CAST, in the fine arts, is an impression taken by means of wax or plaster of Paris from a statue, bust, bas-relief or any other model, animate or inanimate. In taking a cast from a living person's face, it is necessary, first, to anoint the eyebrows and eyelashes, and any hairs about the cheeks and temples, with a little sweet-oil; then to insert two tubes (oiled also) of pasteboard into the nostrils, so that breath ing may be performed through them; a hand kerchief is then to be tied loosely over the face, and the head sloped backward in an elbow chair or sofa. Powdered and calcined plaster of Paris is then mixed with spring water to the consistence of cream, and poured in between the face and handerkerchief to the depth of half an inch. On becoming fixed or hard, it is removed and left to dry. When dried thor oughly it is well soaked with linseed oil, and an impression may then be taken from it, in plaster of Paris or soft clay; the hollow cast being first split longitudinally down the nose, so that the object cast may be more easily re moved.
It ought to be observed that all models should be divided into several pieces or joints; thus, in that covering any round body, one side must be covered first with the plaster, and the sides pared with a knife, and with clay and water, then the remaining part of the object covered with plaster, and a joint will thus be formed between the two parts; for, wherever the mixture of clay and water has been applied with a hair brush, the cast will not adhere, and therefore will be easily separated with the blunt edge of a knife. It is usual
also to make small pits or depressions of the size of small buttons, on the edges of the joints of molds so that they may lock together well when added, and thus fit closely.
Plaster casts are varnished by a mixture of soap and white wax in boiling water. A quar ter of an ounce of soap is dissolved in a pint of water, and an equal quantity of wax after ward incorporated. The cast is dipped in this liquid, and after drying a week is polished by rubbing with soft linen. The surface produced in this manner approaches to the polish of marble. When plaster casts are to be exposed to the weather, their durability is greatly in creased by saturating them with linseed oil, with which wax or resin may be combined. When intended to resemble bronze, a soap is used made of linseed oil and soda, colored by the sulphates of copper and iron. Walls and ceilings are rendered waterproof in the same way.