New version of Erika (mostly) complete; Sayaka assembled and ready to ship

I have (mostly) completed the new version of Erika (I do need to make new eyes for her but other than that she is done). I didn't really make any major changes to the face this time around (I did tweak the jawline and the transition between face and temples, but not much else). The new version is a 3/4 shell with a back edge that extends beyond the jawline, a bit like on Sigma and GKO masks (although many of those are 2/3 or 1/2 shells, but they have similar back edge extensions at the temples). Because of this, she fits a lot better than any of my previous masks did. The biggest difference is that she is a conventional cast FRP shell, made from a negative mold printed directly on an SLA (UV resin) 3D printer.

As for the old version, I am still going to keep her. I'm going to make her into a different OC so I have a spare mask in case somebody wants to try kig.

The new process seems to work well. The only problems I had were minor and will be easy to fix on the next mask I make. As far as I'm concerned, it's the best process used to make kig masks so far. The only major issue is the higher cost of UV resin compared to filament. Since I am reusing segments that reduces the cost per mask a bit so it isn't all that much more than the old process for most masks. If it weren't for the fact that it's more expensive to buy UV resin in Canada (there is only one Canadian seller and they price in USD at a significantly higher price than some American sellers, meaning it is cheaper to order from the US), the price for me would probably be more or less the same for the average custom mask. For generics and semi-customs the price is pretty much the same or slightly less since little or no new printing is required. Using polyester FRP resin instead of epoxy could also make it cheaper, but it produces nasty fumes, is less durable, and shrinks more, so I am sticking with epoxy FRP resin.
 

The NURBS master model in Ayam (rather than a solid, this is a single surface that can serve as either an outside or an inside; to preview the mask, I treat it as an outside, and to make a mold, I treat it as an inside; in both cases, I use Blender's solidify modifier to make it into a solid object)

A preview of the final cast shell generated in Blender

The completed mold in Blender, ready for printing. The eye sockets and parting lines are generated by using the solidify modifier to generate copies of different thicknesses and using booleans to cut out various parts of them, as well as for joining them to the base shell of the mold.

The SLA printer with some segments printing. It uses a projector to cure light-sensitive resin at the bottom of a vat, and the print is attached to a build plate that is pulled out of the vat a layer at a time. Unlike the FDM (extrusion) printers I used for making masks before, it prints an entire layer at once.

The finished printed mold. The parting lines get filled in with clay (I ended up making extra work for myself because I left some excess clay on the inside, which meant I had to do a lot more sanding and filling on the cast shell than would have otherwise been necessary; next time I am going to make sure that that doesn't happen), and the inside gets coated with wax and PVA mold release. Demolding is relatively easy because the segments are small. I originally thought I would have to fiberglass the outside of the segments, but it doesn't seem to be necessary most of the time (the one ended up breaking before I assembled the mold because I was experimenting with different thicknesses and made the wall too thin, so I fiberglassed it to make sure it wouldn't break again).

The cast shell. I forgot to take any pictures between when I cast her and when I cut away the excess material.

Primed and painted

Complete (except for the eyes; I reused the old ones, and really should make new ones that are attached with vinyl rather than hot glue, and have the pupils cut out differently)

Tried her on right after I finished her. Overall I'd say she turned out pretty decently (I could maybe have moved the eyes a tad further apart, and moved the forehead out a bit more, but most people probably won't notice)


I also finished assembling Sayaka. Cici is going to be finishing her, so I will ship her out as soon as possible. Sayaka is the last extrusion printed mask commission for me, seeing as the new process works well. I am still going to reprint parts of Homura since I am not completely satisfied with how she turned out, so I'm not quite done with extrusion printing of mask segments just yet.

Three cons in a row

May was a very busy month for me (as well as many other kigs), with cons on three consecutive weekends. The first was Otafest in Calgary. There were 5 kig performers in attendance (Hikari, Ichigo, Niku, Misk, and myself) although we were never all in kig at the same time (on day 1 only Misk and I kigged but not together, on day 2 Misk didn't go at all, and on day 3 Ichigo didn't kig). This was the first con where I had Homura's cosplay (now, I just have to make her shield and gem, as well as getting her tights; I do also plan to re-print parts of Homura because her jawline ended up being too squarish for my liking).

Next was Anime North in Toronto. This was my first con outside Alberta. There were around 30 kigs in attendance (a new record for most kigs at one event outside Japan) although not all were in kig at the same time. I got to meet a lot of people who I had only talked to online before. Overall the con went well and I enjoyed kigging there (although myself and some of the other kigs ended up coming down with a rather nasty cold after the con was over). I'm hoping that I can go to AN again next year but that's still a long way off. At least Otafest will be on the first weekend of July from now on so it won't be so close to AN next year (it has also moved venues from the U of C to Stampede Park).

Finally, I went to Eek! (which is a small local comic con). I only went there for one day and wasn't in kig for all that long.

150421 Mask progress updates

I finished Hibiki and shipped her a week ago.

I am almost ready to start printing Sayaka. The hair still needs to be smoothed, segmented, and fused, but I'll start printing the base shell while I finish working on the hair. Sayaka is very likely to be the last extrusion-printed mask I make. I am going to try out a new process combining resin printing with casting, which should allow me to make all-FRP masks with less work and only a slightly higher materials cost than my current process. I already have ordered most of the parts to build a resin printer.

Plutia's hair is finally styled (thanks to Michelle Everett for styling her hair; she also styled Hibiki's hair as well)

All of these masks have taken longer than I would have wanted. I am going to make sure that no mask I make takes this long again (the new process will help a bit with that).