Halloween Costume

nyarlothothep · 10-09-2014 12:17am #1

Hi, I'm trying to figure out how to make a mask with antlers jutting out for a cheap price. I'm trying to emulate this

Any ideas where I can get cheap antlers and how I should go about constructing the mask? I think I would need a hard inner casing for the antlers to remain stable?

looksee · 10-09-2014 8:32pm

Yiz are all very ambitious! That Misrule mask would be very difficult to get the antlers so they look perky like antennae rather than droopy like roots.

If you really want to try it I suggest you think of the mask as being much bigger than your head, and the whole top area being above the top of your head. This would allow you to model the antlers from chicken wire with a reinforcing frame inside (made of thin ply I would think, or maybe a wooden coathanger) that goes from one antler to the other, so they support each other. If you could get hold of an old or cheap cycle helmet (one of those polystyrene type ones) you could shape it to give you a fitted base for the mask.

You then cover the entire thing in either paper mache or plaster bandage (easier but heavier). Your head will then more or less be in the narrower part of the mask. It doesn't have to be as narrow as it appears as you could shape it with paint shading. Again, shape a chicken wire frame around the antlers and down to the chin area.

nyarlothothep · 12-09-2014 11:39am

looksee wrote: »

Yiz are all very ambitious! That Misrule mask would be very difficult to get the antlers so they look perky like antennae rather than droopy like roots.

If you really want to try it I suggest you think of the mask as being much bigger than your head, and the whole top area being above the top of your head. This would allow you to model the antlers from chicken wire with a reinforcing frame inside (made of thin ply I would think, or maybe a wooden coathanger) that goes from one antler to the other, so they support each other. If you could get hold of an old or cheap cycle helmet (one of those polystyrene type ones) you could shape it to give you a fitted base for the mask.

You then cover the entire thing in either paper mache or plaster bandage (easier but heavier). Your head will then more or less be in the narrower part of the mask. It doesn't have to be as narrow as it appears as you could shape it with paint shading. Again, shape a chicken wire frame around the antlers and down to the chin area.

Thanks, those are very good ideas.

Zadkiel · 18-09-2014 1:06pm

You could see if theres a Pepakura file online?

Basically you can print the design, then cut it out and glue it together.
From there depending on how durable it needs to be you could coat in coats of PVA glue or resin.

It would be all one piece though and less likely to falling apart

jenny retro · 14-10-2014 10:34pm

I'd use my old trusty method of foamboard and gumstrip. The last thing you want on Halloween is to be carting around something that weighs a ton..

For any curved pieces I always just use a craft knife to score through one side of the foamboard at say 1cm - 3cm intervals which you then curve and cover with the gumstrip.
I made a giant Holy Grail that I wore over my head last year by essentially using this method, and it was grand and light. Just big and awkward!!; and a Fantastic Mr Fox mask/head the year before using gumstrip and foamboard.

The blank card masks they sell pretty much everywhere (mr price has them usually) are a good base to work from, so you don't have to go moulding out your eyes/nose (these kinda ones http://www.dhresource.com/albu_614266978_00-1.200x200/drawing-board-solid-white-diy-zorro-paper.jpg)

Hope this helps!

Halloween Costume

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