Accu-Cast Alginate and LifeCasting
LifeCasting has been practiced since at least 5000 years ago in Ancient Egypt.
Alginate was invented in the 1940's for dental use and dental alginate has been used for lifecasting ever since- even though ice water was often needed to slow the alginate's "setting time".
In the 1980's Accu-Cast developed alginates designed specifically for LifeCasting. Longer setting times, warmer water mixes, stronger setting strength and better working properties are just some of the developments that made modern LifeCasting and body molding with alginate possible. 
Alginate is a powder. When mixed with water, it forms a thick liquid. After a few minutes, the liquid alginate "sets" into a rubbery solid. In LifeCasting, the alginate is applied to the skin (hand, face, torso, etc.). After the alginate sets, it is removed from the body part forming a mold. This mold is "poured" with a casting material which produces a sculpture of the body part in amazing detail..... right down to the fingerprint level.
For more information about alginate, Click Here.
Asgard Studios.