Steampunk Cat Mask Tutorial

Photo by Bruce Medic Photo at BruceMedicPhoto.com

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I made this fun cat mask for a Steampunk tea party at the Geek Bar in Chicago. Here's a tutorial for making your own!

You will need:

Craftfoam

Hot glue

Mod podge mold 

Gesso

Acrylic paint

Acrylic sealant

Pattern - I used the cat mask pattern from Chris Huebert
A LOT of patience

Optional: worbla/thermalpastics

Let's get started:

print out the pattern

you can absolutely make your own if you are good with pattern drafting!

Trace it onto craft foam, twice.

Cut out the foam (cat helper optional)

Optional: trace the pattern onto worbla and cut out the pieces

Optional: Heat and wrap the warbla around the foam.

Match and glue the pieces together

Worbla sticks to itself when heated, you can use contact cement or hotglue if you are only using foam

Start shaping the mask to head.

The eye hole were a bit small for me, so I enlarged it a bit.

All the mask pieces together.

Add ears.

Embellish as you like.

I used a mod podge hot glue mold for the cogs but you can also cut them out of cardboard.

The lens was from a pair of reading glasses from the dollar store.

Prime with gesso. Lens covered in painter's tape.

Prime again with black acrylic paint then start on first layer with a dry brush.

I used bronze for the main colour and gold for the embellishments.

Seal it with a clear acrylic sealant (I used satin) and we are done!

Photo by Bruce Medic Photo - BruceMedicPhoto.com

Here's a tutorial on how to make the steampunk book box (I used it as a clutch)

Steampunk Book Box

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Michaels always have these little book box things on sale so I grabbed one for $2 and made it into something I can carry around as a clutch.

This project is pretty simple. All the work can be done in less than an hour but it does take a day for it to dry. All you need is the book box, hot glue, paint, and an acrylic sealant.

Let's get started:

Cover the sides (fake page prints) with painter's tape.

Draw a design that you want on it and trace it with hotglue.

I used a modge podge hotglue mold for the gear but you can also make them out of cardboard.

Prime with gesso and black paint

Paint with a very dry blush.

I used bronze for the base colour and antique gold for the details.

I like to add a thin black line around the details to make them pop.

Spray with an acrylic sealant and you are done!

I used a satin finish since I didn't want it to look too glossy.

DIY Masquerade Mask - Fun with hot-glue and some paint!

There are so many different ways of making these masks but this method is as easy as it gets. It takes about 5 minutes of actual work.I recommend watching this fun instructional video on making the mask with the same method and includes free patterns.

So let's get started!

You  will need:

Hot glue gun

Acrylic Paint (spray paint if you have good ventilation)

wax paper

Ribbons or strings

Template - found on Google search. 

Print out the pattern and put a layer of wax paper/cookie sheet over it. I had to tape down the edges so the wax paper doesn't shift around when I put the hot glue on.

Slowly trace the pattern with the hotglue - take a bit of practice to get it right, especially if you have a cheap glue gun.

Peel off the mask after the glue cools completely (15-20 min)

Paint with colour of your choice. Spray paint would work MUCH better in terms of filling in the little nooks and cranny and is much faster, but I don't have much ventilation in this apartment so I just used acrylic paint.

Optional: add secondary colour

Add ribbon or string to tie to your head.

Warm the dried mask between your hands for a min and press it on your face for about 5 minutes so it molds to your face.

Pretend you are a superhero (or villain) with psychic abilities, because we all know this pose means I have psychic powers.

And make more masks because it's super easy!

Cat Pendant - More Worbla Fun!

Made this for my best friend (and my favourite crazy cat lady). Here are some progress pics!

For more frequent progress updates visit my facebook page!

I painted a pretty rock and drew a basic pattern on worbla. (The cat's my signature).

Melt the pieces together to make the back.

Melt a strip around the pretty rock.

Wrapped a piece of worbla around a crochet hook and melt onto the gem.

Heat up the back and attach to the back of the gem.

Added ears to the front.

Primed with gesso.

Primed with black paint.

Painted the worbla part and sealed with an acrylic sealant.

Add ribbons and we are done!

Doctor Fate's Amulet of Anubis (prototype)

 I am planning a Doctor Fate costume for my first armor project. This is a prototype of the Amulet of Anubis to test out the size, design, techniques, etc.

For more tutorials and progress photos, visit my facebook page!

Here are the progress pictures:

Drew a rough design on my iPad.

Painted a pretty rock, and drew a rough pattern on a piece of cardboard with a can of cat food.

The cardboard was from the box the cat food had arrived in!

Trace pattern onto the worbla twice and cut out the patterns.

Heat up worbla and sandwich the cardboad in between them and trip excess.

Melted some leftover worbla together.

Rolled it around the pretty rock.

Flattened out the worbla wad onto the circular piece from before and added some details

Heated up a small square of worbla and rolled it around a knitting needle.

Attached the small worbla piece to the top of the amulet.

Covered center with tape and primed with gesso.

Primed with a gold and black acrylic mix since I wanted a shinier look.

First coat of colour.

Traced the edges with black lines.

Added runes and white lines for highlight.

(For those who want to find deeper meaning in life, the runes are Daedric and spell "WALRUS")

Sealed with an acrylic spray paint.

Added a cord (I'll find something more cosmic powery looking in the future) and we are done!