Best Of
Re: What's On Your Workbench? (Winter 2024-2025)
I have a Ferengi update!
The fiberglass molds came out alright, though I think I would make them a couple layers thicker next time around. I do not like working with fiberglass; the little tiny particles get everywhere and itch like crazy even with all the appropriate PPE. I might try a cotton+ultracal version of the mold in the future.
The fiberglass molds came out alright, though I think I would make them a couple layers thicker next time around. I do not like working with fiberglass; the little tiny particles get everywhere and itch like crazy even with all the appropriate PPE. I might try a cotton+ultracal version of the mold in the future.
My first pour went… not great, but it was my own fault. I had one container of ecoflex Part A mixed with pigment, and another container of fully mixed parts A, B, and pigment. While pouring, I accidentally poured from the wrong container into the mold. I knew immediately that I had messed up, but decided to press on and see if it could be saved. This is what it looked like out of the mold:
There was a similar big nasty gash in the back, and there were pockets of pigmented part A inside the piece. I decided to use this opportunity to learn how to patch. I scooped out the uncured goo, mixed it with part B, put it back in, and held it together with plastic wrap. I poured silicone into the mold in thin layers to make patches with the skin texture, and then used more silicone to attach those patches. It ended up looking alright!
Then today I poured a second one, which came out near perfect. There were a couple bubbles on the top of the head, frustratingly right next to my bleed holes. But I’ve patched those, and I’m happy with it!
Re: What's On Your Workbench? (Winter 2024-2025)
I spent all day in the shed today, and got the clay wall mostly laid up for the molds. I ended up stopping there and covering everything in plastic to keep the clay wet overnight, because my shoulders started to hurt. Tomorrow I will make the front half of the fiberglass mold. This is not my first time making molds and casting objects, but it is my first time working with fiberglass. Hoping it goes smoothly! 'skekSalt' the Skeksis
This is skekSalt, my puppet/costume of my original Skeksis character. I love the Dark Crystal and have wanted to try my hand at a Skeksis for a while. I also love pirates, so when it came time to design my Skeksis I chose to style him on the most decedent pirate of all: Captain Hook (specifically Jason Isaacs Hook from 2003).
He is obviously inspired by the Dark Crystal but he is my own character and design. I sculpted his head and hand in clay, moulded them and cast them in latex. I built the mechanisms, the costume frame, and fabricated the costume. The eyes, teeth, hair punching, painting and all finishing was me too. So I'm too blame for his shortcomings haha.
I hope you all like him. I'm yet to decide on a title for him but he loves treasure, stalking the Sifan Coast, and sailing the Silver Sea as a pirate captain. Maybe some of you in this forum can help me come up with a title for him?
There are 9 photos below.
He is obviously inspired by the Dark Crystal but he is my own character and design. I sculpted his head and hand in clay, moulded them and cast them in latex. I built the mechanisms, the costume frame, and fabricated the costume. The eyes, teeth, hair punching, painting and all finishing was me too. So I'm too blame for his shortcomings haha.
I hope you all like him. I'm yet to decide on a title for him but he loves treasure, stalking the Sifan Coast, and sailing the Silver Sea as a pirate captain. Maybe some of you in this forum can help me come up with a title for him?
There are 9 photos below.
Full size Horse Puppet-Bunraku style
I created this full size horse puppet for my local children's theater group's production of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The horse was modeled after the horse puppets created for the stage adaptation of War Horse. It is constructed of PVC pipe and plywood and has fully articulated joints as well as moving ears and cable controlled tail. Movement required coordinated efforts of 3 puppeteers controlling the head, front and hind legs, respectively. The puppet could accommodate a rider as well. To say the least this was very physically demanding on the puppeteers. Thanks again for looking!
Springtrap Fnaf
This is my Springtrap cosplay i spent this year working on!
The head base and jaw is 3d printed so i could have the most accurate shape of his head since it was so specific. The eye lids have a mechanism i designed so i can "blink" when i open the jaw or as in the first picture stare wide open. I designed the eyes so there is a hole where the iris should be, this way i was able to sculpt the inside eye color and pour resin over it so it has depth. I then proceeded to drill a hole from the back of the eye to install a small LED light so they give light!
The body, arms, hand palms, waist, legs and feet are allmade out of 5mm EVA foam, i tried to design it closely to the original design.
The fingers are also 3d printed, i designed those so i coould put my fingers in the seperate pieces and then added a spring powered extension to each finger so i could still curl up my fingers and they wouldnt look so stiff.
The entire suit is coated with a greenish furr which i dirtied up with dry brushing black acrilyc over it and then i tried to simulate water damage with brown oil paint over the edges. The inside of the suit is painted metalic so it really looked like a metal prison.
The head base and jaw is 3d printed so i could have the most accurate shape of his head since it was so specific. The eye lids have a mechanism i designed so i can "blink" when i open the jaw or as in the first picture stare wide open. I designed the eyes so there is a hole where the iris should be, this way i was able to sculpt the inside eye color and pour resin over it so it has depth. I then proceeded to drill a hole from the back of the eye to install a small LED light so they give light!
The body, arms, hand palms, waist, legs and feet are allmade out of 5mm EVA foam, i tried to design it closely to the original design.
The fingers are also 3d printed, i designed those so i coould put my fingers in the seperate pieces and then added a spring powered extension to each finger so i could still curl up my fingers and they wouldnt look so stiff.
The entire suit is coated with a greenish furr which i dirtied up with dry brushing black acrilyc over it and then i tried to simulate water damage with brown oil paint over the edges. The inside of the suit is painted metalic so it really looked like a metal prison.
Re: What's On Your Workbench? (Winter 2024-2025)
A fun shrunken head project the above clay is Chavant medium.
i made a matrix mold with a rigid silicone and cast the final with Platinum silicone, I ended up tinting the silicone with smooth on pigments and flocking, and airbrushed it with smooth on paints. Am not completely finished will do a little more finishing to the paintwork and add hair. Will glue on hair but leave some spacing around the glued on hair for hair punching. Has been fun watching the videos. In the 80s I made monster masks in my bedroom, was good times. Just getting back into it.
An American Werewolf In London
I'd like to share and enter my sculpture of the fully changed wolf from American Werewolf. It's a big one third scale, approx 68cm long. Primarily sculpted in monster clay, with polymer clay and epoxy clay parts. It's to be produced as a resin kit.
Original design by the legendary Rick baker, Rick gave me a compliment over on instagram on this!!
Thanks for looking.
Original design by the legendary Rick baker, Rick gave me a compliment over on instagram on this!!
Thanks for looking.
Re: What's On Your Workbench? (Winter 2024-2025)
I just wrapped up molding and casting my Biomechanical. I ran with a glove mold for the main body, a two part mold for the main head, and two box mold's for the tail and smaller heads. It was a lot of work. Made some mistakes along the way, but learned a ton. And best of all, the molds worked and I am able to reproduce my Biomechanical!
The main body is a huge amount of resin, so this weekend I am testing out a hollow cast with a foam fill. All of this is brand new to me, so it's been an adventure. Used Smooth-Cast 305, Mold-Star 30, and Free-Form Air for the shell. Cracked my shell at one point, but was able to glue back so no problem. A speed vid (if it actually embeds) and some pics:
https://youtu.be/awsf7g-eOC8?si=rS1TnEQttVb_rGkv
The main body is a huge amount of resin, so this weekend I am testing out a hollow cast with a foam fill. All of this is brand new to me, so it's been an adventure. Used Smooth-Cast 305, Mold-Star 30, and Free-Form Air for the shell. Cracked my shell at one point, but was able to glue back so no problem. A speed vid (if it actually embeds) and some pics:
https://youtu.be/awsf7g-eOC8?si=rS1TnEQttVb_rGkv
Mummified Frozen Skull/Frost Bitten Hand - Props
I recently made this mummified frozen skull prop and repurposed a prop hand I made a while back. The skull was a basic latex/cotton ball method mixed with a little bit of foam clay in the eye sockets, nose cartilage, ears and partial lip. I had made a severed hand prop a while back that I repainted to look frost bitten and added it in with the skull. I airbrushed everything with Tim Gore's Bloodline paints, except for the black decaying frost bite, that was just black acrylic paint mixed with liquid latex. I also made the eyeball, but now sort of regretting putting it in, it's much more vibrant than I wanted but its glued in so it's staying 
