# Body casting in Berlin – questions & answers | Life Casting Berlin > Answers about body casting in Berlin: vulva casts, prices, alginate safety, how long it takes, privacy, casting two people, materials, finishes and workshops. URL: https://lifecastingberlin.de/en/faq/ Questions # Everything you wanted to ask Can’t find your question? Book a free call with me or write to info@lifecastingberlin.de. The studio ## About Life Casting Berlin **What is life casting?** Life casting — also called body casting — is a sculptural process in which a mould is taken directly from the living body and then cast in plaster, resin or bronze. At Life Casting Berlin every cast is refined by hand and finished as a sculpture, not simply a copy of the body. **Where can I get a body cast made in Berlin?** Life Casting Berlin is a private sculpture studio in Berlin-Tempelhof (Gottlieb-Dunkel-Straße 43–44, 12099 Berlin) run by sculptor Brooke Meenan. It makes torso, chest, hand, vulva and full-body casts as well as casts of two people together. Visits are by appointment; the first step is a free 20-minute call. **Who is Brooke Meenan?** Brooke Meenan is the sculptor who runs Life Casting Berlin. She has a background in painting and interdisciplinary art, a BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute, exchange studies at the Edinburgh College of Art and an MFA in Art in Public Space from the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. **Who runs Life Casting Berlin?** Life Casting Berlin is an artist-led, FLINTA-run sculpture studio exploring the human body through casting, led by sculptor Brooke Meenan. The studio works exclusively with water-based materials. **Who is welcome at the studio?** Everyone. Life Casting Berlin casts bodies of every gender, shape and age — there is no ideal to meet. The cast holds the body as it is. **Which languages are sessions held in?** English and German — consultations, casting sessions and workshops. **How do I book a body casting session?** Book a free 20-minute call through the “Book a call” page — pick a free time directly or send a request. After the call you receive a written quote and a preparation guide. You can also write to info@lifecastingberlin.de or call or message +49 152 014 741 15 (also WhatsApp). Prices & time ## Cost and duration **How much does a professional body casting cost?** At Life Casting Berlin, private body casts start at €390 for a vulva cast, €550 for a breast or chest cast and €850 for a torso. The price includes the consultation call, the casting session, the cast in white plaster and hand finishing. Casts of two people, full-body casts and commissions are quoted after a conversation; pigment, gold leaf, metal effects or bronze are calculated separately. **How much does a vulva cast cost in Berlin?** A vulva cast at Life Casting Berlin starts at €390, including the cast in white plaster and hand finishing. Coloured, gilded or bronze finishes are quoted separately. **How much does a torso cast cost?** A torso cast at Life Casting Berlin starts at €850 (upper body, front, as a wall piece). Breast or chest casts start at €550. **How long does a casting appointment take?** A casting session usually takes a few hours, depending on the size of the cast and whether one or two people are cast. The alginate itself only stays on the skin for a few minutes before it sets; the rest of the time goes into preparation, the support shell and careful removal. **How long until my sculpture is finished?** About three months. After the session every cast is refined, sanded and finished by hand; bronze casts take longer. The timing is part of the written quote. The session ## Casting, safety & privacy **Is alginate safe for skin?** Yes. Alginate is a skin-safe, water-based moulding material made from seaweed — related materials are used for dental impressions. It does not pull hair, feels cool for a moment and then warms up. At Life Casting Berlin a protective cream is applied before the alginate. **Does body casting hurt?** No. Body casting does not hurt. You feel the cool alginate, then the light weight of the plaster bandages that support it. You can pause at any time. **How do I prepare for a body casting session?** Please come freshly shaved on the area being cast — it gives the cleanest, most detailed surface (if you would rather not shave, say so beforehand). Wear comfortable clothes you don’t mind getting a little plaster on. You receive a short preparation guide after booking. **Do I have to be naked for a body cast?** Only the part of the body being cast needs to be uncovered. Towels and a changing area are provided. **Is the casting session private?** Yes. Sessions at Life Casting Berlin take place in a private studio, by appointment only and without an audience — unless you bring a partner or friends. Casts are never photographed, shown or published without your written consent. **Can two people be cast together?** Yes. Hands, torsos or an embrace of two people can be cast in one session — for couples, friends or family members. These pieces are quoted after a conversation. **Can I bring a friend or my partner?** Yes, you are welcome to bring someone along — or to be cast together with them. **Do you accept every request?** Every project starts with a conversation. Brooke Meenan takes on each project personally and reserves the right to decline requests. What can be cast ## Body parts & occasions **Where can I get a vulva cast made in Berlin?** Life Casting Berlin makes vulva casts in a private studio in Berlin-Tempelhof, led by sculptor Brooke Meenan. Sessions can be for one person, with a partner or in a small group; vulva casts start at €390. The first step is a free 20-minute call. **Is vulva casting for everyone with a vulva?** Yes — every gender identity, every shape, every age. **Where can I get a torso or chest cast in Berlin?** Life Casting Berlin in Berlin-Tempelhof casts torsos and chests of every body and gender — with or without hands resting on the body — and finishes them as wall pieces or freestanding sculptures. **Can I commission a breast cast before a mastectomy?** Yes. Some people have their breasts or chest cast at Life Casting Berlin before a mastectomy or another operation, to keep the body as it is. Sessions are private, adapted to the situation and can often be arranged at short notice. Talk to Brooke in a free call about your timing. **Can you make a pregnancy belly cast?** Yes. Pregnancy belly casts are made with the same skin-safe, water-based materials and finished by hand like every other piece. **Can I have my hands cast with my partner, for example for a wedding?** Yes. Intertwined hands of two people are one of the classic pieces — as a wedding or anniversary sculpture, cast together in one session. **Do you make full-body casts?** Yes, usually as a commission — for private clients, artists, galleries, stage or film. An example is the full-body plaster work “Il mito di Narciso” commissioned by artist Egzon Malaj. Materials & finishes ## The sculpture **Can I choose the sculpture’s material and finish?** Yes. Every cast begins in white plaster, which is included. It can also be made in water-based acrylic resin and finished with mineral pigments, patina, metal effects or gold leaf — or cast in bronze. Material and finish are discussed in the consultation call and quoted separately. **Which materials does Life Casting Berlin use?** Only water-based materials: alginate from seaweed for the mould, plaster and plaster bandages for the support shell and cast, water-based acrylic resin, mineral pigments, metal effects and gold leaf. Ceramic, porcelain and bronze are possible on request. **Is body casting environmentally friendly?** Life Casting Berlin works exclusively with water-based materials, chosen for the wellbeing of people and the environment, and keeps researching new sculptural materials and techniques. **Can I get a bronze body cast?** Yes. A cast can be made in bronze on request — the most durable finish, for a piece that lasts generations. Bronze takes longer than plaster and is quoted separately. **Can I get more than one copy of my cast?** Editions from one mould are possible as part of a commission. The alginate mould taken from the body is used once, so an edition needs to be planned before the casting. **Will my cast be hung on the wall or stand freely?** Both are possible: most torso and vulva casts are made as wall pieces, others as freestanding sculptures. Workshops ## Workshops & team events **Does Life Casting Berlin offer casting workshops?** Yes. Workshops cover alginate, plaster, water-based resin and gold leaf — for example casting a hand or foot, or laminating a leaf in resin — and are shaped around what participants want to make. Materials are included; sessions are in English or German. **How big can group workshops be?** Workshops at the studio are held in small groups so everyone can work hands-on. For larger teams the format is adapted — for example several rounds or a session at your venue. Tell Brooke your group size and she will suggest a format. **Do you offer team building or company events?** Yes — casting workshops for team building, creative offsites, client events and celebrations in Berlin, at the studio or, by arrangement, at your venue. Materials and tools are included, everyone takes home what they made, and companies receive an invoice. **Do I need experience for a workshop?** No. Beginners are very welcome; the hands-and-feet workshop is an introduction to casting, from the first mould to the finished object. **What do I take home from a workshop?** The object you made — for example a cast of your hand or foot, or a resin leaf. Commissions ## Art & collaborations **Do you accept artistic commissions?** Yes — full-body and partial casts, editions and objects for artists, collectors, galleries, stage and film, from sketch and material tests to installation. A first call is free. **Can you make casts for theatre, film or performance?** Yes — body parts, chest plates and props with an exact fit, made for rehearsal and performance.