LunaticNic
Sr Member
looking pretty cool!
Oni / Buhal'ra (Southeast Asian / Pacific) Yautja
- Thread starter Isubomo
- Start date
spgfx
New Member
Off to a great start. I really like you nice clean work area and reference layout with dimensions. You are going about this the right way and I can't wait to see it develop. Don't other to put some for though into how it's going to mold and cast. Perhaps extend some edges or leave extra material to contain the resin if your gonna slush and allow for some nice thick edges.
Isubomo
New Member
Thanks for the warm words and tips SPGFX!
I will definitely ask you guys for more advice when I'm at that stage or near to that...
Isubomo
New Member
Just a little update again, not much, other than sculpted the right side to my liking (and I believe, a better shape/fit to the head) and did the same for the left side..heaps of cleaning/smoothing to look forward to. Still thinking if the final mask will have that look of a wooden mask or not.. as wooden southeast asian masks were sort of the inspiration for it..have to think of a way of tying in the wood(organic) plus the inorganic visor (using an old Oakley sunnies)...
Now is a prolly a good time to ask SPGFX on how to go about making those edges to contain the resin...As I have literally no experience in slushing the resin around so to speak..
Also, still haven't had any luck on finding anyone to help me out in casting the head.. (NZ is small, lol!) I mean, without bleeding me dry..that special fx outfit based a few kms out from my place is charging me commercial price, about $2k, to cast it for me, plus mentioned something about drawing some special documents complete with lawyers and all that, so as not to be connected to me or have any backlash from, "this big studio.." was her words. ;P And I have to wait til June, because they're busy doing FX for a popular TV series now.
The longer it's out there, sitting in our dining area, I grow more afraid that the kids might accidentally topple it over or maybe have their toys hit it when they play "every toy is an airplane' game. That and the insane 'casting fee' these casters here are charging me (If I had the same knowledge as these guys, I would 'teach' someone aspiring to make his own costumes because, you know, passion, for free. I promise, if I get to a decent level where I could teach this art, I would.), I've decided to tackle this on my own. With all your help, of course ;P
I can't do this on my own, but maybe, with you guys guiding me, I can pull it off.
Below is an image of how I'll make the 2 parts of the cast..
Because of the intricacy of the crown that I felt it should be divied up this way, with the shims running along that line.. I'll be using shims alone and no clay wall, because 1) The prima Plastilina I used isn't as hard as the Chavant, I will most likely deform the clay. It's soft..way softer than Chavant soft. Like if I drop a small coin on that forehead from a distance of a feet, that coin will make a deep mark. 2) it's friggin soft. In hindsight, should have used Chavant med all the way, but, I used that money to, umm, feed the kids?
If anyone has a better idea, or can guide me through this process, please, please let me know..do you think 3 parts are better? Seprating the crown, whole face and then the back of the head and neck?
I'm thinking, Plaster cast right? This will be a mask I'll wear, probably gonna use ecoflex or dragonskin..I'm not gonna make a resin bust or anything (at the bottom of the list).. I've watched some videos, and it sort of boosted up my confidence a bit, but still... you guys know best.
Thanks in advance for the help fellas...
Now is a prolly a good time to ask SPGFX on how to go about making those edges to contain the resin...As I have literally no experience in slushing the resin around so to speak..
Also, still haven't had any luck on finding anyone to help me out in casting the head.. (NZ is small, lol!) I mean, without bleeding me dry..that special fx outfit based a few kms out from my place is charging me commercial price, about $2k, to cast it for me, plus mentioned something about drawing some special documents complete with lawyers and all that, so as not to be connected to me or have any backlash from, "this big studio.." was her words. ;P And I have to wait til June, because they're busy doing FX for a popular TV series now.
The longer it's out there, sitting in our dining area, I grow more afraid that the kids might accidentally topple it over or maybe have their toys hit it when they play "every toy is an airplane' game. That and the insane 'casting fee' these casters here are charging me (If I had the same knowledge as these guys, I would 'teach' someone aspiring to make his own costumes because, you know, passion, for free. I promise, if I get to a decent level where I could teach this art, I would.), I've decided to tackle this on my own. With all your help, of course ;P
I can't do this on my own, but maybe, with you guys guiding me, I can pull it off.
Below is an image of how I'll make the 2 parts of the cast..
Because of the intricacy of the crown that I felt it should be divied up this way, with the shims running along that line.. I'll be using shims alone and no clay wall, because 1) The prima Plastilina I used isn't as hard as the Chavant, I will most likely deform the clay. It's soft..way softer than Chavant soft. Like if I drop a small coin on that forehead from a distance of a feet, that coin will make a deep mark. 2) it's friggin soft. In hindsight, should have used Chavant med all the way, but, I used that money to, umm, feed the kids?
If anyone has a better idea, or can guide me through this process, please, please let me know..do you think 3 parts are better? Seprating the crown, whole face and then the back of the head and neck?
I'm thinking, Plaster cast right? This will be a mask I'll wear, probably gonna use ecoflex or dragonskin..I'm not gonna make a resin bust or anything (at the bottom of the list).. I've watched some videos, and it sort of boosted up my confidence a bit, but still... you guys know best.
Thanks in advance for the help fellas...
LunaticNic
Sr Member
Ahahahahahaaaaa you have now reached the dread stage I have reached when I finished Behemoths head in January!
But yes that would be the best way of separating the mold. As far as I understand predator head molds are usually two piece mold like that.
But yes that would be the best way of separating the mold. As far as I understand predator head molds are usually two piece mold like that.
Isubomo
New Member
Hola everyone, still alive! Haven't really hibernated, was busy doing stuff in the background...Well, after weeks of waiting for someone local to help me on hand with the casting (like right there beside you), couldn't find one unless I was willing to shell out atleast $1500..and I can't afford that...Finally had the courage to take matters into thy own hands, confidence up and do it. But first I want to give a big shout out to SPGFX and Kevin Stevens (local, who I met recently and have become a good friend of mine through this project), who, without their help and guidance, I would never have accomplished what I had. Thanks so much fellas, you guys are the bomb.
First off, the card wall...pretty much followed the line I planned earlier..
One of the scariest things I had to ever do so far with this project..putting on the 1st coat of ultracal...success or not, pretty much bye bye to the sculpt..at 5 coats, 10 coats and 14 coats..What?! 14 coats?! Let me explain..the way I did it was after the 1st beauty coat, every time I refilled to mix ultracal, that was pretty much a coat. it's always a cup and half of ultracal every coat. With each 'refill' I try to cover almost everything..but using a drip-brush method. I know, pretty noob-y..First time working with ultracal, before this was only using run-of-the-mill plaster. ;P Anyway, the last pic above, was basically content with the overall structure and stopped there and let it dry.
Took out the cards! Looks like crap, but happy so far..think it will work alright Now for the back!!! Did better with the coats this time, 2nd pic above with only 2 coats, and in the end, did only 10 coats with the back, LOL! Now for the wait...will the mould come out good? or Broken? ;D
Haven't really hibernated, was busy doing stuff in the background...Well, after weeks of waiting for someone local to help me on hand with the casting (like right there beside you), couldn't find one unless I was willing to shell out atleast $1500..and I can't afford that...Finally had the courage to take matters into thy own hands, confidence up and do it. But first I want to give a big shout out to SPGFX and Kevin Stevens (local, who I met recently and have become a good friend of mine through this project), who, without their help and guidance, I would never have accomplished what I had. Thanks so much fellas, you guys are the bomb.First off, the card wall...pretty much followed the line I planned earlier..
Now for the back!!! Did better with the coats this time, 2nd pic above with only 2 coats, and in the end, did only 10 coats with the back, LOL! Now for the wait...will the mould come out good? or Broken? ;D
LunaticNic
Sr Member
Let's hope you have more success than I do.
Isubomo
New Member
Cheers for the support Nic But hope I can be forgiven, Have been taking photos and just posting now..
After what seemed like an eternity, trying to pry the 2 halves apart (was really scared I didn't put enough coats and would end up breaking the front half).. Success!!! Buh-bye sculpt, as expected..
Now for the clean up!
But hope I can be forgiven, Have been taking photos and just posting now..After what seemed like an eternity, trying to pry the 2 halves apart (was really scared I didn't put enough coats and would end up breaking the front half).. Success!!! Buh-bye sculpt, as expected..
Now for the clean up!
LunaticNic
Sr Member
Nice!
LunaticNic
Sr Member
LMAO now I feel like the heat is on me on getting Behemoth done with the kind of progress you are making!
Isubomo
New Member
So..while I was waiting for the layers of latex (esp. the pooled) couldn't sit still, so started casting the dreads...it was literally my first foray into Silicone, and with only knowledge from the internet/videos and tips I got from SPGFX..dove into it and came out with this:
outside really looks like crap, but it's the inside what counts! LOL..
Funny story..see that crack in the first pic? There was another like that further down and those cracks happened mid cast. There was actually already silicone over those parts. I had the dread standing straight on it's base, with a BBQ stick, about 10 inches long through it to help support the weight...Thing is, the base where the bbq stick was also skewered through wasn't deep enough. As I was pouring the silicone (started from the tip and let it drip down), didn't factor in the silicone becoming heavy at the top, and that just brought whole thing down. Mid cast. **** me. Our house is small, and where I was working, at the edge of the dining table, I had paper/plastic to cover the table, but not the carpet below that. Didn't really think I would need to, until I was seeing this sculpted dread, all covered in wet Silicone, heading for the carpeted floor, in slo-mo. Wife is gonna kill me. little bits of my life flashed before my eyes...Instinct kicked in and I grabbed it. The force of it cracked it in 2 places as I struggled to get it back upright again whilst trying to catch bits of silicone glop touching the floor. Anyone that's worked with silicone prolly knows how uncomfortable it is to the naked touch. (Sorry, didn't have gloves >.< again, didn't think that would happen.) I'm not just gonna give up and chuck all that hardwork because of 1 single mistake. I was going to try and salvage what I can of the situation, my hands were all covered in goop anyway. So I stood there, holding the damn thing for about an hour and a half, waiting for the silicone to dry enough that I can place it somewhere without the goop transferring to anything else, and peeled of the silicone off my hands. Yep, silicone dried on my hands..(this was already 3am, mind you, and my mind wasn't really working 100%)
Anyway, wrapping up, 'dripped' a 2nd coat on it and that's what you see above.
Made the ultracal backing, poured in the foam (Flex foam it IV, main supplier in NZ ran out of III, and this was the next highest in density, apparently way higher tear strength too...) and tadaa!!!
Those cracks actually helped! It has this 'segmented' effect now that I've always liked in some builds!!!
Funny story..see that crack in the first pic? There was another like that further down and those cracks happened mid cast. There was actually already silicone over those parts. I had the dread standing straight on it's base, with a BBQ stick, about 10 inches long through it to help support the weight...Thing is, the base where the bbq stick was also skewered through wasn't deep enough. As I was pouring the silicone (started from the tip and let it drip down), didn't factor in the silicone becoming heavy at the top, and that just brought whole thing down. Mid cast. **** me. Our house is small, and where I was working, at the edge of the dining table, I had paper/plastic to cover the table, but not the carpet below that. Didn't really think I would need to, until I was seeing this sculpted dread, all covered in wet Silicone, heading for the carpeted floor, in slo-mo. Wife is gonna kill me. little bits of my life flashed before my eyes...Instinct kicked in and I grabbed it. The force of it cracked it in 2 places as I struggled to get it back upright again whilst trying to catch bits of silicone glop touching the floor. Anyone that's worked with silicone prolly knows how uncomfortable it is to the naked touch. (Sorry, didn't have gloves >.< again, didn't think that would happen.) I'm not just gonna give up and chuck all that hardwork because of 1 single mistake. I was going to try and salvage what I can of the situation, my hands were all covered in goop anyway. So I stood there, holding the damn thing for about an hour and a half, waiting for the silicone to dry enough that I can place it somewhere without the goop transferring to anything else, and peeled of the silicone off my hands. Yep, silicone dried on my hands..(this was already 3am, mind you, and my mind wasn't really working 100%)
Anyway, wrapping up, 'dripped' a 2nd coat on it and that's what you see above.
Made the ultracal backing, poured in the foam (Flex foam it IV, main supplier in NZ ran out of III, and this was the next highest in density, apparently way higher tear strength too...) and tadaa!!!
Isubomo
New Member
How flexible is the foam itself? Compared to videos I've seen of dreads made from flex foam it-III, definitely not as. And though on the main site of smooth-on states that it is Self-skinning, I myself, haven't had any success in producing said skin. So I thought of brushing a layer of black coloured latex on
My first video in youtube, LOL
My first video in youtube, LOL
LunaticNic
Sr Member
LOL got the music and everything XD
Nice dread though!
Nice dread though!
Isubomo
New Member
Thanks a lot Nic!
Drying pooled latex is really long...so I moulded the shortest/smallest dreads..
But this time, I had the idea, what if I used a PVC pipe wider in diameter, put the dread in the middle and pour silicone into it? (I honestly didn't know some peeps did this before Wreav told me). I hate making ultracal for backing. And when you're putting the silicone mould back into the ultracal backing, it has to be precise too..etc..there must be an alternative..So I tried it.
And it worked great!!! no extra process of ultracal backing, no strapping the 2 halves tight, etc..light as..definitely gonna do it again for the 3rd dread!!!
The only hard thing about it was pulling the silicone mould the first time out of the tube since it's perfectly the same diameter as the tube itself, and suction, etc... Once that's done, the other hurdle was trying to put the empty silicone mould back. Found a way..not sure if you're able to or it helps wiping vaseline on the inner part of the pipe, but what did it for me was Cling Wrap. Just wrap it with 1 layer of cling wrap (this seals the seams too!!!) and put it back. Haven't tried putting cling wrap on the inside of the tube before pouring silicone, but def works when putting it back. If you're still having a hard time, if you have some excess at the most bottom part of the sil mould, tie the end and 'pull' the whole mould through the other end. With the cling wrap, it should pull easily!!!
Drying pooled latex is really long...so I moulded the shortest/smallest dreads..
But this time, I had the idea, what if I used a PVC pipe wider in diameter, put the dread in the middle and pour silicone into it? (I honestly didn't know some peeps did this before Wreav told me). I hate making ultracal for backing. And when you're putting the silicone mould back into the ultracal backing, it has to be precise too..etc..there must be an alternative..So I tried it.
And it worked great!!!
no extra process of ultracal backing, no strapping the 2 halves tight, etc..light as..definitely gonna do it again for the 3rd dread!!!The only hard thing about it was pulling the silicone mould the first time out of the tube since it's perfectly the same diameter as the tube itself, and suction, etc... Once that's done, the other hurdle was trying to put the empty silicone mould back. Found a way..not sure if you're able to or it helps wiping vaseline on the inner part of the pipe, but what did it for me was Cling Wrap. Just wrap it with 1 layer of cling wrap (this seals the seams too!!!) and put it back. Haven't tried putting cling wrap on the inside of the tube before pouring silicone, but def works when putting it back. If you're still having a hard time, if you have some excess at the most bottom part of the sil mould, tie the end and 'pull' the whole mould through the other end. With the cling wrap, it should pull easily!!!
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