The discussion of the Alien series of films and the props used in them is the aim, but if it's got Big Bugs and Big Guns, then they are welcome too!





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 Post subject: Questions for fellow Xenomorphs
PostPosted: Thu Jul 20, 2017 1:44 pm 
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Location: Scotland
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While waiting on my big box of doom from monsterroom, I've, of course, been getting ready with lots of prep ordering various bits and pieces. I'm looking to get a rough estimate as to how much Plasti-dip will be required to cover the latex/foam parts of the costume only? The undersuit will remain un-coated for breathability due to skin complaints. Will a single can stretch, or should I aim to buy 2 and do more than one coat?

I have some other issues to deal with but I think I've got solid plans in place .... I'll be a Xeno with size 14 feet (plan is slip-on shoes with sock overlay with cut latex parts bonded on, gaps covered in liquid latex). No idea how tall I'll end up with the head on. I'm 6'3" as it is. I'll be a monster of imposing stature at any rate. I will need to be clever about cuts and patterning to fit my chest area from what I gather.

I think I know most of what I need from the various threads I've been reading on this forum, but any advice on what you consider to be tricky areas welcome. The tail on belt arrangement could do with a few hints, I plan a wire core for semi-permanent pose-ability.

I have an undersuit (double zip), Breathable velcro gloves, liquid latex, shoes that I'm currently breaking in, boxing head-guard for secure head mounting, solvent free contact adhesive, 2m of velcro, an old backpack, black mesh for viewing/visibility.

Plans for paint - Plasti-dip black, acrylic/latex mix for highlighting/detail, Plasti-dip gloss coat to seal. Will be going for brown to grey for detail work in vague movie costume style.


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 20, 2017 1:57 pm 
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This all sounds excellent!

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 20, 2017 2:41 pm 
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Location: glasgow uk
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Good to have another Scottish xeno I'll point the wall crew xenos in the direction of this thread their suits are monster rooms.

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 20, 2017 9:13 pm 
Miscreant and Foukérre
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That's a great idea using the boxing guard! Should give you a great amount of torque and stability when moving your head from side to side :D

I don't think you'll be able to scale the action figure wired-tail method up much - Most Xeno costumers just use a piece of monofilament attached to the tip and to a mounting point between the Spooge Tubes on the back. It's a good theory, but the tail is simply too heavy without some sort of external support.

I was gonna say to take care when you go to paint the bodysuit as it's easy to seal it too well and end up with major temperature issues, but you have that covered.
I was talking ages ago to Boltrig about trying to figure out ways of adding invisible ventilation areas to her suit, but I've been away from Aliens costuming for a while, so she may well have come up with something excellent herself by now.

One idea I did want to see attempted was a little fan in the tip of each spooge tube, maybe even with two at the bottom sucking air in and two at top blowing it out?
The ribs, too, might provide a way of hiding some subtle ventilation - Maybe even cut out the area under the ribs and sew in black mesh instead ( Like the underarm area of a chef's shirt? )

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 Post subject: Re:
PostPosted: Fri Jul 21, 2017 11:40 am 
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Scapey wrote:
That's a great idea using the boxing guard! Should give you a great amount of torque and stability when moving your head from side to side :D

Stole that idea from original stills of the production for Aliens. It seems a lot of the stunt heads for the acrobats were set up this way. :wink:

I don't think you'll be able to scale the action figure wired-tail method up much - Most Xeno costumers just use a piece of monofilament attached to the tip and to a mounting point between the Spooge Tubes on the back. It's a good theory, but the tail is simply too heavy without some sort of external support.

I'll be looking at using a weightlifting belt with a solid platform as a way of dealing with the weight. The 'making of' AVPR has a section where the tail fitting for the predalien is visible. Tail is semi-rigid (albeit straight and filament puppeted at the tip). I'll see if I can pull off a rig using graded pieces of fencing wire before going to the default mono option.

I was gonna say to take care when you go to paint the bodysuit as it's easy to seal it too well and end up with major temperature issues, but you have that covered.
I was talking ages ago to Boltrig about trying to figure out ways of adding invisible ventilation areas to her suit, but I've been away from Aliens costuming for a while, so she may well have come up with something excellent herself by now.

One idea I did want to see attempted was a little fan in the tip of each spooge tube, maybe even with two at the bottom sucking air in and two at top blowing it out?
The ribs, too, might provide a way of hiding some subtle ventilation - Maybe even cut out the area under the ribs and sew in black mesh instead ( Like the underarm area of a chef's shirt? )

I might have some extra thoughts on this once I put this thing together :wink:


Any ideas on quantity of Plasti-dip spray paint required? I might just order two of each anyway for the future. Need to know how well it covers/if multiple coats are a good idea?


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PostPosted: Fri Jul 21, 2017 11:44 am 
Miscreant and Foukérre
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I've seen LARP Lizardmen given tails using fibreglass rod, similar to that used as the core for LARP weaponry. Imagine a dowsing-rod type shape, with the split fairly close to the double end, and each side of the fork attached to each side of the wearer...

As for plastidip - Can't help ya there, I'm, afraid. Sorry!
Paging Clay, Hugh and Boltie!

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 22, 2017 2:18 am 

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Have you got monster rooms contact details mate. looking at ordering one in the near future


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PostPosted: Sat Jul 22, 2017 11:55 am 
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Trigger happy wrote:
Have you got monster rooms contact details mate. looking at ordering one in the near future


I contacted him via ebay (had the quickest response that way). He does sell the kits that way these days ;-) - Alien Warrior Nemesis Kit.


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PostPosted: Sat Jul 22, 2017 1:06 pm 
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Sounding good iv never used plastic dip fir painting usually I mix liquid latex with my paint gives it a bit of stretch and bit more strength for wear and tear feet always take a pounding parts of my body suit iv co reed with latex too which I need to redo as I'm getting a new undersuit


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 Post subject: Re: Re:
PostPosted: Sat Jul 22, 2017 3:00 pm 
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gregmonsta wrote:
Scapey wrote:
I don't think you'll be able to scale the action figure wired-tail method up much - Most Xeno costumers just use a piece of monofilament attached to the tip and to a mounting point between the Spooge Tubes on the back. It's a good theory, but the tail is simply too heavy without some sort of external support.

I'll be looking at using a weightlifting belt with a solid platform as a way of dealing with the weight. The 'making of' AVPR has a section where the tail fitting for the predalien is visible. Tail is semi-rigid (albeit straight and filament puppeted at the tip). I'll see if I can pull off a rig using graded pieces of fencing wire before going to the default mono option.

Bear in mind they only wore it for minutes at a time, not walking around for ages at conventions. :wink:

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 22, 2017 4:37 pm 
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One other thing I would mention is that Ive only ever used the regular impact adhesive to put the panels onto a suit. I recall G giving me some advice that the solvent-free impact doesnt have the same holding power on Xeno suits.

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 Post subject: Re:
PostPosted: Sat Jul 22, 2017 4:55 pm 
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Boltrig wrote:
One other thing I would mention is that Ive only ever used the regular impact adhesive to put the panels onto a suit. I recall G giving me some advice that the solvent-free impact doesnt have the same holding power on Xeno suits.


The kind of specialist, insider info I'm glad to have ;-). Cheers, back to B&Q tomorrow.


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 Post subject: Re: Questions for fellow Xenomorphs
PostPosted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 6:01 pm 

Location: ATX
Country: United States
Heh heh, I learned the words "spooge tube" today then.

The education continues ... :P

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 Post subject: Re: Questions for fellow Xenomorphs
PostPosted: Sat Aug 19, 2017 9:17 pm 
The 8th Passenger
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Location: Haidrians Wall UKCM
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Hey,

Good to see another xeno is about to be born!

EVO-STIK contact adhesive is great for apply the body sections to the undersuit, it bonds very fast. Regular super glue is also very handy to bond latex to latex. It is almost impossible to separate.

I used a mixture of liquid latex and acrylic paints and applied the paint using a sponge and blended all colours together.

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PostPosted: Sat Aug 19, 2017 9:48 pm 
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That looks fantastic!

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PostPosted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 3:34 am 

Location: ATX
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Does the glue bleed through the lycra/undersuit? I'm guessing you wear underwear under the undersuit?

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PostPosted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 4:50 pm 
Miscreant and Foukérre
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At least one of our Xeno costumers has glued themselves into their undersuit by mistake.
Whether or not they'll admit to it here is another matter entirely ;)

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 Post subject: Re: Questions for fellow Xenomorphs
PostPosted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 8:27 pm 

Location: ATX
Country: United States
So the answer is yes then. :D

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PostPosted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 11:01 pm 

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Red_2 wrote:
Does the glue bleed through the lycra/undersuit? I'm guessing you wear underwear under the undersuit?


How was the quote in The Phantom Menace, "My underparts are showing?"

With my predator lycra skin suit I wear my skivvies. Always prepare for those embarrassing moments. Nothing is more embarrassing like walking back to your room to change with something showing.

Xenomorph costumes would be much the same.

The costumes take a certain amount of dedication to wear.

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PostPosted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 1:23 am 

Location: ATX
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I've got a lycra/morph suit for the kiddo, but was thinking that glue applied to it directly would make it feel rough or scratchy where pieces are glued on along the inside. It's pretty thin obviously.

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 Post subject: Re: Questions for fellow Xenomorphs
PostPosted: Sun Oct 22, 2017 10:22 pm 
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https://m.facebook.com/greg.mckenziemil ... =bookmarks

Got frustrated trying to upload/post pics via photobucket on my phone, so I hope the Facebook link above will allow you to see my progress so far :P

Glossing tomorrow and sticking latex panels onto the bodysuit Tuesday. Probs be Velcro for the abdomen and hip panels to account for the belt. My entire October break was basically suit day, every day :shock:

I have gone the metal rod tail route and it works beautifully. With the way it's set up the weightlifting belt does the job.

3 cans of plastidip worked out to be the magic number ;)

So, Halloween will be stonking this year... But after that I'll have to make it to a drop :mrgreen: it seems the right course of action.


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 Post subject: Re: Questions for fellow Xenomorphs
PostPosted: Sun Oct 22, 2017 10:30 pm 
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Location: Scotland
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BUGZ wrote:
Hey,

Good to see another xeno is about to be born!

EVO-STIK contact adhesive is great for apply the body sections to the undersuit, it bonds very fast. Regular super glue is also very handy to bond latex to latex. It is almost impossible to separate.

I used a mixture of liquid latex and acrylic paints and applied the paint using a sponge and blended all colours together.


Loving your drool :P epoxy or other glue drip?


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 Post subject: Re: Questions for fellow Xenomorphs
PostPosted: Mon Oct 23, 2017 12:23 pm 
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Finally on a PC now :P

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 23, 2017 6:48 pm 
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:like:

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2017 10:12 pm 
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Meet Avid T Alien :mrgreen:

First test wear barely worn properly but enough to surprise my neighbour through the window :lol:
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