Life Size custom Tauntaun wall mount

[Rocket Rider]

Hi all, here is a little something I did this winter, as I am getting more and more comfortable with that foam clay material.
I started with my usual, a " skeleton " made of EVA foam, roughly cut and adjusted. There's no need for fancy, clean shapes at this point, as the organic nature of the final texture will cover all the crude facets of the head.
Keep in mind that being a little more accurate on matching shapes allows for smaller gaps to fill with the Foam clay, though. it also saves material and unnecessary struggling time trying to shape a form with just foam clay when an underlaying, well-adjusted EVA flat cut piece would have done the job.

 

[Rocket Rider]

At this point, I am ready to apply foam clay over the basic shapes of EVA foam. My Tauntaun head looks like a Kangaroo Pope!

As the foam cured, I decided to get ahead and sculpt the teeth in translucent Sculpey., Like I did for my Hulk head piece. I painted the base quickly, too, with a series of light acrylic colors ( one layer for each hue, to add subtle variety on each tooth. unfortunately, it doesn't transfer well with the pics and the final head doesn't allow for much room to see the hard work on the teeth.

The Harrison Ford cast head shrank so much it is more the size of a teenage boy, but it still gives you an idea of the actual size of the Tauntaun head.

The mattress foam ( green ) was added to bring it closer to the shape of the Tauntaun's head, once the fur will be applied over. I was concerned the pope's initial mitre ( his hat's name ) that I devised would not create the bulge required for the horns to stick out properly.

 

[Rocket Rider]

Killing time between curing of the various parts ( and reluctant to start on the big undertaking that I expected the horns to be ) I decided to focus on the fabrication of the eyes.

Basically, two Styro foam Christmas decorations, two transparent plastic Christmas decorations, an X-acto knife to carve a funnel shaped hole on the styros. I then placed a ball of Sculpey to fill that cone, sculpting the iris. I gently pulled them out from there, to bake. Paint, transparent decoration over glued red yarn and voila!
Caught in a Blizzard and when too busy gutting a Tauntaun to stay (Luke) warm, one doesn't notice the cheapo peepers...

 

[scarf man]

I was concerend my pope's initial mitre ( his hat's name ) I devised would not create the bulge required for the horns to stick out properly.

The hat you’re referring to is a zucchetto, not a mitre.
Good job on the tauntaun, it’s shaping up nicely.

 

[Rocket Rider]

The hat you’re referring to is a zucchetto, not a mitre.
Good job on the tauntaun, it’s shaping up nicely.

Zuccheto! The word had escaped my mind for a second! Of course, like the tip of a zucchini! Thanks for correcting!

 

[scarf man]

Zuccheto! The word had escaped my mind for a second! Of course, like the tip of a zucchini! Thanks for correcting!

The etymology derives from zucca (gourd head) so you’re not far off lol.

 

[Rocket Rider]

There was no point beating around the icicles any longer... The horns had to come aliiiiive!
I did a template with (green) mattress foam left overs and applied duck tape over it. Then cut my surfaces accordingly, and transfered onto 5 mm foam sheets from Masked Dad Products.
To be honest, Symmetry is my Kryptonite ( some say it's English grammar ), no matter how accurate and focused and by-the-book I try to stay. I made peace with it a long time ago and in this case, put it on the account of potential ( slight ) difformities, injuries due to too many fights among tauntauns... ( Hey, who said " sad excuses for being a slacker" ?!!!?? I am not a slacker! I am impatient! )

But I digress...
The tiny horns on top where made with the same translucent Sculpey baking clay, applied to aluminum foil cones.

oh, and I cut a horn at the tip. This way, and depending on the mood of the day, we could have either Luke's or Han's Tauntaun on the wall.

 

[BudaFett]

Oh wow this is coming out great!

 

[Rocket Rider]

Here's a few views from the progress on the paint job, after priming the head. ( I had to pace myself and wait for warmer days before priming the horns. Being in the cold part of the Midwest, it delayed the project quite a bit. )

To make the best of the little time I could dedicate to the project, I ordered samples of faux fur so I played with them to figure out what size, shape and length I would need.

After a while though, I was able to resume the painting and complete the horns, eventually.

 

[Rocket Rider]

My favorite part is the detailed paint job at this point. Liver spots ( Wait... Do Tauntauns have a liver? ) , darkening the creeses, the eye sockets, adding a hint of flat blue over some areas, in a feeble effort to capture the colors the animatronics displayed on the well known pictures from the movie.

( I know it had more to do with the reverberating light of the actual location they were shooting in, but hey, I know I'll never be able to fly my contraption to the Hardangerjøkulen glacier, near Finse, Norway. It's my world, I do what I want! The Force is with me, Damnit! )

I liked it better when the snout hadn't been sprayed yet with the -supposedly- mat clear coat ( -TTN_01_28, as opposed to TTN _01_29_05 ). The clear coat makes the blue gray pop more, which is great, but it makes the whole face kinda oily looking. I also lost the shiny aspect of the nostrils, that I achieved for a brief moment, with the glossy clear coat.

 

[Rocket Rider]

All I need to do now is apply fur on the back of the ears after clear coating the inside ( again, waiting for warmer days for that... This " Sprinter " is killing me!!! ) and under the cheeks. The neck was done with chicken fence and simply applying a precut square of faux fur. and a piece of left over at the very bottom. ( I need to cut that into a point, but I'll do that when i plant the whiskers ( nylon fish line - on the upper lip. )

Side note: the eyelashes should be glued on the inside of the eye socket. it's simply a thin band of the same fur used all over the head, only trimmed down quite a bit.

 

[Rocket Rider]

Oh wow this is coming out great!

Thank you!

 

[13doctorwho]

Very beautiful!! I'd never guess the understructure is foam. It's so amazing what people can do with foam!!

 

[Rocket Rider]

Very beautiful!! I'd never guess the understructure is foam. It's so amazing what people can do with foam!!

Thank you! It makes it very light too. I'd say, easily lighter than a basket ball. ( not as much bounce, though. )

 

[eethan]

well that is a pretty impressive job you did! congrats and thank you for sharing

 

[Ned Figglehorn]

The fact that this is made from EVA and foam clay is absolutely astonishing to me! Incredible work!

 

[_Lee_]

Wow, that I'd amazing.

Definately my favorite animal from the Star Wars movies. Seeing a TaunTaun brings the Empire striking back!

Well done.

 

[stussy]

that is so cool

 

[PHArchivist]

Wow... Just - wow...!

 

[brandonstudio]

Hi all, here is a little something I did this winter, as I am getting more and more comfortable with that foam clay material.
I started with my usual, a " skeleton " made of EVA foam, roughly cut and adjusted. There's no need for fancy, clean shapes at this point, as the organic nature of the final texture will cover all the crude facets of the head.
Keep in mind that being a little more accurate on matching shapes allows for smaller gaps to fill with the Foam clay, though. it also saves material and unnecessary struggling time trying to shape a form with just foam clay when an underlaying, well-adjusted EVA flat cut piece would have done the job.

Awesome! How did you work out the pattern? Is there a pattern you found online?I ask as I’m starting to make a wall mount too. Thanks