I AM GLAM 70S ROCKER
I AM GLAM 70S ROCKER
PVC and feathers!
So I need a pair of coveralls desperately. I finally tossed the pair that were basically held together with old resin.
Head cast update
Head cast update
I am very slow at this, yay for the fatigue and the pain hitting at different times, anyway:
Casts trimmed and prepped for putting together:
Cunning use of a foam wig head to make the side match up:
Single layer of thick matting around the seam- yep it’s pretty open.
The neck does meet and that was where I made sure to get the two parts together.
So this is basically me with my hair being a bit of a pain and filling out the sides. My separate ear pieces are still in plaster.
The ears should be able to be tackled tomorrow. The plaster is breaking down nicely.
Still disconcerting seeing my stressed out smile. Sheesh. It’s actually in part due to my vampire fangs and in part due to jaw tension. If anyone ever sees me making faces while at a photoshoot, this is what I am trying to avoid.
Also it’s a bit genetic. My brother has the same turned up corners. I think we both get people assuming we are smirking.
No but seriously I thought I’d have a frown and pursed lips based on this thing, not looking like some renaissance painting of a saint.
Maleficent screen caps “Evil Fairy”
Maleficent screen caps “Evil Fairy”
Sigh, the gown is closed up the front, but the stress folds do look like there is a facing on each side of the seam.
Nice view of the very molded and defined shape at the back of the headpiece. Very twilek in shape of the back of the head, curves up to an adze shape at the crown almost.
There is a very defined flare as a separate piece in CB. Also, I adore Aurora’s Ophelia gown. So I left her in this grab. I’m sad few people are wanting to do this costume as it is so beautiful. I’m not 15 so… Mal is more me 🙂
Synacthen test, dolls, and now to sleep. Maybe.
Synacthen test, dolls, and now to sleep. Maybe.
So Synacthen is an alternative to corticosteroids but that is not what I had the test for. The test is to make sure my own body is producing cortisol after more than a decade on steroids. There are no genuine long terms studies that I know of. Long term studies usually only cover months of use not years (osteopaenia shot out!) But I haven’t really delved PubMed for a while so some studies in the last few years may have popped up.
So the synacthen was painful. The nurse said right from the start it would feel like a punch in the arm. Yes. Yes it did. A punch with a thumbtack hidden in it. But it wore off so really was like a prolonged B12 injection.
It’ll take 5 days for the results as a pathologist has to look at it. I’m hoping it’s clear because this long term use has been preying on my mind for five years at least. So that was after 8 years of use… that may put in to perspective how long term this has been!
But then I got to catch a bus to Newmarket so I could get some fabric geek on. Centrepoint has moved their fabrics around and there is some glorious stuff there. Glorious. I wanted to hug everything. And at a reasonable price! They had $5/m fabrics! They have their $200/m stuff as well but wow! Also perfect pleather for my Maleficent Onsie. Her action suit. Sorry, I keep avoiding the term body suit because yes it’s very tropily me.
And I got alginate to get a cast of my face! Figure now is ideal. And I have enough resin for a really solid, solid cast proper. I don’t know if there is any reason to not cast resin in alginate- I suspect due to the porous nature- but a slick of release/sealer or whatnot will help. Just gotta determine what the whatnot is based on either chemical/physical properties or experiences. I just don’t want a cast I can’t move around myself. I have enough molds like that.
http://www.make-up-fx-forum.com/index.php?topic=535.0
My go to, love this forum. I am a lurker but read read read.
http://www.taxidermy.net/forums/FishTaxiArticles/04/l/04836EAE7D.html
And this is what I mean by don’t even rely on costume specific references! I am not in to taxidermy but hey, this covers many of the issues shared by trying to cast from a body. I have also used car modding forums and outdoor sculpture sites.
And today I have the side effects I was supposed to watch out for- itchy face and tired and a need to.. go. Go, go. So I may have a nap during this weird weather spell and see if I can at least tidy.
And I need this doll:
http://www.stitchkingdom.com/disney-toys-r-us-sdcc-exclusives-71544/
(Winged Fairy Maleficent — Relive the fierce and exciting battle scene from the hit Disney film Maleficent. Maleficent is ready to seek vengeance, dressed in a true-to-character fitted black body suit with knee-high boots, dramatic black wings and elegant horns.)
Reasons are obvious-references especially of the back. The headpiece is not the right one but wow they went the whole way with even stitching details (due to scale I didn’t expect some of them to be there.)
But it has also confirmed to me how I’ll make the wings (yay working out hinging.)
Maleficent progress :)
Maleficent progress 🙂
Firstly going back to the preshow last minute stuff!
Horns: cut to shape then glued in place. You can see the dip on the horn on the right hand side. I do still like this effect but having seen the movie now I don’t need to go mad trying to do this again! they are much more opaque and with a less defined series of growth rings, so yay 🙂
Yes, I like my shadow in these things!
With the layer of black resin straight over! Also more fibreglass on the crown. This made it more rigid and actually in hind sight it wasn’t needed.
Sculptures and casts for the soft parts on the costume. I can’t believe I did that all in one evening!
And the staff. This may be why my ring finger was so bad…. that’s hand modeled epoxy 🙂 With microballons it’s a beautiful putty but epoxy is not my friend!
oh hey and that paint was just acrylic ink and paint mixed with IA and brushed on with a chipping brush. It was not fully cured. But handy hint: ochre and yellow ink, with a smidge of black paint and then a small dab of gold paint mixed with IA makes for a slightly curdled paint mix that creates a great wood grain effect.
And now… my head cast:
Plaster mother with some of my home made playdough smooshed in. I pressed a thin layer then pressed my face in then added more on my face then pressed in. It’s not perfect but it has my proportions and may be a bit more true than my previous cast.
Resined! OMG!!! Chopped strand filler is a game changer! I mix a slurry of resin with pigments and a little cabosil, then while it is starting to slump use glass tissue to hold it up. Paint a more liquid slurry on the back then throw (literally, like dusting a bread board) the chopped strand in side and press and move any excess further up. Then paint another layer and do the same. There is a lot of excess strand in the mold that can be brushed out when cured.
Also I found my pink suede boots and realised the heel is a bit chunky but super sturdy so will be a good base for the boots at the end of the film 🙂
So yes, tabbard to action suit to winged form is happening. Funnily enough it may take up less room than the current gown…
June 26, 2014 michaela de bruce
Wings, or rather ZOMGWINGZ
Wings, or rather ZOMGWINGZ
Because I think I have worked it out. Flexible relatively light and I hopefully can make them fit my suitcase in pieces.
So I’ve requested some more urethane (squee!) and will test what I have already.
2 Responses to “Wings, or rather ZOMGWINGZ”
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Dare / 26 Jun 2014 9:27am #I found your site when trying to get better pics of the christening gown and it’s so exciting to see your progress. Especially bc my motto is similar to yours except it’s “overcomplicating costuming for 10 months and then half assing and last minuting the other 2″. As a former lover of costumes with wings (I don’t have the time to make them anymore) I’m excited to see how you made a “light” urethane wing and am looking forward to that post! I think I’d read in another costume post that you’d been to Dragon Con. Are you doing Maleficent there this year? I’d love to see it in person.
Was the fabric you’re using already textured like that or did you wrinkle it?
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/ 2 Jul 2014 6:54am #Hello 🙂 The fabric was already wrinkled. I’m in the process of acquiring more, there are only remnants of it left!
I haven’t made the wings yet and have two options, still debating between them!
I’d love to go to D*C this year, my one and only trip was 2012 and I don’t think the luck that played in to that will happen again. So much help from friends and family 🙂 ANd Celebration 6 was the weekend before that made it oh so tempting 🙂And thank you 🙂
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And more!
And more!
http://stylefrizz.com/201406/maleficent-magic-visual-concept-costumes-angelina-jolie-elle-fanning/
Ah yes, The blue dress for Aurora is straight from Waterhouse’s Ophelia 😉 Check out the sketch!
And more wing references, lots of over lap of these sources.
So it looks like there is a costume display in three countries right now London (England), California (USA) and Madrid (Spain).
http://fashionistabarbieuk.com/2014/06/interview-maleficent-anna-b-sheppard/
Another double up
http://www.fashiongonerogue.com/maleficent-costume-designer-interview-angelina-jolie/
Some info overlap of images.
http://momluck.com/exclusive-interview-maleficent-director-robert-stromberg/
Interview with director
http://momluck.com/exclusive-interview-sam-riley-disneys-maleficent/
Interview with “Diaval’s actor.
http://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/reviews/maleficent-costumes-oliver-garcia
Last costume was the most anticipated for the designer 🙂 And yeah I spotted so much gorgeous metal work and sigh I can’t wait to see the full thing properly.
http://news.moviefone.com/2014/05/07/look-of-maleficent/
Baker created cheeks, a nose and ear appliances for Jolie that were silicone and gel-filled. Maleficent’s cheeks look sharply prominent in the film, but the appliances are actually very small. Baker explains, “It’s amazing because the appliances are less than a quarter of an inch at their thickest points and only about a half inch wide. They sit right at the crest of her cheekbones.”
Special makeup effects artist Arjen Tuiten was on set daily to transfer Baker’s designs to Angelina Jolie. “It was important to Rick [Baker] that all Angelina’s prosthetics conform to the angles of her face,” says Tuiten. “From the life cast of her head, we formed the rubber cheekbones and ears, following those contours. The whole application process, including hair weaves, which took about a half-hour, was about four hours every morning. Angelina was very patient with the process.”
Turning his attention to the horns, Baker faced several challenges. “The horns were one of the big issues because no one would want to walk around all day with big horns on his or her head,” relates Baker. “So, I wanted to make them as lightweight as possible and removable because when you have something that sticks out a foot beyond your head and you’re not used to it, you’re apt to run into things.”
Baker and his team sculpted at least four different designs of horns. “I did some drawings and modeled some of the designs for the horns on the computer,” says Baker. “Then we actually ended up sculpting them. We chose the one that we liked the best and did all the work using that one design.”
For comfort, the horns are very lightweight and thin, and made of urethane casting resin. “After much experimentation, we ended up basically with a maxi-form skullcap that had on it the base of the horns and the first inch or so of the horns,” explains Baker. ‘The rest of the horns stuck on with a magnet. They were very strong magnets that held them in place but we could then pop them off in between shots.”
Goodwin’s most challenging designs for the film involved the battles scene. “From early on, I had an idea for a helmet and footwear for her battle scene, which had to be hard, formidable yet elegant. The helmet’s sculpted shape is covered in leather that looks reptilian and this detail was continued onto the boots, which had customized bone-like heels. Together, these pieces were my most challenging as well as being my favorites.”
http://www.mouseinfo.com/forums/content/3310-inside-depth-maleficent-el-capitan-theatre-includes-film-props-live-magic-more.html
OMG! good costumer directed details!!!!
Also Aurora’s gown and other details.
http://www.fxguide.com/featured/maleficent/
OOOOHHH! You can see her battle costume in the video as it shows the wire frame and maquette colours 🙂
The base horns, though many were made.
http://www.mouseinfo.com/forums/content/3288-merida-maleficent-come-disney-infinity-fall.html
Squee!
Maleficent shall have wings :)
Maleficent shall have wings 🙂
So with that link dump (if you are seeing this via social media go look at the pages proper, so many links!) I now know that I can get a look like the real life wings used at the exhibition (At Kensington Palace!!!!!). So I just need to reverse engineer.
Just.
Just she says. But there is a great still where the feathers don’t trail and the wings aren’t too out stretched 🙂
To the corset/harness and wing frame build. Lets see if we can get some articulation happening as well…
June 13, 2014 michaela de bruce
Many new links to exhibition/behind the scenes
Many new links to exhibition/behind the scenes
Lots and lots of info suddenly coming out, how wonderful!
And I am not sure if the wings are made for the exhibition but I shall work out how they were made (one set was for young Maleficent) as they had to have worked out how to fake feathers too 
Hmmm they totally removed the train, I mean totally, which pulls the skirt round the back. But it confirms the sleeve weirdness: the hem is oversewn, overlocked or what but it’s not a turned hem- there is some major fuzzy happening along the edge. Also there are notches on the sleeves. Inside and out.And I was right, platforms 
Just with narrow heels.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/angelina-jolies-maleficent-costumes-707087
Real python is not for me but I can see some hand painting on the silk that peeks out he velvet gown. And the collar and spine details are lovely. And the duo tone velvet (green and maroon.)
Click to see details of the heavy robe and umm.. suede???
http://maleficentmovie.tumblr.com/post/88365361960/interview-maleficent-costume-designer-anna-b
OMG I CAN MAKE MY WINGS!!!!! And thre is at least a better view of the battle gear.
And that collar… guh. I have access to shells cut like that so whee!!!!
http://instagram.com/p/oumEn9RmS-/
Her fine silk innocence gown.
http://instagram.com/p/n_B8TfgfFS/
Head wraps and samples.
http://disneymoviefacts.tumblr.com/post/88498080621/we-love-disney-the-costumes-from
A few photos
And more details of a good size 🙂 I’m guessing there will be an art book!
And one from a friend who reminded me of a few links (lost links are lost so here they are!;
6 COMMENTS
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You ROCK! As always.
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Thank you 🙂
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This is hands down the best maleficent costume I’ve seen! Wonderful job. I want one 🙂
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Thank you 🙂 Super fun to wear, a total pain to make but worthwhile 🙂
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I love this!!!! Is the headpiece available for purchase?
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Thank you 🙂 I still have my molds and am thinking of doing a number of casts while I have the product (finally got a large amount of aerosil/cabosil which makes it lay up easily in a curved mold and not run out everywhere!
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2 Responses to “Maleficent progress :)”
Meilin / 26 Jun 2014 7:18pm #For the epoxy + microballoons, did you mix that up so that it’s putty consistency or is there some store-bought mix that you use? Also, do you use gloves and get a reaction anyway or do you forgo the gloves to get better artistic control? I don’t have an allergy to epoxy (knock on wood) but I hear you can get sensitized to it…
In any case, the staff and horns look great!
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admin / 2 Jul 2014 6:51am #Thank you 🙂
I do wear gloves and the more dense kind of coveralls as well as a mask. I should get a full reperator but I need dust and chemical filters and I think you can only get one or the other. Pretty sure a solvent filter will also filter these larger particles though…
I mix the resin then stand added filler by equal parts. I think it wind up 4:1 powder to resin. And it is then hand (in glove!) mixed to a dry dough (think scone dough) before being applied. I thin dip my (gloved!) hand in water and use that to smooth and push the surface to shape.
I have longer fingers but small hands so I usually wind up with my hand breaking through gloves. SO I may just have to start wearing to sets at a time or hunting out the more durable sort. Once my hands break through I try to work as fast as I can.
My current ptoblem is in part beacuse I need the three main kinds of antihistamines and I only have Loratadine on hand. Also I got some resin on my forearms when I took my coveralls off. I thought I had cleaned it off but actually not. Releasing my Shae helmet cause some fibreglass rash and so I got the stuff under my skin and poof! ALong with the synacthen test I am really riding the crest of a fairly full on allergy! Luckily skin only. A bit of coughing but that could be dust.
Thank you for your questions 🙂 It’s always lovely to know people are reading and also thinking about it 🙂
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