Dark Crystal Skeksis costume/ update 3/23/14

[The Schlitzie]

Hey RPF'ers,

I'm tackling my first full fledged costume from scratch. A Skeksis from Dark Crystal!

CURRENT STATUS PIC OF THE BUILD:

(I apologize for the messy 4 year old's corner of the house that the pics were taken, but he's helping me on this one :wacko )

I started with a ALICE frame and fastened PEX pipe to it for a basic structure of the back and then cut and fastened a layer of foam over that to even out all the sharp edges.



I have an XL crimson velvet cloak for the base of the clothing which works out quite well for the upper back section. Next I need to build the collar section which I was thinking of using a kind of ring shaped foam piece and sewing black fabric over that and then stitching layers of large black scalloped lace to it converging to the neck. on the front section under the head I'll have a see through section of mesh.



I'll also be using the lace to line up the sleeves a foot to cover over my forearms and I'll be using some monster gloves painted to match the head.

The head I plan on making out of a kind of wire mesh like chicken wire and attaching foam to that and carving the detail out and then brushing layers of latex over that.

Should be exciting!! :devil

 

[FANGS]

Re: Dark Crystal Skeksis costume WIP

I have a friend that built one last year and it's always the hit of the con that she wears it to!

Best of luck with your build! Looking forward to seeing more!

 

[Dutchman]

Re: Dark Crystal Skeksis costume WIP

Great project.

 

[The Schlitzie]

Re: Dark Crystal Skeksis costume WIP

Thanks Fangs & Dutchman!

 

[darkcrystal]

Re: Dark Crystal Skeksis costume WIP

Looking forward to see more!

 

[HalcyonPps]

Re: Dark Crystal Skeksis costume WIP

Ryan Wells, I don't know what's his username on theRPF, just finished his Chamberlain costume for WWCC Portland.
I'm sure you can find pics of it in theRPF facebook group

 

[The Schlitzie]

Re: Dark Crystal Skeksis costume WIP

Thanks Darkcrystal!

Looking forward to see more!

Thanks for the info HalcyonPps. I'm one of the 4 people in the world that isn't on Facebook,hehe! But I did get info from Ratamacue's Skeksil build here on the RPF.

I've gotten the fabric and now I'm waiting an eternity for the scalloped black lace that I'm going to use to make the portion that hides my face and goes around the Skeksis' neck. Also have a hot knife coming to carve the detail in the foam head before latex coating. :thumbsup

Ryan Wells, I don't know what's his username on theRPF, just finished his Chamberlain costume for WWCC Portland.
I'm sure you can find pics of it in theRPF facebook group

 

[N2darkness]

Re: Dark Crystal Skeksis costume WIP

I was there yesterday and got a pic of his great costume.

 

[The Schlitzie]

Re: Dark Crystal Skeksis costume WIP

Ha! That is too awesome! I hope to see other Dark Crystal costumes at Emerald City Comicon in Seattle!

 

[Amish Trooper]

Re: Dark Crystal Skeksis costume WIP

A Facebook buddy just finished his Skeksis. Ryan Wells https://www.facebook.com/ryan.wells.88. He lives in Portland




Edit: I see he was mentioned lol

 

[The Schlitzie]

Re: Dark Crystal Skeksis costume WIP

Hehe,yup. I saw a few pics. My wife has Facebook but not me (I'm more a reclusive artist hermit type I guess:lol)

I seem to remember a cool photo of him in costume in the woods, cool stuff!

I haven't gotten too much progress on mine but it will be done in time I swear,hehe! I will have the arms in a couple days in the mail and I have the structure built that hides my head and face and I have fabric secured over it (just need to stitch the lace over it) and I got some eyes in the mail. I'll be building the head frame this weekend and ordering materials for my wife's Gelfling costume.

I just don't have any decent pics to post up yet.

A Facebook buddy just finished his Skeksis. Ryan Wells https://www.facebook.com/ryan.wells.88. He lives in Portland




Edit: I see he was mentioned lol

 

[The Schlitzie]

Re: Dark Crystal Skeksis costume WIP

OK! Pics update! Sorry for the bad pics but I kinda get into a zone and I don't put too much time into setting up backdrops or anything. That and I'm working on this either in the middle of the night or at 6 in the morning before work :wacko.

Here's the gloves I ended up deciding on. I will still need to repaint them to match the head when it's done but they'll do in a pinch.



And here is my state of the art wire structure under the foam of the head, hehe.



The foam head at it's current state. It'll be quite smaller, I just wanted to have extra foam on there so that I could flare out the eyebrow and cheek ridges. I've also made it so that I can swap out various heads. The head slides over a pex pipe and bolts on, and a collar of cloth and lace will slide over that to cover it.



Here's a test with one of his eyes to see were they would look best placed in the head. I might get a set of milky blue eyes and use one for a blind eye with some scarring around it (not sure yet).

 

[The Schlitzie]

Re: Dark Crystal Skeksis costume/ update 2/7/14

Here's how the costume is going so far:


Ok, The foam head was an abomination. So it went to the trash but I did save the wire frame and used it to go the other route and use it as a base for a quick sculpt. I'll be adding details with hot glue and adding some hair/down feathers. The head weighs about a pound, which is heavier than I would have liked but the frame holds it just fine. I also got a bit of the way sewing the lace around the neck area.

 

[Amish Trooper]

Re: Dark Crystal Skeksis costume/ update 2/10/14

Here are some build pics of Ryans's . He just used wire/ paper mâché and I think he used cotton for some detail builds then covered it all in liquid latex..



Hope this helps. Kinda gives you a good blank visual aid

 

[The Schlitzie]

Re: Dark Crystal Skeksis costume/ update 2/10/14

That's very cool! I wanted to use paper mâché to make it very light but I didn't know if I'd be able to get detail with it with my limited experience using it. His costume is pretty damn awesome, I don't think I'm going to be able to get mine to look that good...

Here are some build pics of Ryans's . He just used wire/ paper mâché and I think he used cotton for some detail builds then covered it all in liquid latex..
View attachment 284529View attachment 284530View attachment 284531View attachment 284532


Hope this helps. Kinda gives you a good blank visual aid

 

[Amish Trooper]

Re: Dark Crystal Skeksis costume/ update 2/10/14

Oh bah I think that the cost is so cheap that you can afford to experiment with it. No doubt you can get it.. I'll see if Ryan has more detail pics of his head build if you'd like.

 

[forklift]

Re: Dark Crystal Skeksis costume WIP

I was there yesterday and got a pic of his great costume.

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s18/N2Darkness/2014-01-25141449_zps9266957c.jpg

I was there for that one too, he was awesome, but overheating.

 

[The Schlitzie]

Re: Dark Crystal Skeksis costume WIP

I'll have to go back to it and try with paper mache if I finish everything else in time. I ideally I'd like to be able to take my time and sculpt a head with clay and get a latex pull from that. I also need to break down and get an airbrush, but that'll be down the road. Too many things going on at once.

Oh bah I think that the cost is so cheap that you can afford to experiment with it. No doubt you can get it.. I'll see if Ryan has more detail pics of his head build if you'd like.

I bought some fans for the suit but they are too small and don't move enough air. They'd be nice for a Stormtrooper helmet or something though. Size isn't an issue so I'm not worried about something bulky, I just don't know what I'm doing in that department. I'll have to start a WTB thread in the JY maybe or something.

I was there for that one too, he was awesome, but overheating.

 

[The Schlitzie]

Re: Dark Crystal Skeksis costume/ update 2/10/14

Small update. I've been playing with paint colors. This is in no way the paint scheme but just brainstorming how to get the look on the Skeksis' skin while still making a unique version. I was testing how he would look with teeth and starting to fill in the eyelids. I'm going to add wrinkles with hot glue and then cover with another coat of latex to smooth it all out a bit.

 

[Alpha Proto]

Re: Dark Crystal Skeksis costume/ update 2/14/14

I see you are not going to have the hand inside the head to puppet the mouth.
Are you going to use another method to puppet it?
I string attached to the bottom jaw?