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Species Dragon (Other)
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More from DracoLoricatus
This is what I made for myself this Halloween. A dragon lower-half-mask. With a moving jaw. What do I call this sort of thing? Jaw mask? Snout? I’m not really sure. But it turned out pretty awesome, I thought.
For more photos of it in action, click here to go to my Tumblr which I just set up a couple days ago! http://armoreddragon.tumblr.com/post/65673722853
I previously posted a shot of me prototyping this, and a shot of the pieces before they were sewn together, and on those alone I already had 2 people ask if I was going to have these for commission. So I'll say now that yes, I will have these for sale once I tweak the design a bit more and get it polished to my liking. I can't promise to be able to do super specific creatures or designs, but do plan on eventually being able to take some custom commissions for this sort of thing.
Oh, and I’m also wearing some dragon horns that I made around a year ago. I made them by taking a computerized 3D model of the shape I wanted, slicing it into layers, cutting those out of birch plywood with the laser cutter, and then gluing them together. Basically it’s like 3D printing but with plywood. I don't even remember if I've posted any photos of them before.
For more photos of it in action, click here to go to my Tumblr which I just set up a couple days ago! http://armoreddragon.tumblr.com/post/65673722853
I previously posted a shot of me prototyping this, and a shot of the pieces before they were sewn together, and on those alone I already had 2 people ask if I was going to have these for commission. So I'll say now that yes, I will have these for sale once I tweak the design a bit more and get it polished to my liking. I can't promise to be able to do super specific creatures or designs, but do plan on eventually being able to take some custom commissions for this sort of thing.
Oh, and I’m also wearing some dragon horns that I made around a year ago. I made them by taking a computerized 3D model of the shape I wanted, slicing it into layers, cutting those out of birch plywood with the laser cutter, and then gluing them together. Basically it’s like 3D printing but with plywood. I don't even remember if I've posted any photos of them before.
Category All / Fursuit
Species Dragon (Other)
Size 1200 x 1200px
File Size 277.5 kB
Yep, it's made of leather. Leather (at least, the vegetable-tanned tooling leather I use) is actually very easy to shape. You soak it in hot water and it becomes soft and pliable. You form it with your hands, then let it dry. When it's dry, it stays in the position it was in when it dried.
This one is sewn together out of specifically-shaped pieces to let it make the curved tips of the nose and chin, which you wouldn't be able to do with just a flat sheet. So the only parts that seriously needed to be wet-formed were the rounded edges between the top and sides of the upper jaw.
This one is sewn together out of specifically-shaped pieces to let it make the curved tips of the nose and chin, which you wouldn't be able to do with just a flat sheet. So the only parts that seriously needed to be wet-formed were the rounded edges between the top and sides of the upper jaw.
You leave it in the water for a minute or two, enough for the water to soak all the way through the leather. (It can take longer if you're using thicker leather.) The hotter the water you use, the more flexible it is right when you take it out, and the stiffer it ends up being. But if you use really hot water it can make the final piece brittle, which isn't good. I just use hot tap water--hot enough to be uncomfortable, but not enough to burn you.
If you're having trouble getting it to harden up, it may just be you need a different type of leather. What I use is tanned with this sort of treatment in mind. Many other leathers are tanned to provide a finished product without having to stain or finish it, so they are often soaked through with oils to keep them water-resistant. And certain types of leather are just soft and you're not going to get them to stiffen in this same way. If you're curious I could send you a link to the leathers I use.
If you're having trouble getting it to harden up, it may just be you need a different type of leather. What I use is tanned with this sort of treatment in mind. Many other leathers are tanned to provide a finished product without having to stain or finish it, so they are often soaked through with oils to keep them water-resistant. And certain types of leather are just soft and you're not going to get them to stiffen in this same way. If you're curious I could send you a link to the leathers I use.
Here's what I typically buy. I usually use 3-4 oz thickness for the masks, though I sometimes use thicker leather for more armor-like things.
http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/...../9157-331.aspx
http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/...../9157-331.aspx
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