Human heart clutch purse - how to make

As I was invited to the premiere party of The Mortal instruments: City of Bones and I wanted to create my own demon design. This was after all a red carpet event with international movie stars and press, so I went for a more fashionable demon. And then I needed a fashion statement purse - in the shape of a human heart. 

Here you can read about how the horns were made. 

My awesome purse, want one? I will be selling these, custom made, but at the moment I am very busy. 

I needed to have room for my phone, keys, money and emergency makeup, and with that in mind I started sculpting. 

Step one was to block out the size using tin foil and tape.

Then adding clay and sculpting. In this case you don't want to use paper clay since you don't want the heart to dry up. Wet clay is easier to get out of the plaster mold when it hardens. Oil based clay can be used (or paper clay if you work fast).

Then I made a plaster cast. I am trying to make a two part mold, and made a dividing wall in my clay heart. 

Then I poured plaster over one side, and when it is dried turn it over and repeat. It is important to prep your clay with a releasing agent (in my case cooking grease) this will let the plaster release easier when cured.

Take away the dividing wall before adding plaster to the other side and add Vaseline to the edges.

Pull the two plaster pieces apart and clean out the clay.

(There is a reason people go to school to learn this, it is hard to make good molds. I have to practice more or take a course)

To make a smoother surface I painted the inside of the mold. First I tried my water based clear coat  that was a bad idea. It reacted with the latex. Next up I spray painted it, success. 

When my plaster cast was done I started to prep my latex. The reason I use latex is because this is what I have at the moment and it can take a little strain which is good since it will be opened and closed several times. To save time and maybe preserve some transparency from the latex I dyed it red using food color.

Filling the mold with latex. When it cures the color wont be so milky. 

The idea was to put the two halves together and slush cast, but my to plaster halves don't fit together. So then I made to halves of a heart (reinforced with toilet paper) and glued them together when dried using latex. 

My halves (color much darker)

Putting the two together and adding details. (doesn't look like much jet, but just wait). Reinforcing with paper from the inside and hiding the seem with latex from the outside. 

Slowly getting there

As I waited for the latex to cure I made the lining and what is better than red velvet for the inside of a heart <3 And adding a purse clasp. 

Testing that everything fits, and that I still have room for my phone. 

Fusing the lining, clasp and latex together

I'm so going to use this together with my next zombie costume and definitely for Halloween.

Photo by: Daniel Lange

As I mentioned in the beginning I will take commissions for purses like this of latex casts. So if you want green, blue, purple heart with yellow lining, no problem. I'll make what you want ;) Hell, I even used it as a regular purse last night I was out, best conversation starter. But I am also very busy, and I can't set a date for when I can finish them :/