Introduction: "Creature Reacher" 9 Ft Werewolf Monster Costume

About: Malmey Studios was collaborated in February 2010 By Jeremey & Mallie Adams. The premise of our work is to build high quality movie props and custom made costumes. Our work has ranged from Creature Reacher …

     Ok this costume came to me in my sleep actually it chased me for about 8 hours, it was a long night!

     For the Arm and Leg extensions I picked a Werewolf but this instructable will work for any costume you want to make! Ok I’m pretty sure “Creature Reacher” is a coined term by Rubies or Grand Heritage or some other main stream costume maker. We all know the costumes are pumped out in the masses and quality usually goes under the bus while the prices go directly to our wallet. In this instructable I plan to show you how to make the leg and arm extensions then finish the costume off Werewolf style! Hoooooooowwwwwwwl!!!!

     As my halloween contest entry alot of work went into this costume please rate it if you feel its worthy of rating and please feel free to leave comments!! I love hearing what people have to say!! Thanks and I hope all you guys and gals in instructables land get a ton of use outta this instructable :-)

Step 1: Materials

For the Leg and arm extensions, you will need the following:

Drywall Stilts (easily obtained on eBay)
Upholstery Foam (http://www.onlinefabricstore.net/foam-and-pillows/foam/upholstery-foam/upholstery-foam.aspx) Size, thickness & amount are up to you.
Contact Cement
Cardboard Tubes
Sissors / X-acto Knife
Duct Tape
Screws

For the complete Werewolf Costume you will need the following:

Wetsuit or Body Suit (I choose a wetsuit Ohio Halloweens are C-O-L-D, Brrrrr)
Long Pile Fur Material (Jo-Ann Fabrics) I picked Brown, it worked best for the werewolf.
Upholstery Foam (http://www.onlinefabricstore.net/foam-and-pillows/foam/upholstery-foam/upholstery-foam.aspx) Size, thickness & amount are up to you.
Optional Latex Costume Head Hands and Feet
Contact Cement
Sissors/X-acto Knife
Duct Tape

With all the materials out of the way I will start with the Arm extensions and move forward from there. Let’s get started shall we?

Step 2: Making the Arm Extenions

     Ok start with your cardboard tubes, cut them to the length you want, I used 18” based on the length I was looking for my arms to be. With them cut to length cut them directly in half. Now you will need to measure down to place a doll rod in as a hand grip. After your measurements drill your holes and place your doll rod in. Once this is complete duct tape over your holes to help stop your doll rods from going all the way through the holes. Now push the bottom of your two halves together forming a V shape. Duct tape the bottom to help keep your shape. Give it a try insert your arm in and make sure the length is how you want it! Now Duct Tape the whole arm extension so there are no voids. Once the duct taping is complete you’ll want to cut enough foam to cover the whole extension. You will now want to cut some foam as Bulk (muscle tone) to complete the look of your Arm Extension. Once this step is complete you will then need to apply the contact cement to both your duct taped extension surface and the back surface of your foam, let dry slightly or it will not stick. Once dry wrap your foam around the arm extension, then add your foam bulk. Easy as that You have just completed an easy Arm Extension.

     Now with that complete I will show you how to add a Hand, glove, ext! Here is how I did this part. Latex gloves can be flimsy so I first stuffed them with foam, once this was done I stretched around the cardboard tube arm extensions, stuff some foam in the end of the tube, cram it down to the hand and it will be complete and firm.

     Now with your arm extension complete and your hand foam filled and attached your next step is to cut a piece of fur (material) to fit your whole arm extension, cover it and your fur (material) with cotact cement, let dry a little and Attach fur (material). On a side note if you plan to attach these to your wetsuit (body suit) please leave yourself extra fur (material) measured from the top of your extension to i little above your elbow, add the soft part of velcro to the underside of the top of the fur (material)  for the attaching process which we will revisit this in the body suit step. Now Bam!!!! Your arm extension is complete!

Step 3: Making the Leg Extensions

     Ok these will be a bit easier than the arms but nearly the same process. Start with your Drywall stilts, cut your cardboard tubes to the length you want, I used 18” based on the height of the drywall stilts. With the tubes cut to length cut them directly in half. Now with your two halves you will need to place them on the stilts. Please keep in mind most stilts and moving parts so please make sure not to obstruct these. Let’s start with the front. Depending on your stilts you should have an adjustment screw on the front of the aluminum tube. Place the cardboard tube on this screw and place the other end on the front of the foot rest (you may need to cut this down to get it to fit) it will be at an angle, this is what you’re looking for. It will give your leg extension a tapered look. Once these are in place, duct tape them to the front aluminum tube. Now the back cardboard tube is a little trickier but if I can do it you can do it! Ok on to the back tube. First I drilled 3 holes in the aluminum heel rest. Once this was done I screwed 3 screws through the drilled holes and into the top of the cardboard tube, allowing it to hang freely. I then bent it into a V shape towards the bottom. You then want to duck tape the bottom co the cardboard tube to the back of the aluminum tube. This process will not interfere with the natural movement of the stilts.

     You will now want to cut some foam as Bulk (muscle tone) to complete the look of your Leg Extension. Once this step is complete you will then need to apply the contact cement to both your cardboard extension surface and the back surface of your foam, let dry slightly or it will not stick. Once dry wrap your foam around the leg extension (please keep in mind there are moving parts on the stilts and the foam will free float between your front and back cardboard tube attachment), then add your foam bulk. I added an extra cardboard extension to the back of my back cardboard tube as effect (it serves 2 purposes, 1 to hide the heel portion of the stilt and 2 to add a werewolf style heel effect, you may choose to do this as well. It was done the same way as the arm extensions were made, please refer to previous step). Easy as that You have just completed an easy Leg Extension.

     Now with that complete I will show you how to add a foot, glove, ext! Here is how I did this part. Latex feet can be flimsy so I first stuffed them with foam, once this was done I stretched around the drywall stilts Leg. Since the stilts will still need their moving parts no duct tape will be used, these will freely stay in position.
Now with your Leg extension complete and your feet foam filled and attached your next step is to cut a piece of fur (material) to fit your whole leg extension, cover it and your fur (material) with contact cement, let dry a little and Attach fur (material). On a side note if you play to attach these to your wetsuit (body suit) please leave yourself extra fur (material) measured from the top of your extension to i little above your elbow, add the soft part of velcro to the underside of the top of the fur (material) for the attaching process which we will revisit this in the body suit step. There you go!!! Your leg extension are complete!

Step 4: Making the Body

     Ok this is probally the most involved step. Here is what you do. Take your wetsuit (body suit) and completely cover it with contact cement, now set it off to the side to dry. Now what you want to do is take your foam and start cutting Bulk (muscle tone). I did a HUGE chest with a nice torso, some shoulder blades, some upper arms and some leg detail. The bulkier the better I say. You can’t be a puny 9 ft tall costumed fiend. After cutting these pieces I glued them together and covered the backs of the foam with contact cement, let dry, and now place the foam pieces in their rightful positions. You should now have a bulky wetsuit, note you will see bulk not detail once covered with fur (material), so it is not crucial to be an anatomy professor to complete this step. Foam and Fur (material) is awfully forgiving!
     Ok, back to work. Next we will be placing on the fur (material). The first thing you will need to do with this first step will be coat the whole suit including the foam in contact cement (this would be a good time to go back to your extensions and completely coat them in contact cement as well). Allow to dry and go get your fur (material). This seams really well being long pile so I’d suggest doing these in steps. I’d start with the chest and wrap it to that back. So cut your fur (material), and coat the back with contact cement, let dry!! Are you seeing a pattern here? Once dry place the fur (material) on. Ok now before moving to the arms and legs there are a couple of things that need to be done first. Since we left extra fur (material) measured just above the elbow and knee and places the soft Velcro on the top of the fur (material) we will need to do the same for the body suit. Place the hard portion of the Velcro just above the elbow and knee. With the Velcro in place you will need to add the fur (material) to the arms and legs. I cut the fur (material) into a semi circle, you’ll have to measure from the top of the shoulder to the top of the Velcro and all around the arm. Once cut you’ll need to coat both the the arms and the fur (material) with contact cement, let dry and put your fur (material) into place. Arms Done As for the legs I cut the fur (material) into a cylinder, you’ll have to measure from the top of the leg to the top of the Velcro and all around. Once cut you’ll need to coat both the legs and the fur (material) with contact cement, let dry and put your fur (material) into place. Now your legs are done as well. At this point all you should have to do is pull the extra fur you left on your leg extensions up like pants Velcro them in place, pull your extra fur you left on your arm extensions up like a long sleeve shirt Velcro them in place and you should have a complete costume.

Enjoy Costuming My Friends!!!

     Now for those of you who are really ambitious this costume offers a second non stilt option. I will explain this process in the next step.

Attachments

Step 5: Non Leg and Arm Extension (Baby Werewolf) Option

     Ok so I wanted this costume to be dual operational which is why I used Velcro in the previous steps. This allows me to unvelcro the arm and leg extensions and remove them while also allowing me to Velcro on regular size leg and arms. Pretty ingenious right? So as described above I placed Velcro just above my elbows and knees where the extensions velcroed to. I also ran a strip down the back of the calf and around the ankle, that was for this step. With the extensions detached and the Velcro in place you will need add the fur (material) to the bottom areas where there is lacking fur (material) on the arms and legs. I cut the fur (material) for the arms into a cylinder, you’ll have to measure from the top of the Velcro you placed above the elbow to the bottom of the wrist and all around the arm. Once cut you’ll need to place Velcro at the top and bottom of the fur (material) and on the wrist of the wetsuit (bodysuit), with the Velcro in place you can put your fur (material) into place. Lower Arms Done . I cut the fur (material) for the legs into a cylinder, you’ll have to measure from the top of the Velcro you placed above the knee to the bottom of the ankle and all around the leg. Once cut you’ll need to place Velcro at the top and bottom of the fur (material) and on the ankle of the wetsuit (bodysuit), with the Velcro in place you can put your fur (material) into place. Now the bottom of your legs are done as well.

     Put on your latex head, feet and hands now your a little baby werewolf!!

     Good Luck Guys and Gals!!

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