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47ness — PROP MAKING - Skull Shooter

Published: 2011-04-13 08:00:12 +0000 UTC; Views: 3424; Favourites: 57; Downloads: 110
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Description Hillo...! I thought I'd go ahead and post a step-by-step of how I turned this into the real deal. ;D

I did as much photo-documentation as I could, but rrrgh, I still missed a lot of key steps along the way. >_0

One thing I didn't show was how I packed on the sculpey gradually, in clumps. Here's another tip: RUB VASELINE ON THE BUCK first; sculpey likes to stick to that. Also, I waxed the pipes so they could be removed without warping the sculpey (pre-baking).

Here's basically what a miter looks like (though the ones I use are made mostly of cheap, expendable MDF wood so you can run 'em through the saw without worrying about sparks ^~ )

Also, I should have mentioned the "spinal column" went on a lathe for a bit to get those slight ridges, before I cut slots out of them.

Also-also, I didn't show how the "jaw" was made; THAT took a lot of time and heavy machine-work to press it down, then bend the angles and trim the excess. I ultimately needed a real pro working at the model construction shop to finagle it and, um... it didn't feel right to snap photos of him as he worked on it (as a favor no less). ¦P;;;

Fff yeah, and I never did finish the grappling line + harpoon. Guh, gotta move on to other stufff.

And I definitely wanted to stress the importance of orthographics + building a buck for the sculpey; IT'S ALL ABOUT MAINTAINING SYMMETRY. Just packing clay together and hoping you can eyeball symmetry is one of those things only one in a million people can do (and chances are you ain't that one. >¦Ð

EDIT: fixed a stupid little typo that I finally caught... |P

And of course, thanks for checking this out.
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Comments: 63

47ness In reply to ??? [2014-08-26 22:37:54 +0000 UTC]

Thanks! Hope it helps.

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mauxer In reply to 47ness [2014-08-26 23:12:00 +0000 UTC]

yes, it helps!

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FantasyStock [2011-05-16 06:16:01 +0000 UTC]

This tutorial has been featured in my journal: [link]

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roget [2011-04-24 03:14:26 +0000 UTC]

Fabulous tutorial, sirrah! I use a very similar technique to make solid props that don't weigh a ton, only I add green planter's foam to all the spaces between my buck, then sand them down with a sanding sponge. Once you're done, you just add a layer of fiberglass and paint with epoxy, and then you have an incredibly strong, super light prop that you can add fishing sinkers to if you want realistic weight for dress photos, then remove for walking around the con. ^_^

(also, you still have a typo on MDF..."density")

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47ness In reply to roget [2011-04-25 08:05:49 +0000 UTC]

Heeey, not a bad idea...! My only impressions of green planter's foam is that it crumbles almost instantaneously :refers lots of control over his media::

NEXT TIME. I can tolerate fiberglass long enough if it means taking my prop-making to a more production-grade level.

(Hahaha, awesome; now I have to reference Back to the Future...)

George: "Lorraine... my density has popped me to you."
Lorraine: "...what?"
George: "I am your density ...I mean, your destiny."

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roget In reply to 47ness [2011-07-10 21:29:17 +0000 UTC]

If you need any help at all (or a prop made with a follow-along tutorial, so you can BOTH have awesomeness AND learn how to duplicate it) just let me know. Did you see the light daggers I designed and built for my Cloak and Dagger cosplay with ~tacklethebear ?

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47ness In reply to roget [2011-07-11 15:23:34 +0000 UTC]

I'll look into it~ ♫
My cosplay-mania for this year is pretty much over, though. Gotta devote the rest of the year to producing more 2-D stuff.. ¦P

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roget In reply to 47ness [2011-07-24 07:36:31 +0000 UTC]

Well, your 2D stuff is pretty awesome, so I guess that's ok.

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47ness In reply to roget [2011-07-24 07:40:00 +0000 UTC]

plus my 2-D stuff is what pays the bills *cough* XD

Btw, sorry we didn't touch base again at AX. :< It was pretty nutty all weekend.

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wraith11 [2011-04-17 06:38:23 +0000 UTC]

You know... I didn't pick the skull thing till I got to the orthographic

Cool stuff though mate... seriously: how good is sculpey?

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47ness In reply to wraith11 [2011-04-17 06:58:21 +0000 UTC]

Yeah it's not super obvious; I tried to make it sensible as a weapon first and foremost.

Sculpey comes in many flavors. Harder sculpey usually means finer details, but the downside is getting a shape out of it. You could wind up with blisters on your hands.

But it's still one of the choice options to getting lots of organic surfaces taken care of. It's additive, vs. subtractive (like carving out of foam), so there's more leeway.

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waterpower26 [2011-04-16 18:11:01 +0000 UTC]

Awesome, you make a prop from your comic book. Nice instructional prop pictures.

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47ness In reply to waterpower26 [2011-04-16 20:21:35 +0000 UTC]

I *hope* it helps. There's a lot of crazy, hard to access tools involved...

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waterpower26 In reply to 47ness [2011-04-20 23:32:59 +0000 UTC]

Ok I understand, thanks.

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kittykittyhunter [2011-04-16 09:51:49 +0000 UTC]

xD Random Korean newspaper.

But seriously. XD It looks awesome.

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47ness In reply to kittykittyhunter [2011-04-16 10:20:47 +0000 UTC]

Chinese. ^^ I admit it's not readily easy to distinguish the two, but one thing to note is Korean has a lot fewer diagonals; most of their printed text is right angles.

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kittykittyhunter In reply to 47ness [2011-04-16 10:35:16 +0000 UTC]

*facepalm* Oh man. Fail on my part.

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47ness In reply to kittykittyhunter [2011-04-16 12:43:56 +0000 UTC]

I-it's okay...!

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kittykittyhunter In reply to 47ness [2011-04-16 18:53:32 +0000 UTC]

Aah. Thanks. I just hate those moments when I come across as ignorant. =.=;;

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Yukiko168 [2011-04-16 03:06:35 +0000 UTC]

Holy crow. Next you're going to say you make every single part of your cosplays by hand.

...and if you actually do, I don't want to know it. /fails at sewing

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47ness In reply to Yukiko168 [2011-04-16 04:40:48 +0000 UTC]

N-no, I always need assistance when it comes to sewing. Solid objects are my strong suit. IF YOU EVER NEED A NAGINATA OR ANYTHING, MAYBE I CAN HALP. 8D;

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Yukiko168 In reply to 47ness [2011-04-18 22:34:06 +0000 UTC]

Lyaik ohmigosh, rly? I've always wanted a lacross stick! OuO

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Desiree-Joy [2011-04-14 16:45:56 +0000 UTC]

That was amazing! It's a pretty awesome design, and of course I love the color scheme. Awesome work

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47ness In reply to Desiree-Joy [2011-04-14 18:44:55 +0000 UTC]

Thanks~ y'know, I found out for the first time via this project that there were mottled copper and steel colors you could get in spray paint form... ;

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Desiree-Joy In reply to 47ness [2011-04-15 14:33:39 +0000 UTC]

I'm definitely going to attempt something when it gets warmer out! You can get almost anything in aerosol form!

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47ness In reply to Desiree-Joy [2011-04-15 19:10:52 +0000 UTC]

Just remember to wear proper breathing protection...! °×°

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Desiree-Joy In reply to 47ness [2011-04-16 19:39:46 +0000 UTC]

That face suggests experience hehe, Will do!

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47ness In reply to Desiree-Joy [2011-04-16 20:20:42 +0000 UTC]

And worry for the people I know...

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natsumi456 [2011-04-14 13:22:49 +0000 UTC]

that is soooooooooooooo cooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooolllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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47ness In reply to natsumi456 [2011-04-14 18:43:49 +0000 UTC]

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Khallandra [2011-04-13 23:09:34 +0000 UTC]

Brilliant work something like this will come in handy for any budding prop gun maker. Thank you

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47ness In reply to Khallandra [2011-04-14 01:09:10 +0000 UTC]

I want to think I'm still a novice.

Anyone else with advice for me is always welcome. <3

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kakashi-no-ai [2011-04-13 22:31:19 +0000 UTC]

niiiiiice, dude! man, people are gonna get SO CREEPED OUT by that! XD

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47ness In reply to kakashi-no-ai [2011-04-14 01:08:14 +0000 UTC]

Thanks! I hope so~

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HeroicHeart [2011-04-13 22:14:23 +0000 UTC]

Awesome!
Oh man, I am jellin' all over this.

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47ness In reply to HeroicHeart [2011-04-14 01:07:45 +0000 UTC]

Mmm... peach blueberry jelly... °¬°

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Nuclearkoi [2011-04-13 22:06:51 +0000 UTC]

Does this mean you'll be dressing up as a character from your comic? Please say you're gonna go as Sally.

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47ness In reply to Nuclearkoi [2011-04-14 01:06:48 +0000 UTC]

I ALREADY HAVE A SALLY.

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Nuclearkoi In reply to 47ness [2011-04-14 03:44:21 +0000 UTC]

HOLY COW

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keight [2011-04-13 16:41:16 +0000 UTC]

Nicely done.

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47ness In reply to keight [2011-04-13 19:17:46 +0000 UTC]

Thanks~! (too bad I can't carry it wherever i go...) ;Þ

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keight In reply to 47ness [2011-04-13 21:20:48 +0000 UTC]

But you can ship it to shows.

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47ness In reply to keight [2011-04-13 21:28:57 +0000 UTC]

That part I can do. Just not the casual "oh hey, here's my portfolio" (and then some) XD

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ChristyMoss [2011-04-13 16:01:21 +0000 UTC]

it's HUGE

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47ness In reply to ChristyMoss [2011-04-13 19:16:39 +0000 UTC]

It's meant of MANRY HANDS.

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King-Robert-XII [2011-04-13 15:53:01 +0000 UTC]

I'll take this to *heavy space* where I can have a *party*.

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47ness In reply to King-Robert-XII [2011-04-13 19:19:56 +0000 UTC]

>{:°v°:}<

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Urby [2011-04-13 15:21:09 +0000 UTC]

Orz guns have the *GO! GO!*. Do you know?
*GO! GO!* can going fastest to enter bodies of the *other*.
Then it is *happy time*. 8)

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47ness In reply to Urby [2011-04-13 19:15:15 +0000 UTC]

*squishy* bodies...


In hindsight, that SMILE~ face alllmost reminds me of

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Pechan [2011-04-13 14:59:13 +0000 UTC]

you make masonry look so easy T-T looks fantastic, from the conceptual design to the finished result. i like how all th details are worked out!

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