PHArchivist
Master Member
Re: 99% complete: Maleficent christening gown.
Excellent work - looking forward to seeing the film.
Excellent work - looking forward to seeing the film.
[WIP] Maleficent- cheek prosthetics page 5, molds of all the things in progress!
- Thread starter mdb
- Start date
azuredivina
Active Member
Re: 99% complete: Maleficent christening gown.
how utterly awesome! i couldn't wait to see how rpf heads were gonna tackle their Maleficent projects, and i'm blown away that someone's already done! beautiful work, MDB!
how utterly awesome! i couldn't wait to see how rpf heads were gonna tackle their Maleficent projects, and i'm blown away that someone's already done! beautiful work, MDB!
Darth Mule
Sr Member
Re: 99% complete: Maleficent christening gown.
Awesome work as usual M! I can always count on you for some costume eye candy when I log onto the RPF!
Awesome work as usual M! I can always count on you for some costume eye candy when I log onto the RPF!
mdb
Sr Member
Re: 99% complete: Maleficent christening gown.
Thank you all
Currently dealing with flu or other nasty virus from he con (the timing makes me really suspicious about one bug in particular- I should be immune, I should be immune....) so not really up to hunting around for more photos
But I had some feathers, extra fabric and a bodysuit with no sleeves (it's for Regina so the body part is really just to avoid gaposis at the waist) so went for Action Maleficent! For much of the second convention
Photo by Bento Dan on facebook
Actually casting in light weight epoxy and juggling the cure rate? Really not fun!
I had a blast and the number of people who said I suited the costume was confusing and exciting Yay for make up!
Thank you
Thank you all
Currently dealing with flu or other nasty virus from he con (the timing makes me really suspicious about one bug in particular- I should be immune, I should be immune....) so not really up to hunting around for more photos
But I had some feathers, extra fabric and a bodysuit with no sleeves (it's for Regina so the body part is really just to avoid gaposis at the waist) so went for Action Maleficent! For much of the second convention
Photo by Bento Dan on facebook
Fun to sculpt, difficult to trim to shape
Actually casting in light weight epoxy and juggling the cure rate? Really not fun!Thank you
I had a blast and the number of people who said I suited the costume was confusing and exciting Yay for make up!And a bit of swearing and whining
Thank you The horns are probably my favourite accessory/apendage I have ever made. So fun to wear and super light
mdb
Sr Member
Re: 99% complete: Maleficent christening gown.
Maleficent, photo by Anita:
https://www.facebook.com/c.01.photos
Icarus' Workshop
Maleficent, photo by Anita:
https://www.facebook.com/c.01.photos
Icarus' Workshop
medusasmirror
New Member
Re: 99% complete: Maleficent christening gown.
Just beautiful!
Just beautiful!
mdb
Sr Member
Re: 99% complete: Maleficent christening gown.
Okay, so with a few new photos from the exhibitions coming out I'm doing a few things:
Resculpting my horns. Well sort of! Same base shape with a bit of extra clay to build up the rear of the piece and add the serated tip Also I hope to be able to use the current cold snap to be able to make a fully functional and castable mount to use magnets to use the horns under a wig and under any and all headwraps. The cold weather should allow me to make molds and cut the sculpt apart to make the joins between the horns and mount flush.
Making wings. I was inspired by the wings they used to help the animators and that is used in the promo work. And then found a few reference pics of the wings used in Dogma which look to be built in a very similar way (mixture of real and fake feathers, especially those huge flight feathers.) But I'll have to make mine differently.
Prosthetics. Ears and nose and cheeks I have the product just need to really make sure I get a good cast of my own ears. I'll need a little surgical tape to fix a flaw on my own ear- I have a small fold at the top of my right ear. It needs to be taped and will stay in place the same way under a prosthetic. I have made ear rips before and they wound up quite heavy thanks to this issue. It's like I have a sliver of cartilage clipped off the top!
Battle suit!!! Funnily enough one of the best references is a video by the CGI artists! At least I can reference it in terms of layers and proportions if not fine seam details.
Okay, so with a few new photos from the exhibitions coming out I'm doing a few things:
Resculpting my horns. Well sort of! Same base shape with a bit of extra clay to build up the rear of the piece and add the serated tip
Also I hope to be able to use the current cold snap to be able to make a fully functional and castable mount to use magnets to use the horns under a wig and under any and all headwraps. The cold weather should allow me to make molds and cut the sculpt apart to make the joins between the horns and mount flush.Making wings. I was inspired by the wings they used to help the animators and that is used in the promo work. And then found a few reference pics of the wings used in Dogma which look to be built in a very similar way (mixture of real and fake feathers, especially those huge flight feathers.) But I'll have to make mine differently.
Prosthetics. Ears and nose and cheeks
I have the product just need to really make sure I get a good cast of my own ears. I'll need a little surgical tape to fix a flaw on my own ear- I have a small fold at the top of my right ear. It needs to be taped and will stay in place the same way under a prosthetic. I have made ear rips before and they wound up quite heavy thanks to this issue. It's like I have a sliver of cartilage clipped off the top!Battle suit!!! Funnily enough one of the best references is a video by the CGI artists! At least I can reference it in terms of layers and proportions if not fine seam details.
mdb
Sr Member
Re: 99% complete: Maleficent christening gown.
Sigh, my reply failed and so did my draft.. worry for not replying sooner!
Thank you And oh yeah. Regardless of mixed feelings about elements of the construction of the movie I love love love Mal herself. Her relationship with Aurora is quite beautiful
So. Today I have managed to pick up plaster, a few goat hair brushes and a base for my feathers Also I have an order in for resin and fillers and am going to have to face the cold damp that is my workroom in winter. I have a small oil fin heater that heats the room well and keeps it worm for a while. So ear casting and maybe some face casting tomorrow to make use of the heater
Totally doing the wings for the kids And me. But I am dreading the issue of crowd control in them.
So for the wings I'll need a harness and support and also a means to hide the harness stresses from the straps. So I'll probably need to make my Elsa support stays for this as well. Hello spanxy fabric of doom. I should have got hook and eye tape as well.
The support for the wings may wind up being concentric layers of PVC pipe as it is not brittle and won't be liable to snap through all the layers. I can also heat shape it to get the curves needed.
Okay so I need to see if there is anywhere local with the lifesize wing display....
P
Sigh, my reply failed and so did my draft.. worry for not replying sooner!
Thank you
And oh yeah. Regardless of mixed feelings about elements of the construction of the movie I love love love Mal herself. Her relationship with Aurora is quite beautiful So. Today I have managed to pick up plaster, a few goat hair brushes and a base for my feathers
Also I have an order in for resin and fillers and am going to have to face the cold damp that is my workroom in winter. I have a small oil fin heater that heats the room well and keeps it worm for a while. So ear casting and maybe some face casting tomorrow to make use of the heater Totally doing the wings for the kids
And me. But I am dreading the issue of crowd control in them.So for the wings I'll need a harness and support and also a means to hide the harness stresses from the straps. So I'll probably need to make my Elsa support stays for this as well. Hello spanxy fabric of doom. I should have got hook and eye tape as well.
The support for the wings may wind up being concentric layers of PVC pipe as it is not brittle and won't be liable to snap through all the layers. I can also heat shape it to get the curves needed.
Okay so I need to see if there is anywhere local with the lifesize wing display....
P
mdb
Sr Member
Re: 99% complete: Maleficent christening gown.
So stage one of operation upgrade has begun!
A new ear cast and new head cast. Well in pieces and in a great need of being tidied and made usable. But essentially there ready for a fine detail interior for the face and filler for the back of the head. These are so I can do a proper nose cheek and ear prosthetic now that I have gotten used to working with the urethane (just need to work with the silicon- to encapsulate it between my head cast and mold.
As I am not sure I can get alginate right away I'm going to attempt to make an oily playdough using the traditional stovetop method. I made a very soft dough years ago to get a life cast of my ears so I could sculpt some elf ears. It worked really well so I'll have to try and get a good mix this time! Basically I'll make it and while it is still warm (not hot!) I'll smoosh it in to the molds I have made then press my face in and there should be enough oil to release. It should also be just solid enough to be able to lay up some resin to get the final face cast.
No idea how I'll get the ears in the right place, but I'll try! Hopefully the dough will get enough of an impression to cut and reassemble the final casts in the right places.
So stage one of operation upgrade has begun!
A new ear cast and new head cast. Well in pieces and in a great need of being tidied and made usable. But essentially there ready for a fine detail interior for the face and filler for the back of the head. These are so I can do a proper nose cheek and ear prosthetic now that I have gotten used to working with the urethane (just need to work with the silicon- to encapsulate it between my head cast and mold.
As I am not sure I can get alginate right away I'm going to attempt to make an oily playdough using the traditional stovetop method. I made a very soft dough years ago to get a life cast of my ears so I could sculpt some elf ears. It worked really well so I'll have to try and get a good mix this time! Basically I'll make it and while it is still warm (not hot!) I'll smoosh it in to the molds I have made then press my face in and there should be enough oil to release. It should also be just solid enough to be able to lay up some resin to get the final face cast.
No idea how I'll get the ears in the right place, but I'll try! Hopefully the dough will get enough of an impression to cut and reassemble the final casts in the right places.
mdb
Sr Member
Re: 99% complete: Maleficent christening gown.
So I just updated my site, let's see if I can do this...
Firstly going back to the preshow last minute stuff!
Horns: cut to shape then glued in place. You can see the dip on the horn on the right hand side. I do still like this effect but having seen the movie now I don't need to go mad trying to do this again! they are much more opaque and with a less defined series of growth rings, so yay
Yes, I like my shadow in these things!
With the layer of black resin straight over! Also more fibreglass on the crown. This made it more rigid and actually in hind sight it wasn't needed.
Sculptures and casts for the soft parts on the costume. I can't believe I did that all in one evening!
And the staff. This may be why my ring finger was so bad.... that's hand modeled epoxy With microballons it's a beautiful putty but epoxy is not my friend!
oh hey and that paint was just acrylic ink and paint mixed with IA and brushed on with a chipping brush. It was not fully cured. But handy hint: ochre and yellow ink, with a smidge of black paint and then a small dab of gold paint mixed with IA makes for a slightly curdled paint mix that creates a great wood grain effect.
And now... my head cast:
Plaster mother with some of my home made playdough smooshed in. I pressed a thin layer then pressed my face in then added more on my face then pressed in. It's not perfect but it has my proportions and may be a bit more true than my previous cast.
Resined! OMG!!! Chopped strand filler is a game changer! I mix a slurry of resin with pigments and a little cabosil, then while it is starting to slump use glass tissue to hold it up. Paint a more liquid slurry on the back then throw (literally, like dusting a bread board) the chopped strand in side and press and move any excess further up. Then paint another layer and do the same. There is a lot of excess strand in the mold that can be brushed out when cured.
Also I found my pink suede boots and realised the heel is a bit chunky but super sturdy so will be a good base for the boots at the end of the film
So yes, tabbard to action suit to winged form is happening. Funnily enough it may take up less room than the current gown...
So I just updated my site, let's see if I can do this...
Firstly going back to the preshow last minute stuff!
Horns: cut to shape then glued in place. You can see the dip on the horn on the right hand side. I do still like this effect but having seen the movie now I don't need to go mad trying to do this again! they are much more opaque and with a less defined series of growth rings, so yay
Yes, I like my shadow in these things!
With the layer of black resin straight over! Also more fibreglass on the crown. This made it more rigid and actually in hind sight it wasn't needed.
Sculptures and casts for the soft parts on the costume. I can't believe I did that all in one evening!
And the staff. This may be why my ring finger was so bad.... that's hand modeled epoxy
With microballons it's a beautiful putty but epoxy is not my friend!oh hey and that paint was just acrylic ink and paint mixed with IA and brushed on with a chipping brush. It was not fully cured. But handy hint: ochre and yellow ink, with a smidge of black paint and then a small dab of gold paint mixed with IA makes for a slightly curdled paint mix that creates a great wood grain effect.
And now... my head cast:
Plaster mother with some of my home made playdough smooshed in. I pressed a thin layer then pressed my face in then added more on my face then pressed in. It's not perfect but it has my proportions and may be a bit more true than my previous cast.
Resined! OMG!!! Chopped strand filler is a game changer! I mix a slurry of resin with pigments and a little cabosil, then while it is starting to slump use glass tissue to hold it up. Paint a more liquid slurry on the back then throw (literally, like dusting a bread board) the chopped strand in side and press and move any excess further up. Then paint another layer and do the same. There is a lot of excess strand in the mold that can be brushed out when cured.
Also I found my pink suede boots and realised the heel is a bit chunky but super sturdy so will be a good base for the boots at the end of the film
So yes, tabbard to action suit to winged form is happening. Funnily enough it may take up less room than the current gown...
mdb
Sr Member
Re: 99% complete: Maleficent christening gown.
So this was a purely stunt version of the final battle costume. But I am going to make it for real So far I have begun to collect leathersfor the headdraps and materials for wings and think out a harness support.
I haven't looked at the head cast as I have been asleep all day avoiding stuff and people and generally feeling miserable.
Still debating pulling the pink boots apart as they are seriously cute, but they have a fleece lining that makes them a little too difficult to wear actually.
So this was a purely stunt version of the final battle costume. But I am going to make it for real
So far I have begun to collect leathersfor the headdraps and materials for wings and think out a harness support.I haven't looked at the head cast as I have been asleep all day avoiding stuff and people and generally feeling miserable.
Still debating pulling the pink boots apart as they are seriously cute, but they have a fleece lining that makes them a little too difficult to wear actually.
priestrorschach
Active Member
Re: Maleficent 2014! Christening gown done, battle wings a gogo!
looks so nice.
looks so nice.
mdb
Sr Member
Re: Maleficent 2014! Christening gown done, battle wings a gogo!
Thank you
Despite health really kicking me in the pants (they are even checking my adrenal glands for the cause of my extreme fatigue- got a week to wait for the results- I'm hoping it is clear because 13 years of continued cortico-steroid use has already affected bone density) I managed to get my head molded in plaster and alginate by myself. And I did so very safely. So I just need to get the cast free tomorrow and then can describe how I did it. My cast is in epoxy resin as it should cure fast enough for the mold to not shrink. Only issue is in how light my plaster mother is. But I can trim my edges then tie the piece together and back fill, lay up more matting And I may actually do this all again if need be. After all with a silurian sculpt on one head cast already I can see needing a few spare prototyping heads.
This headcast is important for being able to do the prosthetics and getting a perfect set of horns
And I continue to hunt for reference images of the bodysuit. And wings. Trying to decide film and advertising (which are the physical wings made as a reference)
Thank you
Despite health really kicking me in the pants (they are even checking my adrenal glands for the cause of my extreme fatigue- got a week to wait for the results- I'm hoping it is clear because 13 years of continued cortico-steroid use has already affected bone density) I managed to get my head molded in plaster and alginate by myself. And I did so very safely. So I just need to get the cast free tomorrow and then can describe how I did it. My cast is in epoxy resin as it should cure fast enough for the mold to not shrink. Only issue is in how light my plaster mother is. But I can trim my edges then tie the piece together and back fill, lay up more matting
And I may actually do this all again if need be. After all with a silurian sculpt on one head cast already I can see needing a few spare prototyping heads.This headcast is important for being able to do the prosthetics and getting a perfect set of horns
And I continue to hunt for reference images of the bodysuit. And wings. Trying to decide film and advertising (which are the physical wings made as a reference)
mdb
Sr Member
Re: Maleficent 2014! Christening gown done, battle wings a gogo!
I self cast my own head, and in a genuinely safe way and probably safer than trying to get someone to do this for me who is not familiar with the process. It's not perfect but it doesn't need to be, as I still need to trim anyway.
Materials:
Alginate, mixing containers, plaster bandages, measuring cups. Also a swimming cap (leaves a clear line in the the impression to help match up sides, also no need to glue it) and a wide straw, split, taped into an oval in cross section to fit my nostrils, cut into small sections.
Mental Prep:
I am claustrophobic and was alone so I made sure my work room was safe. This meant having my computer/entertainment area away from the work area in case of splashing.
I also played a movie I know very well, has no loud noises and I could use to time. This is to reduce panic related issues while totally enveloped in the alginate. “Okay I will wait to the end of this scene before seeing if it is cured”.
I also put on coveralls but kept a warm layer on underneath. I couldn’t have the heater on due to risk of anything going wrong with it while I had water and had to move while unable to see.
So the main risk factors in doing this are panic related or lack of prep work. So make sure everything is in place and you have a plan for just in case. I didn’t want to waste the product but knew I would if I wound up with the stuff up my nose or in my eyes.
Step 1:
Plaster support/mother, back of head
I started by making a plaster shell for the back of my head and for my face. I knew I could just use the bandages straight on my swim cap and skin if I made sure to use a petroleum jelly. This is the same process I I did for my playdough and plaster mold, but this is far more successful as the plaster bandages cure fast and very light. This shell would then be close enough to use alone if there was no alginate left over.
So I cut long and short strips. I used two long strips to define the line from top of head down sides over my covered ears and to the side of my neck. Then filled in the back, with shorter section across and longer strips vertically.
Plaster support/mother, front of head
The face was going to be another issue. From previous experience I knew I would need the mother to be bigger in all directions but not too big. The volume would be filled with alginate and I didn’t want to waste it. So I looked at my other headcast and realised it was perfect due to the amount of clay on there for the silurian. So I laid up the plaster bandages, making sure to not press it right on the clay. I also made sure to leave breathing holes for my nostrils:
I also knew where my jaw line and ears were so was able to align the edges to match the edges of the back of the mold.
Leave the two parts to dry. While best advice is to leave until bone dry I used mine while still damp as it is Auckland and winter so everything is cold and damp anyway. Also the wetness allowed the alginate to really grip and stay put on the inside.
If you don’t happen to have such a head cast already prepared then it is possible to build up clay on a foam wig head, just measure as you go to make sure you have enough room.
Step 2:
Alginate mixing:
Alginate is a bit like plaster in that it can have a long mix time then suddenly fast gel time. I tested a small amount the day before and decided it was easiest to mix by hand as if I was working with a firm tempora and trying to work out lumps. And you will get lumps. General advice is to get rid of them with a mixing bit on a drill but I found even if it was lumpy like porridge it still worked.
Test straws for nasal comfort. Do this a few times to get used to them. I had to use the largest straw I could find.
Head prep:
I put my tiny pony tail right at the crown as it is easy to see even under a bald cap. This means I can knock it out when I tidy and trim the cast. Then a fishnet hair cap to hold stray hair and also make the swim cap easier to move without pulling on your hair. Finally the swim cap. I trimmed a shallow D out of the front so as to leave my forehead free of tension and reveal a tiny portion of my hair line- I have a widows peak that does make wigs and prosthetics sit lower than they should.
Then petroleum jelly over your face and neck!
Alginate layup:
You need to work fast! As soon as it gets to the tacky stage start filling in the front of the face and spread from the centre up and to the edges. Work very fast. Trying to get the straws through the holes took me a long time due to a single strand of the strip that caught several times. Blow alginate out of the straw from the plaster side (ie in to the inside) as that is the shortest route out.
Then lean forward while bringing the face mold up to you, with one hand support the mold, with the other wiggle the straws until you find each nostil and then if they are on place carefully press your face in. I also distorted the plaster mold a bit so that it would draw out air trapped inside.
As I had straw problems I wound up with the alginate curing within 30 seconds. Which was great as I did panic a bit and the alginate separated easily from my skin.
As this was my first try and the alginate was already gelling I had to mix an extra cup to fill in the gaps at the side. But it was easy to do and the alginate did self adhere as I did not wait too long between each step. Alginate will not self adhere when cured.
Then I repeated the process for the back. And while it was still very damp I put the front half on (straws pulled out as there were now nice big holes to breathe through) and aligned the two parts. Then I left the front half rest while the back half cured on my back. it was a wetter mix so took longer to cure. It also stuck to me a bit more than the front.
Step 3:
Casting:
I used epoxy fibreglass resin. With a mix of West Systems microballoons and colloidal silica to make it to a slurry. I tinted it to a pale pale flesh colour, which has since been taken over by the colour of the microballoons.
I used 600ml of resin and about a cup of filler (1/2 and 1/2) then as it was sluming I used chopped strand filler to press and move the resin up the sides.
I tested drying the back mold and forgot to do this for the front. In fact it was fine. Epoxy is not inhibited by water but it won’t cure through water. So you just need to make sure you don’t move the resin too much on the inside.
Today I separated the parts and there is still some curing to go- I did not speed up the cure with heat as I did not want to lose the alginate cast due to it drying out. In the shade on a cold damp day epoxy is very resistant to curing!
Above mold and cast. with straw stoppers.
Once the fibres are trimmed these edges will lie closer together. I can see the line of the bald cap so can align where that appears on each half. This also gives me the location for my ears.
My ear casts are still locked in plaster. They are soaking in water and baking soda to break down the plaster.
And don’t freak out when you see your face from the outside! I was surpised how narrow my face is but yeah, those are my eyes, nose and mouth.
I self cast my own head, and in a genuinely safe way and probably safer than trying to get someone to do this for me who is not familiar with the process. It's not perfect but it doesn't need to be, as I still need to trim anyway.
Materials:
Alginate, mixing containers, plaster bandages, measuring cups. Also a swimming cap (leaves a clear line in the the impression to help match up sides, also no need to glue it) and a wide straw, split, taped into an oval in cross section to fit my nostrils, cut into small sections.
Mental Prep:
I am claustrophobic and was alone so I made sure my work room was safe. This meant having my computer/entertainment area away from the work area in case of splashing.
I also played a movie I know very well, has no loud noises and I could use to time. This is to reduce panic related issues while totally enveloped in the alginate. “Okay I will wait to the end of this scene before seeing if it is cured”.
I also put on coveralls but kept a warm layer on underneath. I couldn’t have the heater on due to risk of anything going wrong with it while I had water and had to move while unable to see.
So the main risk factors in doing this are panic related or lack of prep work. So make sure everything is in place and you have a plan for just in case. I didn’t want to waste the product but knew I would if I wound up with the stuff up my nose or in my eyes.
Step 1:
Plaster support/mother, back of head
I started by making a plaster shell for the back of my head and for my face. I knew I could just use the bandages straight on my swim cap and skin if I made sure to use a petroleum jelly. This is the same process I I did for my playdough and plaster mold, but this is far more successful as the plaster bandages cure fast and very light. This shell would then be close enough to use alone if there was no alginate left over.
So I cut long and short strips. I used two long strips to define the line from top of head down sides over my covered ears and to the side of my neck. Then filled in the back, with shorter section across and longer strips vertically.
Plaster support/mother, front of head
The face was going to be another issue. From previous experience I knew I would need the mother to be bigger in all directions but not too big. The volume would be filled with alginate and I didn’t want to waste it. So I looked at my other headcast and realised it was perfect due to the amount of clay on there for the silurian. So I laid up the plaster bandages, making sure to not press it right on the clay. I also made sure to leave breathing holes for my nostrils:
I also knew where my jaw line and ears were so was able to align the edges to match the edges of the back of the mold.
Leave the two parts to dry. While best advice is to leave until bone dry I used mine while still damp as it is Auckland and winter so everything is cold and damp anyway. Also the wetness allowed the alginate to really grip and stay put on the inside.
If you don’t happen to have such a head cast already prepared then it is possible to build up clay on a foam wig head, just measure as you go to make sure you have enough room.
Step 2:
Alginate mixing:
Alginate is a bit like plaster in that it can have a long mix time then suddenly fast gel time. I tested a small amount the day before and decided it was easiest to mix by hand as if I was working with a firm tempora and trying to work out lumps. And you will get lumps. General advice is to get rid of them with a mixing bit on a drill but I found even if it was lumpy like porridge it still worked.
Test straws for nasal comfort. Do this a few times to get used to them. I had to use the largest straw I could find.
Head prep:
I put my tiny pony tail right at the crown as it is easy to see even under a bald cap. This means I can knock it out when I tidy and trim the cast. Then a fishnet hair cap to hold stray hair and also make the swim cap easier to move without pulling on your hair. Finally the swim cap. I trimmed a shallow D out of the front so as to leave my forehead free of tension and reveal a tiny portion of my hair line- I have a widows peak that does make wigs and prosthetics sit lower than they should.
Then petroleum jelly over your face and neck!
Alginate layup:
You need to work fast! As soon as it gets to the tacky stage start filling in the front of the face and spread from the centre up and to the edges. Work very fast. Trying to get the straws through the holes took me a long time due to a single strand of the strip that caught several times. Blow alginate out of the straw from the plaster side (ie in to the inside) as that is the shortest route out.
Then lean forward while bringing the face mold up to you, with one hand support the mold, with the other wiggle the straws until you find each nostil and then if they are on place carefully press your face in. I also distorted the plaster mold a bit so that it would draw out air trapped inside.
As I had straw problems I wound up with the alginate curing within 30 seconds. Which was great as I did panic a bit and the alginate separated easily from my skin.
As this was my first try and the alginate was already gelling I had to mix an extra cup to fill in the gaps at the side. But it was easy to do and the alginate did self adhere as I did not wait too long between each step. Alginate will not self adhere when cured.
Then I repeated the process for the back. And while it was still very damp I put the front half on (straws pulled out as there were now nice big holes to breathe through) and aligned the two parts. Then I left the front half rest while the back half cured on my back. it was a wetter mix so took longer to cure. It also stuck to me a bit more than the front.
Step 3:
Casting:
I used epoxy fibreglass resin. With a mix of West Systems microballoons and colloidal silica to make it to a slurry. I tinted it to a pale pale flesh colour, which has since been taken over by the colour of the microballoons.
I used 600ml of resin and about a cup of filler (1/2 and 1/2) then as it was sluming I used chopped strand filler to press and move the resin up the sides.
I tested drying the back mold and forgot to do this for the front. In fact it was fine. Epoxy is not inhibited by water but it won’t cure through water. So you just need to make sure you don’t move the resin too much on the inside.
Today I separated the parts and there is still some curing to go- I did not speed up the cure with heat as I did not want to lose the alginate cast due to it drying out. In the shade on a cold damp day epoxy is very resistant to curing!
Above mold and cast. with straw stoppers.
Once the fibres are trimmed these edges will lie closer together. I can see the line of the bald cap so can align where that appears on each half. This also gives me the location for my ears.
My ear casts are still locked in plaster. They are soaking in water and baking soda to break down the plaster.
And don’t freak out when you see your face from the outside! I was surpised how narrow my face is but yeah, those are my eyes, nose and mouth.
mdb
Sr Member
Re: Maleficent 2014! Christening gown done, battle wings a gogo!
Each piece trimmed. I had to use a wig head to push the face out in to better shape. This is all about how my plaster mother mold wound up deforming as it stayed wet during casting. It keeps wicking wetness from the alginate.
And you can see some of the repair work I need to do. But ultimately I want a slightly not really me shape so I can make more generic pieces. Tomorrow I will be using a more liquid resin to fill in behind the matting
I have been doing more research too. Hoping the Jaks doll at SDCC is accurate as i really need a good view of her back. So far I have the promo shots and the short series of frames that show her wing stumps
Each piece trimmed. I had to use a wig head to push the face out in to better shape. This is all about how my plaster mother mold wound up deforming as it stayed wet during casting. It keeps wicking wetness from the alginate.
And you can see some of the repair work I need to do. But ultimately I want a slightly not really me shape so I can make more generic pieces. Tomorrow I will be using a more liquid resin to fill in behind the matting
I have been doing more research too. Hoping the Jaks doll at SDCC is accurate as i really need a good view of her back. So far I have the promo shots and the short series of frames that show her wing stumps
mdb
Sr Member
Re: Maleficent 2014! Christening gown done, battle wings a gogo!
Making shoe bases. But total cost is the same as buying shoes so more recommended for trying to find a specific sole/upper combination than trying to save money
This is the Wapro brand stripper with a different sticker. Luckily it really does work the same way This is what you need to separate the sole from the upper. it will dissolve the glue but not the resin or urethane. And a little filbert brush like this (actually a concealer brush) to just brush and slowly work the brush fibres between layers.
High heels are heavily structured so yes a mallet and flat head screwdriver (or two) are needed to pry the heel from the sole. Also there are often screws to really hold the heel stable. Easy to access under the very thin very inner layer of the lower. The stumpy phillips head screw driver is perfect for undoing these screws because you really need to press hard to get them out. I also use a little stripper on the screws to work through to loosen glue if that is also an issue.
The right shoe is broken down as far as I need. The strapping was also stapled and glued heavily so I used the stripper and the flat head screwdriver to lever gunky stuff out.
The shoes I bought ages ago fit perfectly! In some cases I have had to trim the lower/inner sole to shape, but this fits perfectly so I'll be able to glue it in very easily.
These heels are not as narrow as the originals, I should be able to shave them back with a dremel. And then take the sides in of the upper so it hugs my ankle better. There is a pair of perfect ankle books with a slightly heavier heel in store at the moment. Okay, just ordered them in my size! I may even switch out the heels only. But they fit nicely at the ankle so will make perfect boots to put a cover over.
Still waiting for my fabric to arrive.
Making shoe bases. But total cost is the same as buying shoes so more recommended for trying to find a specific sole/upper combination than trying to save money
This is the Wapro brand stripper with a different sticker. Luckily it really does work the same way
This is what you need to separate the sole from the upper. it will dissolve the glue but not the resin or urethane. And a little filbert brush like this (actually a concealer brush) to just brush and slowly work the brush fibres between layers.High heels are heavily structured so yes a mallet and flat head screwdriver (or two) are needed to pry the heel from the sole. Also there are often screws to really hold the heel stable. Easy to access under the very thin very inner layer of the lower. The stumpy phillips head screw driver is perfect for undoing these screws because you really need to press hard to get them out. I also use a little stripper on the screws to work through to loosen glue if that is also an issue.
The right shoe is broken down as far as I need. The strapping was also stapled and glued heavily so I used the stripper and the flat head screwdriver to lever gunky stuff out.
The shoes I bought ages ago fit perfectly! In some cases I have had to trim the lower/inner sole to shape, but this fits perfectly so I'll be able to glue it in very easily.
These heels are not as narrow as the originals, I should be able to shave them back with a dremel. And then take the sides in of the upper so it hugs my ankle better. There is a pair of perfect ankle books with a slightly heavier heel in store at the moment. Okay, just ordered them in my size! I may even switch out the heels only. But they fit nicely at the ankle so will make perfect boots to put a cover over.
Still waiting for my fabric to arrive.
Re: Maleficent 2014! Christening gown done, battle wings a gogo!
Wow, what an amazing job! Great write up of the steps, especially fond of your videos on the horn sculpture - I'm currently working on some horns for a character, and also have been considering my own maleficent build, and your sculpting techniques are wonderful, thanks for sharing!
Wow, what an amazing job! Great write up of the steps, especially fond of your videos on the horn sculpture - I'm currently working on some horns for a character, and also have been considering my own maleficent build, and your sculpting techniques are wonderful, thanks for sharing!
