Sculpture question about life casting..?

[imported_yo_yo]

wanted to make a life cast(male body) in plaster but i read that it would be best to make the molds in alginate.

How much would i need to cover the entire front of the body?

Where can i purchase this Houston Texas? (I dont want to order offline)

I also read that i could try a dental supply but there were several types of alginate to choose from so i am not sure which one to purchase.

Is alginate the best method? any alternatives?

i want the most professional results. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Bob N]

It would take a lot of that and it is a lot more expensive than casting plaster. Even still to do a full figure might take 25 lbs. Who ever is the model cover them with petroleum jelly as a mold release. Cover the hair especially as it will pull like a bugger when it comes off. If you have not made a cast before I would suggest a smaller body part. You can do a base relief (1/2 of the shape (a lot easier) or a two piece mold with top and bottom. If you can't pull the body part out then you will need to go the two piece mold. Do the first half then when it dries put body part back and cut a couple of key registry holes to align the pieces later. I might suggest coloring the second half pour then you can see the difference in pieces.
I don't know if you are casting the mold or not. That has a bearing on making the mold also. Metal is different than wax lets say.
You can also get a rubber molding mixture that you paint on as a liquid and it gets hard and you pull it off and you have a rubber mold that doesn't have to be broken like a plaster one does.