Oogie Boogie Face Animatronic - Help?

[SpiderManGeek]

So I've decided to make an Oogie Boogie costume from The Nightmare Before Christmas. It's easy enough, with just quick sewing of a large section of jute fabric and it's done. However, I wanted to try to challenge myself.

I thought it might be cool if I create blinking eyes for the face. The problem is I have zero experience with this kind of thing. I have a soldering iron and I own an Arduino (idk if this kind of project would require it), back when I used to be interested in this kind of stuff. But other than access to tools and materials, is this something a beginner like me should even attempt?

Blinking eye tutorials online are for round eyes with a physical sphere as the base. With this, I'm assuming it would need some sort of plates that move up and down under the brow ridge? But really, I have no idea and I'd love some help.

Are there any tutorials out there that could help me with this project? Is this even the right place to be asking this? If not it's not really a loss, as I'm sure I'll have fun making the costume without adding in complicated stuff. Thanks in advance!

 

[davidnagel]

Reviewing the film, his eyes twitch at times and doesn't full blink until a whole other line - but this is emotive eye movement so I'd question why bother making the eyes blink at all.

But having said that, yes, look at all the eye movement tutorials you can find, even puppet ones, and you can apply such things accordingly. Given the eyes are black, you can hide a hundred sins with the mechanism. You want a open close mechanisms for the eye lids, probably achieved with shaped wire around that section of the face, the motor would sit right behind it.

Your Arduino would do the work of sending a signal to two servo motors to make the movement.

I appreciate this comment might not be helpful whatsoever but hope there's some insight in thinking about it.

 

[PlanetAlexander]

Sounds jolly! I will be following along the progress.
I don't have much animatronic experience but I do think puppetry will probably be the better way to go. Easier to make/install, cheaper, less issues and I think it would allow for more control. It might ruin the magic but maybe have a look at Jim Henson's stuff? Tested did an interesting video at an exhibition of his work.
Good luck!