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Making a Servo Driven Animatronic Mask (Bigfoot)

CONTAINS 3 VIDEO LESSONS DURATION: 1:55:52 SKILL LEVEL: Advanced

COURSE IN DEVELOPMENT, MORE LESSONS TO COME.
Radio controlled servo motors are the standard way to bring animatronic characters to life. Here we breathe life into a Bigfoot character, using servo motors to give a wearable mask a range of expressions.

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Course Content

1.

Sculpting Bigfoot in WED Clay for an Animatronic Mask

DURATION: 0:57:49

Creating a sculpture of a Bigfoot character head in WED clay. This sculpture is modelled on top of a head cast and designed to have a performer’s own eyes incorporated into the mask design.

2.

Bigfoot – Preparing the Sculpture for Moulding

DURATION: 0:20:58

Sealing the sculpture and dividing it up into mould sections using metal shim. Incorporating keys into the shim.

3.

Bigfoot – Moulding the Sculpture in Fibreglass

DURATION: 0:37:05

Fibreglass mould making: application of a release agent followed by a gel coat and laminating fibreglass matting to produce a durable, lightweight mould. Trimming and opening the mould.

Course Description

While the use of electronic devices and motors may seem a little daunting at first, the basic principles are actually fairly simple, and the equipment – the motors and controllers – can be bought ‘off the shelf’ and ready to use. COURSE IN DEVELOPMENT, MORE LESSONS TO COME.

What You'll Learn

Sculpture
Mould making
Working with fibreglass
Animatronics
Casting

Key Materials

Sealers
Talcum powder
Shim
Synthetic hair
WED clay
Silicone
Fibreglass
Polyester resins
Release agents
Fillers

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