[Trinity Sullivan]

I’m going to be doing a Cinderella cosplay in a few months and I was wondering if there was a way to create a life-size, clear resin shoe that would be able to withstand being worn for about a day. It’d be maybe a three inch heel, size nine. I’m planning on taking a shoe that is close to what I want, adding on to the shoe with clay, and then using that shoe in the mold. The problem is, I’m not too terribly experienced with resins, other than making some small jewelry pieces, so I’m not sure of what brand of resin I should use, the type (other than a clear casting one of course), or the type of mold (silicone, plaster, etc.) I’d like to try and stay on the cheaper side of things, but I know that the clearer the resin is, the more expensive it tends to run, so cheap isn’t my number one priority.
If anyone has any good casting techniques and ways to ensure the clearest final product, please let me know!
Thanks so much!

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Trinity — neat project idea! I have never done anything like this, but I have a couple of concerns. I don’t know how well resin will hold up to someone’s body weight and don’t know how heavy that final casting will be. Making a mold from the shoe doesn’t sound easy either.

Have you considered using clear acrylic sheet and rods? I’m thinking you find a square rod that would be appropriate for the heel. Then, use clear sheet for the shoe upper. When you apply heat to acrylic sheet (I have done it with my heat gun for resin) it will become soft and moldable. You can manipulate it into the shape you want, then let it cool (it will retain that shape). Use acrylic glue to assemble your pieces (heel to base, sides to base, etc.) The acrylic will be a lot cheaper than resin, and I expect a lot lighter. One production of your play is all I would probably expect the shoes to last. 🙂

[Author]

Posts