Big Sister

[Loess]

I finally got my fiance Annie interested in costuming.



She really wants to get Big Sister ready for the launch this fall, so we've got a bit of work ahead of us.
First step was to get a set of coveralls for her to use as the base for the dive suit.

Next was getting started on the helm, we're putting a layer of paper-mache over a big inflatable ball, which we'll fiberglass over to get the shell for the helm.


Not a huge amount of progress to show yet, but we've got most of the project planned out, so we should have more to show fairly soon. Next after the helm is the shoulders/chest/back armor, and the canister on the back.

 

[smick6]

I cant wait to see more. Bioshock is most definitely great subject matter. I am actually working on a big sister sculpture.

Do you have anymore good reference pics other than the game informer, I have that one also?

 

[Loess]

I cant wait to see more. Bioshock is most definitely great subject matter. I am actually working on a big sister sculpture.

Do you have anymore good reference pics other than the game informer, I have that one also?

Unfortunately, all the reference that we've got is the couple screen shots in that GI.

Every time I've done an image search, it comes back with 200 pics of the cover, but no more concept art or any other promo screen shots.

 

[JangoFett140]

very cool. good job on convincing her. i still need to play these games also.....I NEED A 360 so bad.

 

[Loess]

Thanks, dude!

Smick, I found a (relative) treasure trove of images at IGN. There aren't a whole lot more there, but there is one that shows her right side and leg braces very well.

 

[juliet76]

I'll keep my eye out for reference pictures for you. Really looking forward to seeing this come together Loess, I'm sure Lindanator will be too. She is a big Bioshock fan, she played I watched.

 

[smick6]

Good pics, thanks for sharing.

 

[juliet76]

I just had a closer look at your picture of the coveralls and had to do a double take. Creepy man!

Not that you'll be able to get reference material from it (too dark/fast) but here's some in game footage of Bio Shock 2 that I found. Damn the Big Sister moves fast!

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/exclusiv...ioshock-2/47806

 

[Loess]

@ Smick: glad that photo set helped. Even though there was only one more view of her, having that and the pics we've already seen at higher resolution should help us all out.

@Juliet: I thought that that bit of editing would be good for a couple laughs. I think one of the IGN promo stills was taken from a version of that clip.

We'll keep trying to find more/better references, and working on the things that we do have good ideas about. I have some plans for the leg braces; most likely, we'll be doing those out of steel and leather, since they'll look nice, and should be able to hold up. Looks like I need to start doing some research on designing leg orthoses.

 

[Loess]

After a bit of a hiatus, we've finally made some photograph-able progress. I've started teaching Annie the fine art of 'glassing armor.



One layer of mat laid up, which goes really well when you have a good helper.

We've also started mocking up other pieces with cardboard, which came out well enough that we'll probably wind up 'glassing and using them for the final pieces.



Depending on whether we can keep up momentum, we might just make release.

 

[kmiller]

Has anyone attempted the Big Daddy yet?

 

[Overlord Ian]

Has anyone attempted the Big Daddy yet?

Yep, but its not a 405th build

not my pic

 

[eggfooyoung]

Oh snap!!!! Loess, looks like you are at a good start. Keep it up! I'm looking forward to see how this turns out!

 

[Loess]

Hmmm, three and a half months since I updated this last....



That must mean it's time for me to do something with this project.



We haven't been letting this go completely cold, it's just been worked on in the background as I was finishing my ODST.





The helm is completely glassed.





And bondo'd.





We made the part we've been calling the 'mantle' out of cardboard.





And glassed that. This pic is out of date, we finished glassing the mantle tonight.



We've also started on the "Big Giant Arm-Needle Thingy"



Mocked it up with cardboard to get the shape and size.





And carved it out of pink extruded-polystyrene foam.



I'm painting the foam with mod-podge, to keep the resin from eating it when we glass it tomorrow. That's drying now, so that we can get a bunch more done tomorrow.



We've also started on her air tank, a 12 inch concrete form tube, which we wrapped with fiberglass. That's another project for tomorrow, we'll be putting the bolt flanges and end caps on it. We're also planning on putting the mating flanges on the helmet and mantle, and getting the mantle shaped correctly.

 

[Greenghost]

*lost for words* Wow.... That is pretty damn awesome. Can't wait to see the results.

 

[Bob the Giant]

pretty damn awesome....

good luck with your build!

Bob

 

[Loess]

Thanks, guys!



This weekend was really productive for us.





The mating flanges for the helmet and mantle are fabbed, the mantle is trimmed, and the end caps for the air tank are cut out. We also have the blanks for the other bolt flanges prepped, the air tank is glassed. We're about to fit the flanges to the helm and mantle.





The flange looks about right.



And here's the helm and mantle together, (without the flanges)





This weekend should see a bunch more progress, since we don't have other big projects till this is done.

 

[Haloplayer]

I cant wait to see more of the Big Sister suit. For the visor thing, there are over 100 diving helmets on ebay, some fore under $50 dollars.

 

[kupokitty]

This is an awesome costume! Did you have to pop that ball after you paper mache'd it? It's great to see more paper mache projects on this forum. That stuff is so useful!

 

[Loess]

This is an awesome costume! Did you have to pop that ball after you paper mache'd it? It's great to see more paper mache projects on this forum. That stuff is so useful!

Unfortunately, we didn't have any way to suck the air out, so we did have to pop the ball. The paper mache was a nice change of pace from fiberglass and polyester resin...