General info re using molds
Purchased molds (all kinds)
.....for polymer clay
.....other purchased molds (plastic, metal, silicone, etc.)
Ready Stamps (having molds/stamps made)
Making molds yourself
...ideas & tips for all mold types
...stiff polymer clay molds (regular clay)
...flexible polymer clay molds ...MoldMaker, Bake & Bend
...glues (flexible) & hot glue (deep & shallow molds)
.........casting in glue molds
....silicone (flexible) ....1-pt. tube & caulk
.......2-part silicone putties
.......... brands like Miracle Mold, Alley Goop, etc.
...........other uses and info
...other materials for molding
......alginate, latex rubber (flexible)
......plaster, misc. (stiff)
......reusable materials
......air-dry clays (for size reduction of molds,items)
...groups, more suppliers
Reverse molds
2-piece molds (2-sided)
Stamps
Antiquing, highlighting, staining
.....(w.paints,inks,metallic powders/waxes, etc)
Other ways to use molds
.... cameos
Releases
Websites & Groups

many kinds of molds can be used with polymer clay.
...purchased molds of all kinds (intended for clay, or for soap, cookies-chocolates, etc.)
......objects from around the house (which can be used as molds)
...molds you've made from objects around the house, or from something you make yourself, then have made a mold from (e.g. a face)
....some ex's: Melnik's Pez disp. head, figurine & ornament heads, hand she'd made http://melnik.freeservers.com/molds.html

when filling a mold with clay... you can use just a bit less clay than will totally fill the mold so its edges will be smooth and perfect
...or you can use a lot less clay if using only one areas of a mold
...or you can fill the mold exactly (keep trying diff. amounts of clay) ..... or you can overfill
.......if overfilling, having a lot of overfill can create a bit of "background" to the molded shape, or excess can be presse backward around small armature for making the mold more dimensional or used to create additinal parts, etc
...... or all excess clay can be "shaved" off with a long blade
...... or the overfill edges can be smoothed before baking or sanded after baking, or they can be trimmed off with a craft knife, needle tool or mini cutters
...excess background can also be cut into another shape (e.g., to create a frame) ... I sometimes like to cut my raw clay for the mold into a square, rectangle, or any shape, just outside the impression made for the mold. That way, when the mold is baked and pressed into raw clay, a background of depressed clay is left around the raised central image, leaving a raised frame around the outside. (...if a number of these framed images are made next to each other, the result is a raised frame area around the depressed one . . . or the same thing happens if the area just outside the outer edge of the depressed frame is cut away. DB
...mica clays can be have problems when casting in molds because the mica particles can easily get un-aligned and dark areas will be created
.....Norajean has some suggestions about avoiding this... basically rolling any cut edges under, cutting things at an angle so the edges are not visible from the top side, carefully pulling out areas of clay out to fit into depressions in the mold (rather than just pressing in a smooth ball, etc.), and rolling (over) the clay to move just a little clay at a time (like moving waves)
http://www.norajean.com/Biz-Archive/Egypt/004.htm

an acrylic block (or sheet of glass-plastic) can be used to press down an object (like a charm, etc.) to be molded into the clay when making a mold (or also later when pressing raw clay into a mold)...using a clear block allows you to see the process as it happens so that you can stop when you want, or make any corrections. It and most importantly leaves the top and bottom of the mold very flat which is often helpful later.
....to keep the thickness of the clay mold as even as possible all the way though, three or more small cubes or other small items of the *same height* can be placed under the block before pressing. All kinds of things can be found around the house which allow you to make different clay pad thicknesses (jewel boxes for tapes, corks, etc.) If you can't find three of the same thing, cut one thing into three pieces, or try two open books. DB
http://pcpolyzine.com/december2001/tools.html (photo near bottom)

stiff clay molds you make can't have undercuts (okay for flexible molds) ...or you can mold only the non-undercut portion

to remove clay, especially from stiffer molds ...often the clay will come out fairly easily, but if not:
....use a release agent (see Releases below for which releases are best for which clays or situations)
....let cool awhile (in frig or freezer, or naturally) . . . and don't use really warm or gooey clay (can cool or leach it)
....press on clay back with another wad of sticky clay ...or with Blue Tac or semi-stiff plastic sheet (or anything which will create a vacuum).
....(especially if the molded clay item doesn't need a flawless back, or if you plan to add a layer of clay or something later) you can insert a loop of wire (I used phone wire) as a handle to help pull the baked clay out of the mold ... or try inserting a needle or other tool horizontally into the back and try to pull out the clay.
.......also like a cake, sometimes you can run the tip of a blade around the rim to break the vacuum seal
(...flex the mold or push from the back, if using a flexible mold)

after removing clay from a mold, the raw clay can be further manipulated, or added to with more clay, before curing
...add onlays, or parts from other molds... or bases-backgrounds... or accessories .
...distort... reshape any parts by stretching, pressing, manipulating with tools ...or add impressions, etc.

...cut out areas where you want holey-ness/filigree....
.. cut out or impress areas where you want to replace with other clay, or "set" a stone or other object or clay
(... you can also add details to a baked clay item from a mold to create a second generation object to then mold
(... e.g., make a flower from a flower mold... bake ... then add to the flower some raw clay leaves you've sculpted, or raw leaves taken from another mold (with liquid clay or glue if no mechnical hold)... bake ... now you'll have a flower-and-leaves mold to use as you wish
........Sarajane did this with a face, to which she added headwear to create her final mold from http://www.polyclay.com/molds.htm

....to cut off part of a mold or cast without distorting, you can partially bake it. Then it is soft enough to cut but stiff enough that it won't distort. 5-10 min will do it.

before or after baking... molded clay items (or any textured item) can also colored ...or partly colored
....can be "antiqued" by coloring the crevices, or highlighted by coloring the upper parts (doing this will bring out the detail, add dimensionality, complexity and punch, and in the case of antiquing create an aged look)
.......antiquing is done with paints, inks, metallic or non-metallic powders or waxes... these may be thinned for more of a "stain"
........highlighting can be done with the same materials, and can add a metallic or elegant look if using metallics
...molded items can be completely covered with these materials as well, or be antiqued or highlighted after complete coverage... if completely covered, sanding the top areas can create an antiqued effect as well)
...(see below in Antiquing,etc. for more on all these)

Maureen Carlson's online video lesson on pressing a teardropshape of clay into a push mold (face)
.... then removing it by pressing a cylinder of raw clay on the back and begining to loosed the edges...+ and other ways to use molds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpnPn7fbTyI&NR=1 (YouTube)

Heather R's lesson on using different colors of clay to fill in a mold (in this case, for a Santa figure)
http://www.sculpey.com/Projects/projects_SantaSled.htm

NoraJean's lesson on making a molded face with gold (or other mica) clay ...which is a problem because dark sides can show when clay is cut or manipulated...one tip: don't drag your tool over the face to move stuff...roll it instead, leaving the surface intact
http://www.norajean.com/Egypt/004.htm

"carved-out" sheet molds
...draw or transfer a basic shape (animal, etc.) onto the surface of two layers of raw #1 clay
...use various tools to carve into the raw clay to create the mold shape you want, keeping in mind that you're carving from the side which will be the bottom of the mold (belly, etc.)
...can leave as is, or incise or impress more lines, shapes etc., all around as a background

I used a tool (dental?) with a very small end to texture the molded (or stamped?) bits to make them look as though they had been carved out instead of molded ;-)... the molds were taken from a brass buckle, a brass calendar, a bone bead, and a plastic bead. Stacia

see more on these techniques below under Stiff Molds or Flexible Molds

also: see Textures for sheet molds and shallower patterns...also see Stamping
...(for some ideas on giving a demo on molds, see Teaching > Suggestions for Projects, Preparation (using Miracle Mold)

Robin's 3 pgs of flexible silicone molds ....faces and some bodies (also ethnic, and masks, mummy, etc.)
http://www.backyardcards-gifts.com/Molds.htm

Krafty Lady Moulds --cameos, faces, large torsos.... Asian, Egyptian, African, "Decor" (various geometric, filigre-type button rounds-squares etc.)
....(flexible polymer clay, or 2-pt silicone material?)... for use with clays (oven or airdry), paperclay, coloured hotglue sticks, melted embossing powders, beeswax, candle mix, soap mix, play doh, icing fondant, etc
...http://www.kraftylady.com.au/artmoulds/index.html ...http://www.kraftylady.com.au/artmouldsintro.htm
... http://www.zigzag.co.nz/Jewelsmolds.html (both sites in Australia, but sell worldwide)

Somerset's Art Molds ... Chinese coin, King Tut and other Egyptian themes, leaves, African masks, etc.
("can be filled with clays, beeswax, plaster, cake icing fondant, UTEE or a myriad of other materials. Each mold has a built-in release agent.")
http://www.somersetstudio.com/html/art_molds.html (gone from site?)

single alphabet letters in square format http://www.backyardcards-gifts.com/Molds4.htm

house front molds (stiff)... Carlson, manu.by Amaco...http://polymerclayexpress.com/houses.html

Maureen Carlson's Designer Push Molds ...faces, masks, etc. & "words" (not whole heads)...(flexible sheet molds, manuf. by Amaco)
http://www.weefolk.com/cgi-bin/fcp.pl?fcp=new.htm&words=molds&wt=be&bl=or (for now)
(Sun: suns and faces.... Moons: quarter & full moons with faces ...Tribal: 8 sizes of African mask faces (incl.one profile) ...Victorian: 6 faces (mostly women, + Santa Claus, child, one profile)
....also, each mold sheet set comes with 3-4 moldable "words" which can be added separately (for example, love, imagine, spirit, legend, dream, etc.)
... It's easy to add all kinds of decorations to the faces (or use for surrounded "medallion faces")... At the moment I'm working on a Terra Cotta pot for my "Secret Garden" using a large sun face. Dotty

fancy molds from House on the Hill, Inc.(expensive), made from a composite of powdered wood and resin stained to look like wood, and mounted with a hanging ring:
Angels, Animal Kingdom, Autumn, Babycakes, Cakes, Christmas, Decorative, Easter, Faith, Farming, Flowers & Fruit, Garden, Hearts, Home Sweet Home, Hornbooks, Medieval, Military & Patriotic, Miniatures, Music, Nautical & Fishing, Renaissance, Rolling Pins, Saint Nicholas, Seasons, Singulars, Speculaas, Spinners, Spring, Springerle Presses, Struwwelpeter, Vino, Wedding & Courtship, Winter
http://www.houseonthehill.net/index.html (hover cursor over, then click on each)

The Amaco line of Push Molds (see links above) give permission to make one of a kind pieces for sale from the molds... you may not hire people to make the same item in quantities greater than twenty, and you can't make small changes and produce derivative molds
... check on the back of packages for molds by other distributors to see what their restrictions might be. Elizabeth

ERA Graphics sells a number of (shallow) mold boards (like the Ready Stamps ones but without the stamp sheet?) 3 1/2" x 4 1/2", $10.50
http://www.eragraphics.com/molds.html

other purchased molds
(plastic, metal, silicone, etc. ...sold for non-clay uses)

candy or chocolate molds–plastic ones or individual metal ones (can use the outside of the candy mold as well as the inside…)
....many kinds of molds in one place
.......http://www.sweetc.com/ (look in "catalog") . . . some hard, some flexible, for butter, chocolate, gumpaste, etc.
.......http://www.sugarcraft.com/ (many molds --click near bottom of page, on the left side)
..... http://www.winbeckler.com/candy_molds.asp ...many sheet molds for candy
... One thing about candy moulds is that they are sometimes quite thin plastic and you do need to push the clay in firmly - especially if you are making a lot and want to work fast. So I have on occasion made a 'support' for the back, by pushing the back into scrap clay, baking that and then putting the result under the mould while I'm using it. Only needed for larger and more delicate bits, of course! Crafty Owl.
...very small candy molds (usually in a sheet mold) are often available for making tiny shapes, figures, etc.... these could be highlighted or covered with metallic powders,(or even painted) etc., to be hung on tiny Christmas trees as ornaments, or glued onto gifts or gift tags, etc.

also soap molds, candle molds, paper(clay) molds, and others

I love flea markets to find things to use as molds. It's endless. peg polymer

search eBay http://ebay.com for words like candy mold, soap mold, candle mold, chocolate mold, even cake pan, etc.
....search eBay Stores for the same http://stores.ebay.com (under Art, or Crafts, etc.)
........at this eBay store , there are also medium to larger molds made from various materials (often intended for use with plaster or concrete...but the shallower ones will work with PC if used with proper mold release)...they often will to toss in a bonus mold...at least they have each of my orders, and they combine shipping on multiple orders. Barbe
http://stores.ebay.com/THE-MOLDS-AND-STATUES-STORE (or...go to ebay.com > E-Bay Stores (Specialty Sites list) search for The Molds and Statues Store (be sure and include "The")

You can use plastic or metal measuring spoons as molds for cabochons. . . . Sharon
.... little plastic protectors on tops of solid deodorants (Mitchum, Secret) make fabulous cabochons... most have small handle built in. Crafty Michele
... plastic ice cube tray.....use the cut-off wheel of a Dremel, and cut off one 3 or 4 mm of a square from the tray. ...the one I have has lovely slightly rounded corners and edges. jclausen
....the round plastic flip top lid of my vinegar bottle makes nice round ones. jclausen

plastic bead rollers can be used as molds to make thick "ropes" of various shapes (see Beads > Bead Rollers) ....any shape of bead roller could work
...Sue Lee also sells a long 12" version of the oval bead roller (Gibson Channel Tools) for creating a rounded clay rope long enough to go around the entire wrist for a bracelet ... ..she uses one lengthwise half, or both halves?
http://www.poly-tools.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PI&Product_Code=GCT&Category_Code=MISC
...though even the shorter rollers could be used for a long rope by molding each length that will fit, then overlapping a bit for the next length... may need a bit of finger smoothing to remove any small indentations

various shapes and sizes of single, metal molds ... fairly inexpensive and the possibilties are endless! Jan R.
http://www.jbprince.com/subcatmfgprod.asp?0=276&1=286&2=-1&6=3 (look around)
....they have pyramid 4-15cm, tartlette 50-100cm..these are the ones you can buy in cooking supply and Indian stores too, petit four molds, timbale molds...like flower pot without lip...1-1/8" high and larger
(also make making hollow items a breeze!)

I've used my son's metal creepy crawler set (sheet) molds... They have tons of details and are really cool if you are into bugs...(glow in the dark, hanging from the ceiling?) Halloween?

spoons make great molds for pendants. Soup spoons, tablespoons, measuring spoons, etc.
Check out the thrift shops and garage sales for different shapes. The blue domed pendant in the "newest stuff" folder of my photopoint site TLC
http://www.poboxes.com/TLC_Creations is made from a spoon. I also used art emboss metal for each of those domed pendants' innards. . . . The citrus blend pendant box is made from a citrus juicer that I made a mold of. TLC

"hemisphere molds" (stainless steel "molds-forms"). . . non-solid ...can use the inside or outside for shaping
http://www.jbprince.com/subcatmfgprod.asp?0=276&1=286&2=-1&6=3
http://www.jbprince.com/product.asp?0=276&1=280&3=1117
--smallest to largest sizes, with more in-between
3 cm = 1-1/4" diam., 5/8" high, (3/4 oz)
.............3-1/4" diam., 1-5/8" high ("single-serving")
10 cm = 4" diam., 2" high
20 cm = 8" diam., 4" high (70 oz) (good for making bowls too)
I've tried various items for making hollow beads etc (paint trays, light bulbs, glass balls etc but these work best for me and there's no doubt that your two halves are the exact size). You can apply clay either to the inside or outside of the molds so you're getting 2 sizes for the price of one. I bought 2 of each size I wanted so I could bake them at the same time. Jan R.
............Lynne Wardrop's lesson on making lentil beads ... or cabochons using just one dome made on a 25 watt lightbulb
http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/cyclopedia/flyingsaucerbead.html
(see also other lessons on making hollow beads in Beads >Lentil)

purchased silicone molds (...sometimes called just "flexible molds")
...silicone can also be used to make your own molds, usually from 2-part putties...(for more info, see below in "Making your own Molds")
advantages of silicone:
... will usually result in a somewhat more detailed casting than polymer clay molds
....raw solid clay can be baked while inside silicone molds because they can take high heat (often up to 500 degrees)....(no need to remove clay)
.......liquid clays can also be baked in silicone molds (...for more info on that, see below in Silcone Molds > 2 pt. putties)
.... silicone molds need no release agent with clay
......(however: "When first cast, silicone rubbermolds exhibit natural release characteristics. Over time, however, the reactant agents in most casting resins will deplete mold lubricity and parts will begin to stick in the mold. A release agent should be used at the first sign of sticking, and reapplied only when sticking reoccurs")
One technique that I particularly like for silicone molds:
--I *lightly* brushed the inside of (two of the round mold indentations) with Armorall
--applied a thin coat of Kato Liquid polyclay and baked. Let cool.
--I applied a second coat, cooked, cool . . . http://www.craftcave.com/candle/siliconemolds.shtml
--and then a third coat (don't bake this one yet)
. . . to the unbaked liquid clay I apply very thin transluscent cane slices
--Gently press the slices into the mold and bake again.
(--You can continue adding liquid clay and/or slices as desired.)
-- Once you're satisfied with the design, simply pop the two halves out of the mold and join the two halves using more slices and liquid clay.. . . For this final bake, you can actually bake the ball in the mold so it doesn't roll around and to hold it steady while baking. Jan R.
MAIL ORDER (or maybe LOCAL) silicone molds:
....silicups ... reg. and mini sizes of fluted silicone muffin cups
...."pinch" bowls (2-1/2 x 1-1/2")......called pinch because can pinch bowl to make spout to pour spices, etc (up to 500°)... Norpro
....trays of molds
... http://www.jbprince.com/subcatmfgprod.asp?0=276&1=279&2=-1&6=3 (look at all pages)...each tray of molds is 7x12"
......these sheets have round and other shapes like ovals, candy mold shapes, etc. . . ..... for example, the sheets of round molds produce items from 1-1/2" dia. x 1/2" deep, to 2-3/4" x 1-1/4"
individual item molds:
http://www.candlesandwoodcrafts.com/molds3.html
...silicone molds can also be used for casting chocolate, aspic, tallow, fondant, pastillage, salt, pepper, hot sugar, granulated sugar, ice, etc..

purchased "rubber" molds... "silicone rubber" or real rubber? (only up to 300 degrees or less? ).... many item shapes
http://www.flexiblemolds.com/index.html .... http://www.flexiblemolds.com
http://www.sugarcraft.com/catalog/candies/rubbermolds.htm

Check your local hobby store - the kind that caters to model railroad enthusiasts. They have all kinds of cool textures (& molds) for their railroad layouts, including stone and brick (molds made from rubber?---bakeable?). Irene
...stone or brick walls . . . ....(lessons) . . This is one of the ways I was thinking of for making a wall too, especially since my son has a cool, rubber sheet mold comprised of lots of individual, small-rock molds. I'm thinking that type could be used to make individual, differently-shaped rocks which could be removed one at a time and set onto a clay sheet or other surface puzzle fashion; after baking, grouting could be added between the rocks, or the rocks could just be left on a mud/mortar-colored background. . .
...For the finished stone or brick wall molds, I was thinking that a thickish sheet of marbled clay colors could be laid on the mold, and pressed down (perhaps with some scrap clay, or not) into each rock/brick, then grouted after removing and baking. (If lots of different variations in the marbling were used, or bits were added here and there before flattening into a sheet, it might look fairly realistic; wish I had time to try it.) Diane B.
(see also below in Making Molds, for Katherine's lesson on making your own stamp to create a wall mold)

wooden bird eggs which are cut in half....I have always had trouble making cabochons, getting them even, rounded the right way...I found wooden, bird egg forms in Michaels the other day and I immediately thought - MOLD!!!! I was right!!
... I made a 1 inch square block of scrap clay, pushed the half egg into it, and made a mold! Now I have a nice little mold for making oval cabochons!! The packs range in size from 1/2 inch tall to 1 1/2 inch tall, and I only paid .99 cents for the pack of 4!! Sharon

ERA graphics have lots of great background stamps and something they call mold boards to use specificly with polymer clay. http://www.eragraphics.com

WARNING <g>. You’ll never look at anything the same way again once you get into a mold-making frame of mind!!

Am I enjoying my moldmaking? That might be an understatement. ;-) .... It's addictive! but in a very good way.
...I like that when you make molds, you make them for a lifetime... it's like building a collection. Mary T

Ideas & Tips for All. types of molds

Altoid boxes are swell for carrying a small powder ponce bag and lump of elasticlay (or regular clay) in your purse for taking impressions any time you see something interesting! --even tidier than the plastic baggie I was using, and not as suspicious looking. Sarajane Helm

I have used brick sidewalks, gates and fences, meant for model builders (dollhouses or model trains) ... they seem to be a good scale. (size). sensewhim

I made molds last night using shells I've picked up in Bermuda and Mexico and Sue Heaser's instructions in her "Clay Jewellry" book.
.... I have a metal hair clip with a row of star fish on it, so I have a mold of that, too…

Don't forget, you can make your own molds if you want to imitate chocolate candy. I keep thinking someday I will make myself a chocolate necklace. . . .
..... (lesson) Press the best-looking piece of chocolate into some nice warm clay (I think I put the chocolate in the freezer for a few minutes to make sure it was nice and hard). Throw that piece of choclate away and bake the clay... You can see a book mark dangle I made like this. It really does look good enough to eat. Nanette http://www.geocities.com/pckeepsakes/bookmark.html

LEAVES
Maria's lesson on making a leaf by pressing an oval ball of (cold porcelain) clay --could use silicone or polymer instead-- onto just the central part of a heavily veined tough leaf
... she then cuts small bites from the sides of the leaf with a straw so they resemble oak leaves, or poinsettia leaves
http://guide.supereva.it/hobby_femminili/interventi/2001/11/77634.shtml
...to flatten a freshly picked (floppy or thick ?) leaf (for making a mold of a fern or other leaf), you can carefully lay the frond onto the sticky side of some wide, plastic packing tape, making sure all the tiny leaflets are lying flat ....then apply the mould material before the leaf can dry out. Alan Vernall
...Kathy also makes molds from leaves by coating a real leaf with (Art Silver Clay or Precious Metal Clay? paste), then uses them to make a mold after they are fired in a kiln
.....or could cover with something else like plaster which doesn't need a kiln... or use a few layers of liquid clay??
...various clay leaves used in jewelry, made from impressing-molding real leaves
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stokesgalleries/sets/72157603734300483
(for all other info making leaf molds, negative molds, stamps, and clay leaves, see Texturing > Other Items & Ideas, leaves, etc.)

I've made a mold from a real feather (I used Sculpey Bake and Bend clay because it's soft)
...then make a raised feather, cut it out, antique it or whatever.
...lesson: Roll a sheet of B&B to 1/2 your pasta machine's largest thickness. Generously powder with cornstarch. Roll the clay and feather through and bake the mold. Then use the mold against another sheet of clay same thickness. Roll through pm together and don't forget to cornstarch the raw sheet. Patti K.

interesting little trick for making a mold from a button that has two holes so the holes don't show (buttons with a recessed area work best).
....cover the center area with the holes either with a half pearl or a rhinestone before making the mold ...bake
... then fill the baked mold with raw clay, and you'll get the shape of the button but with a raised area (hemisphere or faceted) in the center of rather than a recessed are with 2 raised areas where the holes were. Jeanne R.

Sometimes if you put a layer of aluminum foil (mostly?) around the (bakable) object you want to emulate, then put a layer of clay, and bake, it will work as a mold... some times you can pull out the object, leave the foil, then bake, then pull out the foil. the smoother the foil the easier it is to remove. . .

.....for non-bakable items, another method would be to crush aluminum foil, unfold it back into a wrinkley sheet, mold this around the (item) doll, form the armor (or just clay sheet) on the foil (thick enough so it holds its shape).. carefully remove the foil and clay armor leaving the doll out of the oven, and baking it. . . . .If you fear the foil/armor shape will collapse, you could "stuff" the foil side with scrap clay or sand or more foil or something to support it.
.... (In other words, you would be making a one-use, temporary mold from the foil, probably doing half the body (front and back) at a time.) After baking the foil could be peeled off or at least trimmed so it didn't show.) This approach should work for lots of items of questionable heat tolerance, as long as the inside doesn't have to be perfectly smooth...

Fingernail polish bottles are just right for (making) thimbles with an aluminum foil covering .. but they are one of the items I do not bake.
...Sometimes these open-type plastic objects seem to shrink inward a bit... in that case, put it back in the oven, heat to 180'... then pull it out gently before it cools.... I've made boxes and thimbles and bowls this way…

liquid clays can be often baked in regular polymer molds, but not always reliably.... other mold materials and pre-bought molds can be used with liquid clay though (for more info on all these, see Liquid Clays > Molds)

making a mold for liquid clay with flour is similar to a technique used by some chocolatiers (lesson):
-- place flour (reg. baking flour) in a shallow pan (or box lid?), (I used small, aluminum pie tins).
--GENTLY pack it down with a flat bottomed glass or another flat object
(--make an impression with something)
--carefully fill the impression with a squeeze bottle full of TLS.... you have much more control of the flow and it is less likely to disturb the impression
--bake (at 300 degrees)!
-- After baking, remove the object ... wash, sand, and finish. Jan R.
(...for more details and ideas on doing this, see Liquid Clays > "using with Molds & Stamps & Texture Sheets")

molds can also be made by pressing brass stencils (or other small stiff stencils) onto a ball of clay so that clay rises up through the hole; this can be baked and used as a stamp (possibly with some texturing added to the shape first), or pressed into raw clay and baked for a mold

(see also Stamping for other materials to use as molds: "Magic Mold,"" Magic Stamp,"" Pen Score," etc.)

STIFF Polymer Clay molds + ModelMagic

Most molds can be very easily made with ordinary polymer clay
... the resulting molds will be stiff, show a lot of detail, and be quite strong
....stiff molds can be created from most any items or texture as long as the item has no undercuts
Flexible molds can be made from other materials when necessary.
....these may sometimes give more detail, and are essential for undercuts, but often more expensive to make

I like to make most of my molds from SuperSculpey for several reasons:
....SS is cheaper than most other polymer clays (and although plain white or terra cotta boxed Sculpey is even cheaper, they're pretty brittle)
....it's always available at home, and I don't have to decide which of my clay colors to use up when I want to make a bunch of molds
....I can color code all my molds to make them easier to find and to sort into groups
........for example, all my face molds are green, geometrics are purple, animals are blue, nature items are red-ish, etc
........just adding a bit of colored clay to SuperSculpey is sufficient to color it because SS is very translucent so doesn't have much color on its own
.......although SuperSculpey isn't the strongest of the clays, it is strong enough if thin molds are not pressed down hard over balls or wads of clay....instead, put the mold face up on the work surface, then press the clay onto it.

To make a polymer clay mold, press clay against an item or some part of an item, remove it, and bake;
... later, a reverse image can be made from that mold by pressing more raw clay into the mold and baking that (also called a "cast" or a "pull") . . . (more details below)
--often you will need to use a "release" on the clay or on the item to be molded in order to make the raw clay easy to remove; sometimes this isn't necessary though if the clay isn't too soft and you can put the right "English" on it (see below in "Releases" for details)
--to remove the mold/cast: ...press a piece of clay onto the back of the cast clay in the mold and pull, or try to pry out a corner first, or put in the frig for awhile... or bend back the raw clay if making a mold.
--items with "undercuts" can't be molded unless you use a "flexible" clay or other flexible material (see below)
--when making a deep mold (from a face, e.g.), form a wide cup of clay which is thick in the bottom, and press the cup around the face back to the earline, pressing on the face well.... then put this cast shape onto a ball or egg shape of clay later to create a head (can blend clay to ball, or hide join with hair, etc.)
--when making a cast of a face or other item with a tiny recessed area (like a nose), form the clay into a teardrop & insert the tip of the teardrop into the recessed area first

After stamping or pressing a shallow flat mold into raw clay, you can cut just inside the raised outer areas to give a depressed, smooth background;
...OR you can make --or use-- a stamp or mold which is smooth along the edges, and then create a frame around the image by cutting off the clay just outside the outer raised edges. . . . (if a number of these stamped images are made next to each other, the result is an automatically raised frame area around each image.)

see more on these things above in Gen. Info.... and in Stamping or Textures > Making Your Own

You can make molds from many household items, old or new jewelry, and toys (figures and other things), etc., etc.
...some EXAMPLES:
. . . . screwdriver tips, bolts (make great stripes), fancy buttons, wooden shapes, shells, charms, wadded aluminum foil, the strip from rubber hose clamp, bracelets, wooden shapes, bits of filigree, netting or fabric, combs, charms& anything that doesn't run away when you begin to press clay onto it! ---this list could go on forever!

If you make a neat face or other item or pattern, make a mold of your creation so you can make duplicates (...or the duplicates can be distorted or added to for more variation!)
... Make faces, or other body parts like hands from dolls, action figures, Pez dispensers, and other figurines.. . I made molds of all my son’s tiny animals before handing them down to the next generation ..

Molds made from any polymer clay will be stronger the longer they're baked (color-darkening usually isn't a problem for molds)
...I've usually baked my molds for 30 minutes or more... sometimes for an hour

Melnik's molds (& casts) made fr. Pez dispenser head... figurine & ornament heads... hand she'd made
http://melnik.freeservers.com/molds.html
Irene's molded fern and other leaves on switchplates (antiqued)
http://www.good-night-irene.com/SwitchPlatesFernsBrown.html
Jeannie's lesson on making a mold of the suface of a sandwich-type cookie (vanilla with creme filling) --to create a rosette pattern
http://www.pcpolyzine.com/2004aug/crumbs.html (this one uses a silicone mold)
make molds from charms, large and small (see tips above in Gen. Info)
http://www.fancifulsinc.com/default.htm (click on Catalog Pages on bottom of home page) (over 3000 brass charms, many themes)

for making molds of letters, see Letters-Inks > Lettering > Molds

make molds of the Balinese Filigree patterns you create (these may not be quite as distinct as doing them from scratch, but could sure come in handy!)... DB (see Clay Guns > Balinese Filigree for more)

lesson on carving a pattern in baked clay to make a flat mold for flat beads
.... (following lines made by rubbing a previously drawn ballpoint ink image on tracing paper onto raw clay, then baking...this will result in a reversed image though unless you turn the paper over and re-draw the lines on the back)
http://www.sculpey.com/Projects/projects_EgyptianChoker.htm

Elizabeth's Carved Stamp Swap... In each photo, the carved/onlaid original "stamp" is on the left (and its negative --impression-- is on the right )... polymer is used for the molds. http://thepolyparrot.com/carved.html

(lesson on making a repeating pattern mold with one "stamp" you've made:)
...(for example, for a brick wall) first make a prefect brick to use as a stamp and bake it.
--make a template of the (desired) bricks pattern on paper using a ball point pen, with the bricks drawn to the same size as your stamp (or leave more "mortar" area around each brick). (Ball point ink transfers readily to raw clay just like copy toner...once the mold is baked though, the ink doesn't transfer)
--transfer the ball point pen pattern to a raw sheet of clay (or) flexible clay (if you want to use it curved as well as flat, e.g. for a tower) (either Sculpey Flex or Kato Polyclay).
-- use water as the mold release, and stamp the brick according to the pattern you've laid out. It's a good idea to work on a baking surface, i. e. card stock, so the mold isn't distorted when transferring to the oven.
......the (flat-stones) stone wall is done using a similar technique, but a ball stylus is used to push the clay aside in a regular pattern of irregular stones. ( Sometimes, I'll make a positive by drawing lines in the clay so the rocks or stones are in relief, and then make a mold of the positive. For irregular rocks, I make a negative by drawing the impressions a rock would make in the clay.) Katherine Dewey
(see other ideas for making walls above, in Bought Molds)

Model Magic air-dry clay by Crayola
... amazing how much detail the marshmallow-y stuff picks up if you use it as a mold and then press polymer clay into it after it has hardened....Picked up every tiny detail of everything I was making molds of.
....Only problem I found with it,is that after a while it has a tendency to tear like paper and I haven't found a way to fix this.Even the thick pieces. So now I only will use it to create molds to impress with poly clay. Peggy

much of the rest of this page may be sorted into the wrong category, or not quite accurate...
I tried to find out exactly what the differences were but probably was not always successful, so keep that in mind!

FLEXIBLE polymer clay molds

(flexible polymer clay molds)
MoldMaker --or SuperElasticlay (improved version of Elasticlay)
Bake & Bend (SuperFlex), etc

Sculpey Super Elasticlay MoldMaker is the new name for Polyform's reformulated Elasticlay formula.
...sold in a 1/2 lb. box... at Joanne's and other places
...cheaper than 2-pt silicone mold making material, but more expensive than regular polymer clay used as mold making material
...finished mold is somewhat flexible
...it's very soft and pliable when raw, so reproduces details well
.......in fact, can also be used as a "clay softener" when about 1% is added to stiffer regular clay
...condition it a bit, and use a powder release (cornstarch, or metallic powder?
...bake mold (don't overbake)
...these molds will harden over time, and may crack with heavy use and age (though old Elasticlay was worse).
.........Sarajane says that rubbing baked molds lightly with veg. or mineral oil may help in the long term
....can also be used to make texture sheets (flat molds)
...can pour Plaster of Paris in the molds (instead of polymer clay)
...Sarajane has a page with info on MoldMaker and Miracle Mold... in one photo, she compares the two (referred to as Super Elasticlay here)
http://www.polyclay.com/molds.htm
...Super Elasticlay is more rigid (than silicone molds) ---but I still have good success with those molds, and so far mine have not degraded
......if I ever have trouble with the silicone putties (which I prefer) and still want a mold, I use Super Elasticlay ...it requires a different method of taking the impression than silicone but I never get air pockets with it (like some silicones). . Jeanne R.
(Don't know if the old version, Elasticlay, is still being sold... it tended to degrade over time and had other prob's ---see Char's of Clays page for details)

Bake and Bend, or SuperFlex (special polymer clays)
....my molds made with this clay turned out wonderful as far as detail and flexibility ( but I don't think I would use this clay for too much else since the surface does not "look" all that great.) Jan
...I used Bake and Bend for all my molds for the swap and they turned out great.... Jeanette
...I work with Sculpey's SuperFlex (Bake and Bend) all the time. Yes, it's tacky and somewhat greasy, but it's a problem solver..... I use it ...for flexible sheet molds that can be run through the pasta machine. . . Katherine Dewey
...I use Bake & Bend for thinner molds in sheets which use low-relief textures and items. I recommend it for my leaf molds, and texture sheets. ...It is extremely durable and flexible and when the sheet mold is thin enough to go through the pasta machine with more clay. . . It can be used for thicker pieces also, such as molding a button or such, but it will not be as flexible in the thicker pieces as MoldMaker is. Patti K.

Would Sculpey's Eraser Clay work??... it seems to have lots of plasticizer too (and may eat into other porous or finished woods over time??)

Glues ... Hot Glue
(somewhat flexible glue molds...and casting glue in other molds)

These molds won't be able to create fine details.

(a strong "white glue" --is this the industrial quality version of Elmers? )
..My Dad made these great flexible molds for me with Elmer's Stix-All Adhesive (1 oz tube = $3.50) ...do a trial run first ...these molds are super flexible
...he set a flat-backed polymer clay shape on a piece of plexiglass (or glass,tile,etc.) face up ..my pieces were 1/2" thick or less)
...then he (squeezed) enough Elmer's Stix-All glue to cover the piece (using no release on plexi-glass or clay)
.. let it sit overnight
...after the first coat dried, he added a little more glue to the top just to make it a little thicker
...after that dried, he peeled it up off the plexi-glass...and popped the clay piece out and presto an awesome flex mold!!!
...the mold will be semi-clear when dry, so pushing clay into the mold you can flip it over to make sure it's pushed all the way in
......the glue levels itself out, and goes into all of the creases on the original piece....you still have to watch out for undercuts, but you can create deeper impressions than you can with a push mold from clay
....it picks up a lot of detail too (I made a cookie shape and stippled the top with a toothbrush to add texture... after the mold was made from this, it even imprints the toothbrush marks onto the clay)
...If you try this, I would definitely do it outside ... the fumes from the glue are VERY strong! Stacey Morgan
...there is always slight shrinkage from anything that "dries" in the air to harden it (but used this way, prob.shrinks only in thickness)

hot glue molds

some GEN. INFO about hot glues:
...non-stick surfaces: glass, ceramic tile, shiny metal, possibly aluminum foil, silicone sheets (Silpat?), Teflon bakery items, special pads sold for use with hot glue, special "craft sheets" like those sold for UTEE ... even on a surface of water, or ice
...releases: glycerin, pigment inks (or dye?), veg. oil, metallic powders like Pearl Ex, water in some cases,
...guns are high temp or low temp... glue sticks are either high or low, or more often now "hi-low"
...glue can be heated in various ways... extruded through a glue gun, on a non-stick & heat-resistant surface with a heat gun, or in a melting "pot" (or possibly in 340 degree oven?)
... curved or other shapes can be made by extruding glue onto a curved non-stick surface like a glass jar... a shape could be reheated briefly in microwave or with heat gun, then bent to shape desired (or draped over something) and let cool in position
...hardened glue can also be softened slightly in a microwave ... undesired "strings" of glue (mostly from low melt guns) can be remelted with a heat gun
...glue sticks can be cut into smaller bits, especially when melting it/them with a heat gun, and not much is needed
COLOR......hot glue sticks come in opaque colors as well as clear... acrylic paints can be used to color glue, and/or various colors can be swirled while hot
...inclusions and embedded items can be added while glue is melted .... and new glue layer can be created on hardened glue layer to encase items
...after cooling, can be colored with metallic leaf (very slightly tacky), metallic waxes like Rub N Buff, acrylic paints, etc.
...do not use plaster or plaster-based materials in glue molds, because the heat they create (120-160 degrees) can melt the glue

deep

deeper molds could be made by placing the hot glue in a deeper compartment (perhaps with a release, or by using tip of Xacto blade in an unimportant area and pulling out)...or maybe something like aluminum foil, alone or lining another item
... after the glue molds sets, press raw clay into it
...could also pour in UTEE or other embossing powders?

ceramic tiles tend to hold the heat from the glue and keep it from setting up as fast, so I squirt them with water to help cool. Pam
...or put in frig. or freezer a short time.

shallow, "texture molds" (or finished pieces)

shallow molds and "texture molds" can be made from hot glue by impressing a blob of glue:
...on the surface where you want it (as long as the surface is at least a bit heat resistant)
...or (to be able to remove it later) while it's sitting on a non-stick surface

...rubberstamps could be used (really deep stamps work better than shallow ones), or other items
.......would our plastic texture sheets be heat resistant enough??
...use a release on the stamping tool like water, pigment ink, veg. oil (Pam or wipe), metallic powders, etc.
...let cool ... remove stamp, etc .... (remove new glue piece from non-stick surface, if desired)

You do not need to push the stamp down into the glue puddle ....just gently set the stamp on top of the hot glue, and it will sink down ... meridee

I put an inked stamp into a large blob of hot glue from my glue gun (which was extruded in a puddle on glass, a tile, or whatever will release it), then let it harden
.... I slowly peeled off the stamp, and pressed conditioned polymer clay into the new *mold* (...because the glue *mold* was flexible, I was later able to pry the polymer clay out quite easily). Barbara (website gone --DB, ADD PHOTO?)

lesson on making curved glue item by stamping into hot glue puddle while it's on a bottle (or other object)... cool... remove, or glue on with another glue?
http://www.dotcalmvillage.net/nowwhatzine4jan03/makingtreasurebottles.htm

...an impression made with a wet stamp (of any kind) may become cloudy (temporarily?)

Could also use this shallow mold as a STAMP.

metallic foil.... press foil (not leaf) onto (flattish) glue while hot....let it cool a little, then pull the excess foil away
...(to stamp into it,) heat again and watch the foil change ... press your inked stamp into it... remove when cool and you have a great embellishment. Carol C
...could also cut the cooled foil and glue sheet into shapes, etc.

casting hot glue in molds

Hot glue can be poured or extruded into various molds
......made from polymer clay, silicone (including purchased "Push Molds"), metal, glass, etc (also plastic chocolate molds? bec. they're used for pouring chocolate melts in after melting?)
.......for releases in clay molds, can use Pearl Ex, embossing fluid (glycerin), or veg. oil, and maybe other things (water?) before pouring in glue from gun (...can use 2 guns at once for speed, if want)
..after cooling, the molded glue shape can be popped out, or an Xacto blade, etc., can be stuck in the back side to help pull it out
...cooled glue shapes can be colored with acrylic paints (metallics too, and Patio Paints are especially adhesive), Pearl Ex set with spray fix, metallic leaf, metallic waxes like Rub N Buff, etc.
....they can then highlighted or antiqued with acrylic paints, highlighted withor Rub 'N Buff, etc, if desired

some of these glue castings are made with colored hot glue sticks, some finished with Rub N Buff, etc.
http://www.astampersparadise.com/stampingaccessories/molds.htm

hot glue can be put in flexible "Push Molds" (sold for polymer clay, etc.)

hot glue in polymer clay mold (....would work in raw clay molds too?)
...use a release like metallic powder, or a spray of Pam, glycerin, etc. (see all releases listed above)

plastic "chocolate" molds should work okay because they have to be heat resistant enough for pouring hot "candy melts" into

plastic cookie molds ...put a releasing agent on it first.... but if you forget, you can microwave them until the glue is soft then use a toothpick to pull it out. Brat

see more on hot glues and other ways to use them in Glues > Hot Glue
....another idea would be to make some glue shapes to make polymer molds from ... see "Freeform Glue" on that page

Silicone, etc. (very flexible) molds
(1-part & 2-part silicones)

(for info on SuperElasticlay and Sculpey's SuperFlex polymer clays to use for making flexible molds, look in Characteristics > Elasticlay or Superflex . . .though some warnings for Elasticlay are below)

These molds will pick up very fine detail.

some types of mold materials and their characteristics
http://www.mouldmaking.freeserve.co.uk/types_of_moulds.html
...and moldmaking.com's explanations of kinds of mold making materials
http://www.mouldmaking.freeserve.co.uk/material.html
many molds from a swap... mostly likely silicone
http://www.tonjastreasures.com/swaps/tn19.htm

(for already-made molds made from silicone in various shapes, see above in Bought Molds > Other kinds)

Two types of silicone materials we can use for making molds (though they may have different characteristics and uses) are:
--one-part silicones, which are generally used as sealants (caulks)
--two-part silicones, which are primarily for encapsulating and mold-making
http://members.tripod.com/RBWindle/rtv.htm (has a great explanation of these, and their differences!
.......also, two-part silicones come as liquids (non-bakable) or putties (bakable)
(these are mostly "RTV" silicones, room temperature vulcanizing)

Nancy Banks sometimes mixes embossing powders into 2-part epoxy glue (like Devcon...?30 min. setting type) with a stick
...she then casts this mix in a silicone mold ... wrap aluminum foil(?) (won't stick to epoxy)... can wet sand, if needed... clear and very interesting

One-Part silicone (& Caulks)

--small 1-3 oz.squeeze tubes ....and 10.3 oz cartridges for caulking guns
(may be called an adhesive or a caulk??)
--no curing agent; curing begins immediately upon exposure to air; usually "skins" within 5 min. and completely cures within 24 hrs.
--advantages: toughness, availability (hardware and automotive parts stores), cost (cheap but varies).
--disadvantages: toughness (difficult to work with once it has cured...e.g. cutting), workability when uncured state (more difficult to get into details); tends to stick to everything including tools since it's designed as an "adhesive."
--There are many manufacturers...so look for:
......100% silicone ... not "siliconized" caulk or "acrylic latex caulk with silicone"
......will withstand temps of around 400 deg. constant, 450 intermittent... durability over time?
...Goop/E-6000?

(the silicone you use around bathtubs etc).... press out the silicone and foam up your hands with a lot of soap (which acts as a release).
....press whatever you want down in the putty and let it dry
...(later:) this didn't work well. It was too soft and never seemed to dry!! ..the industrial quality may work better tho...Christel :-)

lesson on using just a thin layer of silicone sealant over a plaster-of-Paris backing for an inexpensive mold
http://members.tripod.com/RBWindle/plaster.htm

Two-Part silicone putties
( 4-to-1's or 6-to-1's are harder to measure)

"Every plastic product in your household was molded at one time using this material.
Since silicone is so flexible and has so many different uses, there are literally thousands of silicone products out there, all with their own specific properties."

liquid type
(liquids take several hours to set up, as opposed to putties below!)

One to One, Rapid Mold Rubber by MicroMark . . .2-part, liquid type
Liquid Silicone Rubber for Making Molds Our two-part liquid RTV
http://www.dxmarket.com/micromark/products/82083.html
--pourable because it's a liquid
--resin (uncured rubber) and a catalyst (hardener) must be mixed together in correct proportions
--cost (about $25 per pound, retail, 1 lb. minimum).
--advantages: ease of use (liquid flows around rather than having to be squeezed onto), workability (not as tough as one-part raw), toughness (easily cut after curing with sharp knife).
--disadvantages: . .takes 4 hours to set up (rather than 5 minutes for putty types) ...can't bake?? all brands in oven with clay??.. mix/pour time is generally about 10 minutes...30 min. pot life?... set-up (cure) is 4 hr.. . .
...mix parts A and B together and pour into a mold box containing your (item)..reproduces every detail... genuine silicone rubber (withstands up to 600 degrees F)
--availability (now at some retail stores, hobby shops), and mail order:
http://members.tripod.com/RBWindle/sources.htm

http://www.perma-flex.com (click on RTV Silicone Rubbers) .. Green Sil and Blue Sil

Toika's lesson on making flexible push molds with pourable silicone mold material which is workable for 15 min, and sets up in 4 hrs. (hers made with RTV silicone liquid from Micromark; she says you can't bake the completed mold in oven (wrong?) though she says de-molding of raw clay casts causes very litte distortion)
...she mixes parts A & B then, stirs it 40-60 sec.
....brushes the mold material on the item first (to avoid air bubbles), then fills in the area around the item to be molded (which is sitting in a small, taped down, cardboard frame on top of a sheet of plexiglas, etc.) with more of the liquid.... cuts around the edges of finished mold to loosen.
...to use the mold, she pushes the raw clay in, then puts in freezer 5 min.... slices off the excess clay from the top of the flat mold
...flexes the mold to release the clay (which she says happens without distortion)
...she makes a thin, ropey "frame" for using as a bezel or to hold tinted or other contained pools of liquid clay
...for thin or flexible items, she held them firmly to the plexiglas by using spray adhesive on the back
http://www.pcpolyzine.com/july2001/molds.html

putty types

These putties come in two parts (generally one is white and one is a color), which must be mixed together just before using, and make very flexible molds :
....they also set up rapidly
....the molds can then be baked in the oven with clay (or with liquid clays ).
....they need no release agent, and take undercuts well

most "RTV" (room temperature vulcanizing) liquids (?) and putties can handle 600 degrees at least, and most are very flexible after setting

Carrying around a bit of unmixed silicone putty in your purse, etc. (maybe in a metal Altoid or other box, but keep the two components separate) is a great way to do spur of the moment mold making when you spot a nifty bit of texture, etc....the putties set up quickly so then the mold would be simple to transport home.

Contact with tin will keep the two parts of silicone molding materials from setting up properly, so use plastic spoons, or wood, etc. instead (all 2-part putties?)
...also some rubberstamps have tin in the rubber (Stampin' Up, for example) ... Linda explained that those have IIRC. lib
.......she also mentions a workaround for those stamps though...using a barrier on the clay like Saran Wrap

I was wearing latex gloves and the Miracle Mold stuck to them. Lib ... latex is incompatible with MM. (all 2-pt putties?)

The two parts need to be kept entirely apart or cross-contamination will cause either one to harden
...I would guess that you contaminated one part with another when you last used it, causing it to harden. It might help to measure out each part with a separate plastic spoon. Libby

bubbles happen occasionally, more often in some brands than others
... bubbles in the silicone (one cause seems to be in the makeup of the particular formula) ... and bubbles in the molded item from incorrectly pressing the object into the putty
...also, I found more bubbles with an older batch of Miracle Mold -after it sat in my shelf for six months, the molds I made did have a few tiny bubbles, as opposed to the first ones which had none (I'm at high altitude, and I mix the MM by hand)
........now I do a final squeeze/impaction of the MM lump before using it...press it hard in on itself and onto the work surface to force out any hiding bubbles. Sarajane
...I have had just a few molds (maybe only 10 out of a few 100!) where I did not push Alley Goop in the right direction, and I trapped some air and did not get as good an impression as I would like... so I then applied the Alley Goop in the direction to allow air to escape. (this mainly happens when surfaces are very smooth.... this is not the same as the "gas type blow-outs" though). Jeanne R.
...Alley Goop does get the tiny bubbles as often as other brands I've tried so far (Micromark and Miracle Mold)
...sometimes, molding very smooth surfaces can be a bit troublesome (super detailed objects generally are no problem, but when you are doing a smooth/glassy surface there is just nowhere for those little airpockets to go....with a detailed object there are lots of opportunities for the air to get released)
........what to do in that case?....basically, you *shear* your object into the Miracle Mold, rather than pushing it straight in (in other words, you're trying to push away the excess air that may become trapped in the mold; once you shear your object in, then firm the mold material around the object. I kind of cup it in my hands and push it all together to make it conform
.......also, often you can carefully poke into the airpockets with a needle. ..the air escapes and the mold flattens back down. Worth a try, caneguru
...overmixing the two parts can sometimes makes bubbles too

liquid clay into silicone molds
. . . baking the liquid clay in the mold is the only way to go for me. . . . the Kato liquid clay works great too! It makes a more flexible piece than even the TLS . .
...I had no little air bubbles or bumps in them this way like I had experienced in the past. Part of the trick seems to be
(1) letting the liquid clay settle (...the Mitchells suggest 30 minutes) for a bit before baking
(2) not incorporating air into the silicone when first mixing the two components
. . . If you look into the molded surface of some of the mold materials (brands) with a 10x (or higher) jeweler's loupe, you can see air bubbles/imperfections within the cured molds. You don't notice the imperfections much on regular opaque polymer clays, but they sure do show up on the liquid clays or PMC. Some brands (of silicone molds) seem to be particularly prone to the problem. caneguru
... (I used the Bellicold brand) I tried mixing oil paints with the TLS and it was a disaster. There were all kinds of bubbles on the surface of the piece (which would be the bottom of the mold). This was a fairly thick piece, almost half an inch deep. Should I have let the TLS sit in the mold for a while before I baked it?... I also used too much oil paint. Nancy
...added color in the liquid clay will deepen after baking, so don't use too much colorant
(....see much more info on all this in Liquid Clays > "Air Bubbles" and also > "Molds, Stamps")

If properly handled, silcone molding materials should have a long shelf life. Libby

Nancy Banks sometimes mixes embossing powders into 2-part epoxy glue (like Devcon...?30 min. setting type) with a stick
......she then uses this in a mold made from silicone ... wrap aluminum foil (?) (won't stick to epoxy)... can wet sand, if needed... clear and very interesting
...lesson on using using Devcon (2-pt epoxy adhesive) in a homemade 2 pt silicone mold a realistic whole eyeball
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art25389.asp (see more lesson details in Other Materials > Epoxy Adhesives)
(see more on using glues, etc., for making molds in Glues)

What about creating your own custom made fingertip protectors with a bit of 2-part silicone putty ?? By making your own, you could make them fit tightly, be smooth, and be as long or short, or thick or thin, as you wanted (... for example, you could make the finger part thin, but have a thicker area on the end for wherever you want, or usually get burned when using a glue gun)...these protectors could also work for already-burned fingers while using more glue too (or possibly to avoid allergic reations especially when doing gross motor things with the clay like color mixes, blends or conditioning, etc.).
(for use with glue guns, I think most silicones clayers use for making molds are heat resistant up to about 400-600 degrees, so that should do the job, and I'm assuming that silicone would release the glue easily but this is all just a guess.) Diane B.

FIRMNESS: Some of the 2-part silicone mold materials are firmer than others.
. . Miracle Mold is considerably firmer when set up than Alley Goop, and Alley Goop is firmer than the vinyl polysiloxane products such as MegaSil. caneguru
......though Alley Goop can be made thicker if the oil (from silicone) that shows up on the surface after some time, is poured off
...amount of firmness has advantages and disadvantage

COST: Alley Goop is the cheapest, I believe? (or just because not as much needs to be used?)

examples of molded items made in a 2-pt silicone putty mold...scarabs, and heads (used for onlay)... Miracle Mold
http://home.comcast.net/~puffinalia/commentspagepics/tlenderman.html

when making texture *sheets* (for the pasta machine), I think any of the flexible polymer clays work better than the silicone putties. Katherine Dewey (....although see the comments below on using latex rubber to make texture sheets instead)

hirstart's lesson on casting plaster objects with silicone molds or other molds
http://www.hirstarts.com/casting/casting.html

you can make any silicone putty clay go farther using the "mother mold" concept:
...(see Jeanne's description of doing this with regular polymer clay over the silicone below in Alley Goop)
....Make the silicone mold relatively thin, and with near smooth sides except for a few localization keys sticking out (to make them easy to insert in the correct place when used again later?). Then, using cheap plaster, make a big heavy 'mother' mold which would be basically just a plaster holder for the rubber mold. This gives your walls extra strength while packing the mold (with clay). . . .(mother molds can't be baked though). Remember mother molds are merely holding the silicone mold while you are packing the clay into the mold. . . .
...you could make an assortment of basic shapes of 'mother' molds. Making them in either a truncated cone (sides sloping in) or a mini bowl shape will allow the silicone mold to be easily removed with the clay loaded in it without much flex. . . .then fill the cavity with Miracle Mold, insert the 'object' into the MM, then let cure. This way you do not need as many mother molds. . . .
To quickly tell which molds & mother molds go together, you could make an impression on the outside. Get some of the cheap rubber stamp kits & stamp that into the MM before it sets up. The rubber stamp numbers could also be applied to the 'mother' mold. . .
...You could even make the clay a thin-walled object by pressing in a cornstarch 'peanut' into the middle of the clay. Lysle
...mother molds can also be to make a stiffer backing for molds made with flexible mold materials ... I had some quick set plaster stuff around ...mix up and pour onto the back side of the flexible molds and let it set up. I removed the plaster from the mold to let it dry thoroughly overnight. I put the plaster back in to use the mold and remove the plaster to pop the clay out. Now you have the convenience of a firm mold, but the ease of a flexi mold. Tonja

could also make pencil grips or pen grips in special shapes with silicone putty? ( to fit around shafts and allow for easier holding and writing/drawing for children, those with arthritis, etc.) ...see more in Disabilities > Tools,Assistive Devices

some of the BRANDS of two-part silicone putties which have been tried with polymer clay:

Miracle Mold, Alley Goop, Mystic Mold, Mega-Sil, Quick Sil, Silicone Putty (MicroMark's), & BeliCold
may vary by cost, color, smoothness of detail, heat resistance

ALLEY GOOP from Karen Rhodes at the Clay Alley. . .(gray blue)
http://www.clayalley.com/goop.htm
COST: 4 oz "sampler" for $8.50 + s/h?......1 lb = $27.50 +s/h
....however, if you buy 3 or more pounds of Alley Goop, there is a graduated price break per pound that can't be beat with any of the other silicone molding putties. Jeanne R.... (good for guild members maybe?)
........3 lbs = $25.00 per lb .....5 lbs = $21.50 per lb ....10 lbs = $18.50 per lb ......(+ shipping about $1 per lb)
..review and photos of Alley Goop by Jeanne Rhea
http://pcpolyzine.com/0301january/0301mold.html
--Alley Goop is thinner than most of the other putties, and some people feel it can go farther because of this:
http://www.heartofclay.com/eb/alleygoop2.jpg (showing the number of molds Jeanne got from 1 lb of Goop (8 oz each of Part A & Part B)
......measuring: Jeanne R. likes to pour out blobs of each color (parts A and B) separately ... let them level out (because they are thinner bodied), then choose which two blobs are the same size before mixing them together to get the exact proportions correct (can put the rest back in the jars) http://www.heartofclay.com/eb/alleygoop.jpg
...........I just pinch a bit of the white and make it into a ball.... lay it down ... then pinch a bit of the blue and make as close to the same size ball as I did with the white. Karen
--Alley Goop is a Shore 35 so it is "softer" than Miracle Mold & many others
....I like Alley Goop because it is so flexible that I can easily pop out the clay with no nicks or damage (I do not cure in the mold.) Jeanne R.
....if you ever find a mold is not firm enough or too thin (if you push hard when pressing raw clay into the mold), use a bit more Alley Goop (especially around the walls)... or add more just around the relevant area and let set up again
....... I saw where someone was complaining that Alley Goop was too flexible... I am sure though they were trying to stretch the material so far that it became too thin for the size and type of item they were molding.... I do scrimp, and have had a couple of molds where a part of the mold barely had a skin on it....even though the skin was very tough, it would not work as a mold because the clay would distort when pushing it out... so I returned the item to the Alley Goop thin mold, then I used regular polymer clay to bake a hard shell around it (luckily, the item was metal and could take the heat).
(......but so far, I have not had success with any of the silicone putties if I made the molds too thin, and tried to add more silicone putty.)
......(see above for using plaster for a "mother mold" instead)
....detail: Alley Goop molds are really quite detailed....crime labs use it to "pick" up fingerprints... can actually mold the engraving right off a dollar bill
....I have also made "clay shapers" from Alley Goop by using small amounts, and shaping it as it cures.
....veterinarians use it to pack the feet of horses when the sore is too deep... it cushions the foot and helps with healing. Karen
....re cost, Alley Goop goes much farther for less money than other brands..
--Alley Goop sustains temps up to 750 degrees
...the blue part is the "hardener", so if you want the putty mix to set faster, use more of the blue. Karen
......... I found this out the hard way... I put more of it into the mix and it set up before I had a chance to set my piece in correctly, and wound up with a very indistinct looking mold. Gwen
...when I opened the jars after a time, there was a layer of 'oil' on the surface. I mixed it back into the compound but working with it was messy & slippery. Gwen
.......that oil is a product of the silicone...you can mix it back in, pour it off, dab it off, whatever... .if you get rid of it, the putty just becomes thicker, but it does not affect the outcome of the molds since it's there to make the silicone putty easier to work with. Karen
--Alley Goop is also FDA approved for food ...in fact, confectionaries use it to make chocolate items for cakes (they pour liquid chocolate into the mold, put it in the freezer and then pop it out for cake decorations!
....... couldn't we then make our own molds for liquid chocolate or craft "chocolate melts", or for lollipops, jello, e.g., using items or textures or bas reliefs, etc., we've sculpted or otherwise created first from polymer clay? Diane B.

ALSO: liquid, brush-on Alley Goop ....Karen also has a new, even thinner, liquid, brush-on Alley Goop product especially for making texture sheets
http://www.clayalley.com/brushon.htm
...same cost as the regular AlleyGoop... uses two layers of Goop....don't know if she'd mix and match for the discount though
...I have just purchased some of the Liquid Alley Goop and made one mold with it of an antique button. I had previously made a mold of this with regular Alley Goop. I do think the impression is even better with the liquid. (It takes about an hour to setup.) I'm anxious to work with it more. Jan

MIRACLE MOLD from Linda Geer, Puffinalia (purplish-reddish pink)
http://www.puffinalia.com/miraclemold/miraclemold.html
COST: 2 oz kit=$ 8.00 +$2.00 s/h .... 8 oz kit = $25.00 +$5 s/h (Tonja guesstimated 8 oz.will make about 25 small molds)
1 lb=$50.00 + s/h...2-4 lbs=$45.00 per lb + s/h ......5 lbs or more=$40.00 per lb + s/h
...review and photos: http://www.puffinalia.com/commentspage.html & http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/prodreview_mmold.html
...Christy's lesson on carving a bas relief in clay, baking, then making a silicone mold (M'Mold) from it for duplicates
http://www.povn.com/rock/gpCDemo.html being used on a bas relief sculpt
...Sarajane's page showing Miracle Mold used for various face molds
http://www.polyclay.com/mold.htm
...many molds from swap... mostly likely Miracle Mold
http://www.tonjastreasures.com/swaps/tn19.htm
....heat resistant to 600 degrees... can bake the clay right in the mold
...makes a fairly firm mold
...use only amount needed at one time because it will begin to set up quickly and the impression it can make after it begins to harden a bit isn't as good
...Personally I'm liking this new material better that Micromark's stuff. I really love that I can now use my new molds in minutes, not hours.... And it sure seems to be tougher. I tried with all my might to tear it and I couldn't. Most of my molded images also have more of the original detail now. And this new Puffinalia Mircle Mold has an oily feel to it so I don't need a mold release. I really like that, too. Tonja
... I'm with you Tonja - I have used a number of two part silicone molding compounds for PMC and polymer clay both. I had been sticking to Bellicold (the purple stuff) which can be finicky if you don't use the right ratios. However, this molding compound is super forgiving. I even purposefully mixed uneven amounts just to see if it would still set up. It did EVERY TIME and I went down to almost a 30% / 70% ratio. It still kept the nice sharp detail as well.... I don't need mold release for anything - not even paper clay anymore. Meredith
...I mentioned that I had I ended up with some sticky molds...Linda told me to try less of the catalyst (the red stuff)...and I did...Instead of trying exactly half/half, i purposely went under in the red...The mold was not sticky and it cured super fast... Just in case anyone finds themself witht he same problem... NF
... (Many of the other similar molding materials might be able to baked in the oven), but some ...will likely degrade after a certain number of bakings due to the ingredients in the mix. But your mileage may vary. ...the catalyst in MicroMark's (Silicone Putty) only is rated to 300 degrees and don't know aobut PoYo. Mine is definitely rated to 600. Linda
........Linda's tests comparing Miracle Mold to two other putties (blue one and purple? one), in which she shows a less even surface before and after baking in the other 2 mold materials and the subsequent casts
http://home.comcast.net/~l.p.geer/moldtests/comparisons.html
. . . .There are other issues, too when you are considering silicone molds. Many of the products in the market will degrade after being heated (IF they can tolerate heating without melting or noxious fumes) and have a shorter shelf life. Moreover, I've used several products on the market and am certain that they are not all created equally - in ability to be repeatedly baked, in sharpness, in ease of mixing, in how forgiving it is with inexact mixing....(Puffinalia). caneguru
..I have used the 2 part (blue and white) silicon mold material (Mega-Sil, the blue ear mold stuff) and Puff. Miracle Mold, and I definitely prefer the Miracle Mold! I have made the same mold out of both of them and then did a side by side comparison. Yours is sooooo much more flexible, and what comes out has better detail. A few of my blue ear mold ones have split when trying to get the item out.
.... Yours take a little longer to set, so I have more time to make sure I get it right, or fix any problems that might happen when trying to make the mold.
...Another thing I noticed is that I can make very large molds with your stuff and they are flexible and stay together well. I tried to make a large one with the blue stuff and it split in two the first time I tried to get the clay out. Kimba
....Be aware that making molds on glassy surfaces with Miracle Mold can sometimes cause a less than super smooth surface. I've been in touch with my chemist and he advised me that glassy smooth surfaces sometimes don't give the air in the mold anywhere to go when the mold is setting up. (This does NOT happen in detailed pieces.) . . .The work around according to the chemist is to "shear" the item into the raw mold instead of just pressing it in. Slide it in the raw mold and twist it a bit to release the air. And then build the mold material up around the sides. caneguru
...(THE FOLLOWING ARE ALSO TRUE OF ALL SILICONE PUTTIES?:
.......Miracle Mold may stick to latex gloves
.......tin (including tin that can be present in rubberstamps) can react with Miracle Mold (in that case, cover stamp with Saran wrap?... and/or
......bake for a few minutes to speed up the setting?

MYSTIC MOLD Compound, by Artique (Linda Bernstein) (very light blue, or other colors). . .
...Linda is using is for metal clay as well. Bette
COST: 8 oz. kit =$14.95 + $5 s/h ... https://www.commercecorner.com/artique/productlist1.aspx

MOLD-n-POUR (Ranger Industries & Suz Weinberg) (med. blue) ..."pour" refers to fact that can pour melted embossing powder into cured molds
COST: 1.5 oz.= $13 +s/h (makes 8-10 molds of small buttons) .. more expensive than others, but may be available at retail?
http://www.schmoozewithsuze.com/product/product.php?pID=030201180055
http://www.rangerink.com/product_moldnpour.html

MEGA-SIL...the ear mold stuff... by Microsonic (blue, or yellow?)
. . . this is sold for the use of making a mold of an ear- for making hearing aids. It comes in handy single packs as well (MegaSil "Solos") ... but you have to buy 24 at a time, or you can buy it in bulk. There's a freshness dating of about 3months... but we think that's for sanitary purposes- and doesn't seem to effect our use of the product. You can reach through: http://www.earmolds.com You want the earmold store... and then you want the blue Mega-Sil.... I think!