Introduction: The Fishman Alien Cyborg
This build took me 60+ hours to complete and most of the costume was created from scratch and hand painted. I came close to winning a $5,000 grand prize in NYC but was beaten out be a giant robotic pumpkin monster...I will forever dislike anything pumpkin related :) I did however win $3,000 with this creation!
The small details of this build are what make it so special to me. The heart pendant for example took most of the time to finish through much trial and error. It is constructed using a mountable wall fishbowl with two PC processor fans in it that toss around white beanbag filling. Finding the correct filling to achieve the over effect of a working cyborg heart took some time.
The build is completely hand painted, and I think is what sets this costume apart from others. The fins alone were constructed from scratch using liquid latex and then painted.
The overall look at the end once all of the moving parts and LED's where lit up surprised even myself. The costume was a favorite this Halloween season and I hope you like it as well and that maybe it even inspires your creativity as well!
Enjoy!
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Step 1: THE "HEART PENDANT"
MATERIALS USED:
PC Graphics processor fans (x2)
2 9v batteries
2 9v battery on/off cases
General wiring
A clear wall-mounting fish bowl
Industrial Shower Hosing
Acrylic Paint
Various car chrome accent pieces
Beanbag filling Mini LED strip
Head-mounted red LED lights
THE STEPS:
1) Remove the graphics processor fan from processor
2) Wire the fan up to a 9v battery case
3) Wrap the hanging fishbowl with industrial shower hosing
4) Mount (hot glue) the fans to the interior bottom of fish bowl so that the fans will be able to scoop up and throw the bean bag filling easily.
5) Glue to the back of the fishbowl mini LED battery pack strip around back perimeter
6) Fill the fishbowl with mini-beanbag filling and fire her up to test! (BE CAREFUL the beanbag balls will first fly everywhere until to enclose the top piece of fishbowl)
7) Design an enclosure for the top of the open fishbowl. I used chrome car accents and flexible chrome strip to be able to open and close. ***IMPORTANT*** Make sure however you close off the top of the fishbowl that the inside is still accessible in case you have to remove beanbag filling causing a motor-stall. 8) Hang it around the neck to desired length (I used prop plastic chrome chain).
Step 2: THE FACE VISOR
MATERIALS USED:
Bubble motorcycle visor
GoPro extender head mount
GoPro head mount
LED lights Liquid Latex (to cover/complete head mold Copper wire - to layout and design the head fin - then connected with latex, and hand painted
THE STEPS
1) Remove the center button clasp of the bubble visor
2) attach the GoPro head mount extender
3) On a head mold liquid latex and create a "bald cap" embedding the GoPro headmount
4) Attach, test and set the heights of each of the GoPro joints
5) Layout with tape a min LED battery back strip along the inside parameter of the bubble visor then hot glue in place
6) Once the LED lights have set place the liquid latex bald cap on your head, mount it all together and test!
Step 3: The Latex Head Fins
MATERIALS USED:
Liquid latex
Copper bendable piping
Acrylic paint
GoPro head mount
Latex costume ears (pre-made)
Styrofoam gold balls (cut in half)
THE STEPS:
1) Layout the copper piping to the desired spacing on a flat non-stick surface (I used a cutting board)
2) Paint several layers of latex under and completely covering the pipping in desired ways to make them look like a fin when dried. Make sure to leave an inch of copper piping exposed to the bottom to be able to push into the Styrofoam balls mounted on head later.
4) After 3 or 4 layers of latex let it completely dry then choose desired base color (the red will match my entire costume once completed). Then hand paint with acrylic paint.
5) I attached a GoPro head mount on a dummy head and created a working head mold for the entire build of what will be my face once completed. That way I could build on top of that piece by piece.
6) Cut the Styrofoam golf balls in half and latex them into the head mold
7) Mount and press the exposed copper wire into the head mold and Styrofoam balls.
8) Keep building! More to come on this Instructable...
Step 4: THE BRAIN
MATERIALS USED: ***IMPORTANT*** This part needs to be removed from the master face once the build is 100% completed to access the batteries if needing replacement!
LED color changing brain
Liquid Latex
Velcro
STEPS
1) Create a flat liquid latex layer (4 layers) underneath the brain extending out around the bottom about 3 inches around
2) Around the edges attach Velcro to the base of the latex and then to the head dummy where the brain will eventually live.
3) Trip the latex accordingly and adhere it to the head mount and move on to the next building piece! (coming soon!)
4) Use Velcro to attach the brain latex to head so you will have access to battery port in future
5)
Step 5: THE FACE & FACE FINS
MATERIALS USED:
Foam latex mask
Acrylic Paint
LED light up pulsing orbs
Plastic Spikes
Velcro
Liquid latex
Bendable wire
THE STEPS:
1) Paint the face to your liking
2) Velcro into the mask the LED pulsing orbs *** Important *** these need to be able to be removed as to change batteries inside of them (1.5V).
3) Add Velcro to underside of orbs and the placement on the mask. Hot glue the spikes to the orb
4) For the face fins repeat the steps done for the head fin earlier on. Form with bendable wire the fins on a flat surface and fill in with latex then paint.
Step 6: THE HEAD LED'S AND FACE "SPITTER FINS"
MATERIALS:
Liquid latex
LED strip lights with multiple modes and battery pack
Bendable wire
Hot glue
THE STEPS:
1) Place the LED strip along the bottom of where all of the head fins and face fins will be placed. Make sure to angle slightly up as to cast nice light along the fins.
2) Hot glue section by section
3) Build and pain the face "spitter fins" the same way the head fin was built and attach/poke into the Styrofoam balls again affixing with latex around edges.
4) Fill in around the LED wire with layers of latex and toilet paper until blended into the entire head piece.
5) Paint the entire head and blend into the fins.
Step 7: THE LED HEAD, HAIR, GAUNTLET FINS, AND PIECING TOGETHER
THE MATERIALS:
LED strip with battery pack
Liquid latex (again and again)
toilet paper
Samba gauntlet armband wire frame
Crepe hair
THE STEPS:
1) Create a barrier and slope around the hot glued LED wire with layers of latex and toilet paper to hide the LED strip.
2) Attach the head fins to the Styrofoam balls that were previously inlay-ed into the head. I poked a hole in them first with a small screwdriver then mounted and hot-glued the wire from base of fins into them.
3) Lay out the samba gauntlets and bend the "fingers" to your liking. Then layer toiler paper and latex just like done to create all of the fins. Let dry and begin to paint again.
4) Tape one end of the crepe hair to the end of a table and brush it out to form what looks like long strands of hair. Mount the crepe hair around the brain to cover up the Velcro attachment areas.
5) Paint black all around the gap between the brain and the head "spitter" fins. Be careful not to paint over the LED lights, trace right around them.
6) Paint a base coat over the layered latex that was layered in to cover-up the remaining embedded LED wire.
7) PIECE IT TOGETHER SO FAR!
Step 8: HEAD PAINT, GAUNTLET FINS, VISOR FIN PREP
MATERIALS USED:
Acrylic paint
Liquid Latex...again...
Crepe hair
Hot glue
Velcro
Styrofoam balls
Samba hand feather wire frame
STEPS:
1) Finish coating the samba fins with latex creating the hand gauntlets. Paint accordingly
2) Hot glue the Styrofoam ball halves to the curved GoPro visor extender. Latex. Paint.
3) Paint the remaining latex/toilet paper coated head piece.
4) With a large brush paint with bright color from the center of the hair out from the brain. Add in two more darker colors as you paint further from the center brain. I was going for a coral look here,
More on the way! Still building!
Step 9: VISOR GOPRO FIN | FINISHED GAUNTLETS
MATERIALS:
Liquid Latex (you get it now?)
Fiber optic "hair extensions"
Hot glue
Bendable wire
Chrome table menu holders
Samba wrist metal frames
THE STEPS:
1) Once Styrofoam sets and is painted on the GoPro extender pole setup the fins that will be built and inserted into them. I measured about a 9v battery length between each "peg" of the fins. Latex away then paint.
2) Along the sides of the GoPro extender pole I made two more smaller fins in addition to the larger one on the top. These will run down the sides to cover-up the extender pole and visor LED battery packs that were glued to the bottom of extender pole.
3) Hot glue the Chrome table menu holders to the samba armbands and then hot glue and run the hair extension fiber optics through them in desired layout. Hot glue in place and turn her on!
TO BE CONTINUED...TOMORROW IS THE FIRST COSTUME CONTEST I HAVE ENTERED!
10/28
Step 10: THE FINAL LOOK!
MATERIALS:
Mini LED strand and battery pack
Liquid latex
GoPro angled extender bar
Acrylic paint
Crepe hair
Green netting
5 inch platform boots
Bondage harness
General bondage looking accessories
Bondage pants
THE STEPS:
1) Paint and secure the GoPro extender pole fins. Attach and test!
2) Hot glue in mini LED strand to the GoPro extender pole fins at the base.
3) Align the bottom edge of the whole head piece with hanging crepe hair and paint/extend the patterns from the head down onto the hair
4) Hot glue green netting under crepe hair so it will hang and cover the neck
5) Layer your entire face with 4-5 layers of latex covering hair with toilet paper first. Once dry spirit gum on the foam latex face mold.
6) Attach the ears within the crepe hair and piece it ALL TOGETHER!
60+ hours later and you get something that looks like this! This took a long time and was a much needed distraction amidst some family emergencies in my life. Having a creative outlet can sooth even the most savage of beasts!
I hope you have enjoyed seeing how this all came together and even more so I hope that it inspires others to create!
Happy building!