Silicone Rubber Suits...How To Make, Paint...any interest in a cool tutorial?

[CreatureCreator]

You would not make the skin thick for the muscles, not only would that be stupidly expensive waste of silicone, it would weigh alot more.

I intend to pour my silicone skin then foam the muscles, trim as needed, then paint a layer of silicone over the top to keep them in place.

exaclly what i ment, i really need to explain things better..

and roninpred, that part of the movement was a joke

JB

 

[Usurper]

Its cool.


oh and i got the movement joke hehe.

 

[Eaglewood]

Just to jump in here a bit. I have done a couple of experiments with silicone and silicone foam. I was able to put a thin layer of silicone into my torso mold that was colored whatever color I wanted and then came back inwith a layer of expandable silicone foam. The 2 bonded together perfectly . I made it a bit thicker than could be used for a skin, but it could be trimmrd down thin enough to work and still retain the shape and muscle tone.
I am going to sculpt a test torso with some detail in it and then come back in with an inner mold that conforms to my torso and do the layers of silicone and silicone foam between. Should be interesting

Looking forward to this upcoming huntorial also.

 

[Darth Pinhead]

I am going to sculpt a test torso with some detail in it and then come back in with an inner mold that conforms to my torso and do the layers of silicone and silicone foam between. Should be interesting

So, basically, you're using your body mold to create a core? What material will you use to make the core? And here's where I'm really confused: how do you plan on inserting the core to insure that it is centered correctly? Just curious. If it were just the body, then it doesn't seem too difficult, from what I've read; the included arms are what's throwing me off, I guess, keeping both of them and the body centered within the mold. Can't wait to see your thread!

 

[Eaglewood]

So, basically, you're using your body mold to create a core? What material will you use to make the core? And here's where I'm really confused: how do you plan on inserting the core to insure that it is centered correctly? Just curious. If it were just the body, then it doesn't seem too difficult, from what I've read; the included arms are what's throwing me off, I guess, keeping both of them and the body centered within the mold. Can't wait to see your thread!

When i do the sculpting on the cast of my torso i will put some locating keys in there so I can remove them and cover them later. Not sure if I will do the arms together or do them separately and attach them later. Thats the beauty of silicone, it sticks and adheres to itself very well and you can make it pretty much seamless. Dont know if I will do the entire body this way or not, but the areas that are most prominent. Hey, i dont even know if it will work the way I want but im gonna give it a shot. If it works half as well as the first one I did then I will be happy.
Ill take pics and such of the process for sure.

 

[Darth Pinhead]

Sweetness. Can't wait to see your thread...

 

[MEANGENE83]

I don't know bout anyone else, but all this talk about Silicone Bodysuits is making me wet....

David Pea your such a cock tease! Where is the tutorial???????

 

[predatron]

hey guys im thinkin of doin my skins in silicone,i see it is a far more expensive material but to me is seems way better than liquid latex rubber in terms of movement and realism

it looks way more expensive though!on the subject does anyone know of a rough amount i will need to make skins?i know thats a "how longs a piece of thread " question but just a rough idea so i can figure the cost

i was gonna go the mr i way but for me it just doesnt cut it,a piece of me would die when ever i seen the movie suit!

iv been learning how to 2 part mold/cast so im gonna give it a whirl after xmas the hard way!wish me luck and any advice would be great!cheers

 

[afedorniak]

im hoping to get a cast of my self in easter time at a local college as part of an education class me as the guinea pig .i will supply the materials and i get a cast of myself in resin like a manaquin.then i can work on a silicone suit ,i have a freind who is a freind ,of his that is a mould and cast tutor,and he is up for the job,cant wait!!

 

[DAVIDYR1]

I don't know bout anyone else, but all this talk about Silicone Bodysuits is making me wet....

David Pea your such a cock tease! Where is the tutorial???????

I know, I know...you're absolutely right. We're about to release our Batman Begins line and topped with the announcement of our LucasFilm license for introduction of those licensed goods as well, all this has seriously dug into my message board 'fun' time.

However, here's a little bit.....

Silicone is heavy. Heavier than latex and certainly heavier than foam latex. The advantage to silicone is the flexibility of it and the tear resistance of the material used. Platinum silicone is what's used for costume skins, not Tin. Tin breaks down far quicker and is not made for this kind of repeated flex and stress. For moldmaking, tin silicones are perfect, but for any costume use they will also inhibit the cure of platinum silicones so it's important not to use Tins when looking to use any kind of Platinum silicone.

Here's an example...
Legs:

You want to sculpt over top of an established body form, one preferably already set up with keys for being cored.

See the keys? That allows the rubber urethane mold, and rigid mother mold to lock into the core (pink) and the clay you see is removed...leaving the sculpted area void for the silicone to be poured into it.

This pic shows the urethane skin (I believe it was Brush On 40 by Smooth On) being removed from the secondary sculpt. Platinum silicones will naturally release from certain urethanes and we've done a lot of brush up molds with this technique.

This shows the rubber mold now wrapped onto the inner core, and there now is a complete void where the clay used to be...

Placed into the bottom outer mold, mother mold. This holds the rubber urethane skin mold in place and anchors it in so there's no shifting.

Here you can see the pour holes/air venting holes.

With the front mother mold bolted to the back and to the inner core....again, we dont want any of the mold sections to shift...

At this point, the mold is secured and ready to start pouring the silicone....

See the smaller screws on the inside of the core? Those are bolted to the mother mold...nothing is going to move or shift.

Now you can start pouring. Get up as high as you can...let the silicone pour out in a thin stream. This will also force most of the air bubbles to pop on the way down, reducing the risk of trapped air bubbles. Even if you degas your silicone it is very important to pour it this way considering how big the cast piece is and the amount of silicone you're working with.

It's hard to show in these pics, but there are bleeder holes scattered all throughout the mold allowing the silicone to bleed out, forcing out any trapped air as well. As the silicone bleeds out of these tiny holes, they're pluggged with clay.
The two large openings serve for pouring, only into one of the larger openings...and the second opening is for air release as the silicone rises and fills the mold.

All topped up!

See the clay pressed into the core? Those are just some of the bleeder holes plugged up.

Typically, closing and bolting the mold is what takes the most time. Otherwise, pouring it up takes about 20 min tops. Then you walk away and work on anything else while waiting. You can run dozens of molds this way on a daily basis.

The next day, the silicone is set so the mold is opened...

Trimmed while still on the core....

The blue silicone was tinted that way because these legs were promo suits done for the Toronto Maple Leafs...it's been a few years now.

Prior to that, black silicone was used as well...naturally.

Silicone cast pieces really do flex well, but need to have a proper padded under suit or muscle suit to sit on otherwise they'll cave in.

I know I skipped some things here and there, and need to get into inhibition much more....the kind of clay you can use for platinum silicone molds and so on...but consider this Part 1. For now.

Painting silicone, now that's also really cool!!!!...and more on the painting later.
Here's some silicone suits, painted and in some cases finished...

Silicone Wig...it's what the Maple Leafs wanted..(we also made the leather Vader and Elvis suits)

Here's those blue legs, and the rest of the suit...the guy wearing it was part of the TML hockey team staff, and a little skinny for the suit.

If you guys have questions based on anything above, just ask....I'll be happy to answer everything but please continue to be patient as we're really in the thick of things with our new products.

There's more to all of this then listed above, and please understand that I'm in no way saying silicone is best....or better than any other material. It worked great for us at the time when we were doing promo suits....flexible, paintable...you can glue it....and the list of personal advantages goes on and on. The reality is it does have it's down side as well...but have a look, give this stuff some thought and fire away!!!!

Thanks, and enjoy. More to come later.

David

 

[Usurper]

Awesome stuff David.

again thanks for taking the time to post this stuff.

 

[Darth Pinhead]

Wow, brother, that was just AWESOME! Thank you so much! Most appreciated...

 

[DAVIDYR1]

Thanks guys!
I know it's not much...but it's a start.
Consider the leg mold and that same principle applied to torso molds, heads....masks and so on.
Actually, the pour hole in the leg mold was later moved to the bottom of the mold, it worked fine even the way you see it but putting it lower allowed for the silicone to just rise up the mold, without it pouring over itself as it rose.

Once again, it's been a few years since we ran silicone pieces...and it's a bit of a blur when I try to recall specifics. In a few short years we did a a fair amount of silicone promo suits....but I will do my best to keep up with your questions as you post them.

David

 

[Roydraven]

wow awesome stuff mate thanks heaps for the tips question what was your rigid mold made of?????? the inner legs with the keys on it????
this is so cool thanks heaps for posting on it I'm very interested to make a suit made of silicon after getting ripped off here in australia with latex >.<

Thanks guys!
I know it's not much...but it's a start.
Consider the leg mold and that same principle applied to torso molds, heads....masks and so on.
Actually, the pour hole in the leg mold was later moved to the bottom of the mold, it worked fine even the way you see it but putting it lower allowed for the silicone to just rise up the mold, without it pouring over itself as it rose.

Once again, it's been a few years since we ran silicone pieces...and it's a bit of a blur when I try to recall specifics. In a few short years we did a a fair amount of silicone promo suits....but I will do my best to keep up with your questions as you post them.

David

 

[VaderDave]

Wow! First time I have seen this inner core technique! Excellent stuff!

David, I assume you attach the parts to a spandex type body suit. Do you glue them to it? If so what type of adhesive is used?

 

[MEANGENE83]

Now that helps alot! The pictures are EXTREMELY HELPFUL!!!

Thanks for putting out!

 

[Eaglewood]

Well, this was pretty much exactly the technique that I was going to use-- but he obviously has done it quite a bit before and is the expert on this. Just a word of information--silicone doesnt breathe very much so if you had a full silicone suit on--it would be like wearing wone of those sweat suits. I did a friends head with silicone for the mold and he was dripping when we pulled it off-- So you would have to integrate some netting or mesh into the suit somewhere to allow your body to breathe.
So there you go--now I have to get to mine and I hope it turns out just even close to what the master here has posted.
Wish I could hang out in his shop for a day or two!!!

Great Huntorial--keep it coming as I saw some things there that I can for sure use.

 

[DAVIDYR1]

Well, this was pretty much exactly the technique that I was going to use-- but he obviously has done it quite a bit before and is the expert on this. Just a word of information--silicone doesnt breathe very much so if you had a full silicone suit on--it would be like wearing wone of those sweat suits. I did a friends head with silicone for the mold and he was dripping when we pulled it off-- So you would have to integrate some netting or mesh into the suit somewhere to allow your body to breathe.
So there you go--now I have to get to mine and I hope it turns out just even close to what the master here has posted.
Wish I could hang out in his shop for a day or two!!!

Great Huntorial--keep it coming as I saw some things there that I can for sure use.

Correct. Silicone does not allow moisture to penetrate. Sweat does not get absorbed into the suit. Latex or foam latex are better in that respect, but you guys with the latex Pred suits know you sweat like a beast in there just the same.

Eaglewood...is that you from the RPF?

Lifecasting....good call on that one. Modified body casts with keys are awesome to work with for this type of thing.
Here's some body molds...life casting and so on...all done with silicone. Body Double by Smooth On.


****Nudity 'sort of' ahead**** Don't continue if this offends.****






Since silicone sticks to itself, first we mold the private parts, then the rest of the body. The entire mold comes off as one piece in the end.

Silicone head cast with open eyes...eyelids were molded while shut then opened as the silicone gelled so we got the open eyes perfectly in the mold.

Some of the first casts from the molds....before final clean up. These were melted clay pours, and retooled as needed.

This was the final full body mold made from all the assembled castings shown above...it was pretty big.

After the holes were drilled, bolts were inserted to seal the mold shut...then we trimmed the walls and made them smooth. Always trim on bolted molds because the vibrations can pop the mold open.

Yes that's a silicone Pred head skin there, but it was a flawed casting...

I haven't dug into these old files for nearly 3 years, so it's kind of fun for me to see this stuff again after all this time.

More to come!

David

 

[MEANGENE83]

This thread just got a whole lot more interesting!!!



Good stuff.

 

[Roydraven]

hell yeah all this stuff is so helpful thanks david quick noob question there is no shrinkage with silicon is there just wondering????????