Ghoul Hunter Body Armor: Design-N-Build

[Uratz]

Yo Nuff Said!

Alien Tail Sword Sculpt. Originally a weapon for Ghoul Hunter backpack double swords

Still gotta tweak it a little tomorrow. Sculpted like 8 hours today straight. I used a mix of automotive hard clay and soft oil clay by mixing in a rice cooker that we Chinese folks use often
Its great for melting clay and keeping it warm without burning. I dipped the whole plaster armature like hot chocolate fondue and then sculpted the rest using loop tools to take away.
It was pretty quick and a new way for me to work.

Working on the handle next.

Next Sheath and Backpack - After I mold the swords

 

[Darth Pinhead]

I used a mix of automotive hard clay and soft oil clay by mixing in a rice cooker that we Chinese folks use often
Its great for melting clay and keeping it warm without burning. I dipped the whole plaster armature like hot chocolate fondue and then sculpted the rest using loop tools to take away. It was pretty quick and a new way for me to work.

Now, when you dip it, are you letting the clay cool and harden up a bit and then redipping, like a person would do to create wax candles? Pretty cool idea, using the pressure cooker...

That sculpt looks sick, as do all the other ones associated with your story!

 

[Uratz]

Now, when you dip it, are you letting the clay cool and harden up a bit and then redipping, like a person would do to create wax candles? Pretty cool idea, using the pressure cooker...

I didn't technically dip the whole thing since the pot is not deep. Only the tip of the sword was dipped. I kinda showered the armature
with the melted clay all over it and build up the layers. I worked in the porch in the cold so it cooled right away.

The rice cooker is not a pressure cooker. Its a cheapo rice cooker very simple 2 function: Cook & Keep Warm.
Look like this:

 

[Darth Pinhead]

The rice cooker is not a pressure cooker. Its a cheapo rice cooker very simple 2 function: Cook & Keep Warm.

See, and this is why I shouldn't post so damn early in the morning. Yeah, I know what a rice cooker is; classic example of thinking one thing and typing another. Ugh...

 

[xdmray]

awesome mike! what's the scale of those bad boys?

are you gonna go skinnier like the concept drawing?

 

[leo666]

i have just spent ages reading most of the posts on here. there are some really talented members on here!! thanks for the good read!

 

[Uratz]

awesome mike! what's the scale of those bad boys?

are you gonna go skinnier like the concept drawing?

Just the blade part is 20 inches add another 12 inches for the handle all together 32 inches, you probably think it may be too short
but this thing was designed to be swung around and since its going to be resin fiberglass in the end, the weight itself may be too heavy.
My wife was like its too short - then I told her "baby, it ain't the size of the ship, but the motion of the ocean.." LOL

I will try to shave it down a bit more but most important is to make the protruding parts and overall shape more EVIL.

 

[xdmray]

no the length seems good, just a bit too chunky towards the hilt. IMO

 

[Uratz]

no the length seems good, just a bit too chunky towards the hilt. IMO

I think its the angle of the camera. My bad photo-shooting skills Its looks skinny in real life.
Anyway once u hold it in your hands you will see what I mean

 

[xdmray]

nice. take a pic next to the bonehunter or spiked gaunts. sorry to hassle you so much, i'm just really excited!!!

 

[Uratz]

nice. take a pic next to the bonehunter or spiked gaunts. sorry to hassle you so much, i'm just really excited!!!

THATS ITTTTT!!! I'M CHARGING YOU EXTRA FOR THIS Just kidding... Anything I can do for a fellow customer I mean friend

Here it is below.

Spoiler

If you want me to do a video of me prancing around naked with the Sword and whutnot - I will charge by the hour. PM me for this.

 

[xdmray]

pm NOT sent. no video, thanks.

so this is just my opinion, but, i think it is a bit too thick. i know it is supposed to be an alien tail. but at the same time it is a sword blade. the height seems really good but the width seems way too fat to be a nice blade. but then again, that is just how i see it.

oh and the length is really nice.
so take it for whatever it's worth Mike.

 

[Uratz]

pm NOT sent. no video, thanks.

so this is just my opinion, but, i think it is a bit too thick. i know it is supposed to be an alien tail. but at the same time it is a sword blade. the height seems really good but the width seems way too fat to be a nice blade. but then again, that is just how i see it.

oh and the length is really nice.
so take it for whatever it's worth Mike.

Daman, thanks for the comments. I thought so as well with the fatty blade end. Its really no big deal. Seeing how this is short I will still mold this.
I will then do a hot clay pour into the silicone mold then re-sculpt and re tool another version to make it longer and thinner.

In terms of silicone usage its not as much as making a Bio and I kinda like this alien tail thing. So I don't mind making 2 versions.

Now the real question is what would you want in an alien tail sword? Gimme specifics as if you were the director and I'm the lowly grunt sculpting away

 

[Uratz]

More updates to the Sword

Handle for the Alien Tail Sword.
It was fun sculpting this. 2 hours sculpt using the candle wax drip method but instead using hot dripping goey oil clay.
Supposed to be bone like with carved symbols and glyphs.

Details of the Sword. The lighting don't do it justice. when I paint it will be easier to see the details.

Here it is with the handle attached.

 

[xdmray]

i like the handle, looks like you could paint it either wood or bone. and yeah mike the sword looks thinner in these pics.... weird.

 

[munson]

That, sir, looks simply amazing. It's always great to see you sling some clay. Your custom work is inspirational.

 

[Uratz]

Thanks for the comments. Yeah the sword handle kinda balances the proportion out and the camera angle distorts the size when close up.
The full body shots of the Blade is shot high above it where there's little distortion so thats the most accurate view on the thing.

Here are the sketches from before:
This shows the process of Sketching a million concepts until you get the feel for the aesthetic.
The render on far right is the final. I may make more swords like this from the other sketches in the near future so please feel free to comment and choose your favorite.

Note: Actually "H" was the winner. I made a mistake in photoshop when making this LOL

 

[xdmray]

yeah i like the final one you went with. although the blade of A is pretty cool with the ridges. looks a little like the gaunt blade shape.

damn i like P as well. cool. thanks for putting these up Mike!

 

[Uratz]

Ghoul Hunter New Back Pack

The previous Backpack design for Ghoul Hunter totally sucked and after seeing the new Predators movie and spending billions on the toys I was totally reinvigorated with new ideas.
2011 is coming and new designs are on the way!

Sword Sheath to put the Alien tail sword in.
Sketched for 2 days and came up with this. The sketches looked better. Oh well, when its time to sculpt it'll be more badass. Drawings can't really convey that much.

 

[munson]

I really like the spine look for your backpack armor, I don't know why but I just do. Great job on the sword sheath. Is your concept still going to use two swords.