Head Size Help

[Soundwave63]

Hey Everybody,

I am new to this forum and new to mask making. I want to get started making a full head mask but I am having an issue....... I have a large head. I have been reading books and watching DVDs as well as using this website and many others to work on the mask making process and now I am ready to start. The first issue I am having is my head is 25 inches in circumference, I wish I could say it is all brains, but alas I cannot. From everything I have read to get started most people use a foam head armature. All the armatures I have seen are around 22 inches at the most. After searching for a while I see that most people put about an inch of clay down on the armature as a baseline to help combat shrinkage in the latex so at the end of the day the mask will fit. I don’t think if I put around 4 inches of clay that I am going to be able to keep any shape to the head at all. I am hoping to one day do a life cast of my own head and shoulders to make things easier but at this time I just want to try and get a feel for what mask making is like plus since I am on my own I don’t have anyone to help in the life casting process. I guess what I want to know is with my large head does anyone have any idea what I can do to or use as an armature to make the mask fit for a person with my head size? I hope I am not the only one with this issue.

Any information would be super helpful.

Thanks

 

[Mr Mold Maker]

Foam heads aren't a great starting point. If you need an armature I'd suggest you check out the Monster Makers head form or David Moshers head form. Both are around 24 inches already, so you wouldn't need to add too much clay to combat shrinkage.
If those are out of your price range, you need to at least pick up a pair of calipers. Calipers are used to get relatively precise measurements of your head. It will help you build up the mass of the head you need without getting too off proportion. I'd give Mark Alfrey's Sculpting the Human Head a watch. I won't link it but it is streaming on the web, and you can find it pretty easily.

David Mosher head form: http://www.davidmosherfx.com/STORE.html
Monster Makers head form: http://www.monstermakers.com/product/deluxe-full-head-sculpting-armature-life-size.html
Calipers: http://www.amazon.com/Sculpture-House-Sculptors-Aluminum-Calipers/dp/B004BN9O4A

 

[Soundwave63]

Thanks for the reply SlipKnoT (my favorite band btw, can't wait to see them in April)

If you don't mind me asking which one is a personal preference of the two armatures? I want something I can use over and over but something that won't break easily as I seem to be kind of clumsy and poke holes in things. On another note I see monster makers has an oil based clay but i keep hearing about how it needs to be heated quite a bit before it can be used. Do you have a person preference on clay?

Again thanks for the reply.

 

[Mr Mold Maker]

Out of the two, my preference is the David Mosher headform. It has a plastic surface backed with rigid foam so you won't be poking holes any time soon!

I use their Monster Clay quite a bit. Heating it is definitely neccesary to block out bigger forms and the likes, but you'll find that with almost every oil based clay.
That being said, I do prefer Chavant NSP medium or WED clay to it because I'm not a huge fan of Monster Clay's consistency. You'll just have to use it and see if you like it or not, because it all comes down to personal preference.


I kind of fell off listening to Slipknot, but the name stuck. They were a whole lot of fun back when I saw them. Almost 10 years ago now!