How do I make an ewok (Fur-ing?)

TylerHam

Well-Known Member
Hi All,

I have this great Ewok head.. Its made from production made parts from Freeborne, and assembled later by Tom Spina. Its a smaller exok.. Like wicket size... About half the size of other production made heads I have seen.

I want to make him a body, just for fun and a great way to display... I have an idea how to make all the parts, except I dont know how to add the fur to make it look real.

What kind of "fur" do you buy to do this, and how is it applied??

Thank you for the help!!!

ewok.jpg
 
This is not ewok specific as I'm not really up on the particulars of ewoks.
Since you have the completed head, that pretty much takes care of "adding" fur, per poking in strands and hanks to the sculpted face and head.

Making a body for it should be just like making anything else one might make out of fake fur.

Per type of fur to get, you'll want something that is compatible with what is on the head. So if you can take it with you on your shopping search to try as much as possible to match the texture of the fur. Most faux fur takes rit dye pretty well if you don't find the exact color/s you're looking for--just don't use boiling water, hot tap water will suffice and not melt the fur.

I'd suggest you buy a few samples and do some experimenting there if you don't find anything close.

The fur will have a definite nap, the direction the fur runs, the direction that when you run your hand over it that it smooths down. Mark the fabric on the back with down arrows in the direction the fur runs, 3 or 4 inches apart and the length or width of the fabric.

I'd also suggest you make a mock up of the body out of muslin or some other cheap fabric and have any problems all worked out before you cut the fur.

Fur is best cut with a single edge razor blade -- USE EXTREME CAUTION with the blade!!

Remove the seam allowance from your pattern pieces. Mark down arrows on your pattern pieces the way the fur should run, such as from shoulder to wrist, from thigh to foot, from neck to hips......
Lay the pattern pieces right sides down on the back of the fur fabric with the arrows matching the direction of the arrows on the fabric. Draw around each piece to mark the SEWING line. Then take away the pattern pieces.

With an indelible marker to make a heavy line draw around the sewing line out at least 1 inch seam allowance around each piece to mark the CUTTING lines.

When you cut, lift the fur up a bit off the table and make little slashings along the marked CUTTING lines, cutting though only the back of the fabric and not cutting any of the fur strands.

The fur strands will make the seams way too thick. So before you sew, take a pair of small trimming scissors and cut the fur strands to within about 1/4 inch of the sewing lines.

Also, before you sew, comb, brush or otherwise sweep the fur strands toward the middle of the pieces that are being sewn, away from the seam allowances so none of the fur strands get caught in the seams. If some sneak by, you can use a needle or crochet hook to fish them out. If any of the strands are unyielding and won't stay out of the way, use some painters blue tape to temporary hold them out of the way. This would only occur where you have to sweep the fur strands back against the nap, and should pose much of a problem on a body suit except maybe in the crotch area.

If machine sewing, I'd use a heavy duty needle like for jeans or upholstery and as heavy a thread as the machine will carry. Hand sewing, use an heavy needle and buttonhole or carpet thread. A curved needle can also come in handy.

I'm not sure on the hands and feet, you might have to add some foam rubber and do some fur strand poking......but you should be able to use strands from the fur you use to make the body.

Good luck with your project. Don't forget to post some progress pics!!

Shylaah
 
I NEED THAT HEAD!! lol

I was wondering if you could fill me in on the detail of who/where that head was made.. I have a Biker Scout uniform and want to add some non-canon flair..

Thanks in advance

TB8440
 
I NEED THAT HEAD!! lol

I was wondering if you could fill me in on the detail of who/where that head was made.. I have a Biker Scout uniform and want to add some non-canon flair..

Thanks in advance

TB8440
In his 1st post he says where the parts came from and who made it which was Tom Spina. Here is his site.

Custom Sculpture, Movie Props Displays by Tom Spina Designs, Home Theater Art, Furniture, Mannequins, Statues, Styrofoam carving, Foam Latex Mask Restoration, Movie Prop, Costumes & Wardrobe Displays, museum figures, busts, theme props & creatures

Very top quality.
 
The mask is all original but unused Ewok parts from Return of the Jedi that Stuart Freeborne held onto for years. (since 1983 I guess...) A few years ago a collector found them and bought all the parts, and had them assembled into full ewok masks... You can find them here and there for between $1000 and $2000 bucks.. More than a custom mask, but way less than a screen used mask.

The best part is thought that is is a 100% accurate ewok, since it really is exactly the same as the masks worn in Jedi...

Most though, are much bigger.. Like Papploo size... This one is more Wicket sized (I had hoped that this might be wicket parts at one point but there is no way to tell...

I was going to essentially build a wicket body and hood for him
 
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