My Bio-Mask Sculpt

[AdenSolu]

Hello all,

I've decided to create a new bio mask and wanted to involve all the hunters on the board. I've finally decided to start work on a full scale Predator costume since I am almost finished with my SE ROTJ Boba Fett costume, and the sculpting and mask making of some zombie/corpse masks for a low budget movie that some people are commissioning me to do. Now as I have a little time to fit in my Predator costume, I've decided to start this thread and update people with how it's going. These are the first pictures as I start the process. Let me know what you all think. Thanks!

 

[AdenSolu]

So far i'm just working on the basic shape for a human face to be able to comfortably wear it. From there, I'm going to be building it up and making it longer/larger, then adding the details. Once I've finished the sculpt, i'm going to be making molds from it to paint and install laser sights. Here's the beginning of the buildup of the features. Next after I smooth these parts all out, I'll continue to build up the crown and forehead of the mask and add more details.

 

[AdenSolu]

Here we have the mask beginning to take shape. I still have to work on the size and making the dome rounder, and still not sure if i'm going to go with the spike like horns. I just threw those on to see how it would look. Next will be to work on the previously mentioned items and then start with the details before casting it!

 

[AdenSolu]

I've been looking around online and found that most of the Predator or any movie helmets in general have a terrible time with having glowing eyes to the point where if you do have lenses that light up, it prevents visibility. I came up with a solution for this and have ordered the parts I need. While I wait for these to come in, I plan on finishing the sculpt and casting it. Then I'll install the full electronics system I'm talking about so you all can see an incredible way to have a movie accurate predator mask! I'll post some more pictures soon once I get some more work done on the mask tomorrow. Thanks!

 

[AdenSolu]

Okay I haven't gotten the lights in yet, but the helmet cam and monitor/microphone arrived today. The light are super bright motorcycle helmet led's that I will be installing behind the eyes of the mask. There will be sunglass lenses infront of them to dull it down slightly, but still make them glow. I will then block off the lights from the inside and the eyes so that I don't have to worry about the glare reflecting back and blinding me. Most people are probably wondering what I plan on doing to the helmet so as to allow me to see out of it if the eye lenses are covered? Well I ordered a mini helmet/motocross style camera that you can attach anywhere, and I will be building it into the mask to provide live video feed onto a portable monitor so as to actually have an electronically working bio-mask similar to the technology in the movies. Ofcourse you can spend even more money and get a camera with things like thermal vision and infrared and things like that, but for this first build I'm keeping it simple and everything is the monitor is a rechargeable screen, and the helmet cam runs off a 4 AA battery pack that is easy to install into the helmet. I'll start a tutorial as I begin this process, but for now let me show you some pictures of the items I bought and have already experimented around with and work great! These first pictures are of the motorcycle led that will go behind the lenses to give the Predator glow so many people are always looking to achive.

 

[AdenSolu]

The great thing about this system that I am designing is that everything is portable and runs on battery packs that can be installed into the undermask or on the bio helmet itself. I got tired of looking at all these Predator and Boba Fett helmets trying to be as lifelike as possible, but they always seem to be lacking in the helmet electronics department. Sure some people have modded out their helmets to have tri laser targeting systems, but what about the real substance of the predator helmet? The vision modes and sound effects and such are a crucial part to these helmet's in my opinion. So I'm working on a budget version of these parts that I will install into my bio-mask once I have it cast and painted, and from there I will create a huntorial to show people how they too can do the modifications. Time permitting I'll probably come out with a kit where I'll offer my resin or fiberglass helmets finished or unfinished, and do all the electronic work as well. Obviously like I said, the camera modes available could alter depending on how much your looking to spend, but just the generic camera that I have handles everything perfectly clear, and even does well in low light settings. Here's some pictures of the helmet cams I'm talking about that I just got and the camera. Once I finish this, I'll work on multiple vision modes, but for now I've got all this to do and to install the sound effects that Ill be able to play through mp3 format to have various movie quality growls, clicks and other vocalizations. I figured if I was going to go for a quality Predator helmet, I wanted it to be a close to a real working one as possible. Here are the pictures of my camera and display monitor for the inside of the helmet.

 

[Robiwon]

Sounds like you have quite the project planned out. I have a question though. The monitor is going to be mounted inside the helmet for you to be able to "see" right? How far away will the monitor be from your eyes? The human eye has trouble focusing on anything closer than roughly four inches in front of it.

 

[dreaminspired]

i agree. it seems like it will be impossible to see the monitor if it sits close to your face.

 

[AdenSolu]

Sounds like you have quite the project planned out. I have a question though. The monitor is going to be mounted inside the helmet for you to be able to "see" right? How far away will the monitor be from your eyes? The human eye has trouble focusing on anything closer than roughly four inches in front of it.

Robiwon,

You are correct about the human eye and the length at which it can focus on an object like a screen, and I can assure you that the build for the masks inside will help add extra space, on top of the method I'm planning on installing it. I did a rough test with a mask I had laying around and it ended up working out great! I'm really excited about this new technological way to start building Predator masks, and like I said, once I finish mine and have everything installed and painted up, I'll probably go into an small run of these style masks in kit form for people that are interested. Since i'm still finishing the sculpting, and awaiting the lights, I have a little time to work on the final dimensions of the mask. I'll post pictures once available.

 

[AdenSolu]

i agree. it seems like it will be impossible to see the monitor if it sits close to your face.

dreaminspired,

Yes if the monitor was directly in front of your face it would be utterly useless, but the design I came up with that incorporates these technologies into it, will actually give plenty of space between the bio-mask and the wearers actual face and undermask. I've had a few friends over in my work space today and showed them what I had planned and jerry-rigged a demo version for them to try and they were all blown away. I'll sketch up a couple drawings to explain this better and show people how the undermask, bio-mask, and harness will all work. Then once I finish the sculpting and casting of my mask, I'll install the real parts and pieces into the ultimate in Predator headgear!

 

[dreaminspired]

dreaminspired,

Yes if the monitor was directly in front of your face it would be utterly useless, but the design I came up with that incorporates these technologies into it, will actually give plenty of space between the bio-mask and the wearers actual face and undermask. I've had a few friends over in my work space today and showed them what I had planned and jerry-rigged a demo version for them to try and they were all blown away. I'll sketch up a couple drawings to explain this better and show people how the undermask, bio-mask, and harness will all work. Then once I finish the sculpting and casting of my mask, I'll install the real parts and pieces into the ultimate in Predator headgear!

yeah after i typed it i thought about it a little bit and i realized that there has to be a good deal of space between your eyes and the helmet when you are also wearing the scary monster face underneath the helmet and over your face. although i'm not a fan of predator stuff, i think it would be really cool to see it work out the way that you say it will. i think i've seen someone on here or TDH rig up a cell phone display and camera system in their fett range finder... i see how this could work for that too.

now hurry up!!!:angry:rolleyes

 

[Klwl]

Love the concept! I'll be following this one......

 

[AdenSolu]

Here is a sketch I drew up real quick of a bio-mask and an undermask to show people what I'm talking about as far as the electronics installation. Once I get the parts and actually begin installing them I'll do a tutorial, but for now I wanted to at show a picture. Oh, and as far as the distance, the monitor will be a good 4 to 5" away from the eyes, so plenty of distance to optimally see with it.

 

[MooCriket]

Very cool

 

[AdenSolu]

Was busy finishing another project I had to do by a deadline, so now I'm free to start work on this again. I'll post some new pictures within the next day or so as I get further along.

 

[AdenSolu]

Here are some pictures of the non permanent set up of the illuminated eyes that I installed in this custom suit I'm playing around with. Once I finish my bio sculpt and do the P1 costume I'm also building, I'll post the pictures of the inside of the bios as I install the camera system, tri lasers, and illuminated eye lenses and show how to do it also. I just wanted to get some photos up for all those that have been getting eager and keep asking me what progress has been going on. More pictures to come!