My Pred Thread

[xander2323]

Hi folks. Well I've been on the Lair now for over a month and I thought I'd start a thread to keep you guys up to date with the progress I'm making on my suit.

I started by comissioning a mask and bio from the mighty Termokk. These are yet to reach me as he has been working hard on getting them perfect for me. Here are the first shots of my mask and bio he sent me. I have since asked for quills to be added to the mask as I think they add realism. Notice the awesome green mirror lenses in the eyes of the bio. It also has working led red targeting lights and magnets to keep it attached to the undermask.

Here is the WIP shot of the undermask - quills are being added as I write this.

From there I realised I needed a mannequin for when my mask arrives so I went looking for one. It turns out there is a shop directly across the street from me that sells old ex-display mannequins so I picked this one up:

My girlfriend started to get bothered by the naked man standing in the corner of our living room so I dressed him up and added some mountain lion eyes I bought from a taxidermy store off Ebay. These are in preparation for displaying the mask:

I have now paid Termokk for a fully painted and foamed torso complete with quills and am just waiting for some WIP pictures of that - he says it's almost done. In the meantime I've been scouting for the rest of the bits I need and buying some extra props in preparation. First off I bought this bad ass Alien skull to sit behind my pred when he's on the mannequin:

The Alien skull is really cool - got it from Ebay for a steal from some lady in China.

Next I bought a plasma caster from a guy in Paris. It's resin and quite heavy but me and my best friend have been drilling it and pinning it with bolts. It's currently unpainted but one of my talents is painting models so I think I can make it look awesome once we've finished putting it together. This shot is also WIP as we haven't got all the right bolts yet (notice my facehugger also being painted right now in the background - for a different project!)

I have also just received a working bomb countdown display which is amazing. It was made by some guy in the UK who was selling them on Ebay - and I saw it on a post on here. Pics to come. I don't yet have the gauntlet to add it to but I have been Pm-ing Mannowar to get some nice unpainted gauntlets to mould it into. I also think I'll get my backpack from him. The rest of the bits (legs, hands, feet, skulls) are still to come but half the fun of this is putting the suit together over time. I will keep the thread updated as I make progress and hope to have some awesome new photos soon! Thanks for all your help everyone I've been chatting to on the Lair. This place rocks!

Xander

 

[Origami Unicorn]

Cant wait to see more! keep it up!

 

[xander2323]

Thought I'd just post my latest shot of the mask from Termokk. This came this morning. We have quills! I'm so impressed with the work he's doing.

 

[Robiwon]

Love the Termok head. I think this is the one I'm going for when I get my vacation check next month. The paint up is simply amazing. You are definately going to have one kick arse costume in the end.

What are you doing with the facehugger? I just got a Halcyon facehugger. I plan to wire the fingers and tail (in a curled up "dead" position) and hang it off my belt on my finished costume.

 

[xander2323]

I just finished the Face Hugger. I didn't go for the yellowish colour scheme from the first film but wanted to do a more fleshy pinky look. Here are a few pics:

Here it is on my mannequin although you can't get the legs to curl as they are stiff vinyl. (The mannequin is in a tiger suit to keep it looking fun whilst I await my Pred bits).

To answer your question I don't really know what I'm doing with the Facehugger as regards the Pred suit. It was just a separate project.

It is indeed the original Halcyon face-hugger - the one from Alien. I had the Alien 3 one as a kid and it had sharp long fingernails. I never really liked that look on a face-hugger so hunted down a Halycon one from the first movie on eBay. I have the Halcyon Chest Burster to make next.

I wanted to post a video of my working bomb countdown panel for you guys to see. I think it's pretty cool. Gotta see about attaching it to the gauntlet when it arrives. I've just ordered a set from Mannowar.

Here is a link to a vid I made on my iPhone of the countdown. You can see the different modes it has and its size.

Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/GKnSNlNTju4

 

[xander2323]

More bits arrived today. Gerard from Mysteriamodels sold me this alien head / shield. Despite loving the P1 I want to add some alien references to my suit. Thought a fat alien head shield would look nice - at least on display if it's too impractical to cart around whilst fully dressed up. I can't wait to paint this badboy. I'm going for a completely different paintjob to Gerard's brown / reflective Alien version. I'm thinking a metallic blue aibrushed into black with silver teeth.

My only problem is the best way to make this wieldable. Should I cut holes for leather straps to tie across the arm? Or should I build handles inside the head to hold it with? Or should I simply add a backstrap and have slung across the Pred's back? The inside is fiberglass so it's not too heavy and quite tough. Going to have to solve this problem before painting.

Gerard also slung in this P2 throwing disc as a gift. What a nice man! I spent the evening trimming the disc and using modelling putty to seal the joins. This will also be great fun to paint.

This week I hope to paint my cannon, disc & start on this head. Don't think it's worth painting the head until I've solved the strap situation.

Please, I'd love to hear suggestions about how to strap up the head. Bear in mind it has to sit on a mannequin's arm some of the time too so it can't always be gripped in the hand (if I were to add a handle inside the hollow head for instance).

I will post some finished paintjobs when done as well as any futher suit progress. Still waiting on my suit bits to be completed.

Xander

 

[Robiwon]

For hunting that would be a bear to have to carry around all the time. I would add a strap and sling it over you back.

Edit= I just checked out that website for the ALIEN skull. U.K. sales only on it due to size, bummer.

 

[xander2323]

Do you mean the skull or the mysteria alien head? Because I actually got them both on ebay. I'm pretty sure the skull is available worldwide as it comes from China. I don't know about the mysteria head but if you paid for it I don't see why he wouldn't ship it.

Yeah it's not what you'd want to carry on your arm all the time I agree. It would be nice if it had a shoulder strap + a handle. I think that's the way to go.

 

[Robiwon]

The Mysteria head, on his website it says sales to UK only due to high shipping costs to the US. I'll check for it on the Bay.

http://www.mysteria.co.uk/Kits/alientrophyhead.html

 

[xander2323]

When I bought mine he had at least 4 on Ebay - apparently there were only 10 ever made so I'd take a look. His ebay name is mysteriamodels. Good luck!

 

[xander2323]

I checked your link and it says 25 made. The ebay listing said different. Also it was almost a third less expensive on ebay. I would definitely ask if there was any way he could send overseas. Here is a link to the sale of one that has ended but I'm sure he'll get round to relisting them as he's clearly keen to part with them: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120802915924

 

[xander2323]

Solved the problem of the alien shield. I am putting in a handle to grip, a strap for the upper arm and a back strap for general ornamental wear.

Also finally finished bolting together my resin cannon. I kind of want a less heavy one and will keep an eye out for something better but for now it will have to do. It will be fun to paint it.

I also hung my Facehugger with invisible thread. It is now molesting my G1 Transformers collection...

 

[TokyoRose]

When you put the mountain lion eyes on your mannequin, I almost fell out of my chair laughing.
That's hilarious. I have to say, I may be more comfortable with the naked mannequin than ol' crazy eyes there.
Too funny.

This is looking insane though! I'm extremely jealous. That Alien Skull is beautiful. I'm actually working on an alien head myself to use as a shield. It's taken a bit of a backseat though. Regardless, this is going to be one hell of a suit my friend.

Can't wait to see what you add next!

 

[xander2323]

I had a first go at painting the cannon tonight. I'm pretty happy with it. I'll go back and see what I feel tomorrow. I wanted the barrel to have a proper scorched look so it looks like it's seen some use and a general weathered effect on the silver.

These photos were all taken as the paint was drying. Here are some more recent one where I think it's looking a bit better. It's hard to take pictures of the silver and capture how reflective and cool it looks. Oh and check out my growing skull pile!

 

[xander2323]

Ok final cannon pic. I know a posted quite a few but I kept adding bits and touching up bits I didn't like. I've added an extra layer of drybrushing with a lighter silver from Games Workshop (Mithril Silver) to reduce the glare of the airbrushed Vallejo Steel colour. It's really worked out. I added a wire too to really make it pop. It's ready to be bolted to my backpack.

 

[powman321]

What a terrible collection, send to me for proper desposil... Jk. But seriously this is awesome

 

[Okami Skullcrusher]

Very nice pred-stuff you've got there.
How about using the xeno-skull as backpack?

 

[xander2323]

I like your mock up picture. It's a pretty good idea aesthetically. I would probably have to use a different one as this one is a solid chunk of resin. The alien head shield is hollow and finished in fibreglass on the inside making it light enough and durable enough. I think this skull would just fall off and break or add serious weight to the costume. I had originally intended to wear it as a skull trophy on the back of the costume but it was too big and heavy. It looks great anyway and as my costume is to be displayed on mannequin it's nice to have a bit of a Predator 'Corner' for it to inhabit...

Just heard from Termokk my torso is foamed and trimmed and now being painted. He'll be ready to ship soon. That means I will be receiving a nice package with the beautiful bio, mask, torso & neck ring he's made me. I am counting down the days. My only concern is the terrible UK parcel delivery companies or Post Office.

Just won an auction for a pretty cool skull based on the bones from a local Abbey (old church) here in the UK. I am going to combine it with a replica spinal cord to make a grisly trophy to attach over the right shoulder.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170722284014?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

 

[luckydoll09]

awesome......good costume....i like your P2 throwing disc....keep update...

 

[xander2323]

Is the mask & torso in the pic by Corey? Wow! I really am drooling with anticipation. Thanks for everyone's encouraging comments. I'll post more developments as soon as the happen. I am working on the P2 disc tonight whilst watching new South Park episodes on TV. I have been airbrushing using Games Workshop paints thinned with Vallejo thinner. So far I have primed it with black acrylic spray paint, laid down a layer of GW Tin Bitz acrylic (a metallic rust coloured paint - quite a dark colour) and then airbrushed over that with a GW Dwarf Bronze colour. It's looking nice. Going to use some GW Devlin Mud wash on it to give it that used look. Then maybe a layer of highlights in the bronze colour if it needs it.