Female Character: COSTUME - PREGNANT BELLY

On top of the abdomen part of my body cast, I sculpted a face of a crying baby using a water based clay (for  fast sculpting). The baby's face is about the size of a 13-week pregnant belly, and its facial expression symbolises the fear of death (terminating the pregnancy which is going to happen).
 

Next I made a one-part fibre glass mould of the sculpt. Because the gel coat doesn't set properly when in contact with moisture, it is important to make sure that the water based clay id fairly dry (but not too dry so it doesn't crack). Also, a few layers of J-wax or Bees wax need to be applied in order to keep the moisture separated and for an easy release afterwards. Using only a couple of layers of a fibre glass matt, I made my mould fairly thin as there will be no tension or force applied.

 Because previously I covered my casts with thin layer of PVC it is now very easy to remove from its surface any access clay or resin.After the edges of my mould are trimmed and sanded, it is time to test the materials in which the final cast will be made.

Below two test casts made from make up gelatine (left) and latex (right).  I discovered that the latex is stronger and stretches better than the gelatine, but it is a little tricky in terms of colouring because of its naturaly yellowish shade. The gelatine colours easily, but has very short working time and is quite fragile. For this reson I chose to use latex.

 In the meantime I made the patterns and cut them out from leather. I will be using D-rings as a 'holders' because they nicely adapt the belts in relation to the main piece and the model's body.

A velcro is glued onto the back side of the main piece as well as the 'back wall'. The latex baby face is fixed around with the net pieces (tiul) which, when placed between the velcro, holds the latex firmly in position.

And this is how the pregnant belly piece looks on the model.

Having the main piece ready, I need to make the final cast of baby's face. I have done many tests with coloured latex, and chose to make it in pale flesh tone and paint it with the mix of Pros Aid and acrylics.
I'm using Pros Aid to make sure that the layers of colour will be as stretchy as latex (let's remember that the latex will be pulled and stretched during the performance).

Once the belly piece is completed it is time to make it match the rest of the costume (the same process of 'ageing' and 'wearing down' the leather as with the mask, neck piece, and the bra). Also the fasteners, rivets, and buckles are mattified and aged with thinned nail varnish (I used the 'French' mexed with brown).

Finished piece on the model

and during light tests

...

Female Character: MASK

I sculpted desired shapes onto the head cast with an oil based clay. To make sure that chavant sticks to the plaster, I covered the surface of the cast with a thin layer of the PVA thinned with water. Next I took a quick alginate cast of the sculpted part and casted it in plaster. Because I am going to mould leather on top of the sculpt, I need the surface to be really film and strong. I'm using a vegetable tanned sheep leather to create the mask and some parts of costume. This type of leather is soft and very flexible once soaked in water. There has been another advantage of the PVA layer: the wet leather sticks nicely to the sutface allowing to mould and dry it without falling off.

                                
















The mask I've made is a test-mask which will serve me as a pattern: I will soak it again in warm water, lay it flat, and draw around to get the correct shape. It may seem like a waste of leather, but I need my pattern to be 100% accurate, and no other material has the properties of a sheep leather.

 

When the mask is ready, the fastening straps need to be attached.  Both straps, after carefully measured in relation to the model's head, will be fitted with silver snap fasteners. The snap fasteners, just like the rivets, have to be chosen accordingly to the type and thickness of the leather. As seen on picture below, I glued some small pieces of leather in places where the fasteners are - that's because my leather was to thin, which could result in fasteners being fitted badly. Also, this will prevent the leather from stretching and fasteners going loose.

With the straps and fasteners sorted out, I need to start testing a dye on test-pieces.  I'm using Fiebing's Leather Dye in Cordovan colour together with Fiebing's Lether Dye Reducer (for thinning leather dye). It is advised to use the leather dye in a well ventilated room and to wear rubber gloves to avoid nasty stains on the skin.

At the same time I'm preparing the hair, which will be glued onto the mask and one of the straps.

 

I bought an artificial hair in two shades of blond to match the natural colour of my model's hair. To make the fake hair look more natural, I rolled them onto the medium size plastic rollers and poured over with boiling water, which turns the straigt fibre-hair into desired waves. When dry, the hair were 'painted' with Skin Illustrator and sprayed with dry shampoo in order to reduce the shine. Then they were treated with thinning-scissors and cut accordingly to the lenght of the model's hair.

                                                                                               

The hair-tapes are glued together and on to the net, which then will be glued on to the mask and to one of the leather straps. The net is essential to make the hair-straps lay naturally, either back or forth.

Also, a thin layer of hair is glued directly on to the mask to cover the net.

 

Finished mask with the hair.

 

Mask & neck piece on the performer:

Female Character: LIFE CAST

I want masks and costumes to be custom fitted, therefore I'm starting my work with taking a life cast of my models. Life casting can be very stressful, especially to someone who has never had done it before, and it's important to make sure that your model knows what is going to happen (a day prior the full head casting I made a trial cast on my model's face - just to give her an idea how does it feel).

Tip 1: To avoid air-gaps in the alginate cast it may be a good idea to make it more runny, but make sure that the layer is thick and strong enough!

Tip 2: Before applying plaster bandage directly on the skin put a thin layer of cream (ideally Nivea). Vaseline can also be used, although petroleum will clog pores (skin won't 'breathe'), and intensify the temperature of a curing plaster - which may affect blood circulation and fainting (especially when casting a large part of the body).

Full head cast and two part body cast (I made them separate so they are ligh and portable ready for the next steps: sculpting and fibre glass moulding.