jzerot1437
New Member
This project took about two months to complete in its entirety; the horns were the most difficult part--mostly because I'd never created large-scale headgear. Overall, I'm happy with the results, although it was admittedly a learning process with multiple materials--worbla, expanding spray foam, WED clay, and the entire molding/casting process. Lich could've turned out a bit more sleek, but his character is supposed to be super gnarly looking anyway, so the rough design that comes with some of my inexperience is fitting.
The face: This was my first time sculpting, molding, and casting my own design. Until now, I've commissioned every mask I've had through Etsy or an independent artist. I decided it was time to learn the skills necessary to complete a mask myself.
The sculpt was completed using WED clay. I've worked with Chavaunt before and wasn't happy with the need to heat the clay before use--too many napalm-esque burns. Unfortunately, because it's WED, I had to mold quickly, before cracks set in.
Mold was completed in Rebound 25 trawlable silicone, with a lifft release. Cast was done in Smoothcast 65D.
Since the character has a hood, I made the mask half-face only. Not sure if I'm ready for the complexity of a two-part mold just yet.
The Horns: These were a freaking nightmare to make. If you're familiar with the character design, you know the Lich has a single full horn, which is massive, and a broken nub horn which is supposed to be the same size at the base, but hollow.
I made the initial horn (pictured here) out of armature wire, shopping bags, duct tape, and a layer of worbla. I then molded the horn and attempted to replicate it using FoamIt 3. Unfortunately, the Foamit only filled up to the "loop" in the horn, and I had to shove some armature into what did cast, cover that in Great Stuff expanding foam, then sculpt it down to the correct shape.
I then gutted the Worbla Horn and cut out the "broken nub" shape using an X-Acto knife.
Mounting these was a process unto itself. I cut out EVA foam foundations for both horns, then created a hole in both foundations for the horns to sit in. I sealed that hole up with Gorilla Glue, which kept the horns nice and stable, while providing a larger, more flexible surface area for mounting onto a construction hat. Finally, I gorilla glued these onto the hat, using hemp twine to clamp them into place while the glue cured.
The Costume: I frankensteined this out of a few old patterns. The round neck mantle (is that even called a mantle?) was cobbled together out of a capelet pattern and my own tracing/design. The robe is from an old McCall's pattern I had sitting around, as is the cape.
I distressed everything using a steel wool brush and heat gun. Didn't want to stain it, as the wrinkles, tears, and burns all created a distressed enough feel.
Crown is made out of EVA foam and my own pattern. Cape "buttons" are made out of two oversized cloth bearing buttons + red shank buttons that I dremeled the eyelets off of and contact cemented on.
The Arms: This was the last bit of the costume, and I was ready for it to be over. I bought some black forearm-length gloves, halloween decoration bones, and skeleton gloves at the halloween store, then covered them all in Glow in the Dark Green paint. I secured the bones up the arms using Industrial strength Velcro.
If I update the costume at a later date, I'll work on the arms, but for now, this will do.
The Enchridion: I took an art book and gutted it, then covered it in Pleather. The decorations are all hand-carved and painted EVA foam. I put green El Wire on the inside to create a green glow effect. I also popped in two Velcro spots so the book could hold my Wallet and Phone.
