I dearly loved this film as a kid (and still do!) I've been wanting to do this costume (either the early or finished one) for ages but happy to let someone else go first to see who you work out the bugs. Keep us posted. Condorman! - One of the great movie themes of all time. "Condorman's American. his word is his bond."
"CONDORMAN" Wings?!
- Thread starter JohnnyC
- Start date
DarthVader1
Well-Known Member
Here’s my latest update for this project:
I've being researching and getting lots of screen grabs from the movie lately.
Right now, I have probably like 70% of the whole costume materials available / handy. I’m just going to post now a TEASER of what’s going on in the background… I’ll post a tutorial later once the project is finished.
First, I got the first thing handy… lenses for the GOGGLES.
A few weeks ago, I’ve got these set of cheap sunglasses from the Dollar Store, which have BIG lenses… perfect in size, and carefully I’ve popped them out of the frames. Creation of the lenses will come first really soon.
Today, I received in the mail one of the (almost) ACCURATE items used on the original wings/glider… OLD SCHOOL Bicycle Grips, to be used to grab the glider and open the wings with. Good thing about them, they only cost me about $3.00 for the pair... not bad at all!
More to come soon.
I've being researching and getting lots of screen grabs from the movie lately.
Right now, I have probably like 70% of the whole costume materials available / handy. I’m just going to post now a TEASER of what’s going on in the background… I’ll post a tutorial later once the project is finished.
First, I got the first thing handy… lenses for the GOGGLES.
A few weeks ago, I’ve got these set of cheap sunglasses from the Dollar Store, which have BIG lenses… perfect in size, and carefully I’ve popped them out of the frames. Creation of the lenses will come first really soon.
Today, I received in the mail one of the (almost) ACCURATE items used on the original wings/glider… OLD SCHOOL Bicycle Grips, to be used to grab the glider and open the wings with. Good thing about them, they only cost me about $3.00 for the pair... not bad at all!
More to come soon.
strengthof10men
Active Member
this is the reason i love this site. i'm just so happy that other people remember this movie and love it like I do. most people just look at me like im insane and im making things up that never existed. but you folks never let me down. I will be following this thread and wish you all the best of luck. just resist the urge to jump of a building to see if it realy works like the guy in the movie. lol
DarthVader1
Well-Known Member
Strapping and D-rings just came in. These will substitute the black harness I got for the wing pack. Not accurate, but the closest and CHEAPER I could find...
This is a close up of the harness, I have to paint the contact points black now:
This is a close up of the harness, I have to paint the contact points black now:
crabra comander
Master Member
Awwww man...I loved that movie as a kid! I watched it more than Howard the Duck.
I liked Condorman when I was young. I can't bring myself to watch it now for fear of ruining it in my memory.
I watched this with my kids recently and still love it!
It's as awesome as it was when I first watched it as a kid.
I'd love to have me a pair of the goggles!
It's as awesome as it was when I first watched it as a kid.
I'd love to have me a pair of the goggles!
MFP 2020
Sr Member
I love Condorman and I don't care who knows it!
Years ago I was standing around at a party with some guys I'd just met, and there was a "Phantom of the Opera" playbill on the wall, so they were debating whether Michael Crawford or his replacement was a better Phantom, and I said, "That other guy never played Condorman." And suddenly I was the king of the party.
Years ago I was standing around at a party with some guys I'd just met, and there was a "Phantom of the Opera" playbill on the wall, so they were debating whether Michael Crawford or his replacement was a better Phantom, and I said, "That other guy never played Condorman." And suddenly I was the king of the party.
DarthVader1
Well-Known Member
HOWARD THE DUCK??!?!!! What's that?!
(j/k)Howard the Duck was not a good movie, even though George Lucas either Directed or Produced or both; but CONDORMAN somehow fell in the same category as the "MOVIES-SO-BAD-THEY'RE-SO-GOOD" kind bracket.
Anyway, thanks for the comments, and more to come soon.
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DarthVader1
Well-Known Member
- More updates -
I’ve started working with the GOGGLES this time. I just did a muck up of the goggles with poster board. The actual goggle will be done in vac-formed plastic.
And now, got to do a pattern for the gauntlets and cut the vinyl pieces. Now I have both gauntlets and the belt cut, still I have to add the Velcro and make the belt buckle.
Again, more to come soon.
I’ve started working with the GOGGLES this time. I just did a muck up of the goggles with poster board. The actual goggle will be done in vac-formed plastic.
And now, got to do a pattern for the gauntlets and cut the vinyl pieces. Now I have both gauntlets and the belt cut, still I have to add the Velcro and make the belt buckle.
Again, more to come soon.
DarthVader1
Well-Known Member
UPDATE – 30 JUNE 2012
I’ve received my boots from Halloweencostumes.com couple of weeks ago. The pair I’ve ordered were these in red. I couldn’t find ones in white on my size or availability.
I’ve decided to go the PAINT way, by changing the red to YELLOW. I had to order WHITE VINYL SPRAY PAINT to use as a color cover and primer, and also get YELLOW VINYL DYE
First of all, I had to mask the black sole with blue painters tape,
Preparing the boot for painting,
Painting the boot in white first to cover the red… mixing red with yellow will create a different color (Orange, pretty much)
Now it starts to look like a YELLOW BOOT!
…and a “before and after” comparison… or “after and before”, really.
Now, to the GLIDER! Like I’ve said before, I wanted the glider to be functional, but not as accurate as in the movie, since I believe they used about three different kinds of gliders: the first version at the beginning of the movie, which I call “THE GHETTO” version, and two of the second version used in the 3rd quarter of the movie (most recognized). Of that last version, there were two or three types used on screen: one that has some brackets and elastic bands on the back and top of wings, used in the “flying” shots for the actor to be able to flap the wings up and down easily; and the “hero” version, which is the one he uses to EXTEND or RETRACT the wings. This time I will go with the HERO version for obvious reasons.
I’ve found these at Home Depot, for about $3 each, that will allow to connect the main “shoulder” tubing to pivot up and down and back and forth… just in case I want to flap the wings just a bit.
I’ve received my boots from Halloweencostumes.com couple of weeks ago. The pair I’ve ordered were these in red. I couldn’t find ones in white on my size or availability.
I’ve decided to go the PAINT way, by changing the red to YELLOW. I had to order WHITE VINYL SPRAY PAINT to use as a color cover and primer, and also get YELLOW VINYL DYE
First of all, I had to mask the black sole with blue painters tape,
Preparing the boot for painting,
Painting the boot in white first to cover the red… mixing red with yellow will create a different color (Orange, pretty much)
Now it starts to look like a YELLOW BOOT!
…and a “before and after” comparison… or “after and before”, really.
Now, to the GLIDER! Like I’ve said before, I wanted the glider to be functional, but not as accurate as in the movie, since I believe they used about three different kinds of gliders: the first version at the beginning of the movie, which I call “THE GHETTO” version, and two of the second version used in the 3rd quarter of the movie (most recognized). Of that last version, there were two or three types used on screen: one that has some brackets and elastic bands on the back and top of wings, used in the “flying” shots for the actor to be able to flap the wings up and down easily; and the “hero” version, which is the one he uses to EXTEND or RETRACT the wings. This time I will go with the HERO version for obvious reasons.
I’ve found these at Home Depot, for about $3 each, that will allow to connect the main “shoulder” tubing to pivot up and down and back and forth… just in case I want to flap the wings just a bit.
DarthVader1
Well-Known Member
-UPDATE-
11 August 2012
After a long time of being busy with other projects, I got the green light to proceed with my own. And since we’re only weeks apart for Dragon*Con, I’ve decided to start with the main part… THE WINGS / GLIDER.
Took an LC-2 military backpack frame, similar one used for the Ghostbusters’ Proton Packs, and painted black; then used ¼” MDF board, I’ve traced the profile of the frame the best way I could, and cut the shape, rounding the edges as well.
Had to find and get ½” copper straps, so I could flat them up and adapt for the backpack frame,
Drilled the holes for the screws for everything, and painted the board yellow. I wanted to do some airbrushing on it to simulate the wing paintjob pattern on the glider, but time is not enough. Also secured the frame to the board.
Copper tubing, ¾” X 10 ft. I only need two pipes, so I cut both at 5 feet long each.
Had to buy a ¾ pipe bender, and had to do the bending on all 4 pieces, parting from the “shoulders”.
I grabbed my 4-point CAM racing harness and had to cut the black strapping out of EVERYTHING, since the strapping should be YELLOW and not black (good thing is that I’ve only paid like about $60 for the harness system, compared to about $200-400 range that I’ve seen elsewhere).
As you can see from the first picture; the colors are all inverted on the metal parts. So, I’ve decided to paint them with automotive BLACK, since all the parts I have are all chromed. Look at the buckle and the parts I got (of course, it’s not accurate, but really close so far),
I will post more progress about the harness later while I wait for the paint to dry… I’ve started with the wheel casters, by taking them apart, since I only need the “pivot” metal parts for the project.
This is what I have so far… I will try to post another update tomorrow. The undersuit is been taken to an airbrush shop for the pattern. I’ll be working on the trunks soon as well.
11 August 2012
After a long time of being busy with other projects, I got the green light to proceed with my own. And since we’re only weeks apart for Dragon*Con, I’ve decided to start with the main part… THE WINGS / GLIDER.
Took an LC-2 military backpack frame, similar one used for the Ghostbusters’ Proton Packs, and painted black; then used ¼” MDF board, I’ve traced the profile of the frame the best way I could, and cut the shape, rounding the edges as well.
Had to find and get ½” copper straps, so I could flat them up and adapt for the backpack frame,
Drilled the holes for the screws for everything, and painted the board yellow. I wanted to do some airbrushing on it to simulate the wing paintjob pattern on the glider, but time is not enough. Also secured the frame to the board.
Copper tubing, ¾” X 10 ft. I only need two pipes, so I cut both at 5 feet long each.
Had to buy a ¾ pipe bender, and had to do the bending on all 4 pieces, parting from the “shoulders”.
I grabbed my 4-point CAM racing harness and had to cut the black strapping out of EVERYTHING, since the strapping should be YELLOW and not black (good thing is that I’ve only paid like about $60 for the harness system, compared to about $200-400 range that I’ve seen elsewhere).
As you can see from the first picture; the colors are all inverted on the metal parts. So, I’ve decided to paint them with automotive BLACK, since all the parts I have are all chromed. Look at the buckle and the parts I got (of course, it’s not accurate, but really close so far),
I will post more progress about the harness later while I wait for the paint to dry… I’ve started with the wheel casters, by taking them apart, since I only need the “pivot” metal parts for the project.
This is what I have so far… I will try to post another update tomorrow. The undersuit is been taken to an airbrush shop for the pattern. I’ll be working on the trunks soon as well.
AVA
Member
Wow, I haven't thought of that movie in ages! It'll be fun to see your finished costume!
We made a set of lift-bar expanding dragon wings a few years ago; the mechanism was probably similar to what they used in the film, from what little I could see in the clip, though ours had much less in the way of superstructure (the frames were all internal, like a bat wing skeleton). We made the mistake of covering the wings in leathery vinyl, which looked great, but was heavy -- they weighed close to 20 pounds at rest, and much more (pressure-wise) when expanded. Oof.
We made a set of lift-bar expanding dragon wings a few years ago; the mechanism was probably similar to what they used in the film, from what little I could see in the clip, though ours had much less in the way of superstructure (the frames were all internal, like a bat wing skeleton). We made the mistake of covering the wings in leathery vinyl, which looked great, but was heavy -- they weighed close to 20 pounds at rest, and much more (pressure-wise) when expanded. Oof.
DarthVader1
Well-Known Member
Thanks guys!
-UPDATE-
12 August 2012
Painted my belt bucke. Not perfect, but it will do. Waiting now for the “C” decal to be done.
I forgot about the harness buckle release… so it’s time to mask it and paint it SILVER
And here are all the pieces together and already done, preparing for sewing time during the week.
Now, it’s time for the GOGGLES. Here’s the start of my sculpt, and the end result, to then make a mold and have a casting ready for vacuum forming… or I just might cast it in fiberglass.
Sculpt done!
Right now mold is done; casting done; and ready for vacuum-forming during the week. More updates to come as time allows and when able. Stay tuned.
-UPDATE-
12 August 2012
Painted my belt bucke. Not perfect, but it will do. Waiting now for the “C” decal to be done.
I forgot about the harness buckle release… so it’s time to mask it and paint it SILVER
And here are all the pieces together and already done, preparing for sewing time during the week.
Now, it’s time for the GOGGLES. Here’s the start of my sculpt, and the end result, to then make a mold and have a casting ready for vacuum forming… or I just might cast it in fiberglass.
Sculpt done!
Right now mold is done; casting done; and ready for vacuum-forming during the week. More updates to come as time allows and when able. Stay tuned.
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DarthVader1
Well-Known Member
Just a teaser... not the completed costume undersuit yet (not done by me due to time, but by an airbrush artist nearby). Not perfect, but good enough.
Dark Siren
New Member
Sweet! "Condorman" and "The Russians and Coming" and both cult favs in my family. Every time we went to the video store to get a movie, but couldn't agree on anything, Dad would send us all back out to the car and then pick a random movie. "Condorman" was a gem, "Darby O'Gill and the Little People" not so much. Thanks Dad.
SonofJoker
Well-Known Member
Oh this is so awesome! Me and my dad watch this movie still all the time! Fantastic progress so far man!
