Steedhead Construction
Hi.
Dunno if this link will work and not sure how to do this, exactly. There are ten pictures from Steedhead5 through Steedhead14.
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f366/Didlika/Steedhead14.jpg
The head is made of plastic canvas covered with foam in 1/4" and 1/2" thickness. Used the smallest plastic tie wraps (zip ties) to join the plastic canvas so I could easily make changes as I went. First a sort of cap that fit my head with browband then added jowlcheek side pieces and a top piece working in a muzzle and eye areas. Ears are sheet styrene plastic covered both sides with two colors of fur. So the whole head is soft and flexible.
Used lots of hot glue sticks, starting with the white but much prefered the clear so went clear the rest of the way, to reinforce the plastic canvas, apply foam and finally, fur.
The face fur is 19 pieces sewn together into a sort of mask then hot glued on. I love this fur, about 3/8 inch long and flexible and very soft, so bought all Field's Fabrics had in three colors. Unfortunately the lighter shade is a bit longer and the white (star and stripe) shorter but it works good enough, and cuts from the back easily and sews to edges without losing fur, too.
Eyes are cut from the bottoms of white, melmac punch ladles and colored with Sharpies. Not happy with looks, so may be re-doing them today. They attach from inside with screws and upholstery washers so easy to remove and change, etc.
Jaw works great! Bit hard to put on but I take my careful time and slip the chin part past my nose and chin and settle it on and then whenever I say anything the mouth opens proportionally. The hinge point is right behind my own jawline so not quite realistic but close enough since I do not plan on opening the mouth very wide. Common rubber bands hooked onto thin wire hooks hotglued up inside closes the mouth. You can make out the chin strap in some of the photos. Compromises have to be made.
This is my second attempt, the first one being all fiberglass but too heavy and nose heavy and mostly I wanted a softplushy head with pettable nose, which this has.
Mane and forelock (which changes every time I mess with it) are Lord and Cliff brand Kanekalon Fiber Super Jumbo Braid, color 613 but comes in black and several other colors too.
One thing I did was buy all the fur Field's had and was on sale (yaay) so have plenty for the rest of the suit and the hood. This is a work stand so the neck looks weirdly tall and thin in these photos but the head is just sitting on the stack of three plastic coffee cans hot glued together and to a plywood base and wrapped in fur for the photos.
Hooves are done other than putting horsehoes on and the tail is next. Having fun making Steed, the Palomino, come alive. Will be at MFF hanging with Altivo(Clydesdale)and other friends.
Steed
Dunno if this link will work and not sure how to do this, exactly. There are ten pictures from Steedhead5 through Steedhead14.
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f366/Didlika/Steedhead14.jpg
The head is made of plastic canvas covered with foam in 1/4" and 1/2" thickness. Used the smallest plastic tie wraps (zip ties) to join the plastic canvas so I could easily make changes as I went. First a sort of cap that fit my head with browband then added jowlcheek side pieces and a top piece working in a muzzle and eye areas. Ears are sheet styrene plastic covered both sides with two colors of fur. So the whole head is soft and flexible.
Used lots of hot glue sticks, starting with the white but much prefered the clear so went clear the rest of the way, to reinforce the plastic canvas, apply foam and finally, fur.
The face fur is 19 pieces sewn together into a sort of mask then hot glued on. I love this fur, about 3/8 inch long and flexible and very soft, so bought all Field's Fabrics had in three colors. Unfortunately the lighter shade is a bit longer and the white (star and stripe) shorter but it works good enough, and cuts from the back easily and sews to edges without losing fur, too.
Eyes are cut from the bottoms of white, melmac punch ladles and colored with Sharpies. Not happy with looks, so may be re-doing them today. They attach from inside with screws and upholstery washers so easy to remove and change, etc.
Jaw works great! Bit hard to put on but I take my careful time and slip the chin part past my nose and chin and settle it on and then whenever I say anything the mouth opens proportionally. The hinge point is right behind my own jawline so not quite realistic but close enough since I do not plan on opening the mouth very wide. Common rubber bands hooked onto thin wire hooks hotglued up inside closes the mouth. You can make out the chin strap in some of the photos. Compromises have to be made.
This is my second attempt, the first one being all fiberglass but too heavy and nose heavy and mostly I wanted a softplushy head with pettable nose, which this has.
Mane and forelock (which changes every time I mess with it) are Lord and Cliff brand Kanekalon Fiber Super Jumbo Braid, color 613 but comes in black and several other colors too.
One thing I did was buy all the fur Field's had and was on sale (yaay) so have plenty for the rest of the suit and the hood. This is a work stand so the neck looks weirdly tall and thin in these photos but the head is just sitting on the stack of three plastic coffee cans hot glued together and to a plywood base and wrapped in fur for the photos.
Hooves are done other than putting horsehoes on and the tail is next. Having fun making Steed, the Palomino, come alive. Will be at MFF hanging with Altivo(Clydesdale)and other friends.
Steed