So for the past couple of months I've been working off and on on a quadsuit. For those that do not know what that is, it's simply a mascot costume that uses stilts in the forelegs to enable you to walk on all fours. It's been a trying process, and I'm still far from done, but I figured I'd show you guys what I've been up to!
For starters, I've been making my own personal mascot costumes (or if you prefer the term, "fursuits" for the past several years. I've made about 7 heads of varying difficulties, a bodysuit, paws, feet, and tails. I've been wanting to be able to use a quadsuit while I still have the capacity (31, and not getting any younger), but the prices for a professionally made one can go over $4,000, so I figured it was time to bite the bullet and do it myself. I had most of the supplies I already needed, I just needed to get some extra items specifically suited for quadsuits (namely, tubing for the stilts, PVC piping for wings, large tennis balls to go on the ends of the stilts, and and a bicycle helmet). The tundra in question will be a female, and I have no idea what colors I'm going for yet, though I am leaning toward splash/aqua (no genes; too much sewing).
The first thing I had to do was create a duct tape dummy. This is a very affordable method of making a complete body mannequin of yourself with duct tape and some old clothes you don't mind destroying. Standing up straight for one is one thing, but making one while bent over KILLED my neck and shoulders. It takes about 2-3 hours with a friend to get you taped from neck to toes.
So I had my body double, and I had my materials; I went ahead and got started.
Here's one of the earliest shots. I didn't take any pictures of the DTD itself. I simply started slapping foam on it and went to work. It's of course being held up by an ironing board so it will stand at around the same angle I would if I were wearing it. A mannequin head taped to my measurements was stuffed in the neck hole and taped into place.
After I added what I thought was a sufficient amount of foam, I took a break from it to start on the feet and head. I wanted to be able to work on everything at once to make sure everything was sized correctly.
The feet were built on a pair of knock-off crocs. To make the head, I had to layer several sheets of foam in order to get a sizeable block.
Left carved, right uncarved. I tried to get that upturned toe curve that Tundras seem to have in their official art.
Here's some preliminary head carves, and the resultant foam nest.
After that, I worked on the foreleg stilts. They're pieces of drainage pipe I bought from Home Depot, with 5 inch tennis balls glued to the ends with foamie sheets. After that, the tennis balls were sprayed liberally with plasti-dip (a common rubbery covering for tools). The tennis balls plus the tool dip help so that I can land on the stilts at any angle without fear of slipping, and so that there is a bit of cushion to my step.
I threw everything together preliminarily to see where I was headed. Thanks to an overlay from a friend, I realized the neck needed some major shortening and curvature:
After that, I added the horns/fins/whatevers to the head. They're made of camping mat foam. They'll get ribbing from more foam shaping soon.
Then I started working on the forefeet. I wrapped them around the tip of the stilt so I'd have an idea of what size they'd be. Again, left carved, right uncarved. The feet themselves won't be glued directly to the stilt; they'll actually be furred loosely along with the stilt so that the foot will drop forward with gravity, giving the illusion of an ankle.
And finally, this is where I am so far. (Pool noodle tail just to see how it looks)
I haven't worked on it for a while because I'm at a bit of a block. I need to plan out the leg shaping. I hope to have a mechanism to make the jaw move.
For starters, I've been making my own personal mascot costumes (or if you prefer the term, "fursuits" for the past several years. I've made about 7 heads of varying difficulties, a bodysuit, paws, feet, and tails. I've been wanting to be able to use a quadsuit while I still have the capacity (31, and not getting any younger), but the prices for a professionally made one can go over $4,000, so I figured it was time to bite the bullet and do it myself. I had most of the supplies I already needed, I just needed to get some extra items specifically suited for quadsuits (namely, tubing for the stilts, PVC piping for wings, large tennis balls to go on the ends of the stilts, and and a bicycle helmet). The tundra in question will be a female, and I have no idea what colors I'm going for yet, though I am leaning toward splash/aqua (no genes; too much sewing).
The first thing I had to do was create a duct tape dummy. This is a very affordable method of making a complete body mannequin of yourself with duct tape and some old clothes you don't mind destroying. Standing up straight for one is one thing, but making one while bent over KILLED my neck and shoulders. It takes about 2-3 hours with a friend to get you taped from neck to toes.
So I had my body double, and I had my materials; I went ahead and got started.
Here's one of the earliest shots. I didn't take any pictures of the DTD itself. I simply started slapping foam on it and went to work. It's of course being held up by an ironing board so it will stand at around the same angle I would if I were wearing it. A mannequin head taped to my measurements was stuffed in the neck hole and taped into place.
After I added what I thought was a sufficient amount of foam, I took a break from it to start on the feet and head. I wanted to be able to work on everything at once to make sure everything was sized correctly.
The feet were built on a pair of knock-off crocs. To make the head, I had to layer several sheets of foam in order to get a sizeable block.
Left carved, right uncarved. I tried to get that upturned toe curve that Tundras seem to have in their official art.
Here's some preliminary head carves, and the resultant foam nest.
After that, I worked on the foreleg stilts. They're pieces of drainage pipe I bought from Home Depot, with 5 inch tennis balls glued to the ends with foamie sheets. After that, the tennis balls were sprayed liberally with plasti-dip (a common rubbery covering for tools). The tennis balls plus the tool dip help so that I can land on the stilts at any angle without fear of slipping, and so that there is a bit of cushion to my step.
I threw everything together preliminarily to see where I was headed. Thanks to an overlay from a friend, I realized the neck needed some major shortening and curvature:
After that, I added the horns/fins/whatevers to the head. They're made of camping mat foam. They'll get ribbing from more foam shaping soon.
Then I started working on the forefeet. I wrapped them around the tip of the stilt so I'd have an idea of what size they'd be. Again, left carved, right uncarved. The feet themselves won't be glued directly to the stilt; they'll actually be furred loosely along with the stilt so that the foot will drop forward with gravity, giving the illusion of an ankle.
And finally, this is where I am so far. (Pool noodle tail just to see how it looks)
I haven't worked on it for a while because I'm at a bit of a block. I need to plan out the leg shaping. I hope to have a mechanism to make the jaw move.
