I have been asked about pregnant belly casting by a few people. I'd be happy to do a commissioned work of art that will be a unique and treasured family keepsake!
Pricing is as follows, with each step broken down into costs per step. Beneath the cost per step are options in pricing if you do not need the preceding step or do not wish for me to follow through to finish, i.e. if you have done your own belly cast and do not need step #1, or if you want the belly bond applied, but don't want me to sand or paint it.
Step/Option 1-Basic Belly Cast ONLY $95
If you'd like me to come to your home and cast your belly, the fee is $95. This includes the materials, the application of the masking material, and 2 layers of gesso with sanding in between. This leaves your belly canvas-ready for you to decorate as you please on your own. The one below has been previously painted and now has gesso on it ready to get a makeover, but is essentially what it would look like. Expect a week or two for delivery of the prepared belly.
I need to charge a $20 travel charge outside of the Mason/Manistee/Oceana area.
Pricing is as follows, with each step broken down into costs per step. Beneath the cost per step are options in pricing if you do not need the preceding step or do not wish for me to follow through to finish, i.e. if you have done your own belly cast and do not need step #1, or if you want the belly bond applied, but don't want me to sand or paint it.
Step/Option 1-Basic Belly Cast ONLY $95
If you'd like me to come to your home and cast your belly, the fee is $95. This includes the materials, the application of the masking material, and 2 layers of gesso with sanding in between. This leaves your belly canvas-ready for you to decorate as you please on your own. The one below has been previously painted and now has gesso on it ready to get a makeover, but is essentially what it would look like. Expect a week or two for delivery of the prepared belly.
I need to charge a $20 travel charge outside of the Mason/Manistee/Oceana area.
Even sanded with a couple of coats of gesso though, you could expect it to look similar to the above close up.
Even though rough, this level can be beautiful! This is one I have painted for myself. It is on the cover of my book, Mother's Intention: How Belief Shapes Birth. the fee for a basic belly does NOT include art work. This is just an example of what the rougher, basic material can look like once painted. Fees for commissioned art work on your belly below.)
Step/Option #2-Bondo of Belly ONLY $50
[Step 1 + Step 2 = $145]
If you have a belly cast you have had done already, or have done yourself, but would like a smoother finish, I can apply a lightweight epoxy to the belly to even it out. I can shape and sculpt this material so that areas where the plaster cast typically wrinkles can be smoothed and evened out, or areas that tend to be less defined, like nipples and belly buttons, can be accentuated. Below is a plaster cast belly with a layer of epoxy.
Finished to this level, it looks like raw clay. You could paint as it is. The epoxy supposedly takes any type of paint...I have only used water based latex personally. Expect a week or two for delivery.
IF YOU CHOOSE TO FINISH YOUR OWN BELLY FROM THIS POINT ON, PLEASE NOTE:
ACCORDING TO THE MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET, THIS COMPOUND DOES NOT INTENTIONALLY CONTAIN ANY CHEMICALS WHICH HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED TO CAUSE CANCER. IT CONTAINS NO HAZARDOUS INGREDIENTS. ACCORDING TO MY READING OF THE SAFETY INFORMATION, THE EPA AND OSHA DO NOT DEEM THIS A HAZARDOUS PRODUCT.
A COPY OF THE MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET WILL BE PROVIDED WITH THE UNFINISHED SCULPTURE.
HOWEVER, I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HANDLING OF THIS MATERIAL ONCE IT LEAVES MY HANDS!
WHAT YOU DO WITH IT IS YOUR BUSINESS, BUT PLEASE BE ADVISED, IT IS VERY IRRITATING TO SKIN, EYES, AND RESPIRATORY SYSTEM while working with it in any way that produces dust, like sanding!
IT SHOULD NOT, NOT, NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BE SANDED, SCULPTED OR OTHERWISE MANIPULATED ANYWHERE NEAR PETS AND CHILDREN!!!
Step/Option #2-Bondo of Belly ONLY $50
[Step 1 + Step 2 = $145]
If you have a belly cast you have had done already, or have done yourself, but would like a smoother finish, I can apply a lightweight epoxy to the belly to even it out. I can shape and sculpt this material so that areas where the plaster cast typically wrinkles can be smoothed and evened out, or areas that tend to be less defined, like nipples and belly buttons, can be accentuated. Below is a plaster cast belly with a layer of epoxy.
Finished to this level, it looks like raw clay. You could paint as it is. The epoxy supposedly takes any type of paint...I have only used water based latex personally. Expect a week or two for delivery.
IF YOU CHOOSE TO FINISH YOUR OWN BELLY FROM THIS POINT ON, PLEASE NOTE:
ACCORDING TO THE MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET, THIS COMPOUND DOES NOT INTENTIONALLY CONTAIN ANY CHEMICALS WHICH HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED TO CAUSE CANCER. IT CONTAINS NO HAZARDOUS INGREDIENTS. ACCORDING TO MY READING OF THE SAFETY INFORMATION, THE EPA AND OSHA DO NOT DEEM THIS A HAZARDOUS PRODUCT.
A COPY OF THE MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET WILL BE PROVIDED WITH THE UNFINISHED SCULPTURE.
HOWEVER, I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HANDLING OF THIS MATERIAL ONCE IT LEAVES MY HANDS!
WHAT YOU DO WITH IT IS YOUR BUSINESS, BUT PLEASE BE ADVISED, IT IS VERY IRRITATING TO SKIN, EYES, AND RESPIRATORY SYSTEM while working with it in any way that produces dust, like sanding!
IT SHOULD NOT, NOT, NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BE SANDED, SCULPTED OR OTHERWISE MANIPULATED ANYWHERE NEAR PETS AND CHILDREN!!!
Step/Option #3-Better Bondo Belly Sanding ONLY $75
[Step 1 + Step 2 + Step 3 = $220]
[Have your own belly? Start at step 2 + 3 =$120]
If you like, I will invest the several hours to sand your belly and you can stick to investing in me!
It's messy work, it requires a ventilated area, safety goggles and a mask. Clean-up is a beast. (For all these reasons, I can only do this work during the months I am able to work with adequate ventilation.) However, the extreme close-up below is the end result. It's mostly as smooth as ceramic.
[Step 1 + Step 2 + Step 3 = $220]
[Have your own belly? Start at step 2 + 3 =$120]
If you like, I will invest the several hours to sand your belly and you can stick to investing in me!
It's messy work, it requires a ventilated area, safety goggles and a mask. Clean-up is a beast. (For all these reasons, I can only do this work during the months I am able to work with adequate ventilation.) However, the extreme close-up below is the end result. It's mostly as smooth as ceramic.
Below you can see sanding of a Better Bondo in progress. Note that the color is not uniform as the epoxy must be mixed in very small batches and variations will occur. Also note that there will likely be areas where the casting material shows through from underneath as you can see in the speckles on the right breast. When you feel these areas though, you can see they are completely smooth and do not show once the belly has a coat of paint.
If you choose to only go this far in the process and paint on this belly yourself, you can expect that you'll need 2-3 coats of paint as a base before painting any designs (sanding between each) and if you'd like high gloss, 2-3 coats of polyurethane to finish.
Expect 2-3 weeks for delivery.
If you choose to only go this far in the process and paint on this belly yourself, you can expect that you'll need 2-3 coats of paint as a base before painting any designs (sanding between each) and if you'd like high gloss, 2-3 coats of polyurethane to finish.
Expect 2-3 weeks for delivery.
Option #4-Ready Belly Glass-like Finish ONLY $30
[Step 1 + Step 2 + Step 3 + Step 4 = $250]
[Have your own belly? Start at step 2 + step 3 + step 4 = $150]
Below you can see up through step #4. These bellies look like glass! Brush strokes are barely visible. These are not yet finished. There is a longer wait time between paint coats.
Expect at least 3-4 weeks for delivery.
If there are mothers who would allow me to make more than one cast to make unique works of art to sell to hospitals, chiropractors, midwives, doulas and other birth workers for their workplaces, I can be somewhat flexible in pricing.
Speaking of, hospitals, birth centers and others...If you would like to adorn your walls with amazing art, I will have bellies for sale when I am able to stock them.
[Step 1 + Step 2 + Step 3 + Step 4 = $250]
[Have your own belly? Start at step 2 + step 3 + step 4 = $150]
Below you can see up through step #4. These bellies look like glass! Brush strokes are barely visible. These are not yet finished. There is a longer wait time between paint coats.
Expect at least 3-4 weeks for delivery.
If there are mothers who would allow me to make more than one cast to make unique works of art to sell to hospitals, chiropractors, midwives, doulas and other birth workers for their workplaces, I can be somewhat flexible in pricing.
Speaking of, hospitals, birth centers and others...If you would like to adorn your walls with amazing art, I will have bellies for sale when I am able to stock them.
Step/Option #5-Negotiable
I am willing to go one step further, designing and completing the artwork that you feel is representative of this pregnancy and baby, or your facility if you are commissioning a work for a hospital, birthing center or other facility. Going on to this step would be a highly collaborative effort for such a personal and significant piece of art. I would ask for reference images, a color palette, and any details that would help me translate your heart onto this very special canvas. I might ask for frequent input as well, where appropriate.
Thus, pricing would be variable.
I am willing to go one step further, designing and completing the artwork that you feel is representative of this pregnancy and baby, or your facility if you are commissioning a work for a hospital, birthing center or other facility. Going on to this step would be a highly collaborative effort for such a personal and significant piece of art. I would ask for reference images, a color palette, and any details that would help me translate your heart onto this very special canvas. I might ask for frequent input as well, where appropriate.
Thus, pricing would be variable.