⇨ pic 1: cover of Aaravos Tutorial “The Horns”
⇨ pic 2: material overview
⇨ pic 3: pattern/painting and cutting (material: paper, EVA foam 0,5cm, Cutter, desk pad, ballpen or similar) copy the shape of the horn from a original print of the series or simply outline it freehand. (Please note: be careful about the size of the horn, it appears to be rather large in the original series, but you have to consider the size of your head as well. Test it with a test piece first)
Copy the pattern 6 times from the one side then 6 times from the other side. Later the according sides will be glued together. Try cutting along the lines neatly with the cutter. Be careful to keep the blade erect so there won’t be weird edges. (Please note: you can also use thicker foam and make fewer layers! Important is that the quality of the foam is “high density”)
⇨ pic 4: gluing (material: contact glue solvent-free for EVA foam, desk pad) you have 2 times 6 pieces per horn. Glue them layer for layer together, smooth down the glue layer with a rest piece of EVA foam to make it really thin (please note: let the glue dry until it doesn’t stick to your finger when you touch it, it will glue together better like this and immediately. Be careful to press it together as neat as possible)
⇨ pic 5: grinding and sanding (material: Dremel + abrasive sleeves grain size 180 big & small, sandpaper grain size 180, accurate file, respirator mask!!!) Now grind the angular horn in a more roundish form. Everyone must look for themselves how roundish you want it to be and how you like it best. Use the big abrasive sleeve (standard size) for the raw grinding and the small one for the smaller edges. (Please note: please DON’T grind with the abrasive sleeves completely into the edges. It doesn’t fit and you may mess up the opposite side.) Use sandpaper to smooth down the surface. Use the file on the edges then smooth them down with sandpaper as well.
⇨ pic 6: adjusting & heating (material: heat gun, knife, desk pad) Now you adjust the horns to your head so that they fit. With an even rim on the underside the horns will protrude askew from your head, which wouldn’t look right on Aaravos. Therefore you have to taper them (Like you see in the picture). Preferably you adjust them to your own head, so you have the ideal fit for the horns. It’s best done with a little bit of visual estimating and trying. (Please note: don’t crop too much at once, approach cautiously!) Now you can heat the horns with the heating gun to seal the foam. The surface will become a bit more glossy and even smoother once it’s sealed. (Please note: be careful when heating, don’t burn yourself or roast the material, you just need to heat it up shortly. Once it turns glossy it’s already good to work with.)
⇨ pic 7: magnets (material: 8 flat magnets, contact glue, Dremel with the small abrasive sleeve, respirator mask!!!) Mark the places where you want the magnets to be on the underside of the horns (two per horn) and dremel inside the marked form the notch into the material about the size of the thickness of the magnet so that it fits in completely. Use the edge of the abrasive sleeve for grinding into the foam, but be careful. If the magnet fits you can heaten up the notch as well and press the magnet immediately into the still warm foam. The passform is optimized now! Wait until everything cooled down and glue the magnet into the notch. Therefore smear some thin layer of glue onto one side of the magnet and one thin layer of glue into the notch (don’t forget the edges). Let this dry and press the magnets again into the notch. (Please note: be careful that the magnets don’t bang together too harshly, because they may break)
⇨ pic 8: primer, paint, finish!(material: KwikSeal, Flexbond, Acylic paint, liquid Latex (thick), different brushes, desk pad, KandyDip Clear matt + respirator mask!!!) 1.smooth the messy edges and nooks (especially where seams are to be seen) with kwikseal 2. Use flexbond as a primer and brush it onto the surface. Let it dry and repeat until you have about 3-4 layers. (Please note: the flexbond can be applied smoother when you dilute it with some(!)water) 3. Brush the violet base colour onto the horns (colour is mixed with the colours violet, grey, black, light blue + a little but of the liquid latex) 4. The gradient (in this case done with different kind of brushes, acrylic paint (mix of lilac, creme-white, light blue) always look if the gradient looks smooth. It’s rather tricky to do this with brushes and prepare to invest a lot of work and time into it. Keep a glass of water next to you, to dilute the gradient and so get better results in the end and to keep the acrylic-latex-mix smooth. Start with the lightest part at the tip of the horns. Then mix sine of the light colour with a tad bit of the base colour bit by bit and work it into each other with every stroke until the gradient looks smooth. Do this repeatedly until you reach the nuance of the base colour. You have to try out a bit, but you can always correct mistakes easily, so take your time until you’re please with the result. 5. Last but not least paint the light lines Aaravos has on his horns with a small brush. Look at an original screenshot or pattern to understand how they curl around his horns. Use the light lilac colour and mix some more creme-white into it, to make them a bit lighter than the gradients lightest colour. (Please note: draw removable lines for example with a heat-removable ink pen onto the horn first, before you apply the paint, then it’s easier.) 6. When everything dried, use KandyDip clear matt for the finish. Only use this outside or in well-ventilated rooms. Spray about 3-4 layers on it . (Please note: VERY IMPORTANT! No matter what kind you use kwikseal, flexbond, acrylic paint or KandyDip, EACH layer HAS TO dry completely before applying the next layer!)
⇨ pic 9: apply finished horns with magnets to the wig. Simply connect the magnets from the inner side of the wig with the magnets of the horns on the outer side of the wig at the place you want them to stay.
⇨ pic 10: list of shops! You find everything you need there!
