Re-painting a Cowl, The Sequel
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Costume making, prop building and other '66 Bat-related arts and crafts. Great place for info and helpful tips. Proudly display your latest creation. Please keep it '66 Batman related otherwise it will be moved to OFF-TOPIC.
(NO SOLICITATION). If you're looking to BUY or SELL something, go to the MERCHANDISE SECTION. Even if you're trying to assemble a costume by buying or acquiring different crafted items rather than constructing or customizing them yourself, then it belongs in the MERCHANDISE SECTION. Don't even ask somebody if they're planning on selling something within this section.
Be sure to read the Board Rules as well before posting for the first time.
Thank you!
- rickrickrick
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2012 7:12 pm
Re-painting a Cowl, The Sequel
Some time ago, I chronicled my adventure re-painting a Will Reeb cowl I have. That thread is here:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2630
While not perfect, I was pretty pleased with the outcome.
Recently, I acquired a second-hand cowl, and wanted to share with crafters on the board what I did with THAT cowl.
Let's call it the Hybrid Cowl - I was told by the seller that it was a Chuck shell and Chuck's original lastex fabric, covered and finished by Will Reeb. Two artisans for who I have great respect, so I was excited to get my hands on it. When it arrived, it was clear the cowl had a lot of problems. The biggest was that the fabric had obviously come loose from most of the shell, and the seller had done a bad job of re-positioning it, using some contact cement or another to "tack it down" in places. Since it was still loose in many places, I decided to try to fix it, and with effort, pulled the cover up off the shell everywhere except the face. Using a steamer to sort of re-activate the adhesive still on the shell, I pressed the fabric back in place, and managed to get in on pretty well.
Unfortunately, in the steaming process, I got a little too close to the painted face in one small area, and sort of scorched the paint. So, I decided to re-paint it, especially since, as I cited in my earlier re-painting thread, Will's black is just a little too grey for my taste. But this time, I decided to try to re-paint the brows, too, more in the style of Chuck's cowls.
First, I lightly sanded the painted area with a fine grade sandpaper. To re-paint, I used the same paint I used previously, Jacquard's Neopaque Light Body Acrylic fabric paint, with talcum powder added to it to matte it down. That worked really well - after painting, I couldn't see the line of the original brows at all.
Then, I uploaded a favorite pic of Adam West in a cowl with brows I really like, and in Photoshop, cropped the image and printed up just the brow in what seemed the right scale, based on my Chuck cosplay cowl's dimensions. I cut out the brows, and with rubber cement, lightly pasted them on the Hybrid Cowl to check the size. The size worked out perfectly first go, so I traced that brow template onto blank adhesive-backed stencil material used for fabric painting.
I cut the brows out with an exacto knife, and after making registration marks for positioning on the cowl, pressed them into place.
I used a mix of white, cobalt blue, and neutral grey #5 acrylic paint, again with talcum powder added to matte it down, and with a #0 brush, carefully painted inside the stencils. I laid down two layers of paint to try to make sure the color was uniform, and after a couple of minutes, apprehensively removed the stencils.
Amazingly, there was no bleeding under the stencils at all, and the brows came out perfectly! No touching up at all!
I am SO glad I took on this project! The Hybrid Cowl was in terrible condition, and pretty useless as it was, but now it is one of my favorite pieces. A nice Chuck shell with original lastex fabric, well put together by Will, and now re-finished by me.
Cheers!
RRR
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2630
While not perfect, I was pretty pleased with the outcome.
Recently, I acquired a second-hand cowl, and wanted to share with crafters on the board what I did with THAT cowl.
Let's call it the Hybrid Cowl - I was told by the seller that it was a Chuck shell and Chuck's original lastex fabric, covered and finished by Will Reeb. Two artisans for who I have great respect, so I was excited to get my hands on it. When it arrived, it was clear the cowl had a lot of problems. The biggest was that the fabric had obviously come loose from most of the shell, and the seller had done a bad job of re-positioning it, using some contact cement or another to "tack it down" in places. Since it was still loose in many places, I decided to try to fix it, and with effort, pulled the cover up off the shell everywhere except the face. Using a steamer to sort of re-activate the adhesive still on the shell, I pressed the fabric back in place, and managed to get in on pretty well.
Unfortunately, in the steaming process, I got a little too close to the painted face in one small area, and sort of scorched the paint. So, I decided to re-paint it, especially since, as I cited in my earlier re-painting thread, Will's black is just a little too grey for my taste. But this time, I decided to try to re-paint the brows, too, more in the style of Chuck's cowls.
First, I lightly sanded the painted area with a fine grade sandpaper. To re-paint, I used the same paint I used previously, Jacquard's Neopaque Light Body Acrylic fabric paint, with talcum powder added to it to matte it down. That worked really well - after painting, I couldn't see the line of the original brows at all.
Then, I uploaded a favorite pic of Adam West in a cowl with brows I really like, and in Photoshop, cropped the image and printed up just the brow in what seemed the right scale, based on my Chuck cosplay cowl's dimensions. I cut out the brows, and with rubber cement, lightly pasted them on the Hybrid Cowl to check the size. The size worked out perfectly first go, so I traced that brow template onto blank adhesive-backed stencil material used for fabric painting.
I cut the brows out with an exacto knife, and after making registration marks for positioning on the cowl, pressed them into place.
I used a mix of white, cobalt blue, and neutral grey #5 acrylic paint, again with talcum powder added to matte it down, and with a #0 brush, carefully painted inside the stencils. I laid down two layers of paint to try to make sure the color was uniform, and after a couple of minutes, apprehensively removed the stencils.
Amazingly, there was no bleeding under the stencils at all, and the brows came out perfectly! No touching up at all!
I am SO glad I took on this project! The Hybrid Cowl was in terrible condition, and pretty useless as it was, but now it is one of my favorite pieces. A nice Chuck shell with original lastex fabric, well put together by Will, and now re-finished by me.
Cheers!
RRR
The most important thing in life is to be yourself. Unless you can be Batman. Always be Batman.
- Aussie Batfan
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2012 5:06 am
Re: Re-painting a Cowl, The Sequel
Absolutely superb - you should be so proud of your efforts.
Much admiration,
Terry
Much admiration,
Terry
- Drew Knight
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2012 4:05 am
Re: Re-painting a Cowl, The Sequel
Great job! Looks Excellent!
Drew Knight
Drew Knight
- Chuck Williams
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2012 7:57 am
Re: Re-painting a Cowl, The Sequel
Beautifully done Rick!! Congratulations!!!!
I hope it brings you many years of happiness because you really earned it my friend!
Chuck...
I hope it brings you many years of happiness because you really earned it my friend!
Chuck...
Quick, Everyone, Flee for your lives, into the street!!!!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/WilliamsStudio ... eller_info
http://www.etsy.com/shop/WilliamsStudio ... eller_info
- rickrickrick
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2012 7:12 pm
Re: Re-painting a Cowl, The Sequel
Thanks for the kind remarks, all. Chuck, I was thinking of you and Will the whole time I was working on it - painting the eyebrows was nerve-wracking! Actually, I think my brows ended up a little over scale, or maybe they just look that way to me because Will's black area tends to be a little smaller than yours.
Next, I think I'll re-paint the ears. I'd like a slightly darker color, I think.
Cheers!
RRR
Next, I think I'll re-paint the ears. I'd like a slightly darker color, I think.
Cheers!
RRR
The most important thing in life is to be yourself. Unless you can be Batman. Always be Batman.
- rickrickrick
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2012 7:12 pm
Re: Re-painting a Cowl, The Sequel
Yup, painted the ears.
Much better - more blue, darker. Mixed some Ultramarine Blue, Mars Black, and a touch of Neutral Grey Value 5 (with talc to matte it).
Maybe I should paint the living room while I'm at it.
RRR
PS - I should mention that I use a very nice 1/2" angled brush. Having a quality brush is essential.
Much better - more blue, darker. Mixed some Ultramarine Blue, Mars Black, and a touch of Neutral Grey Value 5 (with talc to matte it).
Maybe I should paint the living room while I'm at it.
RRR
PS - I should mention that I use a very nice 1/2" angled brush. Having a quality brush is essential.
The most important thing in life is to be yourself. Unless you can be Batman. Always be Batman.
- QuickBat Allan
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2012 3:37 pm
Re: Re-painting a Cowl, The Sequel
Superb job. Something to be proud .. Well done.
my wife is my Batgirl