Really, really prop-ductive day!

I have made the mask and pipe for my Gas mask today which didn’t happen without quite a few unscheduled changes and problems.

When I got home I looked for ways to lengthen the tube Simon had found to fit my prop size. In the end I decided to put look over function and cut the pipe in half and fashioned a middle section of using toilet rolls and cardboard rings.

I taped two shaped toilet rolls into a bent angle together and then cut a series of cardboard rings to go around it to create the look of a pipe. I knew this was being covered in fabric so didn’t worry about its basic look as it is just the skeleton.

Next I sprayed the whole pipe with fixative glue and using some coffee dyed driller cotton. It looks really effective once I had added some layers of aging with paint and water. I then painted the showing bits of rubber pipe with PVA to make it shiny to look more like the hard plastic they were made from.

To make the mask I first made the eye pieces using my own head as a base for scale against photos and research I have.

I cut out two disks of clear thermoplastic to the right size and used sand paper and some glue to mist and scratch them. Next I added to cardboard outer rims to build up a tissue edge to match the sunken look in the pictures. Once they had dried I painted them with a silver/copper mix.

Whilst I waited for that to dry I measure round my head and cut out a rough size and shape of material, as I knew it was going to be gathered and elasticised, and using my sewing machine hemmed the raw edges.

I then sewed on stretched elastic around the base of the mask to get the tight fit and then was going to add more elastic in straps around the back. However the elastic didn’t gather in the mask as much as it needed to do, and as the fabric is linen/ cotton mix I felt it to delicate to pull out the elastic. Therefore I adapted the original design by putting on the mask and crossing over the gather at the back of the head until it felt tight.

Before I did this I added a circle of textured thermoplastic to the inside about where the nose was because my research images made it look as if there was a piece there.

I then pinned it in place at the back and also pinned in two darts at the top of the head to make the fit snugger. I left it pinned and stretched it off my face to ensure the elastic was still able to stretch.

When I felt that the shape and fit was right I hand sewed the back pieces together and machined in the small darts at the top.

Now that the eye pieces had dried I added these to the mask using the eye marks I made beforehand as guides as to where to cut the holes using glue.

Once that had all set I cut a hole for the mouth pipe and glued it into place.

The mask can now be finished once I get the respirator tin done.

I have also nearly finished my clown today.

First I made a pattern from the research pattern for the size of my clown but then realised as I had adapted him a pattern from his original clothes would fit much better. Using that as my guide I made up a pattern for the jump suit, hat and ruff and then cut all the pieces out. I then aged them using sandpaper, a file and coffee staining as I knew this would be harder to achieve when they weren't flat.

Next I sewed together the two halves of the jumpsuit and hat, and turned them through, leaving room at the neck on the jumpsuit to get the body block in. I then glued in the block and stuff the hat and body with wadding.

Once he was stuffed I stuck in his hands, feet and head and then using a loose running stitch gathered the fabric around each of them. After I had sewn up the neck gap I glued on the ruff and he’s nearly done. All I have to do now is age him which with all the effort and detail I have put into him is hard to do.