Decided to build my own!

[Deadly Blade]

changed my mind since im having trouble getting the money=[
I need details on how to build one!
can anybody help?

 

[Master Hobbs]

you know that making a mask is more expensive then buying 1 raw

 

[carlart]

Hobbs is right.
What ought to be put into the welcome thread of this place is that the predator costume is an expensive endeavor. If you don't have high expectations and limited funds, you can create your own pred components, but remember, the reason the expensive stuff looks as good as it does, is because of the talent that artists have in making this stuff, and the cost of the materials used that will look good and hold up over time. Talent and materials come at a price. My latest pieces cost me several hundred dollars in front money to produce. Pred costuming is not a cheap hobby to take up. Don't want to discourage anyone, just stating the facts as I've learned them in the last couple of years.

carlart

 

[PredatrHuntr]

I agree. I sunk over $3000 into a fully painted suit and armor and I only have a fraction of what I need to complete it. Hopefully that will all change for me soon...thanks to Art!

Had I known that it would have taken me this long, I would never have gone down that road, but hopefully the end result will all be worth it!

 

[Sinister]

Well done for opting to go down the road of doing it yourself. Yes it is more expensive and a whole lot more time consuming but at the end of the day the piece is yours and you can sit back and admire the work you've put into it and be proud of it. Try not to be too critical of your work by comparing it to those who've inhabited these parts for years and are producing stuff of studio quality. If you are new to this game don't worry you'll get there in time. Practice is everything.
If you're on a tight budget, and lets face it a lot of us are. There are ways and means of getting things done on a suit cheaply and effectively, a little bit of ingenuity is the key. As far as making stuff like a mask, hands and feet are concerned I'm afraid there are no short cuts but you should find a ton of "How to's" to help you on your way.

Good luck
Cheers

 

[Shataan]

" but remember, the reason the expensive stuff looks as good as it does, is because of the talent that artists have in making this stuff, and the cost of the materials used that will look good and hold up over time."

And then there are some who price their stuff high, and the actual product was on the crappy not worth it side. So high price does not always indicate worth it product. I learned this lesson early here.

 

[carlart]

True, but the actions of a few does not a rule make. Speaking for myself, I know what it's like not having money to get the props I'd like, so I take that into consideration. When considering the up front cost of materials, as well as the sustained cost of production and shipping materials and the postage itself, things cost what they cost and are reflected in the final price. Over time, people will know the value they're getting for their money if the prop maker operates above board consistently, along with quality work. Word of mouth is everything around here. What I have come to realize is that creating and producing props takes a hell of a lot longer than most people think.
calart

 

[Shataan]

"True, but the actions of a few does not a rule make."

True. My post reply was just to make peeps aware that high prices do not always equate better quality. And yes, having made a few props myself, it does take time. Gotta agree with that.

 

[carlart]

As well as having the last word, apparently.

 

[Mortal Immortal]

You will get a great since of satifaction plus some head aches when building your own suit.

 

[carlart]

Correctamundo. I can't tell you the amount of ball busting I inflicted on myself in trying to create a Robocop suit of cardboard and hot glue! It wasn't the greatest, but it will always have a special place in my heart.

carlart

 

[Kithunter]

YES YES YES....a suit builder...nothing wrong with buying a pre-made suit. but nothing beats the satisfaction of building something with your own 2 hands. buying or building off of blank pieces... testing colors learning different ways to construct your armor

I would say a good place to start is the diavolo bianco thread in the bodycount section...you don't have to build anohter AVP suit, just apply those principals to your design. and you don't need a ton of $$ to make it look good

a little bit here and there...don't rush through it and you'll be done before you know it.

I hate saying this all the time but enjoy the proccess...

Look foward to seeing your progress.

Peace and predators

Andrew

 

[Deadly Blade]

I need help now.

I need an explaination of how to make a pred mask from latex and
can somebody tell me how to kiln dry clay because i here that the stuff im using wont dry unless its kiln dried?

Thanks

 

[Usurper]

Dude, you dont use clay that will dry, you need oil based or water based, if water it needs to be kept moist. ( i tried with waterbased but ended up using oil based as it doesnt need to be kept moist, (i was slow doing my sculpt as i work for 7 days on the trot) and can be reused for other projects )

So i think to start with,just concentrate on the sculpt of your pred, and then we can explain the next step to you, not so much of a head wreck then trying to get ya head around it all hehe.

im sure people here will be only too happy to explain the plaster mold side of things after ( which is the scariest part imo )

hope this helps.

 

[maverick118]

Have to agree with Lee here. Don't let your clay dry out. I use both water and oil based clay. Water for monsters and oil for my prosthetics work as I can get thinner bledning edges with oil rather than clay. I use water for larger sculpts as it's quick to work with and I could probably knock out a pred head in less tha a week using it. Anyhoo back to mask making. Take a look at monstermakers. I know they are a US based company but they have a nifty manual you can down load for not a lot of money at all. It's very in depth on the whole proccess. Molding is frightening when you first start. I lost 3 full head sculpts along the way to producing my first full head. There's a surfiet of knowledge here and on the effects lab too. On the subject of keeping your water clay damp, one simple trick is to add a few drops of glycerine into the water bottle you'll have to spray the clay with it stops it from drying too quickly. When you finish for the night, wrap your sculpt in damp paer towels and when thaty're in place spray the entire sculpt before covering it with a big black bin bag. I've kept water sculpts that have been personal projects whilst I work on commisions for a good couple of months without them drying out. Just check every other day and spray it down and cover again.

One recommendation I'd make, sketch like a thing possessed. It will help you when you come to sculpt your creature as you'll have handy reference material from all kinds of angles also have refernce pics of the pred stuck all over the place so you'll have other pics to judge it against.

 

[Swingfire]

Yeh its expensive all right, I had to sell daisy my prize cow yesterday to the abbatoire just to pay for some components. *sniff* Bless her *sniff*.

 

[Deadly Blade]

Thanks ill get to work as soon as i can. you guys rock!