Sfx Creature Making, Model Making, Molding, Sculpting

Welcome to my step by step process, of my creature project.well... after 3 years of hard and not very easy learning process
 This piece is my final major project piece, and everything you see have been made and designed by me. In this tutorial I'll show you how I design on my projects so you can follow up and CREATE!  You are more than welcome to ask any questions and comment. ENJOY!

Step 1: 1: INVESTIGATE

 I'm sure you agree that any idea you have will involve some planning and investigation before any process can be in making stage. My idea: "human in the future".... Keep up  with your journal, this step was a great help to me. Cleared and narrowed my field of investigation and design. I could always come back if any problems came out in the process. 
Process includes:
Investigation 

Step 2: Design Process: 1

 That's where coming back to your journal is necessary.  Your ideas are being developed, process involves SKETCHING, and designing the actual piece. You have to work close with science here, if you making something that does exist you may look into anatomy etc, if it's a outcome of your imagination look into similar things  for example : making alien dog, look into anatomy of earth dogs etc etc. It's time to start on working...

Step 3: How Ma I Going to Do This: Process 2: MAKING

 Congratulations! You are in the making part of this "instructable", but the hard part is to come yet...
Now what you are going to do is going shopping! 
Get the list of things you need, don't go out without it. You may find an organizer helpful at this stage.
Things you need to consider:
Molding....
Sculpting.....
Skin and detail making....
All those steps require special materials and skills. Don't worry you can still do it
Let's start with armature making...

Step 4: Armature and Sculpting

 In my case I have to work with solid made armature, so I am using a doll to mold and cast shape out
of it.
You can use many things to get your armature ready for sculpting, it all depends on individual needs of your design. Remember chicken wire, newspaper and masking tape will do it for most.
If you need any help just drop me a line.
P.s. Chicken wire can give you nasty cuts wear gloves when you using it for the first time.
Now how did I do this:
I have laid a bed of grey clay on a piece of large plywood, build the wall around the whole doll and made keys with clay tools.
When wall was ready I have mixed jesmonite and start covering the doll, placing fiber glass on top and covering it again with jesmonite. Basically sandwich the Fiber glass in between the mixture.
TURN YOUR MOLD OVER AND REPEAT THE STEPS.
REMEMBER TO USE RELEASE AGENT LIKE VASELINE OR SCOPAS BEFORE YOU START LAYING
ANOTHER PART OF THE MOLD.
When mold dry, release it you will probably need something lie a chisel to open the case for the first time.
Make a core! place the clay inside the the mold about inch thick, when ready cover in release agent and close the mold. You may need bolts and nuts to make the mold closing tide. Just drill the holes in jesmonite wall get bolts in and nut it lol.
When ready place it in a bucket and fill it with plaster.
Your armature is ready....

Step 5: Sculpting...

 Sculpting is my next step, plaster bandage covered armature is ready to take clay.
I am using wed clay, is a oil and water based clay, soft as grey clay but doesn't dry so fast and IT"S SMOOTH>>>>^^<<<<<
Armature is being covered in the clay, many tools including soft paint brushes are used during the process. First I am trying to get  basic shape, than working on the details, you may find it useful to buy some dental tools or clay shapers on ebay, those are great for clay work.
When your sculpture  is ready it's time for molding.

Step 6: Molding...

Making the wall around the sculpture, remember to make the keys! I'm using platinium cure silicon to do the first layer of the mold. After it dries I will apply fiber glass with resin, you will need it to give mold the strength. When the first part of the mold is ready take the wall of and APPLY WAX RELISE AGENT. Than start putting silicon on the part 2 mold. repeat the process with fiber glass. Give it a day and take it carefully apart.

Step 7: Stracture and Skin

Apply some more wax inside the mold and pour silicon inside there, move the mold around, repeat the process twice more ( silskin10 silicon cures in 20 min). skin should be ready. Otherwse you can ty making the core and injecting the skin. But I can't be asked to do this a this point. THan I will cast fiber glass inside the mold using gel coat resin and fiber tissue. It should dry quiet fast if temperature of the room is right, don't forget he catalyst. 
Ready structure is fitted together with some bolts, and holes for eyes are drilled out.
I've made a little stand for the eyes to be fitted inside the skull structure part, those we're quiet stable.
You may find meccano parts useful at this stage. YOU COULD FILL THE SKELETON WTH POLYURETHANE FOAM TO FOLD THE HALFS TOGETHER.
But that just a thought.

Step 8: Fitting Skin and Apply Paint Effects

Silicon isn't paint friendly so having spear cash to get a proper inks would be an advantage.
YOU may have to cut the skin on the side, but silicon is very stretchy! When all its fixed together, you an start painting the "thing". Airbrushing soft detail and finishing it with zombie-fx make up paints.
YOU can find some junk like I did to place of the bottom of the stand. I've also fitted few lights in it, but it's not necessary, all the wiring you see in the picture is simple jumping electrical wires.
Yes any questions feel free!