Zercon: Introduction, and Project (Skirmisher)

[Zercon]

i would be proud to help a fellow member. my email is hustlin1ninja@gmail.com. i get work done as quick as possible because i don't sleep allot, kids and family life and all. my alone time for myself is when everyone falls asleep lol. send me something small to take a dry run see how you like it.

Sent you an E-mail, and once again I do appreciate the help very much.

If you start making Mounted Skimisher heads i will personally buy a couple of those. That would be ******* awsome![

I plan to do so for sure, once I figure out the type of feathers and such, I hope to try to make some of the money I put into this project back. Airbrush up a few taxidermy pieces for fun :3

 

[thorn696]

Your modeling is coming along great. It's really nice to see you working on this project again.

I wish you luck on going freelance :cool

 

[FatherDamien CO]

As everyone else has said: AMAZING!

Wish I could sculpt. I can draw and build almost anything given enough time. But, for some reason sculpting and I dont get along.

Anyway, Cant wait to see more.

 

[Ghost01]

How have I missed this thread?? Your work is phenomenal and if you hadn't claimed otherwise I would have guessed that you were a professional prop designer / crafter. I've subscribed to this thread and will be greatly anticipating more updates!

 

[Zercon]

A small update.

Spartansonny unwrapped the thigh plate for me, and once I figure out how to get it onto a thumb drive in a PDF format? I will go get it printed at Kinkos. It'll be a good simple piece so I can try the process of pepekura without substantial loss of it messes up.

In the meantime I finished the foot.

It’s a bit boxier than I hoped for, but I figure I can sand it down well with an electric sander and the Plasti-Paste or Car Bondo. I haven't decided which I want to use, but I am leaning towards the Plasti Paste. It is ridiculously hard in thin sheets, and is lightweight compared to the Bondo.

Also for fun I slapped all the pieces together loosely in a human shape to see how it could look.

 

[spartansonny]

A small update.

Spartansonny unwrapped the thigh plate for me, and once I figure out how to get it onto a thumb drive in a PDF format? I will go get it printed at Kinkos. It'll be a good simple piece so I can try the process of pepekura without substantial loss of it messes up.

In the meantime I finished the foot.

It’s a bit boxier than I hoped for, but I figure I can sand it down well with an electric sander and the Plasti-Paste or Car Bondo. I haven't decided which I want to use, but I am leaning towards the Plasti Paste. It is ridiculously hard in thin sheets, and is lightweight compared to the Bondo.

Also for fun I slapped all the pieces together loosely in a human shape to see how it could look.

Zercon this whole model looks amazing! I am glad you like the unfold i will save the files in one folder on my pc just inacse you ever need it. I will also never release any of your files (just so you know and that is in the clear) Whenever you need more help you have my email or you can PM me here. Great work, i wish i had the modeling skills you possess

 

[ender9492]

Your work on the Skirmisher looks amazing so far! The sculpting on the head looks great; It truly is a work of art.
Can't wait to see how this turns out!

 

[Sara]

I'm so excited to see how this turns out, the sculpting work and models are brilliant work. It's a shame I'm on another continent, I'd love to see this in person one day.

 

[Zercon]

I don't think Pepakura and I get along very well... 8[

I cut out the shape exactly as it was with an exacto blade and metal ruler. From there I color coded/scored each line with red and blue ink, Blue for mountain, Red for Valley. I then folded it all up and glued together... and that’s when things spiraled out to crazy town.

The center piece right under my thumb is supposed to bow out, but the scorings said to bend it concave, which isn't right. Some of the dotted lines were difficult to tell though so I could have screwed up majorly there, but even when I try to pop it out again it doesn't like it and it snaps back in.

Some of the seams didn't line up 100%, from slight flaws elsewhere with my gluing, and others just weren’t cooperating at all. I used hot glue as the medium, since it said not to use tape, but I am thinking this is too thick and caused some of the alignment issues. I really wish tape of some sort was viable, as glue and I never really get along in the long run...

Is there a tape option that is OK to use? or what is another fast setting glue so I don't sit there for ages to attach one point...

 

[spartansonny]

I don't think Pepakura and I get along very well... 8[

I cut out the shape exactly as it was with an exacto blade and metal ruler. From there I color coded/scored each line with red and blue ink, Blue for mountain, Red for Valley. I then folded it all up and glued together... and that’s when things spiraled out to crazy town.

The center piece right under my thumb is supposed to bow out, but the scorings said to bend it concave, which isn't right. Some of the dotted lines were difficult to tell though so I could have screwed up majorly there, but even when I try to pop it out again it doesn't like it and it snaps back in.

Some of the seams didn't line up 100%, from slight flaws elsewhere with my gluing, and others just weren’t cooperating at all. I used hot glue as the medium, since it said not to use tape, but I am thinking this is too thick and caused some of the alignment issues. I really wish tape of some sort was viable, as glue and I never really get along in the long run...

Is there a tape option that is OK to use? or what is another fast setting glue so I don't sit there for ages to attach one point...

i will take a look at the pep file and even try a pep myself Zercon. sorry it worked out like this for you i use superglue to connect all my tabs. i am gonna print this out right now and see what happens on my end. i will email you with the results when i get done.

 

[Zercon]

i will take a look at the pep file and even try a pep myself Zercon. sorry it worked out like this for you i use superglue to connect all my tabs. i am gonna print this out right now and see what happens on my end. i will email you with the results when i get done.

Oh no no, I am sure it was my fault with using the hot glue. I think that glue added extra space in small amounts to every tab so it made stuff misalign. Please don't feel you need to make anything! It will just further show off my ignorance as yours will be somehow perfect XD. Only thing that concerns me that 'may' deserve a peak is that center chunk that goes concave, the rest I think is just me screwin' up x.x

 

[spartansonny]

Oh no no, I am sure it was my fault with using the hot glue. I think that glue added extra space in small amounts to every tab so it made stuff misalign. Please don't feel you need to make anything! It will just further show off my ignorance as yours will be somehow perfect XD. Only thing that concerns me that 'may' deserve a peak is that center chunk that goes concave, the rest I think is just me screwin' up x.x

lol, i did the unfold so i am wondering if it goes together easily. it will give me peace of mind lol. i looked at the file in pepakura viewer and noticed there wasn't alot of a "peak" at the center line. maybe in blender it looks different. And my peps never come out perfect i always have some mistakes that make me a bit upset lol, extra work everytime

OH yeah, i use superglue. never liked the hotglue method for me. too many burnt fingers

 

[Zercon]

lol, i did the unfold so i am wondering if it goes together easily. it will give me peace of mind lol. i looked at the file in pepakura viewer and noticed there wasn't alot of a "peak" at the center line. maybe in blender it looks different. And my peps never come out perfect i always have some mistakes that make me a bit upset lol, extra work everytime

OH yeah, i use superglue. never liked the hotglue method for me. too many burnt fingers

I have used hot glue since I was a little kid pasting googly eyes onto pompoms for cat toys... I think I have grown semi-immune as I will put down hot glue and then just smash my fingertips on top of it to hold it in place despite the heat. Haven't burnt myself in years.

I hope the unfold goes together well, I will need to try super glue with the next one for sure instead of the hot glue -sad-

 

[spartansonny]

i have half of it pepped, seems okay so far. i have a small peak at the center line. Constructive criticism, i think it needs a support brace or two across the back to hold the shape and flatness that you would want it to keep during the resin stage. The folds make it want to naturally curve inward and wrap around itself. you could either (a) add it to your files on flatter pieces and even bigger pieces like the torso and foot. This way you have a perfect support brace already built into the pep. or (b) add the pieces by hand manually after pepping and measure,cut, place them in respective spots to hold the shape.

Oh yeah, that concave valley fold appeared when i did the unfold for some reason. when i joined those edges the program automatically put those in and i couldn't get rid of them. next time you pep this just remember not to score those lines and you should be okay :/ lol, i hope this all helps you out on your magnificent build!

 

[Zercon]

Ah awesome, thank you for looking into it! That was more than I expected and I do appreciate it a lot. In regards to the support braces, would I just... add that into the 3D files and it will unwrap ok in the program? Attached to the object's edges? Or would it be a standalone 'hovering' piece that is separate from the rest and is just glued in? Would this mean the entire thing would have to get unwrapped again? D:

I should really sign up for that mentorship program I saw in a different thread... All these menial questions feel silly to be asked openly...

 

[spartansonny]

Ah awesome, thank you for looking into it! That was more than I expected and I do appreciate it a lot. In regards to the support braces, would I just... add that into the 3D files and it will unwrap ok in the program? Attached to the object's edges? Or would it be a standalone 'hovering' piece that is separate from the rest and is just glued in? Would this mean the entire thing would have to get unwrapped again? D:

I should really sign up for that mentorship program I saw in a different thread... All these menial questions feel silly to be asked openly...

you could do it both ways. As far as the way i would do it personally, i would build it into the 3D file and re unfold it. It will work out just fine. to make it easier which is something i would do depending on the point you are at you could just make the current pep file and add your support braces. its just a matter of personal preference on your end.

 

[Zaff]

An alternative to hot glue (adds thickness) and superglue (sets a bit too quickly) would be white glue (commonly refered to as Elmer's Glue around here). It soaks into the paper more than hot glue, so it won't create any gaps or excess bulk while still bonding strongly, and unlike superglue, it cures slowly enough that you have a bit of time to make adjustments to get the numbers lined up just right. I pepped two different JFO helmets using white glue that I smeared on the tabs using toothpicks, and even with only that small amount of glue I still had an easy 5-10 seconds of time to fiddle around with it, and if I couldn't line it up it was easy enough to peel it apart before the glue set. Heh, as you can see form the pic, though, I didn't get them lined up too perfectly, either.

 

[Zercon]

Well today was a big day.

I got everything I have ordered the past few weeks delivered yesterday night for some reason, which means? It was time to get some progress done and share it with you all!

It took me a bit due to having to figure out the consistency and new product called Dragon Skin, but it worked out quite well to make the rubber molds for the top of the head and jaw.

This picture is when it was part way made, the final mold is much more built out and is pitch black in color. It will be permitted to cure overnight, and then tomorrow I will make the dividing walls and make the hard outer shell that will make it hold its shape.

While waiting for each layer to get tacky ((About 45 minutes)) I set up a new toy I got that will make life so much easier for me. I got my hands on a Silhouette Cameo, and floundered with that for many hours before finally getting things to work smoothly. It is all thanks for the tutorials here on the 405th that helped me get that software working.

By the time I got it all cut out and scored, it was late enough I should be heading home, so that will have to wait while the outer shell of the mask is curing. But until then I got a pile of clustered unorganized pieces.

As well as this I got a new clear epoxy. The clear resin I had been using for the eyes? Simply doesn't cope with how thick the eye was. It would always have a tacky surface even if I put far more hardener than I rightly should have. So while that cures for 24 hours under a pressure pot, I located a nicer dud ((if you look close you can see a weird ring on the lens)) and took some photographs that are a lot nicer than the ones earlier in this thread to show the 'follow me' effect.

Lastly, since I got my camera again, I took some fun photographs of my skull collection that’s hanging up in my studio and compiled it all together just for the hell of it. If you can name what any of these creatures are? You win high-five points.

 

[Zercon]

So it turns out when Clear Epoxy says it takes 24 hours to cure, don't poke it at 21 hours, feel it's hard, and assume that it's good to go. They popped out of the molds, looked gorgeous, ((Save for a few air bubbles I know how to fix next time)) I set them down and over the next few hours they 'melted'.

Live and learn.

In addition I completed the molding for the lower jaw, however ran out of Plasti-Paste so I couldn't do the top of the head again. ((Ordering more of that stuff right now)).

However despite this, I took the time to try out the new plastic and made a jaw blank to test out how everything comes together. I got to say? I am quite pleased. There are some issues around the seams, stuff I will need to Dremel away, but nothing disastrous that is really even noticeable. I paired it up with the first test cast of the top of the head since I don't have a new cast available. So enjoy the toothless old man Skirmisher.

Between coats of stuff, and when waiting for things to cure, I took the time to go full bore into the Pepakura. I made two of the thigh plates, both are fully peped and good to go. The first one finished? Even got a nice coat of resin.

Not bad for one day's work, especially when getting poked all day about it being my birthday haha.

 

[spartansonny]

well first off, happy birthday Zercon!

nicely done on the thigh pieces Zercon, came out real good looking

Thats too bad about the eye pieces, but hey they still look awesome to put into a display later on on for a different art piece that looks like its following you around the studio! Something with all the random eyes that don't make it to the finals that pops out at you and looks at you!!!
And the cast looks amazing! I have been looking for pheasant feathers that would be a lower cost alternative for you but no avail yet. the search will continue!
Aww damn, you just reminded me, my day is coming up next week :/ bleh to the day of 31 years.... nah, I am still a kid who am I kidding?

All in all I am loving the progress on this awesome build my friend!