# Body casting guide: process, alginate, plaster, resin & bronze | Life Casting Berlin

> How body casting works: alginate explained, plaster vs resin vs bronze, choosing a pose, caring for your sculpture and a glossary – by sculptor Brooke Meenan.

URL: https://lifecastingberlin.de/en/guide/
Language: en
Last updated: 2026-09-27
Studio: Life Casting Berlin · Brooke Meenan · Gottlieb-Dunkel-Straße 43–44, 12099 Berlin · info@lifecastingberlin.de

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Casting guide

# How a body becomes a sculpture

A practical guide to body casting — materials, process and care — written by sculptor Brooke Meenan, Life Casting Berlin.

[Image: Two open hands holding blue and white pigment powder]

What it is

## What is life casting?

Life casting — also called body casting — means taking a mould directly from the living body and casting it as a three-dimensional object. Unlike a photograph, a cast records the body at a scale of one to one: skin texture, the weight of a hand, the curve of a back.

At Life Casting Berlin the cast is the starting point, not the end: every piece is refined and finished by hand as a sculpture. The studio works exclusively with water-based materials.

Step by step

## How a body cast is made

### Consultation

A free 20-minute call about pose, material, finish and timing.

### Preparation

The area to be cast is shaved; measurements are taken for the support; a protective cream is applied.

### Alginate mould

Skin-safe alginate is applied. It sets within minutes and records every detail.

### Support shell

Plaster bandages form a rigid shell that holds the soft mould in shape.

### Removing

Shell and mould are lifted off together, gently.

### Casting

The mould is filled with plaster or water-based resin; then the alginate is peeled away.

### Finishing

Refined, sanded and finished by hand — about three months until the sculpture is ready.

Material

## Alginate, explained

Alginate is a moulding material made from brown seaweed. Mixed with water it becomes a soft paste that sets within a few minutes into a flexible, rubbery layer — related materials are used by dentists for impressions. It is skin-safe, does not pull hair and records fine details such as skin texture.

An alginate mould can only be used once: it slowly loses water and shrinks, so it is filled soon after the session. That is also why editions — several casts from one body — have to be planned before the casting.

Choosing a material

## Plaster, resin or bronze?

| Material | Look | Character | Good for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Plaster | Matt, white, quiet — almost classical | Detailed, porous, for dry indoor spaces | The classic sculpture; base for pigment and gold leaf |
| Water-based acrylic resin | Mineral surface, can be coloured through | More robust and lighter than plaster | Pieces that are handled or travel; metal effects |
| Bronze | Metallic, warm, with patina | Extremely durable, heavy; made in a foundry | A piece for generations; also outdoors |

Finishes on plaster and resin: mineral pigments, patina, metal effects, gold leaf. White plaster is included in every private session; other materials and finishes are quoted separately.

Before the session

## Choosing a pose

A pose can be simple — a torso seen from the front, hands resting on the body — or tell a story: an embrace, intertwined hands, a gesture that is typical of you. Think about where the sculpture will live: on a wall, a shelf, a plinth. The pose is decided together in the consultation call, so that the support structure can be prepared in advance.

After the session

## Caring for your sculpture

- Plaster – Keep indoors and dry; dust with a soft, dry brush; no water

- Resin – More robust; wipe gently with a slightly damp cloth

- Gold leaf & pigment – Do not rub; avoid touching the surface often

- Bronze – Indoors or outdoors; the patina develops over time

Glossary

## Words you’ll hear in the studio

- **Life casting:** Taking a mould directly from the living body and casting it as a three-dimensional object.
- **Alginate:** A skin-safe, water-based moulding material made from seaweed that sets within minutes.
- **Mould:** The negative form taken from the body, into which the cast is poured.
- **Support shell:** A rigid layer of plaster bandages that holds a soft alginate mould in shape.
- **Positive:** The finished cast — the form of the body, made by filling the mould.
- **Water-based acrylic resin:** A mineral casting material bound with a water-based acrylic dispersion; more robust and lighter than plaster.
- **Patina:** A surface colouring that gives a cast depth or an aged, metallic or mineral look.
- **Gilding:** Applying thin gold leaf to a surface by hand.
- **Edition:** Several casts made from one mould, planned before the casting.
- **Lost-wax casting:** The foundry process used to turn a cast into bronze.

## Questions left?

Ask me in a free 20-minute call — or read the [questions & answers](https://lifecastingberlin.de/en/faq/).

Book a call with me