Into This World Behind The Scenes: The Props: The Arm!

So if you have been following the blog so far.... GOOD! If not, go back to the older posts to know what the hell I am yammering on about. For those in the know, here is the final prop for Drea's costume. Her mechanical arm. 

I almost didn't make this. Not because the level of difficulty but the level of laziness I was feeling at the time. I almost (very close to actually doing it) had the actress playing Drea just roll down her sleeves to cover up what should have been her mechanical arm. Then she would have worn a glove to further cover up the fact that I didn't take the time to make the prop. The Bannon of two days was such a lazy pice of crap. 

Roll down her sleeves? Psshh! What kind of cinematic genius would I be if I skimped on the most important asset of her costume? Not a good one is the answer. Not a good one.

I started off with a cheap ass glove from the 99 Cents Store. Guess how much a pair of gloves were. You get one fucking guess.

I cut out pieces of my favorite foam (that I mentioned in the older prop making posts) to my liking and glued onto each other and then glued them onto the glove. When the glue was not as hot, I put the glove on so it would form to the shape of a hand instead of laying flat.

I found out this way works better then hot gluing the foam to the glove whilst wearing the glove. Needless to say, I got an "booboo" on my knuckles.

I kept the arm in three separate pieces so the actress could easily move and twist her arm and the arm prop would twist also in accordance. The body of the arm was nothing more than a tubular shaped disinfectant wipes container.

Tubular indeed.

Put all together, it looked like this unpainted. I stuffed a sock in the glove to keep it upright so I could see how it rests in the arm. I then stuffed a sock in my pants and rode the subway. I caught several onlookers gazing upon my majestic bulge.

The actress had a hard time keeping the glove on when the arm portion of the prop would push and bump up on it. I know how hard it is for ladies to handle themselves when I push and bump up on them, so I obliged her. I glued the glove to the inside of the wrist. Then I painted the entire thing in a black primer.

And there you have it. Drea's military issued mechanical arm. I sprayed metallic silver spray paint on a paper towel and continuously rubbed it on the arm. I tried avoiding the nooks and crannies so it would be more black and give the arm more depth.
I thought the arm needed some color, so I taped off the black/silver areas and spray painted an olive green on the hand and wrist area. I took a shinier silver spray paint and did the same towel technique but only on the edges where paint might have been chipped on due to Drea's rough housing.

Drea costume: Complete.



Ah shit... her pistol!