Wookie Costume question

I apologize for starting a new thread, every wookie thread I found had been locked due to its age. I am vaguely thinking about making myself a wookie costume... I want a challenge : ) Well im going to start with the head. Im in the process of making a head cast to sculpt the skull.

I have been doing a lot of research, reading every thread / site I can find on Wookie costume creation. I have purchased myself some Kanekalon hair extensions... #27 #4 and #44. I have been experimenting with brushing them all together and I must say, you can achieve a very good wookie-esk look. Awesome : )

Anyway the Kanekalon hair comes crimpled, technical term... its not straight. Very tight waves. I was wondering if someone could give me ideas on how to straighten it. Can you put hair straighteners to this stuff, will it melt?

Any help would be appreicated.

 

I have found a method Hot water, ill give it a try tonight. Sounds obvious when you think about it. Fingers crossed.

 

Well it worked wonders, I now have perfectly straight wookie hair. Cant wait to start attaching it to the skull, which I havent made yet... but still!

 

Actually I don't think you're interested in making a "Wookie" costume, but a "Wookiee" costume I can understand you being interested in.

 

Oops : ) Oh well cant change it now.

I?ve been thinking about feet and my height. I?m 6ft 4 and a bit. After reading about how tall Chewie was in the movies, nearly 8ft, I?ve decided that 8ft isn?t plausible. When I went to Celebration Europe there was a wookiee fan costume there, and he was definitely on stilts. No disrespect to him, it was a fabulous costume! but you could tell he was on stilts and slightly out of proportion because of it.

As the head would add roughly 4 inches to my height, if I added 4 / 5 inches into my feet that would make me just over 7ft.

I think that?s tall enough because I wont look out of proportion, and I wont need any helpers to guide me around because I?m on stilts. Plus! Being 7 ft, I will still tower over everyone, I will be tall enough for children; fans etc to have there photo taken with a towering wookiee. I believe being mobile and in proportion is more important that being the exact height, ill still be tall, very tall, just not? well movie accurate wookiee tall. I think you will notice the odd proportion and lack of mobility more than a lack of extra 6 ? 10 inches on something you already have to look up on.

So, after looking at this image:

http://www.rebellegion.com/chewie/feet_B_003.jpg

I believe the best way to make wookiee feel is to have a block of wood, 2 inches at the front and 4 / 5 inches at the back, a wedge shape. Cover this in rubber for grip. Glue onto that block a wetsuit boot. Then on the front of the foot create out of clay then fiberglass the toes for painting. Drape over a section of fur which can button on and there you have it, wookiee feet! I?m going to head to Decathlon over the next week to get the boots, I think it will work well!

Ill post updates when I have them.

 

Or you could do what our resident Wookiee did, make your feet out of thick foam overlayed on an old pair of shoes or boots. Just a thought.

- Bill

 

All of you answers can be found through these links and forums on this page.

Chewie

 

Oh yes ive read that site through many times, very useful! Ive done my research, got some ideas of my own though

 

Well I?m going to completely contradict myself here, I?ve bought some stilts : ) Yes I know what I said but I?ve changed my mind, the height is more important than out of proportion legs. Besides, another 15 inches to my lower leg wont look that odd : )

This is my Star Wars costume project where I actually make it, 95% of my Vader costume is being bought. In fact I am currently waiting on JB for my ESB helmet and armour. I didn?t feel like I was making that costume, more acquiring it. Cant wait for it to be finished but I wanted to make something. I am currently making a 2m Stargate to sit on my wall, but I wanted something Star Wars. Being 6ft 4 a wookiee it is! : )

I?ve started the muscle suit using images taken from the EpIII making off as reference, already carved myself some pecks and increased my neck muscles. Going to start on the upper arms tonight / tomorrow. I?m off skiing next week so its going to have to take a break.

No rush though, I want this finished for the next Cel Europe, or maybe the Memorabilia in November. Another reason for making a wookiee costume, I kind of get the feeling that at an event there can really only be one main Vader. When I?m not Vader ill be a wookiee.

Once the muscle suit is finished and I?ve mastered walking on stilts ill post some pictures. Oh! I?ve been in contact with the NFT, they are sending me samples in a few weeks.

 

Tried on the stilts last night, pretty good! My only concern is they creak a bit, I hope when they are covered in fur the noise will be reduced. Anyone else had that issue?

Need to practise walking though, can only take small steps at the moment : ) Im going to have very large lower legs, I hope increasing my carf muscle will help reduce this but its always going to be a problem I think. The only wookiee costume ive seen that doesnt have it is www.wookiee.de, maybe that guys really tall in the first place I dont know.

Its great though, im up to Chewie height, 228cm... more muscle carving tonight I think!