edges after the mold dries up.
What makes this kit special compared to others is its packaging. The entire hand casting kit is packaged nicely in one clean and sleek box. The box contains beautiful fonts, nice characters, and so on. While the packaging won’t affect the actual mold, it’s nice to see products with good packaging, and this often reveals the level of quality of the product.
The Niimo Hand Casting Kit makes a perfect gift for any special occasion for those who love each other! This professional-quality molding kit provides a unique experience of building one-of-a-kind hand sculptures with your favorite person. The natural, skin-friendly mixture and plaster used in this product ensure that you can make detailed and lasting molds without worrying about irritation or discomfort. It’s also extremely easy to use, perfect for couples of any age looking to make something special together.
This casting kit is an ideal present for any thoughtful husband or wife. It’s truly a personalized gift with each sculpture being made with care, full of meaningful details, and everlasting memories that can be cherished forever. The kit contains alginate powder with a color indicator which gives the molding an extra pop of color; 1 kg ceramic casting plaster; a 3-liter container; four bamboo sticks; as well as a multi-language step-by-step guide to help you along the way.
After the casting has completed, many couples choose to simply display the hands as-is and call it a day. But some people prefer to take it a step further by painting the hands to give them more color and life. There’s nothing inherently wrong with the look of the hands after casting, as it’s similar to a sculpture that you’d see in ancient times, but the lack of color can be a dealbreaker for some.
This casting kit comes with not one, not two, but six acrylic paints to really get your creative juices flowing. The paint dries fairly quickly, and they’re designed to be painted over the cast, so they look great when applied properly. Painting a cast after it’s dried may be an unnecessary step, but if you really want your hands to stand out, then it’s a surefire way of doing so.
When trying out something new, a lot of people can find it difficult to get started. They often get overwhelmed by all the bells and whistles presented to them, which may make them too nervous or anxious to actually use the product. With this hand casting kit by Godotra, however, you won’t have to worry about any of that, as the kit is s simple that anybody can use it.
The kit doesn’t have any extra accessories but contains exactly what you need to create a hand mold. This makes it easier to work with the kit, and it also saves you the trouble of finding a place to store what would have been extra materials and tools. You can get the casting kit in larger sizes, too, if you want a bigger mold, and there’s even a kit with a glass bell jar if you want to preserve the mold inside a container.
Not sure you’d like a hand mold? You don’t need to spend a lot of money to test the waters. This hand casting kit costs less than $20, making it the cheapest kit on our list. Now, $20 may seem like a lot, but compared to all the other kits available in the market today, this one’s much cheaper, so you’ll be saving quite a bit of money in the process.
Of course, the kit contains everything you need to make the mold, so you don’t need to spend an extra dime. It’s got the casting and molding powders, gloves, paint, some detailing tools, and sandpaper. There’s also a set of instructions for those who don’t know how to cast and mold, so you won’t have to rely on the Internet to learn how to work with your tools.
A common concern with hand casting is that the chemicals contained in the powders can be dangerous to the skin, but that’s actually not the case, and this kit by Luna Bean makes a point about mentioning this. The kit is safe to use by anyone from toddlers to adults, with the formula being non-toxic and non-allergenic – your skin is completely safe throughout the whole process.
Aside from this, the formula used in the casting is quick-setting, so after just a quick wait, you can remove your hands without worrying about the actual cast. This can be especially helpful if you want to use the kit in the middle of an event, such as an anniversary. The kit is pretty simple to use, and while the packaging maybe a little too bland, that doesn’t really affect the quality of the cast itself.
This brief guide will cover all you need to know about hand casting kits and what they can do for you and your significant other.
Those who haven’t dabbled in DIY work may not be familiar with either term, but casting and molding both refer to the act of pouring a liquid substance inside a shape for it to solidify. Casting and molding are very heavily used in producing plastics, metal, and other materials in various forms.
One interesting thing to note is that the terms “casting” and “molding” are used interchangeably, and while they are very similar in application, the terms differ based on what material is being used in the process. If metal is used, the process is known as casting – otherwise, if it’s plastic or some other material, the process is known as molding.
Functionally and technically speaking, the two processes are pretty much the same, which is why the terms are often confused with one another. In fact, there’s no problem with using the terms interchangeably unless you’re working professionally, so don’t worry about it too much.
In the context of hand casting kits, the “molding” powder refers to the powder used to make the formula that will cover your hands and create a hollow shape. On the other hand, the “casting” powder will be used to fill in that extra space that was formed by your hand, and that plaster will form your hands when dried. This process of plaster casting is ancient and has been a staple of art since the Renaissance. This TikTok by LukeandKacie is a quick video of the hand casting process featuring a great result.
https://www.tiktok.com/@lukeandkacie/video/7053568529110682926
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of things, let’s first begin with some mise en place. While you will have everything you need to make the cast inside your kit, they won’t be arranged according to use right out of the box, so you’ll need to set aside some things first as they won’t be relevant until later on in the process.
The first thing you’ll want to set aside will be the detailing tools. Not all kits come with these extra tools, but if yours do, then don’t bother having them nearby until you’ve got the cast completely dry. Aside from the detailing tools, consider placing both your paint and sandpaper somewhere else, as they’ll also be reserved for later.
Now that we’ve cleaned our workspace, it’s time to create the mold. The process is simple – get your molding powder and mix it according to the instructions provided. Then, pour that formula onto the bucket. Once you’ve filled the bucket with the molding formula, it’s time to dip your hands in.
Once you’ve placed your hands in the mold, you’ll have to wait a few minutes or so for the mold to completely dry. The exact time it takes for the mold to dry depends on various factors, such as weather, temperature, the powder’s composition, and so on, but it shouldn’t take you any more than 15 minutes for the whole thing to dry up.
Once it’s dry, you’ll want to gently remove your hands from the mixture, wiggling slightly to allow air to pass through the spaces you create. You need to make sure you don’t damage the mold in the process, as doing so will result in a badly-shaped cast later on.
Once you’ve got your hand out of the mold, it’s time to pour in the casting formula. Mix the casting powder as instructed and pour the resulting formula into the space left behind by your hand. Try to fill the entire mold up if you can, but don’t overdo it. Once you’ve filled the mold, you’ll have to wait for about a day before the casting completely dries.
After a day, you can return to your work and get the casting out of the mold. This is easily done by breaking apart the mold to reveal the cast. You can use it to do this, just be extra careful once you get to the actual cast, as you wouldn’t want to damage that.
Now that you’ve got the cast out of the mold, you can start cleaning up. You’ll want to remove any trace of the mold first and foremost. Once that’s done, consider giving the cast a light sanding to smoothen out rough edges. Finally, you can use the detailing tools to add a bit of texture to certain areas and paint to add a nice metallic or realistic finish to your hands, depending on the paint provided or used. This YouTube video by Ikigai Art Lab shows you how to create a metallic look with your finished cast.
Hand casting kits are often marketed towards couples, as couples can use them to commemorate anniversaries and similar occasions. You can also use it yourself if you simply want to make a cast out of your hand and you want to display it somewhere in your house.
The powders used in hand casting kits are safe on the skin and should not cause any irritation or cause health issues.
Hand casting kits create a mold shaped out of your hand and then use that mold to make a cast that takes the shape of the mold.
While couples are common customers of hand casting kits, anyone can enjoy using a hand casting kit as it can be a fun way to make homemade decorations.
Yes, of course! Commonly, people make casts of their feet too. Besides hands and feet though, there is very little you can cast on your own. Definitely do not cast your face.
Hand casts can be painted any color but often people prefer metallic colors that replicate the look of a metal sculpture, for example, bronze. Whether or not you would like the metal look, any color you choose is perfect for you.
At Art Life Today, our passion for arts and crafts is at the heart of everything we do. We understand that the right tools and materials can make all the difference in your creative projects, so we take our responsibility as reviewers seriously. Our goal is to help you discover the best products that will inspire your creativity and bring your artistic visions to life.