Neca 1/4 Predator 2 Repaint In Progress

[AliceTyson]

Here's a picture of it loosely assembled long enough to take a picture in direct sunlight.  All the pieces are in various stages of paint-up and completion.  You can see in direct sunlight that the darker skin patterns are still very much red-orange.  I'm trying to paint it so it's light reactive, since in "on set" and "in shop" pictures the colors can vary from red-orange to dark brown and even almost black depending on lighting.

There are still several physical mods I have planned, so several armor pieces haven't been touched with paint at all at this point.  The knee pads will be modified to sit on the knees properly, so I'll be removing the elastic.  The right thigh armor will be resculpted to be more accurately sized due to it being made larger to accommodate the disc accessory, while in the movie a bit of movie magic was used and the slightly smaller prop was used to represent the "holstered" disc.  I'm also going to segment the groin armor and do a few slight modifications to the plasma caster.  The net gun is also getting a make over as well.

 

[AliceTyson]

Well, no luck with the netting. Best I could find was 1cm mesh. Works out to about .4", so just a little under twice the .25" it should be. It's still a nice thickness, and has a nice cloth hang, so it will work fine until I find something better. I have it in a dye bath at the moment, and when it's done I'll try to get a photo.

 

[AliceTyson]

Took the netting out of the bath, and gave it a good soap scrub.  Dye didn't take 100%, so it's currently a deep, dirty, dark green.  At the very least, it's not bright green like it was, and I had planned on a little aging and weathering with the airbrush anyway, so no biggie.  Still looks slightly too big, which, I guess, is because it technically is, but I think it's the best I'm gonna get without having something custom made.  It's got the closest thing to the baggy, grungy look the movies had.  A lot of the netting I see people putting on theirs looks too new and "perfect" and I really liked the way it just looked like it was neglected, baggy and ripped in the movies.  I think the slight oversize of some of the diamonds will look less obvious once I've futzed it a bit before I'm done.

 

[AliceTyson]

I know I haven't been here long enough to post in the marketplace, I've put up an interest thread for the P2 helmet over on SSF.  Anyone that's interested can add their name to the list.  Hopefully, we can get enough people to justify me going through the trouble of making copies.  Nothing for sale or set in stone at the moment.  Just gauging interest.
 
http://www.sideshowcollectors.com/forums/showthread.php?143477-NECA-1-4-Predator-2-quot-City-Hunter-quot-movie-accurate-bio-mask&p=6745835#post6745835

 

[AliceTyson]

Please ignore any scratches or white spots, as those areas are in the process of improvements.  While working on the interior I had a lightbulb moment.  I recalled I had a bit of metal mesh I used for my model kits that was just sitting in one of my supply cabinets.  I went and dug it out, and was pleasantly surprised at how close it was to being what I needed, and I'd had it all along.  As you can see in the following picture, it's pretty dead on to what was used on screen (during the unmasking in the slaughterhouse).  The only "problem" is it's shiny and reflective.  I use problem in quotes, because it's totally fixable with some paint.  I can easily dull the shine and add a bit of faux rust like the film.
 

 

[TriLaser]

You should do what I did with my 1:1 scale bio mesh. Paint it black then lightly dry brush some silver over it. Much better effect. Also if you really want to be accurate the original has some of the copper/gold colour on it as well. Only slightly.   

 

[AliceTyson]

Here are a few teasers of the interior.  Still have to finish the tweaks to the exterior, as well as cast a few more detail pieces for the interior.  It doesn't look too great as is, but I think it'll really pop once I get a finished cast painted up.
 

 
Here's a picture I took of the interior of the mouth portion of the mask.  There was a little more cleaning and tweaking before I made the mold.
 

 

[BENSIN]

This is one of the greatest builds I've ever followed, I'm anticipating the outcome big time!

 

[AliceTyson]

Well, I finished the mold, and set upon the task of trying my hand at actually pulling some casts.  First attempt was a total bust.  Nothing came of it but a gloppy pile of resin.  Second pull was an improvement, but there were so many air bubbles it wasn't worth cleaning.  Especially the inside detail which was largely rendered non existent.  The third, and final for now, pull was a minor success.  After tweaking the mold I managed to get 98% of the air bubbles out, but, for some reason I can't understand, a portion of the top of the bio just didn't take any of the resin at all.
 
Here are a few pics of the second and third pulls.I'm sure you can tell them apart.  The cleaner third pull still doesn't have all of the inside details added, since they're going to be cast as separate pieces, and I haven't made the molds for them yet.
 
Also, notice that I greatly adjusted and improved the shape and corners of the eye slots to better resemble the actual movie prop.  Kinda hard to see, but once there's a painted copy the differences will be more than apparent.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Theacientone]

Did you just make a 2 piece mold? Did you have an air spout? If so I had the same problem the only solution I found is make a few trash ones and see exactly how much resin you need for one and only mix a hair more. To cast it with no bubbles sprinkle baby powder on both halfs shake off excess then the half of the mold that is the bulkier half looks like yours is like mine and that's the front of the mask or outside. Then poor all the resin into that half slowly then lay the other half of the mold down into it. Press it together starting with the chin portion up to the back of the mask and flick the outside of the mold to move the air bubbles to the spout I use an electric toothbrush as well the vibrations work to move the bubbles around. If your still having problems drill or cut another air spout in a spot you can clean up easily. Hope this helps.

 

[kris knave]

Awesome work

 

[Lowdmekon]

Cracking matie

 

[Yautja1203]

ok, u need to add me... i modified myself the mask and fully repainted the same figure...  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE7kkOpVCzI here's the link if u wanna see it... great work what u do man..

 

[Viper15]

Any progress on this great repaint?

 

[Lowdmekon]

ok, u need to add me... i modified myself the mask and fully repainted the same figure... here's the link if u wanna see it... great work what u do man..

Nice hijack.

 

[Fayne]

dude, I'll bet my son would love doing this to some toys.... um I mean reference figures