How To Make Eyes: Puppets, Masks & Makeups

So for Halloween I decided to have a goalie mask and plow information technology into a mechanical boob that would operate on my caput. I was planning to use my old pirate costume that I had purchased last year as the kickoff. Here is the process as I was able to record. (Please notation that the final few steps I was not able to record with my camera since I was literally working on information technology upwardly to the concluding minute earlier a little parade that I was leading).

I purchased a $30.00 ball hockey helmet with neck guard and started to modify it. I drilled modest holes in the cervix guard and the helmet itself. The neck gurad would human action as the lower jaw of my puppet. I then attached them together using scews and washers (so they could easily slide open and shut).

These are the screws and hardware that I used. I merely grabbed stuff that I thought might work.

I fabricated certain to add enough washers to allow my lower jsaw to open and close without touching the actual mask. The jaw moved very nicely.

Next I added two more hole to the back of the "jaw". These two holes would fasten the metal plate that I found to human activity as a lever for the mech.

I then attached the metal plate with a nut and bolt. I added some other loger spiral to the mask itself and added a bound bewteen the 2.

The bound is what would requite me the tension to go along the jaw in a closed position.

I added foam to the bottom jaw to take a base of operations for my mouthplate that I would add together later. Annotation that there is more than enough clearance so that the cream would not impeed the jaw move.

I then took a length of brass tubing (tin be purchased at any hobby store), I don't know the size only it fit the wire I was planning to use.

Next I glued the tubing to the metallic facemask of the mask using a two part epoxy.

To create a base with which to stitch my textile to, I contact cemented some 1/iv inch foam to the mask, leaving eye openings.

I and then took a piece of thin metal rod/wire and bent information technology into the deired shape and soldered it in place.

On the other side of the jaw I fastened another metal plate (as I did to the Spring side) but this fourth dimension I attaced the terminate of a wheel cablevision to it. The black sleeve of the cablevision would then exist attached to the eyehook that was secured in place. The center hook gave the cable the distance from the mask that it needed to piece of work.

I then built up the oral cavity by adding a thin (blue) foam mouthplate, lower foam lip, foam cubes for thickness at the back of the head and 2 strainers spray painted black for the eyes. After trying sunglasses, I establish that these were much easier to run into with.

Next it was time to patterns the skin. I decided to grab a bit of cheap poly fleece to use for my rough pattern and draped it over the mask. I cut abroad cloth to make information technology fit.

Here is the rough pattern. I like to accept this and transfer information technology to carte du jour stock. I then make information technology symmertical and not bad. That is then used every bit my pattern to trace onto my cloth of choice. This fourth dimension it would be some former left over antron that I accept wanted to employ up for a while.

I draped the antron fleece over the mask and began to hand sew together it all together. Unfortunately I was in a rush and the photos stop here. What I can say is that I carved a foam nose and covered that with material. And then fastened all of the features.

I had wanted to apply a push control mech which it has correct now, but I presently learned that the spring was stronger than I had predictable. I will be soon chnaging the mech contril to a standard bike break arrangement. Information technology is much stronger and durable. Here is an case of what I mean.

And finally, here is the finished mask (well about). I do plan to add details, shadows, etc. with an airbrush, merely you get a generally adept idea of how information technology looks. I promise you enjoyed the tutorial.