Making the Big Beholder. Partial tut, IMG HEAVY
Jun 19, 2014 19:04:42 GMT
thefiend, indigo777, and 10 more like this
Post by uncledog on Jun 19, 2014 19:04:42 GMT
Well, enough people asked that I figured it'd be o.k. to drop this here. I hope that it can help inspire others.
First, things I used:
Basketball
expanding foam 1.5 large cans
hula hoop
wire coat hangars
clear flat marbles
tp
pva glue (white glue)
touch light
model magic clay
Air dry clay
craft sticks (tongue depressors)
paint
aluminium foil
clear plastic wrap
hot glue
Good, shopping list is out of the way, let's get to some pictures and explanations.
First, I wrapped a basketball in clear cling wrap. This helps get a hollow half-sphere form of foam:
Then I used the 'central line' on the ball as a guide to put the foam on (I only wanted a half sphere):
Let that cure. After full cure, remove from ball and try to remove the cling wrap from the inside. You now have a gut looking bowl.
Fill it up with foam, allowing for a flattened ball look.
Set that aside and let us begin on the little eyes.
Grab some flat marbles, more than you will need. Always make more than you'll need, as some don't come out right.
Black paint a line or whatever shape you want your pupil.
After that dries (will take less than an hour, very little paint), do the iris highlights. I used a toothpick and did very fine lines, then scratched it up.
Here are some more of them at this stage:
Then, using a color that compliments the iris color but is darker, lay on the spray paint!
I ended up re-doing the eyes in a darker color, to match the big eye. I have no images of the darker ones, so here are the light ones 'finished'
Time for clay. I used the air dry here, but with the others, I ended up using model magic. Same application though.
Make balls of clay for the backing
(Aluminium foil is awesome as a non-stick surface!)
Press the eyes in it, pretty part up.
Then we build up the lids! Squish the clay around the eyes, creating the famous eye shape.
Then add in small tubes of clay to make the lids. Top and bottom.
Smooth those puppies out to fully flesh out the lids!
Back to the 'beholder ball'...
Oh! Lumpy and pretty spherical. Tasty yummy ball.
Time for a big eye! I took a touch light and forgot to document how to make the eye. I'll try to explain after the image:
Pry (or prise, depends on the side of the ocean, no?) the dome out of the touch light. I then painted (using masking) a pupil, added in the iris main color, then dry brushed in the highlights. If this isn't enough explanation, let me know and I'll try to re-create it!
Measure the eye to the ball and cut out a divot for it. We don't want it poking out too far, a bug eyed beholder is a bad battle buddy. (mouth hole while you are at it)
O.k. on to the coat hangars. Gather a bunch and cut off the 'hook' area:
Straighten them out and get a feel for how long you want the eyestalks. Cut as many as you want.
I then stabbed the coat hangars into the body, using hot glue to hold them in place. PRO TIP: Don't be like me... keep the wire straight and bend it after it sets. Less trouble and less glue will be needed.
Then cover the wires (including the 'fu-manchu' tendrils) with aluminium foil, I re-did the tendrils, so just treat them as the eyestalks.
Leave a bit of room at the end, so you can secure the eyes.
After everything is foiled (including my plans, you meddling kids and your stupid dog), attack the eyes by jamming the wire into the backsides and wrapping them with the model magic clay. (The eye is just sitting there, for effect)
Once that all dries (and I mean it... wait for it. It's worth it.) Tp mache the heck out of the whole thing, leaving the eyes un-tp'd.
(The mouth got painted so I wouldn't over it up, you'll also notice pingpong balls... they failed me as eyes).
Keep building up layers. This blending will help conceal joints and mistakes. This is the photoshop of the crafting world or makeup. Your choice.
While that dries, make the teeth for the mouth.
I ended up using a hula hoop that was trash-bound.
Then cut the tooth shapes.
And glued them to a tongue depressor, overlapping glue to make gums.
After everything had dried, glue the teeth in. I made a few mistakes, the teeth are too big, not even, etc. I guess I rushed.. Rushing is bad.
Then use model magic to build up the .. uh lips?
Go crazy on the detail. It's fun. Or hellish, your choice. I'm not your father.
While we have the air dry out, let's glue the eye in and give it a lid!
Same business:
Let that dry. Seriously. I did not and got so many cracks! Let it dry. Repeat after me "I do not need to rush".
Once a day or two has passed, it's paint time. Start with the darkest color. I got mistints at the local paint shop. All flesh tones. All free, because they couldn't sell it.
Not kidding. Go ask some time, at least... there is a HUGE discount. Can't go wrong.
After this, it's all up to you. Not kidding. Paint it any color, any highlights. Dry brush, sponge stipple, air brush or cry a lot. Well, don't cry, paint can be worked with safely.
Well, there it is, how the Beholder got beheld. You can add armor using DMScotty's purple worm tutorial (highly recommended) (I'm going to... eventually), add spikes, extra tendrils, the works. This is your baby, do with it as you please.
Stats: Weighs under 5 lbs. About three feet wide. People flip when they see it. Aside from drying, about a day or so work. I had everything laying around, you may not.
Estimated cost:
Great stuff (two cans): $20
TP (four pack, dollar store): $1
PVA glue (used glue all 4X4oz): $10
flat marbles (dollar store, 20 pack) $1
Paint, nine colors, latex based: $20-50 or free
Aluminium foil, two packages (dollar store) $1
clear wrap (dollar store) $1
hula hoop (dollar store) $1
Coat Hangars (free?)
Model magic clay (8 oz or more) $10
Air dry clay: $5
Touch light (dollar store) $360, kidding, $1
So, to rough it out, if you are missing a good chunk of material, you may pay around $70 usd. Give a range of 20-100. Depends on what you need or local prices.
Me, it was free, but I have a lot of junk laying around.
Good luck, stay crafty and enjoy. Questions, comments, jokes? Put 'em here. Thanks for reading.
First, things I used:
Basketball
expanding foam 1.5 large cans
hula hoop
wire coat hangars
clear flat marbles
tp
pva glue (white glue)
touch light
model magic clay
Air dry clay
craft sticks (tongue depressors)
paint
aluminium foil
clear plastic wrap
hot glue
Good, shopping list is out of the way, let's get to some pictures and explanations.
First, I wrapped a basketball in clear cling wrap. This helps get a hollow half-sphere form of foam:
Then I used the 'central line' on the ball as a guide to put the foam on (I only wanted a half sphere):
Let that cure. After full cure, remove from ball and try to remove the cling wrap from the inside. You now have a gut looking bowl.
Fill it up with foam, allowing for a flattened ball look.
Set that aside and let us begin on the little eyes.
Grab some flat marbles, more than you will need. Always make more than you'll need, as some don't come out right.
Black paint a line or whatever shape you want your pupil.
After that dries (will take less than an hour, very little paint), do the iris highlights. I used a toothpick and did very fine lines, then scratched it up.
Here are some more of them at this stage:
Then, using a color that compliments the iris color but is darker, lay on the spray paint!
I ended up re-doing the eyes in a darker color, to match the big eye. I have no images of the darker ones, so here are the light ones 'finished'
Time for clay. I used the air dry here, but with the others, I ended up using model magic. Same application though.
Make balls of clay for the backing
(Aluminium foil is awesome as a non-stick surface!)
Press the eyes in it, pretty part up.
Then we build up the lids! Squish the clay around the eyes, creating the famous eye shape.
Then add in small tubes of clay to make the lids. Top and bottom.
Smooth those puppies out to fully flesh out the lids!
Back to the 'beholder ball'...
Oh! Lumpy and pretty spherical. Tasty yummy ball.
Time for a big eye! I took a touch light and forgot to document how to make the eye. I'll try to explain after the image:
Pry (or prise, depends on the side of the ocean, no?) the dome out of the touch light. I then painted (using masking) a pupil, added in the iris main color, then dry brushed in the highlights. If this isn't enough explanation, let me know and I'll try to re-create it!
Measure the eye to the ball and cut out a divot for it. We don't want it poking out too far, a bug eyed beholder is a bad battle buddy. (mouth hole while you are at it)
O.k. on to the coat hangars. Gather a bunch and cut off the 'hook' area:
Straighten them out and get a feel for how long you want the eyestalks. Cut as many as you want.
I then stabbed the coat hangars into the body, using hot glue to hold them in place. PRO TIP: Don't be like me... keep the wire straight and bend it after it sets. Less trouble and less glue will be needed.
Then cover the wires (including the 'fu-manchu' tendrils) with aluminium foil, I re-did the tendrils, so just treat them as the eyestalks.
Leave a bit of room at the end, so you can secure the eyes.
After everything is foiled (including my plans, you meddling kids and your stupid dog), attack the eyes by jamming the wire into the backsides and wrapping them with the model magic clay. (The eye is just sitting there, for effect)
Once that all dries (and I mean it... wait for it. It's worth it.) Tp mache the heck out of the whole thing, leaving the eyes un-tp'd.
(The mouth got painted so I wouldn't over it up, you'll also notice pingpong balls... they failed me as eyes).
Keep building up layers. This blending will help conceal joints and mistakes. This is the photoshop of the crafting world or makeup. Your choice.
While that dries, make the teeth for the mouth.
I ended up using a hula hoop that was trash-bound.
Then cut the tooth shapes.
And glued them to a tongue depressor, overlapping glue to make gums.
After everything had dried, glue the teeth in. I made a few mistakes, the teeth are too big, not even, etc. I guess I rushed.. Rushing is bad.
Then use model magic to build up the .. uh lips?
Go crazy on the detail. It's fun. Or hellish, your choice. I'm not your father.
While we have the air dry out, let's glue the eye in and give it a lid!
Same business:
Let that dry. Seriously. I did not and got so many cracks! Let it dry. Repeat after me "I do not need to rush".
Once a day or two has passed, it's paint time. Start with the darkest color. I got mistints at the local paint shop. All flesh tones. All free, because they couldn't sell it.
Not kidding. Go ask some time, at least... there is a HUGE discount. Can't go wrong.
After this, it's all up to you. Not kidding. Paint it any color, any highlights. Dry brush, sponge stipple, air brush or cry a lot. Well, don't cry, paint can be worked with safely.
Well, there it is, how the Beholder got beheld. You can add armor using DMScotty's purple worm tutorial (highly recommended) (I'm going to... eventually), add spikes, extra tendrils, the works. This is your baby, do with it as you please.
Stats: Weighs under 5 lbs. About three feet wide. People flip when they see it. Aside from drying, about a day or so work. I had everything laying around, you may not.
Estimated cost:
Great stuff (two cans): $20
TP (four pack, dollar store): $1
PVA glue (used glue all 4X4oz): $10
flat marbles (dollar store, 20 pack) $1
Paint, nine colors, latex based: $20-50 or free
Aluminium foil, two packages (dollar store) $1
clear wrap (dollar store) $1
hula hoop (dollar store) $1
Coat Hangars (free?)
Model magic clay (8 oz or more) $10
Air dry clay: $5
Touch light (dollar store) $360, kidding, $1
So, to rough it out, if you are missing a good chunk of material, you may pay around $70 usd. Give a range of 20-100. Depends on what you need or local prices.
Me, it was free, but I have a lot of junk laying around.
Good luck, stay crafty and enjoy. Questions, comments, jokes? Put 'em here. Thanks for reading.
Cheers!
Cheers!