# Coming Soon: 3-Axis Zombie Skin!



## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

Yup. Even though Frankie's not done, I've begun work on another foam latex creature skin for my 3-axis skulls.

It's still in the roughing out the basic forms stage, but it will resemble the half-sculpt I did last week (left). Here's a few shots of the progress:

























41 days left...good luck everyone!


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## tot13 (Jul 25, 2007)

You are so very talented. I'm very jealous of all you folks that can scuplt - it's very impressive. 

BTW, I still haven't received those sub-par Frankie's you need to get rid of, lol.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

He looks as if he just smelled something really unappealing


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## hlmn (Aug 30, 2008)

Very nice Mr. C


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

'Been working on the sculpt today


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## IMU (Apr 8, 2009)

WOW ... great looking face.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

I'd like to put that guy in our lobby at work to scare unwanted salesmen away.


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## psyko99 (Jan 11, 2008)

That looks awesome Mr. C.


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

Weekend progress...almost ready to be molded


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## Devils Chariot (May 23, 2007)

Very Nice Mr. C!


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## HalloweenZombie (Jul 22, 2007)

Awesome, awesome, awesome!!!


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## The Watcher (Sep 13, 2008)

You are really getting good at this. He looks great.


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## fritz42_male (May 5, 2009)

You HAVE TO sell some latex copies to us Mr_Chicken or we will hunt you down and use you as a prop in 2010!


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## skid_68 (Sep 2, 2009)

Yes please!  That looks awesome. Cant wait to see it talking. Great job.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

The detailing on this guy is beautiful. 

I think you should introduce him to Lauriebeast's witch/old lady prop when he's finished. They would make a lovely couple


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## DeathTouch (Sep 6, 2005)

When you get done with it, how are you going to use it. Yes details?


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

fritz42_male said:


> You HAVE TO sell some latex copies to us Mr_Chicken or we will hunt you down and use you as a prop in 2010!


Well, I certainly plan to sell some copies, probably no sooner than November. They'll be foam latex, since that's what I'm using, which means it'll be a little more pricey than a regular mask (I've spent a few hundred in materials on Frankenstein, the Zombie's sister project, alone), but I'm not going to be trying to make a big profit, either.



DeathTouch said:


> When you get done with it, how are you going to use it. Yes details?


This year, I'll use him as the mad scientist/lead singer in my musical lab scene. 
However, the beauty of this particular project is that it's enormously versatile, so he could go into any number of scenes. Plus, by tearing the foam here and there (to expose bone), the same sculpt can yield different characters. 
Needless to say, I'm quite excited about this critter.


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

Don't forget to show us the mold process. Pics!


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## muhahahahahaha (Jul 18, 2009)

finger licking good mr c


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

Whoops! Looks like I forgot to update this!
Let's get you up to date with this guy...
I finished sculpting and prepared the mold walls...








...and started layering on the plaster








First the front half, then remove the dividing wall, coat with vaseline, back half, then separate them...
















Then I made a core...


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

and finally did a pull in foam latex...








Lastly (at least, until I decide whether he'll get some sparse grey hair), ol' Zombie got an airbrush job with rubber cement paints
























Not too shabby for a last minute job.

Here he is in the lab:








Video coming soon


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## fritz42_male (May 5, 2009)

VERY nice work. I plan to start sculpting. Have started buying tools and will get some clay over the Xmas break.

Doubt if I will ever achieve your standard though!


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## Draik41895 (Oct 25, 2008)

not sure if its been said yet, but you should also sell these as masks


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## Michael Price (Aug 3, 2009)

*Question...*

What kind of clay are you using to sculpt with, Mr. Chicken? (I was looking at purchasing a latex mask kit from www.monstermakers.com which comes with oil-based clay to sculpt with, but wasn't sure if I should start out using that, or a water-based clay.)

Is there a particular type you prefer? Your work is awesome!


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## shadowopal (Aug 9, 2007)

How does this do with movement restriction? It looks great. Also, have you figured out a price yet? can't wait to see the video.


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

Michael,
I don't have any experience with latex masks, but I have sculpted with VanAken oil-based clay and WED water-based. While I like the WED over the VA, I haven't really figured out what I prefer yet overall. I would imagine the MM oil-based is very good. I ordered my foam latex kit from them, and I know of at least one Hollywood creature effects shop that uses their products.

Shadowpal,
It moves beautifully. The video should be up in the next couple of weeks.
I'll PM you with tentative pricing.


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## shadowopal (Aug 9, 2007)

Looking forward to the video. I will be ordering one of these next year.


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## Dead Things (Apr 4, 2009)

Mr. Chicken, I bow to your kung fu. I want to start sculpting and I never even thought of using a skull as the base (like, duh). I don't like to tell anyone what to do, but you need to do a tutorial on sculpting. You are incredibly talented.


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

Sweet mask Mr. Chicken! Will the mask be only for props or it is something you can wear also? You did a great job sculpting this piece. I attempted a latex mask, but messed up on the molding process. I will have to give this another shot in the near future.


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## The Archivist (May 31, 2009)

I don't get something, what's with the skull? I understand the molding process but not the reason for the skull.


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

Dead Things said:


> Mr. Chicken, I bow to your kung fu. I want to start sculpting and I never even thought of using a skull as the base (like, duh). I don't like to tell anyone what to do, but you need to do a tutorial on sculpting. You are incredibly talented.


First, thank you. Second, I suggest you read through Playfx's Sculpting 101 thread. He knows much more than I.


Joiseygal said:


> Sweet mask Mr. Chicken! Will the mask be only for props or it is something you can wear also? You did a great job sculpting this piece. I attempted a latex mask, but messed up on the molding process. I will have to give this another shot in the near future.


Unless your head is the size and shape of a Lindberg skull, no, you can't wear it 


The Archivist said:


> I don't get something, what's with the skull? I understand the molding process but not the reason for the skull.


The skull acts both as an exceedingly useful guide and armature while sculpting and as the only way to know that the final product will fit back on the same skull when it is animated.


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

Mr C, are you injecting your foam, or are you just laying it in the mold on both halves then closing the mold before baking? I'm getting ready to start casting my own skin, and I'm curious about your foam latex insertion technique.


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

I just pour it in both halves. I mix up a 300g batch and pour each half of the mold to about the one third mark. Although the seaming is a pain in the rear, it seems easier this way (once you get the hang of it).

We'll have to compare notes-- I'd like to hear what you've done differently throughout the process and how it worked out for you.


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

While I'm here, here's the Zombie in action:


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## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

Mr. Chicken, that is the BOMB! Congrats, that skin looks and works great. Thank you for posting. I am going to watch them again! The eyes look great too, Thooooooopper Dooooooooper!


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

Thanks Scourge!

One more video of the group:


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## randyaz (May 26, 2006)

oooooooo thats excellent


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

Great work, Mr C! Where did you get those big gears?
[Edited] I read your blog...went waay back and see you cut them from plywood. Very Creative!


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

Thank you both!

You mean the ones in the beginning? They came from some old greenhouses that my dad's friend owned. They've been sitting in the backyard for years


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## Jaybo (Mar 2, 2009)

Wow! Frank turned out great! You're starting to give me an inferiority complex! I can tell you put a LOT of hard work into your haunt. Very impressive. Keep it up!


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

Everything looks great Mr. C. Did you just learn to do this on your own or did you have someone to teach you how to do the casting and all? 
There's so much I'd like to try (casting, servos, etc.), but no one in the area I know of to show me the ropes.  Maybe you can move to the DC area (along with Dr. Morbius, Devils Chariot, Dave the Dead, etc ...).


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

Spooky1,
I learned most of these techniques from a couple of years of research online. For molding and casting, check out theeffectslab.com
I learned almost everything I know about servo control from the original 3-axis skull thread on Halloweenforum by HalloweenBob.


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