Portal Life Size Camera

[Zealrage]

Hello friends! This is my first post, but I am hoping to make it worth your time!
Now, A short while back I made a Portal Camera papercraft. You know, the little one you can hang on your wall? Yeah, well, after looking through the forum for the past few days I have not been able to find what I want to do. Make it full size! I want to make it look as real as possible, but I want to start with just a paper form and then move on to the harder stuff. But I am going to need a tad bit of help since I am used to the tiny little crafts made of paper, not large scale projects. But with the summer here I can accomplish much more!

So, here are the things I am asking;
1.) I'd like some help figuring out the dimensions
2.) The type of paper I should use
3.) If I should continue to use scissors or start using a hobby knife
4.) Making it look real!
5.) Help with painting, gluing, resin, etc. (tutorials maybe)
6.) All around ideas and help

Here are some links and pictures! Thanks in advance!
Portal Camera Papercraft by ~trebory6 on deviantART

Thanks again if you're willing to help!

 

[lucaswellsacus]

I can't really help with most of the stuff but hobby knives have always worked better for me than scissors.

 

[modeljag]

Hopefully in the three months since he posted this he hasn't given up...

 

[Yamin0]

These may give you a good start:

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The Portal Exhibit | Surveillance Camera

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And if you go for the paper craft, I'd honestly try using cardstock and then paint very thick coats of resin which you can then sand down smooth. This would not give you the most realistic approach though...
http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs31/f/2008/198/5/a/Portal_Security_camera_Papercr_by_trebory6.jpg

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If you wanted to go the more realistic approach, you should try to find an old lens from an SLR camera, typically you can find one at a camera store, ask if they have broken lenses no one wants, you may be able to get a good deal ($30 or so). Then there are two ways you can go about this.
The first would be building up the body around the broken lens with crumpled paper or cloth, only build it up half the size (the resin and bondo will add the rest of the size) you really want the final piece to be. Then coat it in resin until it is completely hardened and covered, it may take a few coats. After that wrap it in fiber cloth and then resin that, it will give it tinsel strength. You will then want to bondo everything to make it smooth, just a couple of coats, VERY THIN COATS (let it dry for a half hour between coats and sand it down to the shape and size you want)!!! Then paint and you're done! =]
The second way you can do it is use expanding foam (the kind people use to fill cracks in walls and such), build it up around the lens (being careful not to cover the actual glass part of the lens itself), then shave it down with a razor knife to the shape you want, then sand VERY CAREFULLY so you don't break your hardened foam. And then paint! =]

 

[vtswordfish]

Too cool! I am going to post these up on the hallway here in the dorm

 

[TechDante]

very nice indeen.

i would use a hobby knife and as for a tutorial on resenin, i would check out indy moguls tutorial on halo armour (they used pep files and coated it in resin)

 

[Yamin0]

I'd love to see these completed!!!