Alien hive help

[Khelker81]

I am wanting to do a background piece or possibly a diorama for some of my aliens figures. I was wondering, has anyone ever attempted a hive wall before? What techniques did you use? What about if i wanted to "bury" a colonial marine figure into the wall like they are in the films? Any advice is greatly appreciated, thanks.....

 

[TazMan2000]

I haven't seen anything in a kit form, but NECA may put something out. You may want to try that plastic wire loom that covers automotive electrical wire and mold clay around in different shapes to mimic what you saw on screen. Make it very organic looking and perhaps have some equipment embedded in the clay.

TazMan2000

 

[Automaton]

Just looking at some artwork. I'd try casting bones from some cheap plastic skeletons. Get some old cables. Ducting is a big feature and I'd use old bass strings and some thin ribbed conduit. Giger used a lot of smooth round shapes so some different sized beads could look cool popping out of some of the organic sections. As TazMan2000 suggests, I'd embed those into clay and try and really capture some of the organic shapes and orifices. The trick would be to get the manufactured parts to blend in really well, but every so often there's a bit of order or symmetry to it, if you're after a proper Giger look. Then there's a layer of slime on top, which I know people get a few different ways but not attempted myself.

Sounds very fun!

 

[Khelker81]

Im liking the ideas.......im thinking of using styrene or even corrugated white board for the frame, then starting with a small amount of spray foam.

I found some liquid latex that my wife had from last halloween and was experimenting with it last night. Dripped some on a foam plate, swirled it around and let it dry. Its nice and stretchy and gives the perfect "web" effect for over top of the foam and whatever bones and parts i add in.

The best part is the latex will be totally paintable with acrylics (still gotta wait til after the holidays to buy myself an airbrush, but hey gotta start somewhere lol)

Automaton, love the bass strings idea, i just so happen to have some old bass and guitar strings kicking around lol

Thanks for the help guys and if i can ever get this started ill post some pics lol

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I like the plastic wire loom idea too, that may come in handy for a future space jockey room project also...........