For
years, I had been wanting what I called a "silhouette" Batman,
meaning a Bats figure enveloped by his cape, usually seen
only in shadows. I had actually made one years ago with a
removable cloth cape. There's a reason it's not to be seen.
Now that vinyl had made itself known to me, a better option
was available.
The basic idea here is to wrap the vinyl around the figure
so the vinyl can hang straight. The widest point along the
chest is usually the best place. Even then, I had to slice
off the lower arms to accommodate the look I wanted. I used
paper to make a pattern before I cut the vinyl. Once I had
the shape I wanted, I had to paint one side of the cape before
I could attach it to the body. Thus I primed and painted
one side, masking off the top edge that would bond with the
glue. Before I could attach the cape, I also had to prime
and paint all of the body that would be "inside" the
cape. Once that was painted, I used super-glue to affix the
cape to the body.
The edge of the vinyl now created a "seam" across
the figures chest and back. I used Kneadatite to fill along
that seam and smooth it out. When it was dry, I further attempted
to create a smooth surface by covering the seam with a small
amount of Alumilite. The effect isn't perfect, but it works
fairly well. (Be careful when sanding, as vinyl can't be
sanded.)
|
