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How NOT to make a Duct Tape Dummy
11 years ago
There are lots of tutorials out there for making Duct tape dummies or DTDs.... however I still sometimes get DTDs which are poorly made and make it really frustrating to work with.
Some makers will refuse poorly made DTDs, and others will tough through and try to make lemonade out of lumpy-bumpy-falling apart lemons :P
I think the main problem is even with a million DTD making tutorials out there, people assume that maybe they are clever enough or cheap enough or lazy enough to find a better way to make one. However, please note.... makers give you a tutorial for a reason: we work with these all the time. We know how to make a good one.... and we know what makes a BAD one. Perhaps the reason we still get poorly made DTDs is because no one ever explained WHY you shouldn't do certain things.
Let me lift that veil! Here are some ways NOT to make a DTD!
1) Do NOT use pantyhose or spandex or any stretchy material as a base.
--The reason makers suggest painting smocks is the are non-stretchy, made of a thin material that is easy to cut with scissors, and come in an assortment of sizes which can be modded as needed with some paper towel. Stretchy material is HORRIBLE for DTDs because once you are done taping and remove the clothing, the stretchy material will attempt to unstretch back to its original shape. And when it does so, it takes the tape with it, and your entire DTD will pucker in on itself and all of your work will be ruined.
2) Do NOT plant a starting point and simply unroll the tape like you are wrapping up a mummy.
--Duct tape is... well tape. It's sticky! Anyone who has attempted to unroll any length of tape will notice that it somewhat sticks to itself and requires a minor bit of force to pull from the roll. Taping someone up like this means that the additional pressure you add to pull the tape from the roll as you go is making the DTD tighter and tighter and tighter on the person being taped! This makes the DTD making experience uncomfortable and intolerable as the circulation of blood is cut off during this taping torture..... not to mention the added impossiblity to cut said person out since they are wrapped so unbearably tight.
Please cut and use SMALL pieces of tape and place them on the person's body as you go. If you need to you can pre-rip tape pieces or have 2 helpers (a tape ripper and a tape applier), this will speed things along.
3) Do NOT forget to make tick marks along your cutting lines..... and if you use BLACK duct tape, make sure to use a different colored marker that will show like a silver pen.
--These lines are used to assist in reassembly. We use these marks to line up the pieces when we put the DTD back together. Although you can put a DTD back together without them - if you have patience and good eyesight to see how the tape lines match up - it speeds the entire reassembly process along exponentially.
4) If using old clothes for the DTD base, do NOT leave your shirt untucked.
--I know this sounds weird, but once you've put together a few DTDs you will understand the logic of this.... when stuffing the legs/hip area of a DTD, most people go in through the neck. This means we are taking handfulls of stuffing and pushing them in through the neck to the thighs/hip area. If you do not tuck in the shirt, we may start pulling the pants portion of the DTD away from the tape while we stuff.... if you tuck your shirt in, stuffing is so much easier as it is a smooth line straight down. So tuck that shirt in!
5) If the painting smock is too short in the arms and legs, do NOT just make the DTD to the end of the smock and email your maker telling them to add a few more inches to the legs and sleeves.
--Please understand, we make lots of costumes, so at any given time we have a lot on our minds. It's highly possible we may forget and you'll look silly with your 3/4 sleeve fursuit with built in carpi pants :P If your painting smock comes up short on the arms and legs, grab yourself some paper towel and extend the arms and legs accordingly; it takes 10 seconds and saves the inconvenience of possibly being without a suit when you discover your maker didn't make them long enough and it has to be returned for revisions.
6) Do NOT cheap out on tape.
--Seriously.... use Duct tape. Do NOT use packing tape, scotch tape, painters tape, masking tape, dress makers tape, paper tape, ticker tape or any other kind of tape. Duct tape works well because it's super sticky and due to the fabric woven into it it's flexible so it will not warp or distort when you fold it up to mail.
When taping, please be sure to go over the taped person a few times to ensure there are no gaps or thin areas. A thicker DTD is far preferable to a thin one... they last longer and are less likely to fall apart when being assembled/disassembled. Yes, this may mean buying an extra roll of tape, but seriously..... it's like $7.... how much are you paying for your suit again?
I hope this lesson will assist you in future DTD making endeavours. Now that you know WHY you aren't supposed to do it... don't do it.
Some makers will refuse poorly made DTDs, and others will tough through and try to make lemonade out of lumpy-bumpy-falling apart lemons :P
I think the main problem is even with a million DTD making tutorials out there, people assume that maybe they are clever enough or cheap enough or lazy enough to find a better way to make one. However, please note.... makers give you a tutorial for a reason: we work with these all the time. We know how to make a good one.... and we know what makes a BAD one. Perhaps the reason we still get poorly made DTDs is because no one ever explained WHY you shouldn't do certain things.
Let me lift that veil! Here are some ways NOT to make a DTD!
1) Do NOT use pantyhose or spandex or any stretchy material as a base.
--The reason makers suggest painting smocks is the are non-stretchy, made of a thin material that is easy to cut with scissors, and come in an assortment of sizes which can be modded as needed with some paper towel. Stretchy material is HORRIBLE for DTDs because once you are done taping and remove the clothing, the stretchy material will attempt to unstretch back to its original shape. And when it does so, it takes the tape with it, and your entire DTD will pucker in on itself and all of your work will be ruined.
2) Do NOT plant a starting point and simply unroll the tape like you are wrapping up a mummy.
--Duct tape is... well tape. It's sticky! Anyone who has attempted to unroll any length of tape will notice that it somewhat sticks to itself and requires a minor bit of force to pull from the roll. Taping someone up like this means that the additional pressure you add to pull the tape from the roll as you go is making the DTD tighter and tighter and tighter on the person being taped! This makes the DTD making experience uncomfortable and intolerable as the circulation of blood is cut off during this taping torture..... not to mention the added impossiblity to cut said person out since they are wrapped so unbearably tight.
Please cut and use SMALL pieces of tape and place them on the person's body as you go. If you need to you can pre-rip tape pieces or have 2 helpers (a tape ripper and a tape applier), this will speed things along.
3) Do NOT forget to make tick marks along your cutting lines..... and if you use BLACK duct tape, make sure to use a different colored marker that will show like a silver pen.
--These lines are used to assist in reassembly. We use these marks to line up the pieces when we put the DTD back together. Although you can put a DTD back together without them - if you have patience and good eyesight to see how the tape lines match up - it speeds the entire reassembly process along exponentially.
4) If using old clothes for the DTD base, do NOT leave your shirt untucked.
--I know this sounds weird, but once you've put together a few DTDs you will understand the logic of this.... when stuffing the legs/hip area of a DTD, most people go in through the neck. This means we are taking handfulls of stuffing and pushing them in through the neck to the thighs/hip area. If you do not tuck in the shirt, we may start pulling the pants portion of the DTD away from the tape while we stuff.... if you tuck your shirt in, stuffing is so much easier as it is a smooth line straight down. So tuck that shirt in!
5) If the painting smock is too short in the arms and legs, do NOT just make the DTD to the end of the smock and email your maker telling them to add a few more inches to the legs and sleeves.
--Please understand, we make lots of costumes, so at any given time we have a lot on our minds. It's highly possible we may forget and you'll look silly with your 3/4 sleeve fursuit with built in carpi pants :P If your painting smock comes up short on the arms and legs, grab yourself some paper towel and extend the arms and legs accordingly; it takes 10 seconds and saves the inconvenience of possibly being without a suit when you discover your maker didn't make them long enough and it has to be returned for revisions.
6) Do NOT cheap out on tape.
--Seriously.... use Duct tape. Do NOT use packing tape, scotch tape, painters tape, masking tape, dress makers tape, paper tape, ticker tape or any other kind of tape. Duct tape works well because it's super sticky and due to the fabric woven into it it's flexible so it will not warp or distort when you fold it up to mail.
When taping, please be sure to go over the taped person a few times to ensure there are no gaps or thin areas. A thicker DTD is far preferable to a thin one... they last longer and are less likely to fall apart when being assembled/disassembled. Yes, this may mean buying an extra roll of tape, but seriously..... it's like $7.... how much are you paying for your suit again?
I hope this lesson will assist you in future DTD making endeavours. Now that you know WHY you aren't supposed to do it... don't do it.
Plus LAYER THAT BITCH
I made my own DTD tutorial and people are still doing shit like "oh, I know you sent me a tutorial but I did it this way"
Wut? no. stop.
But, will be following the information in this more to the letter for my next suit. I really want to make my caribou perfect, or at least his DTD for someone to use ^.^
also, happy new year!
Regarding #6: I'd specifically recommend using 3M™ Duct Tape©™®...the lower-cost and/or generic store-brand duct tapes tend to fall apart a lot sooner. 3M™ 3900 comes in different colors...this makes it easy to tell when everything's covered in 2 layers. Friends and I tend to use a colored first layer, then a white second layer (takes Sharpie pen really well).
Also, these are really helpful when cutting the victim out:
http://www.staples.com/Staples-Lett.....product_815014
(Work slowly, that tip can be very jabby pointy!)
poorly made dummies suck eggs man :[
the stretchy clothes problem and short limbs in particular urrrrg.
Also, I have gotten not just poorly made dummies but weird ones, like the one somehow made with no clothes inside and was loosely stuffed with paper to keep the take from sticking, one came already stuffed with expanding foam and the legs hacked off to fit in the huge box, another was made with packing tape, and one was friggen made in a top and bottom piece and they expected me to be able to assemble it into a full person. Oh and the one where they taped their head, hands and feet too which I was like o-O
You are welcome to repost some or all of the journal. Spread the word!
I should be checking my PO box today or tomorrow, so I'll let you know if your DTD arrived when I do.
Amen to that!!!
DO NOT USE "DUCT TAPE" that is PVC based. "PVC tape" This is plastic PVC tape and it is STRETCHY, like electrical tape.
USE "CLOTH TAPE" "FABRIC TAPE" or "GAFFA TAPE", you pretty easily see fabric woven into it, it can be had from many hardware stores (Bunnings, Masters, etc.) I found it in the painting section, near the over9000 varieties of masking tape.
The only thing to ensure is you do not STRETCH the trash bags tightly around your body. Just fix them loosely in place and let the tape close them up to fit your form.