Kong, King Size
October 11, 2005 9:06 PM Subscribe
I am setting out to build a 10 foot tall replica of King Kong's head. What kind of materials should I use?
I was thinking of doing a chicken wire model of his head and paper-macheing the skin areas. I have no idea how to go about doing fur. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I should go about doing the entire project?
Think kong.
I was thinking of doing a chicken wire model of his head and paper-macheing the skin areas. I have no idea how to go about doing fur. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I should go about doing the entire project?
Think kong.
What about Fiberglass? I've used it once and it's not that difficult. Fiberglass makes cool looking fur too. We made bears out of that stuff with resin and bondo. Search on this site for fiberglass materials or goto your car parts center and then google it. Best of luck.
posted by alteredcarbon at 9:48 PM on October 11, 2005
posted by alteredcarbon at 9:48 PM on October 11, 2005
I assume this head is going outside?
My partner has done similar stuff, most notably a life sized alien from Aliens where she used a wood/metal and chicken wire frame which was paper mached and then covered and sculped down with building putty/filler. But this stays inside only and took around 6 months to build and was very expensive.
From memory the guys at Weta use a combination of sprayed on polstyrene to a base frame, then sculped, then lightly Fiberglassed, then painted/airbrushed for the large scale sculptures they've built.
posted by X-00 at 11:18 PM on October 11, 2005
My partner has done similar stuff, most notably a life sized alien from Aliens where she used a wood/metal and chicken wire frame which was paper mached and then covered and sculped down with building putty/filler. But this stays inside only and took around 6 months to build and was very expensive.
From memory the guys at Weta use a combination of sprayed on polstyrene to a base frame, then sculped, then lightly Fiberglassed, then painted/airbrushed for the large scale sculptures they've built.
posted by X-00 at 11:18 PM on October 11, 2005
Response by poster: glibhamdreck, that would be a LOT of hair.
I have about 5 weeks to construct this thing, and then it will be on display for one night outdoors, not as the focal point of the event. On top of that, it will be behind a bar, so ultrafine detail isn't too crucial. I'm just looking for a way to do the fur. Fiberglass would have to be sculpted, which is something I don't have the time for.
Keep the suggestions coming!
posted by mr.dan at 11:42 PM on October 11, 2005
I have about 5 weeks to construct this thing, and then it will be on display for one night outdoors, not as the focal point of the event. On top of that, it will be behind a bar, so ultrafine detail isn't too crucial. I'm just looking for a way to do the fur. Fiberglass would have to be sculpted, which is something I don't have the time for.
Keep the suggestions coming!
posted by mr.dan at 11:42 PM on October 11, 2005
Papier mache over a chicken wire frame, about a case and a half of beer, exterior glossy paint and marine varnish to seal it.
posted by planetkyoto at 3:11 AM on October 12, 2005
posted by planetkyoto at 3:11 AM on October 12, 2005
Fiberglass has too many downsides to compete with paper mache, IMHO. 10x as expensive, needs either sculpting, a reverse mold, or a finish coat of a lighter material (ala vinyl spackling), and the only upside would be strength, which doesn't seem to be an issue.
Some material ideas, hay, broom corn, some sort of grass, but any loose material is going to be a superior pain in the butt to arrange, and fake fur is probably pretty pricey. Perhaps just apply a thick layer of spackle, make several "combs" with wood and nails of varying sizes, and fake it. Some preliminary sculpting with a curved piece of wood might not be a bad idea. The first runs would be with a 9 penny nail comb, followed by a finish nail comb. Even better than finish nails might be piano wire, glued into a block of wood. After faking the look, just flock kong, or paint him gloss black. The main thing about the picture that makes me think "hair", are the small spaces, and the small areas that catch light. Making the first coat of spackle properly lumpy would be key.
On preview, invoice that beer as paint too.
posted by Jack Karaoke at 3:17 AM on October 12, 2005
Some material ideas, hay, broom corn, some sort of grass, but any loose material is going to be a superior pain in the butt to arrange, and fake fur is probably pretty pricey. Perhaps just apply a thick layer of spackle, make several "combs" with wood and nails of varying sizes, and fake it. Some preliminary sculpting with a curved piece of wood might not be a bad idea. The first runs would be with a 9 penny nail comb, followed by a finish nail comb. Even better than finish nails might be piano wire, glued into a block of wood. After faking the look, just flock kong, or paint him gloss black. The main thing about the picture that makes me think "hair", are the small spaces, and the small areas that catch light. Making the first coat of spackle properly lumpy would be key.
On preview, invoice that beer as paint too.
posted by Jack Karaoke at 3:17 AM on October 12, 2005
Best answer: When I was a kid, my mom bought a roll of fake fur at a craft shop -- like when your gramma buys bolts of cloth for making you pajamas. I don't imagine that it was terribly expensive, or my mom wouldn't have bought it. I would imagine that would be much easier and faster. Look out for it. (PS I was a werewolf for Halloween that year).
posted by MrZero at 6:13 AM on October 12, 2005
posted by MrZero at 6:13 AM on October 12, 2005
Best answer: There are some great giant cows here in Sant a Cruz, at least four times lifesize. They were made from 2x4 timber, cardboard and chickenwire+papermache. Cardboard from boxes is quite easy to use, sheets can be screwed together using drywall screws, nailed, or stapled with big staples, and can be quite rounded if wetted a bit. The cows were done by a couple of guys who do theater scenery, so I guess they know the best materials.
For fur I'd use black plush if I could afford it
posted by anadem at 7:40 AM on October 12, 2005
For fur I'd use black plush if I could afford it
posted by anadem at 7:40 AM on October 12, 2005
We usually spend WAY too much time and effort decorating the house for Halloween... right now I'm in the process of constructing a dragon that will drape itself across the roof with its head hanging just above the doorway. I made a wire frame out of soldered 10-gauge copper wire for the basic head shape (it's about five feet long), and I'm going to cover it with papier mache.
Last year we made a cave using chicken wire over a wooden frame, and covered with hypertufa. Be sure to wear gloves and long sleeves when working with chicken wire, or you'll chew your arms up. Also, you might want to experiment first on what size wire you need... the "holes" in the wire come in different sizes. You can get hardware cloth with 1/4" openings up to poultry netting with 2" openings at a general-purpose building supply store.
You might consider building whatever frame you want, and then cover kong's head with cheap cloth (burlap? muslin?) painted with "Monster Mud", which is what Halloween builders call a mixture of wall-joint compound mixed with paint. By the way, for paint your best (read cheapest) bet is to get the "goof paint" at places like Home Depot: it's the stuff that they colored incorrectly, and sell for around $5 per gallon.
Also, take a look around Wolfstone's site, which gives lots of good info about building, lighting, and animating props. You might find helpful instructions here, too.
Please post photos when you're done!
posted by Daddio at 11:35 AM on October 12, 2005
Last year we made a cave using chicken wire over a wooden frame, and covered with hypertufa. Be sure to wear gloves and long sleeves when working with chicken wire, or you'll chew your arms up. Also, you might want to experiment first on what size wire you need... the "holes" in the wire come in different sizes. You can get hardware cloth with 1/4" openings up to poultry netting with 2" openings at a general-purpose building supply store.
You might consider building whatever frame you want, and then cover kong's head with cheap cloth (burlap? muslin?) painted with "Monster Mud", which is what Halloween builders call a mixture of wall-joint compound mixed with paint. By the way, for paint your best (read cheapest) bet is to get the "goof paint" at places like Home Depot: it's the stuff that they colored incorrectly, and sell for around $5 per gallon.
Also, take a look around Wolfstone's site, which gives lots of good info about building, lighting, and animating props. You might find helpful instructions here, too.
Please post photos when you're done!
posted by Daddio at 11:35 AM on October 12, 2005
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posted by glibhamdreck at 9:46 PM on October 11, 2005