Re: "Real" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle - Updated 08-09-2011
Alright... I've started detailing him! Very slow going, but I think he's going to come out really well. I also committed financially to a few other courses of action:
I ordered my ultracal yesterday. I had considered going to a local shop that specializes in mold-and-mask-making and soliciting their advice and potentially professional help with the execution. It's been a long time since I've made a plaster mold; I did it only a few times in college. Ultra Cal 30 is a whole 'nother beast, anyhow - and I've never pulled a latex mask. Still, I've read and re-read a couple of great tutorials, watched some videos, and I think I can pull this off.
I also ordered a good full-size mannequin, on which I can finish the rest of the suit. As described earlier, the shell (front, back, and sides) is being carved from foam rubber and worn almost like suspenders with straps that will go underneath the bodysuit.
The bodysuit is another thing I've never tried before, but I think I have a good plan for it. I'll put a compression shirt and a pair of compression pants on the mannequin, and then I'll roughly carve out some muscle pieces from foam rubber, without a lot of definition. I'll spray some adhesive on the back of these pieces, and mount them to the shirt and pants on the mannequin. Next, I'll pull another set of compression gear on over those foam rubber pieces, sandwiching them between the two layers of clothing. At this point it will look a bit bulkier, but it will lack definition. To create a sharper look, I'll be sewing through all three layers, shaping the foam rubber pieces by sewing into it at low points and creating natural bulges next to the stitches. Once it's all looking good, it will be skinned with latex and painted. The way I'm executing the final look, only the chest/shoulders, upper arms, and thighs will need the full skinned and painted treatment. The forearms and lower legs/feet are going to be wrapped in tattered cloth (they'll still need the shaping, just not the skin/paint), and of course the middle of the torso is covered by shell.
Sorry I haven't snapped pics in a while. I'll get some after my next detailing session, if there's time!
- Douglas