Mattress Foam Lion Mane

Justin SwainJustin Swain ✭
in Fabrication
I'm currently watching through Bill and Ted's Courses for foam fabbing kaiju suits, and have been learning lots about the foam fabrication process. Most of the work I do foam wise has always been with L200/ EVA. I'm not as experienced with mattress foam, but this course is helping me see a lot of the benefits it has that L200 does not. Thanks SWSCA team for all you do!

Currently I'm reworking our large Aslan Puppet, specifically the mane. I'd like to explore the potential of having mattress foam be the final form of the mane, and I was wondering if there were any references out there of mattress foam being used for hair that could help get me going in the right direction. I have some different ideas already, which I'll include, to show what I'm thinking.

Here's Aslan Currently:
This is the closest thing I've found to what's in my head.

Any extra references or ideas along this vein would be greatly appreciated!
And hopefully, in the next week I'll have a finished product to show. Thanks all!

Comments

  • Justin SwainJustin Swain ✭
    Here's some progress updates:
    Concept art
    "Let Him be shaved!"
    Lots of foam
    And some late night assistance from the next generation :smile: 
  • Chris EllerbyChris Ellerby Admin
    Most of the foam hair work I've seen has been in the cosplay world, but the reference and concept you have both look great.  You should get a lot of cool movement out of it.  I imagine you could also control how much individual strands move based on what coatings you put on them, or by inserting aluminum or steel wire to make them more rigid or hold their form where needed. 

    I look forward to seeing the finished result!

    /Chris
  • Justin SwainJustin Swain ✭
    Thanks Chris!
    Had quite the busy day today and forgot to take many pictures.
    Heres the only one I got of rough attaching the hair.
  • James ShaverJames Shaver ✭✭
    OUTSTANDING!!!
  • Chris EllerbyChris Ellerby Admin
    Looking great, and man I bet that's going to move awesome!

    /Chris
  • Justin SwainJustin Swain ✭
    Thanks guys! He's almost done. Opening night is tonight. Got paint on yesterday and after seeing him on stage for rehearsal, the call was made to give him a little trim. You can see a quick glimpse of him (untrimmed) in the beginning of this video:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4ZDAMzWAy8

    In the background of these pictures you can see the little wild lion "Scrappy"  sporting the same mattress foam mane concept, just more... wild. Your right Chris. Our director loves the movement! We tried to go as light as we could in the paint, to keep that sympathetic movement. I found that foam already the right base color was a huge help on that side of things.



    I don't have video of Aslan that I'm allowed to share but here's the little guys head movement:

    https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOYMFYawjRR4BBibYEncnOLox04l5Dnn1a3S3OKFr0CTwYhzBHwZ8zug8HMDCo87Q?key=ZlBPVEJJbnMzSVdaN3JXNXliV0ZxZTlfZ0FnYWFR

    All that's left now is to finish his haircut, do a little bit of styling, and then perform.
    I'll post some productions shots once they are released, either tonight or tomorrow.

    There are a lot of other characters in the show that I'd like to post about now that things are slowing down a bit (still have that warehouse/workshop move starting Monday  :# )
  • Chris EllerbyChris Ellerby Admin
    He looks great, as does the whole production.   Awesome work!

    /Chris
  • Justin SwainJustin Swain ✭
    Here are couple of shots from last night:

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