So you want to be Predator for Halloween, for a movie, or just because. Great. Don't we all? Where to get a good mask? Mass-produced ones look like crap, custom-made ones cost a small fortune. Just make your own for cheap. Most latex masks are made by sculpting a mold, taking a cast of that mold (sometimes twice), filling that with latex, and pulling the mask out. There's a much easier and budget-friendly way to do it. It's not perfect, but you get a pretty cool end-product when you're done.
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Signing UpStep 1: Materials and Cost
To make a latex mask, the first thing you'll need, obviously, is liquid latex. There are two main places to find liquid latex (in large enough amounts to make a mask): theater/makeup supply stores or eBay. You might find "Mold Builder" latex at a craft store. This is NOT good for masks; apparently there are chemicals that would make it unhealthy as a mask. Make sure the latex you get is specifically for mask making. If you have a good theater/makeup store in your area, you can see what they have, but it would probably be only a small bottle. You can ask the store about ordering more latex in a larger amount. One gallon of latex is a standard size, and would be more than enough for one mask (you could probably make several masks with a gallon). If you're going to be ordering it anyway, you can get it from eBay. It'll run you upwards of $50 for a gallon, or less if you can find an auction. fun_fx and ecbarista are sellers who currently have latex in stock. Halloween-time is the best time to find latex for sale (for obvious reasons). There are other online stores that sell latex; find a reputable one and make an order (I recently bought some from here, great price and quick shipping). The main materials (and cost) you'll need are these:
Liquid Latex - $40-50
Air-Dry Clay - $5
Styrofoam Head, Wooden Dowel, PVC Couplers - $14
The air-dry clay would be found at a craft store like Michael's. The brand I usually see is Amaco. Since craft stores usually have a 40% off one item coupon all the time, you can use that and get a good 10 pound block of clay for about $5. There are other options for clay that will be discussed later. You'll want a Styrofoam head to sculpt off of. A makeup supply store should have them, or if there is a Savers store around, they usually have them. Or eBay is a good option too.
Depending on what you already have lying around the house, the above materials may be all that you need to buy. Still, these are some other materials/tools that I used in the course of making my mask:
Spray Paint
Acrylic Paint
Paintbrush
Vaseline
Superglue
Toothpicks
Dremmel tool
Aluminum Foil
Hot Glue
Liquid Latex - $40-50
Air-Dry Clay - $5
Styrofoam Head, Wooden Dowel, PVC Couplers - $14
The air-dry clay would be found at a craft store like Michael's. The brand I usually see is Amaco. Since craft stores usually have a 40% off one item coupon all the time, you can use that and get a good 10 pound block of clay for about $5. There are other options for clay that will be discussed later. You'll want a Styrofoam head to sculpt off of. A makeup supply store should have them, or if there is a Savers store around, they usually have them. Or eBay is a good option too.
Depending on what you already have lying around the house, the above materials may be all that you need to buy. Still, these are some other materials/tools that I used in the course of making my mask:
Spray Paint
Acrylic Paint
Paintbrush
Vaseline
Superglue
Toothpicks
Dremmel tool
Aluminum Foil
Hot Glue
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it sucks to be me cause i wanted to make this
Congratulations!
One thing I wondered was... instead of using clay, have you tried using plasticine????
I've used it on several sculptures for making molds, it is great for using with latex/plaster and paper mache and it can be used again and again "I have some as old as 10 years". And it has more give than clay and can be used over days instead of hours..... Also, if I need the cast to be hard, I pop it in the fridge for a few hours, or outside in the winter...
It will get flakey after awhile but I just put Vaseline in my hands, mold it, and it softens up and can smooth out any lumps to a nice consistency.
I also find that "Pam" is a great/cheap mold release and helps smooth lumps as well.
Pistol laser sights often come with a remote switch to turn on the laser. But they are pricey, around $70-100us. And the remote has a short wire. All you would have to do is cut and rewire the wires to make them longer.
"It can be a product from Gorilla Glue or not, just as long as it's stuck together and it's awesome."
and yes, it is awesome.
More Please!
why did you choose plaster iso latex for this one?
Is that the Predator shoulder-gun in step 6 pic.3, is there more of this costume?
(http://www.instructables.com/file/FOCYWO0GE39IAH5/)