Grindelwalds Hookah - Help needed

[Tinderblast]

Hi everyone,

I want to recreate the skull hookah from Grindelwald from the latest Fantastic Beasts movie.

One problem: I have never made a prop before. I started with buying a medical skull model and removed the teeth. I already found outt that I can weather the skull with acrylic paint. But there are some things I haven't found out yet. The hookah has an hose with some kind of braiding around it. Besides that my skull has a gap on top.

So now my questions are:

1. How do I cover the gap? What kind of material can I use?
2. Any tips for the kind of braiding that has been used? I found something on Google called Kumihimo, but I'm not sure.

Tips in general are welcome! Thanks guys!

 

[jwaldo]

I think the hose may be quite hard to find. Have you considered wrapping a suitable size plastic tube with thin ribbon?

 

[shpider]

It actually looks like an off the shelf fancy hookah hose... I only spent a few moments looking... but here is something somewhat close to give you an idea... I'm sure you can find it with enough searching :

64" PURPLE FANCY ELEGANT LUXURIOUS GOLD FRINGE TASSELS Hookah Hose Narghile Huka | #424920652

 

[shpider]

I wonder if production bought a hookah similar to this and harvested parts... Brass hookah, hand painted, indian handicraft, home decor, gift

 

[Tinderblast]

I wonder if production bought a hookah similar to this and harvested parts... Brass hookah, hand painted, indian handicraft, home decor, gift

Lol, that one is almost the same... thanks!

Off-Topic: Why can't I see my images in the original post?

 

[DocNewborn]

I saw this over on the imdb's trivia page and thought of this thread.

"Grindelwald's skull hookah is engraved with the words "für das größere wohl" (For the Greater Good") and the date 1898. The motto is related to his own philosophy: e.g. he is not trying to dominate muggles and wizards for power sake, but for the greater good. The date can be a reference to Gindelwald's years in the Durmstrang institute of magic, according to Pottermore."

Alex

 

[ATL Kenobi]

When I made mine, I couldn't find a hose close enough, so I wove a 6 strand braid around a commercially available hookah hose.

There are red LEDs behind the eyes actuated by a small switch near the mouthpiece.

Also, there's 2 high powered white LEDs inside activated by a switch at the base of the skull.

 

[Tinderblast]

That one looks great! Do you have any instructions on the braid pattern? And I'm still finding an solution to fill the gap between the two parts..

 

[ATL Kenobi]

Tinderblast

I repeatedly watched cord braiding videos (like this one) -and there are several - until I was comfortable with how it was done. I used 3mm cotton cord from PerfectYarns on Etsy (colors 9, 10 and 12). If you notice in the first picture, the 6 strands above the hose are held flat with some clips. Using the handle of a crochet hook, I separated every other strand. I then passes the left hand bundle below the hose through the separation and subsequently placed that bundle on the right. Remove the straight pin (zoom in - you'll see it), tighten all the strands, and replace the pin. As with a loom, I then reverse the separated strands above the hose, and pass the next bundle through. Repeat. And repeat. This took me several hours a night for 3 weeks to complete. About 1-1/2 inches per night and I would get tired of looking at it!

I gave some thought to filling the gap, but I need access to the batteries, so I decided not to worry about it.

Here's a photo of friend with the skull and I suspect most people will never realize it's suppose to be one piece.

 

[LuckyS7evine]

the font My Electronic Schwabach | dafont.com

for : Für Daf Größere Wohl

 

[LuckyS7evine]

hi, i just finished a similar job. modeled in 3d. I will print it in resin. And bonus: The button coat’s Grindelwald

 

[Tinderblast]

After almost three years I recently picked up this project again, lol.

This skulll was a cheap medical one which existed of two parts.

The back of the skull has some kind of decoration where the house will attach. I made it from EVA.

The house is wrapped with cotton which I'm braiding by hand (it takes forever). But the end result is worth it!

 

[ATL Kenobi]

After almost three years I recently picked up this project again, lol.

This skulll was a cheap medical one which existed of two parts.

The back of the skull has some kind of decoration where the house will attach. I made it from EVA.

The house is wrapped with cotton which I'm braiding by hand (it takes forever). But the end result is worth it!

That looks great!