The 2003 machines will move props from a face-down, floor level position
to a forward facing, upright position. In addition to this requirement,
I also hope to "hide" the props while in the lower position.
In order to hide the prop, it needs to be shallow.
In order to move the prop safely and efficiently, it also needs
to be durable and lightweight.
After a long Internet search for a prop body to meet my requirements,
I came to the conclusion that I'd be better off making my own.
After realizing I'll need more than one of these shallow prop bodies,
I came to a second conclusion; that the sculpting, molding, and casting
procedures would be the best solution.
--- The sculpture ---
The sculpture will be done in clay.I use oil based clay because I don't know what I'm doing, so I'm
dreadfully slow. Oil based clay won't dry out over time.
A life size torso would require a lot of clay.
This would be heavy and expensive, so it's best to start
with a sculpting armature.
Since I couldn't find an upper body armature that was rigid
(and only the front half) I stacked layers of 3/4"
Styrofoam and secured them with finishing nails.
I wrapped the foam armature in plastic and started applying the clay.
The back of this torso will be flat.
It will look realistic from the front, and once "dressed" should provide the illusion that
a full body is staring visitors in the face... hopefully ...
To make this flat back, the sculpture will rest on a 3-foot by 4-foot sheet of
Plexiglas. This smooth prop back material will be supported
by a 3 X 4 foot sheet of 3/4" plywood.
This plywood will become the back half of the mold a little later on.
Following these steps will help make a tight seam between the
mold halves, which is important during casting/filling, as leaks
are messy, costly, and occasionally destructive.
No, it's not a cyborg version of C3-PO, it's the first stage ofsculpting this prop torso.
I warm slabs of clay in the microwave. This softens the clay
and makes it easier to handle in large amounts.
I highly recommend warming the clay using the DEFROST cycle,
and be extremely cautious when removing it from the oven.
Melted clay (when cooked by my own stupidity) has almost
napalm-like characteristics. It sticks to your finger and continues
scalding. (Good thing the microwave is right next to the freezer.)
In short, be careful, and add a layer of clay to the armature.
Work it around with your hands while it's still soft.
The next step is to gather reference material.No matter how clear the image is in your mind, it's always a good
idea to have photos to use as reference.
Anatomical charts provide muscle, bone, tendon proportions.
Mask catalogs show different facial expressions, skin textures, etc.
Gather some sculpting tools.
Either purchase them from a supplier, or make your own.
Look at the sculpture often during your sessions.
It's easy to concentrate on one eye, only to discover
it doesn't blend with the rest of the piece.
I'm making sure this sculpture is totally free of undercuts.
What I lack in accuracy, I'll gain in ease-of demolding.
After I was satisfied with the proportions and overall "look"of the sculpture, I smoothed it down with a scouring pad and the necessary
solvent for my clay. This removed unwanted tool marks and helped blend
the forms better.
Then I cut the scaly skin textures in. I added a few veins and wrinkles.
Finally I detailed the eyes, ears, and mouth.
The final step was smoothing the finished sculpture with a soft sponge
and solvent.
Spray on a few coats of clear sealer and let it dry overnight.
This will protect the sculpture and act as a release agent later.
--- Some thoughts on sculpting ---
First, I'm not a sculptor.
This piece is not anatomically correct.
Features are exaggerated and textures are far from realistic.
This is not an attempt to have Vile Things added to the
Clay Sculptor's Hall Of Fame.
It's just a haunt prop.
I used between 25 and 30 pounds of Monster Makers oil based clay for this sculpture.
Some folks don't really like the texture of this clay, the most common complaints are
in reference to the material's hardness and degree of stickiness.
I'll have to agree with both. It is quite hard, but a little heat makes it softer.
When it cools, it hardens again, making it ideal for sculpting eyes, teeth, etc., as they retain their shape better.
It might be sticky - I have no idea, since this is the only clay I've ever used (unless "Play-Doh" counts.)
One benefit to Monster Makers Clay - It is sulfur free. This is a nice feature for me since I have to sculpt
for a long time, probably due to lack of experience. Many hours of smelling sulfur might be discouraging.
(or nauseating.)
How do you do it?
There's an old story about a wood carver who offers the suggestion,
"You just take away everything that doesn't look like a ...(your project here)..."
Once I learned the limitations of the tools and clay, it was easier to judge
how much to push or pull. How much clay to add, how much to remove.
Take your time, step back occasionally and look at your work, and have fun.
Undercuts are evil ... pure evil.
These occur when the sculpture is shaped so that the plaster locks around the clay.
For example, you sculpt a sphere, and plaster MOST of the way around... it's impossible
to separate the plaster from the clay without destroying at least part of the sculpture.
This can cause molds to break ... this is not good.
I took the easy way out and made sure there were no undercuts in this sculpture.
Meaning, the bottom is always bigger than the top, and the sides all slope slightly outward
from top to bottom. The plaster can't lock around the clay. This is a good thing.
--- Molding ---
The first coat of Plaster will capture all of the details in your sculpture.
It should be gently brushed on while your plaster is in it's liquid state.
Once it begins to set, it won't easily flow into all of the wrinkles
and skin textures, plus you run a greater risk of trapping air pockets
between the clay and the plaster.
These air pockets will need patching later on, so
it's best to avoid them from the beginning, if at all possible.
The wide area around the sculpture is required for future plaster
mold thickness and to build a flange (needed to attach front and
back halves during the casting process.)
After the detail coat we applied two
separate layers of plaster soaked burlap strips.
Each layer runs in opposing directions to guarantee complete
coverage. These layers give the mold more strength and
help to speed the mold bulk-building process.
During this stage, it's easy to trap air between layers.
Take extra care to ensure good contact between all layers.
After the second layer of burlap strips are applied,
this mold was roughly 1/2" to 3/4" thick. That's a good start.
This is the finished mold.
Everything is at least 1" thick - everywhere.
The neck and arm areas received extra layers of burlap
to provide extra strength.
The throat/chin area will probably be the worst during demolding,
and we don't want to take any chances after all this work.
After 50 pounds of plaster and several hours of mix, wash, repeat,
it's time for a well deserved break. There's also a big mess to clean.
The plaster will semi-cure, and we'll pull the mold from the clay sculpture.
(keep your finger crossed.)
Here's what I wish I had done...
... built a clay wall to retain the plaster ...
Instead I had to manually shape the edges before the plaster set.
Live and learn, I guess.
Day two ...
The plaster set up over night. It's still damp,
but it's strong enough to move without the
danger of breaking things.
The Styrofoam armature, clay, and plaster
mold lifted off the Plexiglas very easily.
Carefully brush away any loose plaster chips and
vacuum the remaining particles.
(hard plaster in your reusable clay is annoying.)
The Styrofoam armature is removed from the back side of the sculpture.
It was destroyed in this process, but it gave it's life for a good cause.
Any bits of Styrofoam and plaster were vacuumed from the clay.
Since the sculpture was sealed with Crystal Clear prior to molding,
the clay pulled easily from the plaster.
Here's an inside view of the mold
from behind. The clay was removed and any
imperfections in the mold were patched.
( I wish I could say it was perfect, but I'd be lying if I did.)
The damp mold was placed back on the sheet of plywood.
and strapped down. (not so tight that it puts unnatural
stress on the mold) This will help eliminate any chances of
the mold warping during the curing process.
After a few days the mold will be dry
and we'll be ready to start casting
Ambush buddies ... it's gonna' be great.
The photo at right shows the mold
prior to the curing process.
After tracing the outline of the plaster mold onto the plywood
back, The shape was cut using a jig saw.
Three holes were drilled through the plywood.
These will provide ventilation while the plaster cures.
During the casting stage, these will become access holes
through which urethane foam will be poured.
--- Thoughts on Molding ---
There are many different types of molds; fiberglass,
silicone, plaster, and sand to name a few.
Hard mold for a soft cast - Soft mold for a hard cast.
The latex (prop) is soft, and a plaster mold is perfect for casting latex.
The plaster draws moisture from the liquid latex, forming a thick skin.
Thicker molds will be stronger.
Add more layers of burlap soaked in wet plaster.
Mix smaller batches of plaster ( Hydrocal, UltraCal30, etc.)
until you're familiar with the length of work time.
Warmer water makes the product begin to set faster.
Lay plastic or cardboard down before starting the molding process.
It WILL get messy.
Recruit some help. Tell them how much fun it will be.
During the project, tell them how much you love them (then ask him/her to rinse the bucket for you.)
After finishing the mold making process, take him/her out to lunch, but first advise them of the
plaster on his/her elbow.
Allow plenty of time for this project.
It involves a lot of mixing and washing.
--- Casting ---
After the mold is fully dry, it's time to use it.
This plaster mold will produce latex castings that will be rubber-like copies of
the original clay sculpture. We're going to fill these latex castings with flexible
urethane foam so they'll hold their shape (and the necessary mounting hardware.)
The inside of the mold is lightly dusted with
talcum powder. This will help when the cast is ready for removal,
and will help reduce damage to the
plaster mold.
The flat flange surface is treated with wax.
Apply several layers of paste wax and buff them out.
The cast won't adhere to this area - this is
especially important for the foaming process.
Urethane foam products stick wickedly to plaster.
The wax will prevent this from happening.
Carefully brush in a layer of liquid latex.
Carefully meaning - avoid as many air bubbles as possible.
Once the first layer dries, repeat the process.
I applied three coats of liquid latex to ensure
complete coverage. The layers don't build up very quickly,
but in this case, the latex will only be a skin for the
foam core (to be poured later)
After applying the final layer of liquid latex,
I pressed strips of fabric into the (still wet)
latex. The latex adheres very well to fabric.
Urethane foam also adheres very well to fabric.
So, why bother?
Urethane foams don't adhere to latex very well.
Yes, there is a bond, but it's not a permanent bond.
The fabric acts as a middle man, to which both compounds will adhere.
The latex curing time was used to prepare the plywood mold back.
First it was sanded smooth. Any imperfections were filled and the access holes were
cleaned up. Finally, MANY coats of paste wax were applied to the wood.
Wax the areas inside and around the access holes (both sides.)
This will make demolding possible after the foam is poured.
Without applying layers of wax, the foam would stick to the wood and
would require cutting or tearing for separation.
It's also a good time to make plugs or covers for the access holes.
Be sure to treat them with a release agent as well.
This is also a good time to prepare any armature you'll
want inside the foam core.
I'll use a steel armature consisting of 3/16" X 1" bars for the main support.
This will be used to connect the torso prop to the machines.
The arms and neck will house twisted wire armatures.
I used #9 fence wire and welded everything in place.
Slightly over sized holes were drilled through the plywood,
near the elbows. The twisted armature wire will exit through
these holes. These will be used to connect the hand casts to the torso.
The armature is held in place with small pieces of clay.
This plugs the exit holes, and provides a space between the armature
and the plywood. The foam will wrap around the entire armature,
which should make things stronger.
I used 2" spring clamps to secure the plywood mold back
to the plaster mold. I could have incorporated bolts and wing nuts into the
mold, but that seemed like more trouble than anything.
The clamps are fast, reusable, and relatively inexpensive.
Besides that, one can never have too many clamps.
The mold is positioned at an angle.
In this case, the first batch of foam will be poured
in the hole to fill the left arm.
Using urethane foam systems is intimidating at first.
The initial expense makes it even more difficult. You only get one shot at pouring a good batch,
and you have a very specific (and limited) amount of time to work in.
This process should be done outside.
I work at the entry door to the workshop. I stand outside, and the mold is right in front of me.
I pour the batch of foam, and walk away, since the expanding foam is toxic.
Without going into great detail, know that it's not good for your lungs.
Mix a test batch first. - you'll know a little more about the product you'll be using.
Learn the proportions. Learn the mixing time. Learn the work time.
Think everything through before combining the parts.
20 seconds is not a lot of "work time" - especially if you're not fully prepared.
Be sure all materials and tools are present. You won't have time to find them.
As the foam begins to expand and fill the cavity,
it will work its way to the access holes.
This is the time to plug the holes.
I made covers for the access holes out of
scrap plywood. The bottom screw is inserted
before any pouring begins.
The cover is simply spun into place
and the second screw is threaded in.
Even though some foam will work its way through
this arrangement, The wax will prevent the foam
from making a mess of things.
Position the mold so that the areas farther away from the access holes will receive foam first.
I filled the prop in a counter clockwise direction - starting at the left arm.
The foam sets within a few minutes, and can be demolded in 20 or 30 minutes.
Here's the foam filled latex pull from our mold.
It's not an easy task removing the filled prop from the mold.
Even though the foam is flexible, the steel armature
does inhibit removal somewhat.
Work slowly, and free small areas at a time.
This is the reward for all of your hard work so far!
--- Ambush Hands ---
This project needs hands (and the rest of the arms.)
Same procedure, with the exception of the plywood mold back.
Since the sculpture sits on a clear sheet of Plexiglas, it is
relatively easy to sculpt the second half on the other side of the Plexiglas.
The pink foam beneath the Plexiglas temporarily
supports the sculptures.
The worst part of this sculpting project
had to be flipping from front to back,
making sure the edges meet properly.
However, after my first attempt at
molding a pair of hands (which failed miserably)
I found that it's easier to sculpt around the seam
than to add a dividing wall after sculpting.
No armature this time - just slabs of clay.
I exaggerated the wrinkles, veins, and skin
textures on the hands.
I also made the fingers and thumbs roughly
1/2" longer than proportional. This
"gaunt" look will hopefully add to the effect of the prop.
The photo at left shows a sculpture just before molding.
The wood frame around the Plexiglas serves multiple purposes.
First, it provides a solid outer wall.
This will make the plaster-pouring process
much neater, and it will also serve as a thickness gauge.
Square edges are less likely to flake off.
This will also make the glass more rigid and
help maintain an even "flat" plane.
Finally, using the groove cut in each board,
I'm able to produce mold walls that match perfectly.
The glass panel floats in this groove on all sides.
Why is this important, you ask?
Well, when you assemble the halves for your latex pour,
They must align properly, or you casting will be flawed.
It's hard enough to make a nice seam - improper mold halve
alignment might make it impossible to clean up.
The even edges of these mold halves will serve the same
purpose as building keys into the dividing wall,
which wasn't an option this time (Plexiglas, remember?)
The palm half pulled first (photo, above left).
The clear sealer and lack of undercuts worked beautifully this time.
In fact, with the exception of a few minor scars, both sculptures left their molds
in fine condition ... almost reusable condition!
--- Casting the hands ---
This is a two-piece mold. The two halves
are clamped together, then liquid
latex will be poured into the mold.
The liquid is allowed to "dwell" in the mold
for a while. During this time, the plaster draws
moisture from the liquid latex.
Notice the container below the mold -
in the event the mold leaks, this container
would catch the spill before a huge mess
is born.
The 2" spring clamps do a good job keeping
the halves together. The mold will be strapped to
something sturdy to keep it standing.
After the dwell period,
the liquid latex is poured back into a container.
The material closest to the plaster
will remain in the mold.
After the latex stops dripping from the
mold, it's time to let the casting cure.
The pour/dwell process can be repeated
until the casting achieves the desired thickness.
In my case, a 45 minute dwell produced a
casting roughly 1/8" thick, which is sufficient.
Here's a photo of the first pulls from these molds.
The seam line did leak a little bit, but this flash
is easily trimmed with small scissors.
The remaining flash is removed with
a dremel tool.
The prop parts will be foam filled and will also contain a
steel armature to permit positioning of the fingers.
The metal will extend beyond the elbows and will be attached
to the armature within the torso casting.
The skin of both arm segments will be "glued" together with more liquid latex.
These pulls are intentionally left unfilled.
A one piece copy mold can be made from these pulls after carefully stuffing them.
After the plaster cures, the stuffing material is removed and the latex is pulled from the new mold.
The advantage of a one piece copy mold?
No seam line!
--- Finishing Up -- -
-
These parts need paint. I decided to finish all of the casting work beforeany painting began. Both are messy jobs that require ample room.
With similar parts lined up, the painting process resembles a very
slow assembly line. The advantage to this plan is even coloring between
all body parts. This will save time mixing and matching paint hues.
The main disadvantage is the length of time required to properly
paint four prop torsos and eight forearms.
It's good airbrushing practice.
Setting up shop includes: Gathering necessary painting equipment and materials.
Planning a color scheme.
Preparing the work area.
Providing adequate ventilation.
This photo (right) shows the first two steps of the
Ambush paint job. First a medium-light base coat of
gray is applied, followed by a loose mottling of
a medium yellow. This mottling begins the texturing process.
After spraying a tighter orange mottle, veins, bruises, and other skin imperfections are added.
This technique is best achieved using a translucent color and applying it
gradually - in thin layers. I used a layer of bright purple mixed with neon
purple. Then a layer of crimson was added.
A very loose mottle of each color was used in a random pattern.
Small veins of each color were lightly sprayed around the forehead,
eyes, ears, and throat.
Sorry about the color of this photo - it was late ... fluorescent lights ...
After the base colors are applied and sub-surface featuresare added, a very translucent white is misted over the
entire piece. This is where the depth of the paint job starts to
show. The white begins blending the harsh edges and eases
the contrast between colors.
Shade areas - the eyes, nose, and mouth are layered. Alternating
between colored layers and translucent blending layers adds a lot
of depth and smoothness to the paint job.
A layer of translucent ultramarine (blue)
does a nice job of blending the reds and purples without
masking them completely.
The next step involved a semi-translucent black paint.
Deep wrinkles, nostrils, and the areas around the eyes
were slowly layered with this thin black color.
This step really makes the piece come to life.
The eyes and teeth were cut in with a #1 paint brush
and the eyes were glazed with a translucent yellow.
The eyes were then coated with 5-minute epoxy.
this gives them a deep glossy wet look.
The final step was finishing with a light mist of clear acrylic.
This adds a soft sheen to everything. A thin coat will be
more durable than a heavy coat.
Almost finished.
The forearms are attached to the prop's arm segments.
Depending on the final position of the arms, it was necessary to
remove portions of foam from each forearm. after freeing both parts'
armatures, they were lashed together with 18 ga. steel wire.
Contact cement was then used to close any incisions and permanently
bond the arm segments together.
The latex skin of the forearm was attached to the latex skin of the prop.
Careful trimming minimized the visibility of this seam, but didn't hide it
completely. Using additional liquid latex as an adhesive will provide a
good flexible bond while strengthening the joint.
Here's the standard-issue prop torso,
... looking angry and naked.
Given that the prop is only a torso, We were pretty
much limited to the tried-and-true robe technique.
Instead of proceeding down the tradition "black robe" path,
It seemed like a good idea to get creative using layers of different
colors and textures.
The photo at left shows the first step in the dressing process.
The "robe" is a piece of burlap, three feet wide by six feet long.
It was colored red using standard RIT fabric dye (wine)
No cuts or alterations were made. It's simply bunched at the
shoulders so it will drape below the throat area.
The belt is made by braiding strands of 1/4 inch poly rope.
Both the robe and the belt are "false" pieces in that
neither of them actually wrap around the back side
of the prop. The pieces are attached to the prop
using liquid latex.
In the photo at right,
a few small embellishments have been added
to soften some of the color and to mask
some of the imperfections.
Sheer black material (mosquito netting)
was added to represent the bottom layer of clothing.
Narrow strips of the same material were used
to cover the seams between the arm segments
Sheer white material (cheesecloth)
was added between the arms and the body.
While this won't represent an actual layer of clothing,
it will help define the outline of a human-like figure
in a dark atmosphere.
Here (photo, left) you see the prop nearing completion. A sash made of uncolored burlap has been draped over a shoulder.
The individual components of this costume have been distressed.
Burlap lends itself nicely to aging techniques. Two small, parallel
cuts produce a nice hole and permit a good amount of fraying
in each direction.
Scrim and cheesecloth materials both tear very easily.
A few carefully placed cuts provide a good starting point.
Pulling and stretching these materials will create realistic
looking signs of wear.
Finishing touches will include further aging techniques
applied to the fabric(s) with an airbrush.
The ambush props will also receive a black hooded cape or
cloak to cover the entire back side. The bold contrasting colors
look very unnatural in daylight, but will blend better in lower
light levels typical in haunt environments.
--- Final thoughts on the Ambush Prop Torso project ---
... whoa ...
I had absolutely no idea how involved this project would become.
I devoted many hours of my life to the creation of these props, and
I truly enjoyed almost every minute of it. I wish I could boast of my
complete success in every phase of this project. Instead I'll mention
the fact that I really learned a lot. I learned as much about what
NOT to do as I learned what should be done next time.
Would I change anything?
Yes I would. Anticipation got the best of me from day one.
I should have spent more time on the sculpture.
I should have molded the pieces in the traditional manner.
I should have researched airbrush techniques a little better.
Will I do it again? Most likely.
Will I ever again question the cost of a professionally produced latex prop?
Not a chance !!! As a matter of fact, I'm now AMAZED that some masks are
sold for less than twenty dollars. As mentioned earlier in this rant, I have
nothing but respect for the folks that do this for a living.
Thanks for reading along.
--- Suppliers, partial list ---
Monster Makers ..... Everything you would need to complete a project like this. Clays, latex, foams, paints,
FX Warehouse Catalog ............ Another source that sells everything you would need for a project like this.
Burman Industries ................... Special Effects making products. Foams, clays, plasters, make up supplies.
Smooth-On .......................................................................................................... Urethane foam products.
Dick Blick Artist Supplies ................... Huge selection of art supplies, including clays, sculpting tools, paints.
Special Effects Supply Corporation ......................................................................... Just like the name says.
Death Studios ................................................. Supplies page - Latex, hair. They also make and sell masks.