Thread: Leslie and Johanna

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Another prop off the list.
I cant seem to get the arms right... any suggestions?
Also, I would appreciate any suggestions on the prop itself.
Thanks guys!,
Austin

AustinsHaunt/Leslie and Johanna - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

I use two different kinds of arms.

All my monsters start with sprinkler pipe frames, but when I can't achieve the look I want with two 45s or a 90 angle with the PVC, I run a heavy guage wire thru the PCV "shoulders." Then cover the wire with foam tubes wrapped around the wire. I use duct tape strips to keep the foam tite to the wire.

Now slip the costume on it and bend the arms to any angle you need.

The hands are the hardest. Find the costume hands you like the best. ebay is a good source if you can't find what you need locally.

• Trace the hands on a piece of paper.
• Cut some lengths of your wire at least two inches longer than the distance from the back (wrist) of the hand to the end of each finger.
• Using long nose pliers, bend the last half inch of each finger and thumb (finger tips) wire into a loop the touches the side of the finger wire. This will give you a non-sharp finger tip that won't poke through the finger tips of the hand.
• Wrap each finger with a little bit of foam, or pillow stuffing. Use tape to keep the fingers slim enough that they will still fit inside the hand.
• Slip flat pieces of thin foam rubber on each side of the wires for the palm and the back of the hand.
• At the back end of the glove you can use a circle or oval of styrofoam or wood that has a hole in the center allowing the back end of the fingers and thumb to extend into the "arm".
• With wood, you can screw each wire to the back side of the "wrist" or you can epoxy the wires to the wood.
• With stryrofoam, you need the most dense foam you can find and slip the back of the wire into the smallest plastic or metal pipe you can get the wires through before inserting into the foam.
• Glue or screw the hand's "wrist to the wood or styrofoam finger mount.
• Now bend the fingers to any shape you desire.

Oh, almost forgot, you can also use gloves in lieu of costume hands of course.

One variation on this is to not insert the padded, wire hand into a glove or constume hand at all. Add half a cotton ball where you want a knuckle to be on each finger and thumb, then pour liquid latex over the hand and paint as desired when dried.