What is Slipcasting
Slipcasting is the best way to make reproducible pieces. Before or after casting the piece you have made the piece your options are limitless. Because these pieces can be reproduced you do not need to worry about messing them up to badly. You can experiment using slips before and after you have cast your piece, trim and carve the piece, add appendages to your piece.
How does it work?
Slipcasting is the process of adding “casting slip” to a plaster mold and letting it sit until a dryer layer of clay forms between the slip and plaster, this is called a capillary action. The wet slip is being dried by the plaster soaking up the wet liquid in the slip creating clay. It has now turned into clay and after you pour out the rest of the slip and let it dry a little bit more you can take it out. Unfortunately, you can not use the slip made from throwing or decorating slip to make a casting slip. Casting slip is made by adding water, clay, and deflocculants to make a casting slip. You can’t use only water because it will settle to the bottom and it has way to much water in it for the plaster to remove. You can purchase commercial casting slips or you can read this post to learn how to make your own.