‘The squishy brain’

I began by making an inner skeleton of tin foil sculpt and Styrafoam, and then building paper clay onto the surface of the brain. Ridges and folds based on the size and placement of those on the 3D model were initially sketched on and sculpted, with attention being paid to the final look of the curves and turns of the folds. Creases, ridges, and indents had to be slightly exaggerated due to the mold material, as the final foam product would cause some of the finer details to be lost, and thus to make sure the foam cast had noticeable enough detail. Once one hemisphere of the brain was fully sculpted and complete, I covered it in a silicone mold-making agent, and was able to create a silicone shell to pour the foam into, akin to that of a cake pan. The second hemisphere was then completed and cast.

Soma Foama was prepared and dyed pink using special dye, Silc-Pig™ silicone color pigment, and then poured into the shell. The working time for the foam was very short, as it cures by rapidly expanding through an endothermic reaction, additionally expanding 2-3 times from its liquid volume.

Soma Foama™, a two-component platinum silicone flexible foam, was selected as it is commercially used for replicating organs and other body parts for medical and film purposes due to the density of the cured product being relatively close to that of human tissue.

Once the Soma Foama™ had cured and successfully de-molded, the two brain hemispheres were complete. They were attached together using silicone caulking.

The brain was finally coated in a light pink gloss for the show, as we wanted it to look shiny and a little moist under the lighting conditions.

The brain was a big hit with audience members after the show, with many lining up to hold it and take a look. Many commented that they had not considered their own brain was this large or small, and that it was lighter or heavier than they anticipated. Written feedback received for the event mentioning that the brain prop was a much-appreciated addition. The Soma Foama™ material is durable enough to withstand handling from many people for several years, and is a great way to really see and feel what one’s own brain would really be like.

In a similar manner to the brain model, it was decided that some realistic details would be left out due to not wanting to make it too graphic or to repulsive for already squeamish visitors. A real brain specimen would have a thin layer of blood and cerebral fluid covering the surface, as well as thicker more prominent veins. Additional gloss and some pigment spots were added for a greater sense of depth and realism as well. While the substitutions on the squishy brain are fairly minor and perhaps not very noticeable at first glance, the details were adjusted and tested on friends and family who interacted with the brain. I was aiming for a point where people would be intrigued and want to come closer and inspect the brain, but also slightly hesitant and somewhat surprised.