# Chest Pieces



## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

I am really excited because I have an opportunity to help out the pro haunt I work at on three chest pieces for an upcoming Valentine haunt. I have already started the process and started the rib cage piece. I originally made a chest piece for a zombie costume that I used for the Halloween haunt that I cut out a Walgreens skeleton rib cage and applied it to Great Stuff. I am trying to keep the cost down on the three pieces and made my own rib cage out of wire, duct tape and paper mache. I am pretty happy with the results so far and think it looks pretty similar to the Walgreens skeleton rib cage. I still have to paint it and it will be complete. I am also going to make a chest piece with a heart that the actor can take out through the chest and a chest piece with an arrow through the heart. I will post the progress as I go through the process.

Walgreens skeleton rib cage with Great Stuff










Rib cage made with wire, duct tape and paper mache (I still have to paint it!)


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Ewww, gross!:googly:


The from-scratch rib cage looks really good.


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

Thanks Roxy! I am really happy how it looks so far. The rib cage I made is a little bigger than the Walgreen's skeleton rib cage, so I think it will be more proportion.


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## Draik41895 (Oct 25, 2008)

Those look awesome!


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## killer20 (Jun 16, 2011)

that is very cool looks real.


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

Nicely done. Post photos of your work and finished props.


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

Bone Dancer said:


> Nicely done. Post photos of your work and finished props.


I will definitely post pics. I never did a complete chest piece from scratch, so it is pretty much trial and error. Thanks everyone!


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## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

Wow, You look good. How comfortable/uncomfortable is it to wear?


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

scareme said:


> Wow, You look good. How comfortable/uncomfortable is it to wear?


Thanks Scareme! It actually is very comfortable to wear. The insulated foam keeps the piece in form, so I just have to slip it under my shirt. This piece would be only good for small chested women (like myself) and men.


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

The ribcage looks great, Joisey. Nice job


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## QueenRuby2002 (Oct 23, 2011)

looks great.


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## niblique71 (Dec 2, 2009)

That's not a prosthetic. that her real ribs... Er um... Kidding Sharon. It looks really good! You are an exceptionally talented woman


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## Hairazor (Mar 13, 2012)

Your work shows such talent! Can't wait to see the finished project!


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

Thanks guys! I didn't get a chance to paint it today, but I plan on doing it Friday.


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## Headless (Sep 4, 2011)

Great job Joiseygal!


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

:jol:Wow, that looks fantastic! You create the best zombie looks....when are you going to be on Faceoff?


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

Pumpkin5 said:


> :jol:Wow, that looks fantastic! You create the best zombie looks....when are you going to be on Faceoff?


Ha..Ha..thanks for thinking I can compete with Faceoff participants, but the contestants on that show have amazing skills.

Ok I painted the ribs and actually extended the stomach area on the one piece, so I can have the shirt ripped lower when the actor wears the piece. I want to add blood on the ribs because they are too clean, but I have to wait for the piece to dry. I also wish I had the bottom ribs longer like the original piece, but if I make it gritty with latex and spider webbing than maybe it won't be so noticeable. If anyone wants to give me feedback than I will definitely take it into consideration. Should I make the ribs longer on the second piece like the one on the left? I also started using cobwebs and latex on the first piece, so that is why it has more grit. That is what I want to do with the second piece plus add blood on the ribs for both pieces.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

It will look more authentic if you extend the ribs. Having said that, you might find that the actor's shirt covers part of the lower section of ribs, in which case that detail wouldn't be noticed.

It might be the lighting, but the bone is very white. A little browning/yellowing would be a good touch prior to adding the blood.


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

RoxyBlue said:


> It will look more authentic if you extend the ribs. Having said that, you might find that the actor's shirt covers part of the lower section of ribs, in which case that detail wouldn't be noticed.
> 
> It might be the lighting, but the bone is very white. A little browning/yellowing would be a good touch prior to adding the blood.


I extended the stomach, so I could show off the entire ribs, so I think you are right about extending the ribs. The lighting does make the ribs whiter than they appear. I basically just did the base coat, but I will have to do the detail painting. I better start making up the bottom section of the ribs because I have a feeling that is what people will be suggesting. Especially since I am not happy with that part. Thanks Roxy!


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

I think I only needed one person to tell me to change it for me to go ahead and do it. Thanks Roxy because as soon as you gave me your advice I decide to extend the rib cage. I knew it didn't look right, but just needed some critical advice. I did the same process of wire, duct tape and paper mache. I am waiting for it to dry to proceed, but I thought I would post two pictures of the progress and one of the side by side picture of the change. Remember I still have to paint it, but I hope the change makes it look better?!?!?

Photo of the wire and duct tape being attached before paper mache is applied:










Photo of what it looks like after I used paper mache. (Remember I still have to paint it, so this is not the finished product.)










Side by side pic of the changes:


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Now we're seeing a rib cage

Funny, because it's a small detail in some ways, but it makes such a difference.


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

I totally agree Roxy! I was going with a smaller torso originally, but now that I wanted to make it longer I definitely needed to fix that flaw. I will be waiting for a day or two to let it dry than I can get the detailed painting complete.


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## Vlad (Aug 2, 2005)

Great work Sharon!!! If you really want to up the scare factor though, you might want to wear the orange shorts............ lol


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

Ha..Ha..Ken! The orange shorts are retired! Thanks for the nice comment!


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## Zurgh (Dec 21, 2009)

Nice rack! er, of ribs... 
Seriously cool, JG!


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## Jacksonville Haunter (Apr 21, 2011)

*Sharon it looks great, love the detail!!! Will you use it at your 2013 home haunt? I made a stand alone zombie a few years ago with roten guts like yours and I made a few lose bits of guts from great stuff. I then painted the loose guts to match the rest of the guts, then I put the loose guts on the ground near by to make it look like the zombie is falling apart. It might work with your costume also.*


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

I am getting over a cold since I last posted, but I have finally finished painting the rib chest pieces and it is in the process of drying. I will also take a picture after it is dried to show how the piece will look like on an actor.

Sorry for the quality of the picture, but I can't find my regular camera, so it looks a little fuzzy.


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

Now I am in the process of making two more chest pieces. The one chest piece with the belt will go around an actor to make it appear that an arrow went through the actors body. I have to still make the point of the arrow and the feathers on the back of the arrow. If anyone has any ideas how I can create a safe point for an arrow than I would love any suggestions. The second piece is going to be on the chest and I want to try to make it look like an actor can pull out his/her heart. I am using a squishy ball for the heart that I put cotton and latex on to make it look less round and more like a heart. I want the actor to pull out the heart and squeeze it with their hands to make it look like it is beating. I would love to have a battery operated heart beating, but I can't think how I could create that keeping the budget low. I still have to paint the heart and put the straps on this piece.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

The finished chest pieces look really good, Joisey.

If you make the arrow tip out of a flexible material like foam or rubber, that should keep it somewhere in the safe zone.

To simulate a heart beat, you could try putting a flashing light inside the heart (assuming it's made of a slightly translucent material).


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

Thanks Roxy! The heart is filled with water, so it has that squishy effect. I am going to paint it now, but I just wanted to take a quick video to show the effect I am trying to get. Remember the haunt will be dark, so hopefully the actor can make it look like it is beating. 
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e190/SharShar07036/VerizonWirelessPictureVideoMessaging_zpseb3da557.mp4


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

Ok I finished the chest pieces, but I wanted to show you what it looked like before I applied the blood on the shirts. I figure I will show pictures or a video of what it will look like on the actors that will be wearing it for the Valentine haunt. Anyway here is a few pics of the almost finished product. Also the theme is "My Bloody Valentine", so the actors will be in overalls and hard hats. I get to make my costume that will be a burned miner without an arm. I am pretty excited about what I can create for that look. YAY!

Remember I still have to add blood to the shirts! Thanks again for all the comments and suggestions that helped me out with this project. I am pretty happy with the results, but once again sorry for the crappy pics!

Rib Chest Piece









Open Chest Piece with heart exposed









Close up of open chest piece with heart exposed









Arrow through the heart chest piece (Front shot)









Arrow through the heart chest piece (Back shot)


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Nice job, Joisey!


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## Hairazor (Mar 13, 2012)

Those are so hot!


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## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

Sharon, you are a true artist. We are so lucky you didn't use your talents for good. We need more like you on the dark side. Bravo!


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

scareme said:


> Sharon, you are a true artist. We are so lucky you didn't use your talents for good. We need more like you on the dark side. Bravo!


Scareme that made me laugh out loud! Thanks Scareme, Roxy and Hairazor.


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

:jol:Those look great! I love the arrow through the heart...just in time for Valentine's Day!


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

Nicely done


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## fick209 (Aug 31, 2009)

All three of em look amazing! Very cool!


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