Belly Casts If you have made one of our basic belly casting kits and wish to decorate it further then first it is best to strengthen it with casting plaster, you only need to buy a small amount and mix it up with water and paint it onto the cast with a large paintbrush, let it dry and sand it down with some sandpaper, try to get it as smooth as possible, then repeat this process 2 - 3 times, this makes the cast much stronger, make sure that you support the underside of the cast whilst doing this, i.e. stuff it out with newspaper to ensure that it doesn't collapse, as it will get damp with the plaster applications, which will weaken the structure. Then apply a primer, 'gesso' is exceptionally good for plaster casts and is widely available from good craft shops, I would do a couple of coats as this provides a good base for your paint. The smoother you sand it between each of the stages, the smoother your finish will be and this will enhance your finished product, so once you are happy with your base and it is nice and smooth, then you can apply acrylic paint and leave to dry, you may want to apply 2 coats and when these are completely dry you can apply clear varnish to finish your cast and give it extra protection from and knocks. Once you have a good base to work on, you can decorate your belly cast however you like the only restriction is your own imagination.

Click on the links below for more detailed help