Big bird Build 2016

[bondoking]

So this year my boy wanted to be Elmo, so I started my big bird with the head. Big bird the costume has very little reference for how the costumes laid out. But enough reference and videos and I got a start in mind. The beak is 2" foam taped together so I could work the mouth. Then the head is 2" foam with spray foam to fill out the bloom in the back.
( now in hind sight I should have taken into account weight. It wasn't bad but had no " feathers" and I kept saying...it's not bad. That comes to bite me later...)

 

[bondoking]

So after I mocked up the head and was relatively happy ( the beak seems to big) I started on the body. I recently found out about rattan from a video by the great Adam Savage, but I built the frame out of solid thin steel rod I bought in the fence aisle of homedepot. NO FLEXABILITY.

 

[bondoking]

I covered the beak in felt and added the wooden balls I got from my junk I could use drawer and started adding feathers. I could afford to buy 4,000 to 6,000 bright yellow turkey feathers so I bought felt and fabric and cut about 8 yards worth of feather shapes. I also bought a bag of feathers from Joanne fabric to accent and hide seams. At craft shows my wife used to buy wreaths for the holidays that old women made by " pencil pushing" fabric into styrofoam circles, this is how I did the back plume on big birds head.

 

[bondoking]

Couple more pics

 

[bondoking]

After the head was done I hated the body and scraped it. Same principal but better shape size and comfort. It idea was the neck and body was solid and Carol Spinney worked the head. I was wrong but I was committed so my plan was my left would control the head and my right could interact with people. Some A$@ stole my white foam shipping sheets from work so I had to use black. Then I used batting to add volume.

- - - Updated - - -

Next was hot gluing fake feather shapes.

 

[The Clone Emperor]

¡What a wonderful undertaking!

Good on you.

 

[Apollo]

Loving this! :thumbsup

 

[Naveed2331]

Looks good! Have you watched "I am big bird" it has some pretty good references for how big Bird works. https://youtu.be/22iSrJRx4_0

Sent from my SM-G925W8 using Tapatalk

 

[Rogviler]

This is very neat. Caroll Spinney is on my short list of heroes. The guy is incredible. I daydream about having a lot of different costumes, but I just realized how much I would want this.

I love how you got the floofy stray feathers on the top of his head right.

-Rog

 

[KrangPrime]

Even with the fake feathers the shape and downright FEEL of it looks amazingly perfect!

I agree. Oscar the grouch was a child hood hero of sort, and later carol spinney who i FINALLY got to meet ;o)


On the bucket list, kind of sad at 38, but what the hell, is a sesame street set tour. if i can find the right contacts.

 

[Snowfire]

YES YES YES Is all i can say to this.

Can't wait to see it finished.

 

[bejdann]

This is amazing!!

I've hit subscribe, more people need to do muppets.

 

[bondoking]

Ok so where was I?.... Oh yah hot glue all over my fingers. For Christmas last year my wife bought me the DeWalt hot glue gun because1.) she cares 2.) I told her specifically what I wanted 3.) I burned out three of her small glue guns and tried to put it back without telling her...

After gluing alternating fabric feathers I made a fake arm out of foam scraps from the feet and a coat hanger. I wanted to have it move like the actual big bird but decided " radar" the teddy bear would give me more to talk about with some of the little kids we trick or treat with. I went in full character so I WAS a 6 year old giant bird whose going on his first trick or treat with other children. It was great telling them I was dressed like a doctor and carrying a plastic pumpkin bucket. I gOT SO MUCH CANDY!!!! More then my kids I think.

 

[bondoking]

Let's talk about vision for a moment shall we...
i read somewhere there's a stage version of big bird and a Sesame Street version. Carol Spinney has a camera set up in his and the stage version they see out of a tie or comber bun. I can't afford a camera so I made a tie that has pumkins made of mesh screen material. The tie is also removable so I can put a different style for xmas or Easter. Whatever.

 

[bondoking]

My biggest problem was how the head and neck meet and how I would operate it. In MY head it was flawless, every time I put the head on my hand it worked he moved and worked out how to talk. Listen to far too many YouTube video on my way to and from work.

So so I suit up and have my wonderfully understanding wife hand me the head and....
it worked.
i was so happy I didn't realize the weight so much.
I took everything off and started hot gluing plastic Hawaiian party city necklaces around my legging/ modified pants.

 

[TJackFx]

YES YES YES Is all i can say to this.

Can't wait to see it finished.

http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=269002

 

[nniebling]

So awesome! Thanks for sharing


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[bondoking]

So Halloween comes and I wear bir bird to work... Went over great except the weight of the head came back to bite me. I had full movement but all the weight sat solely on my figures, and after about ten minutes I almost lost the head.( side note: a head less big bird will scare the daylight savings out of children-FACT) so quickly I welded up a wrist brace that takes the weight to the wrist- problem solved...for now. After work I shot home and got the kids ready, the family and friends came down and off we all went.

 

[bondoking]

Halfway thru the night the brace slid down the head since I didn't actually secure it with glue or whatnot. I thought 2' long spikes into the styrofoam head would be fine. My brother caught it before it hit the ground with only minimal screams and tears. The rest of the night was me holding the head from the inside for about an hour just so it wouldn't fall off. The children and adults went crazy for me chasing me down to get pics and ask me adorable questions like how do I fly.

This monday were going to children's hospital with a newly secured head and working mouth that won't break my hand.
Wish us luck
christopher

 

[Miker]

Excellent build and costume!!