Ok, this didn't work out so well! First I just dipped the arm right into the dipping latex... seemed like the thing to do, right? Wrong! The stuff is so thin it just runs off like water... it left the thinnest skin imaginable. I'd have to re-dip about a hundred times to get the right thikness, and you have to let each layer dry for like 8 to 12 hours or so. I don't have that kind of patience! So I mixed in some of my Pastemaker latex thickening powder. Ok, yeah... it thickened up the latex, but it's all lumpy and gloppy. Maybe if I had a mortar and pestle and ground it together for an hour or so it would work, I don't know. But I don't. Heh.... the forearm area was so messed up with big ugly lumps all over I tried to smooth it down with a fingertip.... big mistake! It left the result you see here, only not so bad. I decided to try to turn it into forearm hair... lucky it happened right where it did I guess, though I still might strip this layer off and start over after my just-ordered slip-casting latex comes in (should be more like the mold-builder stuff I'm used to).
I decided from here on out I'd wrap the fingers with thread before dipping, as per the techniques Mena mentioned recently. Not only will it give the latex better grip than bare wire does, but it helps to build up a little thickness so it needs less latex dipping later. I like the idea, but I got a little discouraged when I realized I have 40 more fingers to wrap! Better get busy, huh?
3 comments:
Woo hoo, another new post! Mike you're rockin'it!
I understand if you want to re-do that forearm, if the slip-casting latex works way better but I generally vote for marching forward. I like your hair idea a lot. You could brush wet latex on it and sprinkle finely chopped wool or fur fibers, then tap off the excess. Or if you shave, your stubble would be ideal. Is that gross? sorry. I went too far. But it *would* work!
Dipping latex is the bunkum then! Boo.
It's Alive, It's Alive...
coming along nicely mike, I can see it coming to life before my eyes - great stuff keep going.
actually you want to be using animatronic FOAM LATEX- unless you arent for budget reasons, but that is most definitely the 'proper' way to go about this
www.monstermakers.com
give them a call, they can take you through step by step and get you what you need
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