A New Field
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Recipe

Alginate film

A quick-setting sheet made by pouring alginate solution and spraying with a calcium salt to set it on contact.

Every A New Field recipe has been run in a domestic kitchen or community hall. Read the safety notes before you start and adapt for your venue.

What you’ll make

Thin, flexible, translucent, water-sensitive unless cross-linked further.

Flexible slots (flex around your material)

  • Film-former

    Alginate (brown seaweed)8g

    Gum from brown seaweed. Gels in the presence of calcium ions.

    Examples Sodium alginate, kelp powder, bladderwrack extract

    Note — Hydrate slowly with blender.

Fixed ingredients

  • Water · 200ml
  • Calcium chloride · 500ml spray — Mist or dip the cast film.

Equipment

  • Blender
  • fine sieve
  • spray bottle
  • flat tray.

Refinements and variations

  • Dip rather than spray for a thicker film
  • Blend in a fine pigment for colour.

Source notes

Fabricademy and Materiom alginate sheet guides.