Let's just do it. Why not? Let's just mix my two nerd-ons. Steampunk
AND Comics.
Better yet...steampunk and Batman. I know...it's been done, but not quite like this. As an artist who can't draw humans very well...I had to think of a way to steampunk Batman for decor purposes (and technically gifting purposes, you know who you are, and the mask better not be damaged) All that came to mind was a tutorial I found on Steampunking Darth Vader...which was AMAZING. It can be seen here:
Steamy Project Reveal at EPBOT (Geeky girls!) In the tutorial this lady takes a Vader mask, trims it down, alters it and presto, it hits me: do the same thing to a bat mask. Which was of course NOTHING to the scale of the Darth Vader Mask (although for about five minutes I had delusions of grandeur, a gas mask function...glowing lights....) mainly because I didn't have all the materials she had, but I made do.
What I used:
A bat mask from Target (or any toy store)
A Dremel Tool (you don't need one, you could punch holes with a punch or a hammer/nail combo)
A thin sheet of craft foam
hot glue/glue gun
Clock pieces and cogs
Spray paint in silver/gold/whatever you want to use
brushes and acrylic paints for details
puffy fabric paint (for the welding dots)
What I didn't, but should have used: Plastic primer paint. I highly recommend starting with this. I bought some for the next project.
I had this mask to start:
I wanted a few breather holes in the ears, so I drilled them with a dremel. You can do this with a wide nail, or a punch if you don't have a Dremel. For welding lines I used thin strips of craft foam cut to the shape I made on one half of the bat mask. You can also achieve this by globbing hot glue in the same lines, the foam is just a cleaner edge. To get the rivets, just dot on the puff paint and let it dry. Make any holes/welding lines/rivets you want now so the primer (or in my case paint) covers everything.
What I should have done next: PRIMER
What I did: weeeeeeee spray paint weeeeeeeee
And I ended up with this:
It doesn't look half bad at this point, but the primer would have ensured maximum sticking ability so the paint wouldn't chip off, bubble up, or peel away. Which it does if you bend the mask. :/
I didn't like the clean edge on the welding lines so I took hot glue and smeared it along the edges. (do not do this with your finger...) Which means: more spray paint!!!!!! WEEEEEEEE
After the spray paint dried, I took a dry brush and gold paint over it to tarnish it up. I scratched a few places and filled them in with a gun metal paint:
Next I super glued on some chains, clock pieces, and gears to the welded side of the mask, and I took some honeycomb looking chicken wire and molded it to the opposite eye with hot glue, which also covered any raw edges that may scratch your eye out if you plan on wearing something like this... This is one of those projects like many of the ones I have done that is only limited by your design.
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| Hang it on the wall....wear it....make a stand for it... or give it away to never see again :( |
Keep in mind this was my first attempt. I rushed it, as I do when I am excited about a project, and it could have been sooo much better. But I learned my lesson and as always I will get better if I practice....When I revisit this project, I will share it here with more tips on how to get better details! Wolverine next time? Spider-man? Magneto? The world is mine!
P.S. Wonder Con tickets went on sale...
Wonder Con I hope to see you all there. Remember, I will be Viper and you can almost assuredly find me at the Superhero Stuff Booth (I will post the # as soon as they update the exhibitor map) Go team
SHS! Can't wait to see all my friends!
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