# "mantula" lives!!



## Attic Hatch (Sep 12, 2015)

“Mantula” Costume/(prop?) Build!!
An arachnid version of the “The Fly” character from the original movie.
Project was also a kind of test bed for trying new materials and techniques.
I hope I don’t bore the experts here with all the details, but this is what I look for when looking at how-tos








MATERIAL LIST
>Face shield visor.
http://www.harborfreight.com/adjustable-face-shield-46526.html
>Clear Acrylic fillable ball ornaments - variety of sizes.
http://factorydirectcraft.com/catalog/categories/1302_1039-acrylic_fillable_ornaments.html
>Automotive window tint
>Great Stuff foam
>Smooth-on Free Form Air
https://www.smooth-on.com/product-line/free-form-air/
>Black Flex-seal spray
>Black & Grey Spray Paint
>Black Magic marker
>Black costume fur
>Rubber coated work glove.
>Polymorph re-usable plastic
http://www.polymorphplastic.co.uk/
>4 mil corrugated plastic sheet (as always)
>9 gauge fence wire (as always)
>Neoprene remnants from the Foam factory
>XXL 52 sleeve length lab coat.
http://www.labwear.com/Knot-Button-Labcoat-p/373138.htm

Tools
>Standard cutting/sanding/ filing
>Clay sculpting set.


CONCEPT DOODLES
Very loose gesture doodles. Just enough to wrangle broad concepts.
I didn’t want to lock into a particular look.
I wanted to react to the materials as I went along









ARRANGING the EYES – PREPPING EYES and VISOR
Ground down the ridge on the visor.
Lined the inside of the eyes with window tint.
Laid out bulbs on one side. Traced and cutout a pattern on a folded sheet for a symmetric layout.
Glued gunned eyes and filling gaps to prevent great stuff from seeping in.








INTERIM CONCEPT RENDER
I took a photo with the visor while wearing the lab coat, shoulders stuffed to simulate tall hunched shoulders. 
Used a draw program to depict a face and arm of sorts.
Not a design to lock into, just seeing if I was heading in the right direction.








More Prep
Painted a ridge around the eyes to keep great stuff beige from being seen









1st time using great stuff! Yep, made a mess. 
Did 3+ applications with rough shaping to get full buildup.









SHAPING
Mostly used the cutter. And then sandpaper.









FOREARM/GAUNTLET
Heated 4 mil plastic sheet for sleeve.
I love corrugated plastic sheeting - it’s cheap, lightweight, easy to use, and water proof.
Applied and shaped Great stuff as I did with the head.









PREPPING for FREE FORM AIR APPLICATION
Secured items to a clamped pipe to allow controlled turning During Applications









PREPPING for FREE FORM AIR APPLICATION
Got a set of A/B portions ready and protected
A food tub filled with water was also handy









FREE FORM AIR APPLICATION 
(I started with the forearm because if I screwed up it would be the least noticed here.)
Applied as thin of a coat as possible. 
It took roughly three pairs of palmfuls to coat the forearm.
I wetted to smooth out and extend the cure time.
After the initial coating, I did build-ups, details and refinement using sculpt tools.









THE “MANTU-CLAW”
I filled in a rubber coated work glove with PVC pipe and Paper in a way to make the hand position as narrow as possible.
4 mil sheet for the base shape, then the great stuff.
NOTE: I tried the bug protection version of great stuff for the “Mantu-Claw”. 
It dried spongy rather than stiff like the typical Great Stuff. Not a benefit in this case, but could be useful in other instances









APPLYING FREE FORM AIR to “MANTU-CLAW”, then the HEAD
By the time I got to the head, I was getting somewhat comfortable with the material.
Then came refinements and details applications, it was finally getting fun instead of scary!









Once everything dried, grinding, sanding, carving to preference.
Everything almost ready for paint:








Onto Part two: Painting and panting!


----------



## Attic Hatch (Sep 12, 2015)

*Mantula Build Part II*


APPLYING FLEX-SEAL
I liked the texture this created. 
I taped off the “Mantu-claw” and painted with gloss black different smoother texture.
Very quick light bursts did the trick for an even coat.









DRY BRUSHING THE GREY









CHEATING
Magic marker for some spotting patterns.









EXTRA PADDING.
The head was just heavy enough to put pressure on the brow. Glued in some Neoprene padding and wore a baseball cap to help with this.










THE NECK/COWL and WRIST “SKIN”.
I applied Flex-Seal to costume fur then scraped and raked while it dried to get the desired texture.
I was SO surprised and happy with how this worked!
I can see using this technique for a variety of hides, or skins, or . . .










SECURING the COWL
I made a ridge on the head to hide the edge of the cowl.
Large thread dry wall screws with washers did the securing.










The FANGS
Made with Polymorph.









“DENTAL DRILLING and FITTING”
Reapplied more Free Form Air to integrate the fangs









Repaint and drybrush.











The HUMPBACK/SHOULDERS RIG
I shaped 9 gage wire to hug my body enough so it would not press on my shoulders.
4 mil sheet to spread the pressure.
4-5 applications of Great Stuff and many test fitting to get the final shape.












DISTRESSING the CLOTHING
Coarse files did the wearing and tearing on the sleeve.
More Flex Seal on everything.










NAME TAG
Done in CorelDraw. Tried modern and retro versions. Containment protocols on back, of course.










MANTULA is ALIVE!
What I would have done different:
>Kept the eyes covered throughout the process! The vision became pretty compromised during the project,
>Maybe use a catcher mask.










FINAL NOTES:
Fun. 
Learned stuff. 
ONWARD!


----------



## WickedWino (Aug 19, 2012)

Wow, just mind blowing! What a creative costume and I can tell a ton of loving work went into it! You will have a blast wearing it this year. How are you going to wait until Halloween to strut around as Man-tula? I love the play on your forum name in the badge. Superb!!


----------



## Gym Whourlfeld (Jan 22, 2003)

When i was making my own costumes I would sometimes have some one want to rent a costume from me.(A year later)
"But you don't understand! My creation you want is not so much a "Costume", but rather a torture device for whoever decides to ever wear it!"
(True, Exactly what I thought.)


----------



## Attic Hatch (Sep 12, 2015)

Thanks, WickeWino. I actually already wore this at the Midwest Haunter's Convention masquerade ball.
Laughing at what Gym Whourlfeld said about his costumes being a "torture device"!
There were challenges, especially with the visibility (should have kept the eyes masked during the entire build process).
There's a good chance this will end up an animated prop.
If not this year, maybe next year.


----------



## matrixmom (Oct 29, 2010)

Wow amazing and its made of everyone's fave medium- great stuff!! I love the details on the face. Really perfect. Thanks for showing all the steps, it gives us all ideas on how to make stuff for our projects that we haven't even thought of.


----------



## punkineater (Apr 26, 2014)

Wow~most excellent prop there, AH!!! Love that you showed the steps, which makes Mantula even more amazing. He's terrifyingly freaky


----------



## miles (Sep 18, 2013)

hold the F*#$% UP! WHAT!? DUDE THIS IS AWESOME! this is the things I love throwback awesomeness, kudos man, I love it. extremely clever use of everything


----------



## xLawfulevilx (Aug 30, 2015)

I absolutely love this!! Super sick and creativity shown full and true!! Keep it up!!


----------



## Bringer of Doom (Aug 24, 2016)

This is completely awesome!!! 

I have been wanting to make a "Fly" costume but had no idea how to get started. You have given me some great ideas!


----------



## Attic Hatch (Sep 12, 2015)

Bringer of Doom said:


> This is completely awesome!!!
> 
> I have been wanting to make a "Fly" costume but had no idea how to get started. You have given me some great ideas!


Glad it might be helpful!
If you plan on doing something like the visor, I would suggest something that rests against the entire face edge like a lacrosse helmet or catcher's mask. I dealt with a lot of pressure on my forehead with the visor.


----------



## Bringer of Doom (Aug 24, 2016)

Good to know.


----------

