Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Big Daddy (Bioshock)

I finally lost my mind enough to try to tackle one of these big guys. For those unfamiliar, Big Daddys are the protectors of the Little Sisters in Rapture, an underwater city devoid of morality which has degenerated into chaos and insanity. They are huge, fast, strong, and as it turns out, a solid pain in the ass to build.


I'm going to break with tradition for a sec, and show you the finished product first. This is a long, long, long post that details nearly 7 solid weeks of work, and you guys deserve to know that the long post is quite necessary, and (I think) well worth the read.

Credit goes to "scenemissingmagazine" on Flickr for this amazing photograph:

(High-rez shot here)


So, here's how I did it.

First thing's first, I needed blueprints. I built these in Illustrator, based off some very good reference images that the guys at 2K published in their artbooks:


Since this is such a large project, I'll break down the build process into partitions: The main body, the dome, the drill arm, the dome cage, other details, and the final paintwork.

The Main Body

Starting with the blueprints printed at full scale (HUGE) I made cross sections out of insulation foam and glued them into place. The empty areas between sections were filled with cardboard. This formed what I called the "skeleton" of the body.



The empty cavities in the skeleton were then filled in with expanding foam



After drying, the foam was carved into the shape of the main body




After this was completed (and the foam given more drying time so it would retain its shape) the entire form was covered in stretch fabric. This smoothed out a lot of the lumpiness of the foam



Accent areas around the arms, legs, and top of the body were made out of insulation foam, then glued to the body. Before coating with paint or fiberglass resin, these were covered with Ureshell to prevent the poly foam from dissolving. Certain areas on the body itself were also given a coat of Ureshell so they would not disintegrate. After this was dry, the entire body piece was given several applications of fiberglass resin.



The front flap was added using more insulation foam, and also given a coat of Ureshell and resin. After this was dry, I began hollowing out the foam and cardboard.



After adding some details on the body with foam tape, more ureshell, and more resin, I had a finished form!


The Dome

I started with a 24" smoked security camera dome off of eBay. This came from a demolished shopping center, and are actually hard to track down these days, given the much smaller size of most security cameras. I remember these all over the place as a kid.

After trimming the square edge off, I cut a disc from insulation foam to serve as the "ring" around the dome.


I made resin copies of wingnuts which were glued into place on the trim ring. About 15 of these resin duplicates weighed as much as a single wingnut. Since I had to wear this thing, every ounce saved counted!


For the portholes, I made a single master out of PVC and MDF wood...


...which I molded in silicone. The portholes were all slush-cast to save weight and time in production. Also, this way, they're completely identical.


The tape here is marking the spacing of the portholes


After coating the dome in resin to thicken it a bit, I trimmed the porthole-holes with a dremel. The dome was a very brittle acrylic, so this was a nerve-wracking process!


The drill arm

Unfortunately, since this project was done in such a hurry, my process photography was somewhat lacking. The drill started out as an aluminum rod with 4 triangles of matteboard affixed to it. Rings of foam were made around the matteboard, then paper layered on top of that to create the cone shape. The actual "blade" of the drill bit is made from masking tape which has been layered in small sections to follow the curve of the drill sides.


This piece was coated in several layers of fiberglass resin (some with tinting to check coverage)


To create a really worn look, I added bits of debris to the fiberglass resin. This made a convincing textured metal finish in the end, as these parts were painted to look like rust, dents, and bits of splicer.


A PVC cage and old DeWalt 12V cordless drill make up the support frame and motor for the drill. I moved the battery inside the body of the suit to save on weight hanging from my arms.


The "housing" for this mechanism was made from a concrete tube, electrical conduit PVC and more foam tape. This was painted in ureshell to protect it during painting as well as to give it texture.


The Dome Cage

This was constructed mainly out of PVC electrical conduit. This pipe is gray in color and takes heat and bending much better than standard white PVC tubing. I bought 40 feet of it for this project and ended up using about 35. At only ¢88/10 feet though, this was an easy buy.


The sides terminate into 3" PVC couplers. These slide over 3" PVC pipe anchored to the body that has been notched to be a sightly smaller diameter than 3". Since the wearer has to enter through the front porthole, the dome as well as the cage must be removable. The front of the cage is friction-fit at the top and bottom anchorpoints, as well as the sides, so it can easily be put on and taken off.


A quick test of the body, dome, and cage. This is after the dome has had all portholes carved out and secured.


Other Details

An animatronic hand and arm extension were created for the left side of the suit. This would help prevent the "stubby arm" look I've seen on other Big Daddy suit builds



The rear tank was made from a 12" concrete tube with foam plugs on the top and bottom carved to a dome shape. The bands around the tank were made with foam tape coated in Ureshell.


I made a pushmold of some bolt heads for texture, these were cast in resin and added to the tank as well as the banding on the main body.


Boltheads and a first coat of paint on the tank. The wheel at the top is a cake decoration from our local supermarket.


The boots were made from more insulation foam. These give me about 6" of lift and make the feet look proportional to the rest of Big Daddy. I got this idea from a guy named "Duck" on the Replica Props Forum. Thanks Duck!


Painting, Weathering, and Details

Again, I apologize for my shoddy progress shots. Trying to get everything ready for Dragon*Con in time, I neglected my camera a lot.

These are the discs that go over the arms and legs. I don't have any shots handy of their creation, but they were made from layered pink foam, more Ureshell, and resin cast bolt heads. The first shot shows a raw bronze painted piece next to a completed weathered one.



The initial painting was done with hammered paint in silver and brass.


Over this went a dusting of 99¢ flat-black el-cheapo paint which was wiped off as it dried. Resin cast faux-bolts were also added to the main body as well as the drill arm before painting.




Additional weathering was done with acrylic paints, gouache, and iron powder to simulate rust. Bolt heads were touched up with silver paint so they would accent the brass better. The PET plastic in the portholes was also weathered to look grimy. After all of the above had dried, blood accents were added.




This bit of blood is my favorite part of all the weathering on the entire costume. Its details like that that I think really make the effect work.


The drill was weathered in the same manner



Finally, four 3" computer case fans were added to the body and dome in order to keep the heat down. Two of these reside in the top of the suit, while the other two live in the bottom 2 ports on the dome.



Finished Result!

Since I was wearing the finished suit at Dragon*Con 2009, I don't have any pictures of my own to show! Instead, I hope the owners of these respective photographs (credited here) don't mind me showing them off a bit. My "Little Sister" is my Fiancee, Emily Keith. Our "Baby Jane Splicer" is our friend Mandie Reese.

From "mcmullets" on Flickr:


From "RJDaae" on Flickr:



From "Hueyatl" on Flickr (note, I had taken the drill arm off at this point to make walking and navigating easier)


From "Sarcasm-hime" on Flickr



A neat video of the drill working on YouTube while we were posing for the Friday Night Costume Contest photos:


And, last but totally not least, my favorite shots of all:

From "phr3qu3ncy" on Flickr:

(High-rez shot here)

From "scenemissingmagazine" on Flickr, a second time just because I love it so much:

(High-rez shot here)

This build and the execution of wearing it was more of a group effort than anything I have ever tackled before. While I did the construction of the prop myself, I did have a number of people assisting me in handling the costume during the convention itself. Emily, Mandie and I won "Best Journeyman" as well as "Best Professional Design" at Dragon*Con for this suit as well as for their costumes.

I'd like to thank my friends Ryan Shelor and Becky White for being my handlers at the convention, as well as my friend Jay (last name omitted at his request) for his build assistance during my last-minute frantic hours. I should also add that all sewing and cloth work was completed by my fiancée Emily. I cannot sew a straight line to save my life. I'd also like to thank all the random people at DragonCon (Security, Hotel Staff, etc) who assisted in helping me get around the convention while wearing this. Lastly, much thanks to the random guy who gave me a fresh, cold 12oz can of Red Stripe after our group won at the Masquerade. A celebratory beer never tasted so good.

EDIT: The suit weighs, in total, between 50 and 60 pounds. This includes all ancillary details like the drill arm, necessary batteries, shoes, etc. I was able to wear it for extended periods of time if the arms were disconnected and I was not walking. With the arms connected, I could stay in one spot for 30 minutes or so "comfortably." Walking outside in the Atlanta heat bordered on suicide.

EDIT 2: This costume is not 100% completed as of yet. I wanted to share the work after DragonCon, and I will update again when the suit is finished to my standards. Unfortunately, the clock was against me on this and some of the details suffered because of it.

I have plans to add padding to the arms and legs in order to fill them out more. Also, LEDs will be added to the front dome to simulate the red and yellow glow of the Big Daddys. The suit did suffer some minor damage at the convention (nicks and scrapes mostly. Have you ever tried getting a Big Daddy into a hotel elevator??) so there need to be some small repairs as well. For those wondering, the suit was supported by a hiking backpack mounted at 6 anchorpoints inside the main body. I felt terrible carving up a perfectly good backpack, but the end result was worth it. Further, I am a small guy! 5'7" tall and 135lb soaking wet. I'm sure someone of greater stature than I could hold out much longer under the weight of a costume like this, but muscle training just wasn't a part of the schedule. Maybe next time!

EDIT 3: The drill does spin correctly, pulling material forwards and into the bit. It looks weird in the YouTube video, but trust me on this! It also has the ability to spin much faster, albeit at the expense of my elbow joint. I tried not to spool it up to full speed too much in case something went awry (I didn't want it disintegrating into an audience or expensive camera equipment)



Emily and I are currently interested in doing a photoshoot in Atlanta with this suit and her Little Sister costume. We'd love to see about getting into the Georgia Aquarium if possible. Any chance there is someone out there that can make some calls and pull some strings?

203 comments:

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Unknown said...

Wow, so amazing! Thanks as always for sharing your process--something that I don't have the space/inclination to do, but its amazing to watch unfold. :)

Kill Em All 102 said...

Wow...this is one of the most Impressive builds Ive ever seen. I really like the weathering effects on this one. This is a huge build. Congratulations on your well deserved Awards. Very nice work.

P.S.......You think you could estimate how much that mammoth Weights?

Unknown said...

As if I wasn't kicking myself for not making it to Dragon*con already...

I loved the case fan additions. That's some experience and wisdom, there.

Cheers on another stunning build, sir!

chaosgone said...

That is so cool. You did a great job!

Emily said...

"This bit of blood is my favorite part of all the weathering on the entire costume."

My favorite part is the blood splatters on the kitchen wall.

Niero@Destructoid.com said...

HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT!

Unknown said...

Oh my GOSH! That is amazing! Jesus! :O

ByeByeChi said...

Downright incredible.....wowzas

Christopher G said...

I love this thing.

[rich] said...

WOW!

Anonymous said...

That suit looks absolutely amazing. Also, props for the BMW flag!

Anonymous said...

Holy crap... I'm speechless. Phenomenal job, man.

Unknown said...

Thanks for that detailed post... any chance you could give us a ballpark figure on the material costs... We'll skip the labor for now... :)

Bryce Fields said...

I was at DC2009 this year, and on my way to the Hyatt on Sunday night when I turned the corner in the viaduct to find Big Daddy lumbering my way! It was a true life video game moment.

Nice job!

Habboi said...

Very, very well made! I didn't read the document because I don't have the time but the pictures alone express how epic it is. Well done. I'm going to post a link on my blog if that's alright.

It's a shame Bioshock was too long, I honestly got gamers fatigue by the time I got to the gardens section @_@

M@ said...

Saw you while we sat in the High Velocity bar at the Mariott on Sunday night. Unfortunately my wife wasn't able to get a pic of you, but we did admire your fantastic costume. Excellent job!

Hoygeit said...

Oh wow! That's amazing.

Adam Bow said...

congratulations, you just earned a new personal hero.

Dev said...

Amazing work dude. First rate job.
After watching this I went searching for my big daddy replica. Its on my desk now. Kudos!

Josh said...

One question, what type of support system did you have on the inside? I'm building something similar soon and am looking at different ways of attaching it to my upper body. The costume is really awesome man. Thanks,

Josh

rae said...

This is awesome! I saw multiple pictures of it from someone's Dragon*Con album a few days ago and was in awe. It's a million times more impressive now that I've read this post!

Unknown said...

In fact, I've never heard about Dragon*Con before but just followed a link seeing a picture. You're a a dreamer, a creator, and you've got the talent for it. Awesome.

Rob Reeves said...

Stunning... Brilliant... the kind of thing I dreamed about making when I was a kid (and still do as an adult). Never had the skills w/ 3D work. I'll just have to admire yours. Great work!

Miss Kat said...

I video'd you during the masquerade. I am posting to youtube in a day or two and I will email it to you. My email is rynnakat@ yahoo.com. Talk to you soon!

Miss Kat

Unknown said...

You guys were AMAZING! You totally deserved to win in the Masquerade!

Guddu said...

Wow... simply amazing!!!

MeanzMagnum said...

One word: Wow! Congrats Harrison, You have one of the best stories related to gaming I have read. I absolutely loved how you went step by step(relatively) on the build process and the photos were absolutely amazing. I think the costume is A+ Hollywood status. If(when) they decide to make a Bioshock movie, they should hire you on for props. Congrats again and when can we expect a Big Sister costume?

Anonymous said...

Interesting concept.

Tracy said...

Dude thanks for posting this! Definitely one of the coolest costumes at D*C this year.

ra.f. said...

You did a big thing ... very impressive! You American guys are still a little bit crazy ... go one with that! Greeting from Germany

Joel said...

I just read every entry in your blog. I am so impressed with what you do, and it seems like you do it for your own enjoyment. How do you get into something like this? I get the impression that you are a bit of a perfectionist and want to have the most authentic amazing costumes. I also think you have quite a bit of artistic talent. I just wanted you to know how amazing all of your creations look (as if you didn't already know that). Do you take apprentices? :-)

Allison said...

Holy shit. I actually saw you guys loading the costume onto a luggage trolley on Friday and went "wow, I wonder what that's supposed to be!" Then you came out at the costume contest and all was made clear. I got a picture with you on Sunday that I uploaded here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8534090@N08/3902362829/
I thought you were a real trooper for taking all the pictures you did. I cannot articulate how awesome that costume is--thanks for taking the time to let us all know how you did it. :)

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

I just wanted to give you a big old CONGRATULATIONS for blog of note. It looks like ya'll are having way too much fun. Have a wonderful evening, ya'll!!!

TIM AND TOM SHOW said...

that costume is bad ass!

Great work man it looks awesome!!

Unknown said...

Bravo! félicitation pour ton beau et immense travail, le résultat est spectaculaire!

Congratulation for your beautiful et impressive work, the result looks spectacular!

Daniel Weatherman said...

Wow... All i can say is wow... i Once went to a party in a fully made iron-man costume but this is simply amazing!
I just want to say congratulations. I think you need alot more recognition for this, you are amazing.
I am gonna follow your blog now :) haha

Iva Messy said...

wow. amazing!

Jo said...

I imagine 2K would be interested in having that suit in their offices... : )

Unknown said...

You are awesome bro. Really, really awesome. I hope you're gonna make a Big Sister costume for your fiance and post a pic together, that would be really cool!

Ashta Monogue said...

Dude, amazing work. I about peed myself when I saw you walking toward me on Sunday night as you headed to the elevator. My boyfriend loves BioShock and when I looked up and saw you, he was right behind you with the camera. We got some great shots. Thanks for posting this blog. You might have a another Big Daddy as a companion in a year or two. By the way, the Splicer and Little Sister look amazing too. It was like you all stepped right out of the game.

Anonymous said...

You should complete adding the LEDs for AWA!

Dennis H™ said...

woaah! nice!

Christian Rosa said...

Free time, huh?!?

M.Splinter said...

Awsmoe, I´d kill to do this kind of thing for a living. To bad Uruguay´s prop industry is almost non existing, also it´s almost impossible to gain access to most of the stuff you use. A while ago I wanted to try out a internet design I saw for a compress air cannon and it was a pain just getting the pvc pipes...


Also, I think this is you right?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYXAD4aTJUg

Anonymous said...

That is absolutely remarkable! The efforts you put in it are inspirational. Wonderful job!

Jin said...

shawn elliott'd


dude, seriously freaking awesome. shoulda had red LEDs for creepy factor

Unknown said...

That was crazy go nuts! :D Awesome job on the Big Daddy costume and to your fiancee and friend who dressed up for the part to compliment the whole theme! Awesome awesome!

kevin paul said...

hi there.
kevin here droppin by..
congrats for making it..
being a blogger note..
isn't it good?.
im hopin to be like u too..
hu knos?.maybe tomorro?.
hehe.bye!

kevin (:

Unknown said...

You guys should totally come to Georgia Tech with your costumes. They're so awesome. Thanks for posting this. It was so cool to read how you made it. My email is drumboy419@gmail.com. Email me if you want to consider coming.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on being named a Blogger Blog of Note. :)

This is certainly one of the most unique blogs they've highlighted.

djm said...

Wow. All this is pretty impressive on its own, but the composition of the shot by "phr3qu3ncy" really took me aback. The way it's framed, the sepia tone and the flooring makes it look like it could have come straight out of the game... Very nice.

Unknown said...

A-freaking-mazing work sir!

imabug said...

pretty awesome. i missed seeing you walking around during DragonCon, but I did see it on DragonConTV during the costume contest. First thought was "Whoa, cool"

Unknown said...

I can't believe my eyes what I have seen just now. It is a matter of sorrow for us that there is no enough scope to do such a great job. Please visit my site.

Anonymous said...

whoo nice work man im just amazed by the work!!
im like in shock from what can be done @_@

Unknown said...

Built a life-like Big Daddy - 100 Achievement Points *check*

Eric Jarman said...

When we ran into you and chatted a bit about your Daft Punk helmet, little did I realize this monster was created by the same genius.

Man I really wish I could have seen this in person. Great work man.

Betty (aka Jenna) said...

OMG. I just discovered this blog and love you for doing this. Your fiancee looks creeeepy!

Dave said...

This was awesome. Incredible job with this recreation!

Anonymous said...

I bet you are very popular at Halloween!

Pablo said...

OH MY GOD. AWESOME

Goodbread said...

Thank you for posting! I am currently designing for next year and my costume has some similar parts as yours. I have used foam in the past for props but never a suit and so I wasn't sure if it would be stable enough. I kept looking over my blueprints and wondering what in the world you used. Thank you again!

Job Maldives said...

Well done. Thank you for sharing your outstanding effort

Job Maldives Team

[taufanyaki] said...

wow..i'm speechless, this is so great, amazing..you have a great skill!!!

Clyde Craft said...

Duuuuuuuuuude... that's freakin EPIC. Makes me think my hairbrained desire to do a Big Sister costume isn't so far off now. Thanks for being willing to share all your hard work. Construction ideas help fledgling costumers like me more then you'll ever realize, lol. BTW: Pass on my regards to your fiance for the awesome Little Sister outfit too. :D

bucle said...

awesome, good job ;)

azam02 said...

You have done very good job. thanks

ceecee said...

Extremely enjoyable post. Congratulations to you for - not only the Blog of Note - but for the passion you have for your profession and art.
Cheers,
Catherine

Anonymous said...

my dear... i replaced a lighting fixture in my bathroom (i am a woman, and over 40....) it took me three days, two trips to home depot, and a youtube video. i even put in the electrical box in the wall....and i thought i was a goddess. grounds, hot wire, neutral wire.

then i stumbled upon this, most humbling of blogs! what patience and perserverence. rock on, my friend.
Cheers! Val

Unknown said...

That is amazing! I'm at a loss for words here. I admire your talent and skills, and now am even more sad I didn't make it to Dragon*Con this year because I would have LOVED to have a picture with you and your fiance!!
I will definitely be checking back to see the continued work on this, and I hope you get your aquarium photoshoot! That would be RAD.

Very Top Five said...

Really briliant project. I've shared this my with my friends who are taking prop design courses at Uni, and they were very impressed. Well done on getting blog of note status too, you deserve it!

Dab1983 said...

dude, seriously, major kudos for this. Absolutely epic and a huge talent, should be very proud of the work!

Xea Baudoin said...

Congratulations!

Luciene Viana said...

Expressar através da ARTE; como vejo as coisas: como são, como parecem ser ou como sinto? Vejo o lixo (questão ambiental), vejo o que poderia ser, de onde veio? Traduzir em arte a imagem.Participe!

peglegmeg said...

I admire your patience and technical vision. I love BioShock and always hate killing the Big Daddy's because I don't like to make the little sisters cry!

Keep up the creativity and awesomeness!!

-Megan

Mariel said...

Hey Volpin, just wanted to let you know (if you didn't already) that you've been featured on MetaFilter! (http://www.metafilter.com/84922/Oh-dear-god-the-drill-actually-spins)

Excellent work, as always.

Unknown said...

Excellent. You win. I was wondering if you were going to make one of these.

I wish I had access to a shop (or even a garage) when we were in NYC making our Big Daddy, and you've shown the awesomeness that can result from the right materials and creativity. Now that we're in Atlanta we'll be sure to give you a run for your money next year :)

Nathan

Anonymous said...

This costume is absolutely incredible. It was definitely a highlight of my time at Dragon*Con. Thank you for sharing the process with us!

handrail said...

hey man, great stuff! we miss you over at the 02faq!

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,328414/

brad.

Unknown said...

here is a link to a pic I took of you

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephenkj/3910701431/in/set-72157622334292308

MisterTuxedo said...

This, Sir, is beautiful.

davenelson said...

Your costume is great, here are some more pics on stage at the contests.
I was shocked when the drill caught in dress.

Friday night's costume contest:
http://photo.davenelson.com/DragonCon/DragonCon-2009/9569220_vUwrL#643687163_uAqzh

Sunday night's masquerade:
http://photo.davenelson.com/DragonCon/DragonCon-2009/9569220_vUwrL#645056285_se2fE

Leah Jewel Alexander said...

Truly wonderful work. You are indeed gifted as an artist and designer. Thanks for sharing.

Daniela said...

Great Job! :D

Samm said...

What mister Tuxedo said. beautiful.

Th3Guns1ing3r said...

Awesome! I hate I didn't make it this year to DragonCon to see it!

Unknown said...

How much do you want for the dome? I'd love to (slowly) try to copy what you've done. I've already done an adam extractor (I forgot to email you a picture, but I'll do that). Now I just need to take over a garage...

Blakniss said...

Dude - I don't know you - I 've never played Bioshock or been to a games convention - but you rock.

Nuff, nuff respect.

Michelle Lopes said...

Awesome project! This ended up looking fantastic.

Anonymous said...

I've never posted on this site before, and I've been impressed by your work before, but I never thought someone would manage to pull off such a realistic majority of such a complex design as big daddy. Great work, I don't think many other people could have done this nearly as well as you did.

Sakara said...

seriously you are my hero for making this! Bioshock is so stunning visually and i hoped and prayed someone would make a good Big Daddy!
bravo to you.

Shame your not in the UK as the Brighton Aquarium has a very cool rusted submarine look to it...Someone invent a transporter quick!

Anonymous said...

damn. this is literally the best shit ever. i would totally high five you for this

damn

Atlanta Brunch Guide said...

This is really AMAZING! Every Halloween we start thinking of costume for next year and my brother thought this would be the best costume but was insistent that it would have to be done in all it's glory! You have totally done that!!! We were at Dragon Con and so sorry to have missed your costume.

(I have no connections at the Aquarium but I am a photographer and think a photo shoot would be awesome!)

Buzz Ryan said...

I didn’t get to see your work but I got to hear a lot about it! And it is AWSOME!

When I was walking around in my dive suit (picture on my blog at http://buzzryan.blogspot.com ) everyone kept calling me Big Daddy! Shame… I didn’t know what they were talking about…. I lost geek points.

There was another gentleman dressed out in vintage-esque diving gear. If I can find hime I suggest we all go to the GA Aquarium together next year! Especially if they are running a deal like they did this year!

Anonymous said...

I saw you at Dragoncon a few times this year, your costume was just incredible. I was thrilled to see this behind the scenes look at how you did it, I wouldn't have guessed a lot of it, talk about ingenuity!

Anonymous said...

In a word: incredible.

Nicely done.

ThinkBaker said...

Excellent work man. I know I told you during the Ball. but i just wanted to tell you again.

(I am part of the Apparition Abolishers aka Steampunk Ghostbusters)

http://apparitionabolishers.com/
We were all very impressed with your work.

best.
Adam

Jack Hsu said...

Fantastic!

C said...

This is so awesome. It sucks that I missed DragonCon this year, I would have LOVED to see it.

fightstar said...

Thought you might like this. The REAL big Daddy Dive suit from 1882 http://www.dinosaursandrobots.com/2009/09/19th-century-deep-sea-diving-suit.html

Anonymous said...

Hi, We saw you at the Marriott on Friday night. Great stuff.

Here is a link to my flickr page. If you open the DragonCon set your pics are at the top. If you like any of them feel free to use them.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26132139@N04/

Gabi said...

hey just a simple question,
do you use fiberglass or just fiberglass resin?
I'm making a Big Sister costume so I'm going to sort of apply your method to the helmet
-thanx

Beth Haley said...

so idk about the GA aquarium, but I know a photographer that is DoP for something at the TN Chattanooga Aquarium (about 2 1/2 hours north of ATL). If anyone, he'd have acess. You might hook up with him...

www.billmccord.com

jabb said...

awesome work. Great Great great.

Unknown said...

O_O

OMG, i love it!!!!!

Unknown said...

Hi! I'm working on my own big daddy as well, and it was great to see you at D*C (i took tons of 360 pics in the elevator lobby if you want any of them) and your progress journal :) It's great to see how you've accomplished some of the same issues I'm working on :)

Judy

Anonymous said...

You are amazing!

Alex said...

You are one talented costume maker. The best costume I've ever seen.

Unknown said...

WOW. Just WOW

Keith Owen BJJ said...

Wow that is amazing.

Wild Oscar said...

Amazing! And I thought a Link costume was hard work :P

The aquarium shots are out of this world!

Anonymous said...

I got to see your Amazing costume at Dragoncon. It was my first Dragoncon and your costume was one of the nigh lights of my trip. Well done. Amazing seeing how you made it. Thanks for sharing it with us.

dayofjen said...

Absoltuely amaing, I love the behind the scenese shots, but especially your fav from the Flicker account. Thanks for sharing. Can`t wait for more!

Unknown said...

This looks amazing. You have my blessing. Really cool done.

Estre n RaChel said...

Nobody have words enough to describe as awesome, amazing, incredible... that is it!!!!!!!!! *_____*

Mandie said...

Good grief Volpin, you're still getting admirers! I still think you could do this full-time. With like. No effort.

Marcello M.Z said...

Incrível! Muito bom mesmo. Parabéns! Seus projetos são muito bons.

Unknown said...

Awesome suit. I noticed you said you had some trouble holding your arms up. Did you ever think of making a harness that would let your arms rest in a raised position and held the weight of the drill and arm?

Unknown said...

your costume is amazing.so many kudos<3
as goes for the little sisters ^-^

my boyfriend and i have been contemplating costumes for halloween and were thinking about bioshock.but havent been able to find any big daddy costumes online.an duntill i found your blog i hadnt been able to find any ideas as to how to approach the idea either

so i wanted to thank you for sharing your astounding ..seemingly enlongating process.
and id like to try and replicate our own big daddy..following your guidelines.

And if all goes well hopefully itll be together in time
and will always credit you<33

-
ZiggyRoze@gmail.com

<3*

Chuck U. Farley said...

WOW! this is AMAZING!
think you can do it AGAIN?

Unknown said...

awesome suit, if you still have de main 24" glass you make me a favour if you bring me.

Anonymous said...

I would pay top dollar for a costume.... I would gladly throw cash at you to build a big daddy costume for me. I do not have the tools at my disposal nor the place to create it otherwise I would do it myself. PLEASe get in contact with me

drinkpaint@gmail.com

Ricyn said...

Amazing work.. This makes me even more sad that I had to miss the con last year. Ah, well. At least I got to see some pictures :)

Unknown said...

so neat i do actually plan on working on it but over a long period of time! :I

Unknown said...

wow....

....

...
...
...how'd you even get inside it?

The Greatest Untitled Podcast Ever said...

Easily one of the best cosplay costumes I've seen in a long time, and far and beyond the best Big Daddy I've seen. Great job man!

Kenny
The Greatest Untitled Podcast Ever

Anonymous said...

Can you make a Big Sister suit? it may be easier to wear, though only for girls. Maybe even for guys, i dunno. That would be epic (:

Anonymous said...

how much did this run?

Spoon0321 said...

This is by far the coolest costume I've seen in a while. This should be an inspiration to every cosplayer out there. Well Done.

Unknown said...

How much did all of that cost you? I love how simple the mechanics are for the drill arm, I might try and attempt, but not come close to making one. When I mean simple I mean how easy it seems.

Anonymous said...

i am not gonna lie...can i have it haha i love bioshock and i just want it sooo bad, i wanna make my own but its just not gonna look any where close to that good,and i dont have one of those dome thingys hahahaha, but dude you are awesome at this stuff...hope to see a big sister, maybe you and your girl can go to the next CO. and the Bigs hahah.....do you think that suit will fit a 6,4ish? haha find me on facebook if my aim dosent work cause i would love to tak about the suit some time if you want.
P.S your a GOD hahaha ( frinchboy@yahoo.com )

BCS1000 said...

i would love a costume like that! 10/10

Unknown said...

This is incredible. I mean seriously insanely incredible. You should sell these suits to people. There are a million geeks out there that would pay good money for this.

- said...

I agree. That is absolutely the most fantastic thing ever. I really wish that I had the time and money to pull off projects like that. Congratulations to you, good sir. Fabulous work! =D

Anonymous said...

FUUUUUUUUUUU, I WANT ONE.

The thoughts of a persistent piece of Bacon said...

How much did you sell this masterpiece for?

Draconis Topmen said...

What did you use for the cloth part of the big daddy like a jump suit or something?

Derek said...

i have always wanted to try some of this stuff out, and I've got the build for it..imagine if you had that on a 6'3" 300lb monster like me. Think you had problems getting into the elevator?

Anonymous said...

How long is the drill can you send me a email to powerman_5000_ownz@hotmail.com as soon as possible. I was guessing about 2 feet or so.

EL.K said...

the most impressive WIP Big Daddy Costume ever! <3
Love your work man!
I like the bloody handprint, makes it look even more like something from Rapture.
I guess that's acrylic?
In my opinion Airbrush paint looks more realistic, what do you think?
(sorry if my english kinda suck =/ I'm from Germany)

Unknown said...

holy shit thats fucking cool.
make the rivet gun! thatd be way sick to see

Unknown said...

incredible !!!!!! i love big daddy

Unknown said...

Unzip him, Daddy!

Unknown said...

OMG! AMAZING! I am making a Rosie costume, not professional at all. What I call scrap work. =55$. Look for it on youtube!

Unknown said...

wow! That's the best costume i've ever seen!

Stinkypetersen said...

This is amazing how much to commission you to make one for a friend of mine?

Unknown said...

Hi, Sorry to bother you, but I stumbled across this amazing costume/cosplay and I was wondering if you could help me? Can you tell me step by step how you made the animatronic hand and arm extension? I need it for a costume I'm working on...I just got into costume making and it'd be a big help.

Thanks,
KuragariOkami@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Sorry for the syntax and orthograph, I'm french:

I think it's expansive, no?? What's the price?

(yes, I want do it)

Captain Charles Albert Von Leopold said...

I am trying to build a costume just like yours, would it be possible to send me some information on like dimensions and stuff(zero.override.execute@gmail.com). I am really interested in what it all cost and the stretchy material you coated it in.

Anonymous said...

I am also trying to construct a costume like yours. Is there any way you could send me information about the dimensions and more detailed instructions on the arm extension (bennettvictor007@yahoo.com). Also, would it be possible for you to give me an estimate on the total cost of materials.

Anonymous said...

2 thing, where can i get the materials you used and what is the estimated cost of all the stuff you used? Please let me know, I have plans for a different, yet similar in size, suit.

Nicola said...

Thank you for this post, my dad is helping me recreate this costume for halloween this year, my boyfriend and I are going as a Big Daddy and a Little Sister, he is 6'4" and I'm 5'3" so I think it will work well, do you have any tips for us before we start this crazy build?

Violet Kaht said...

My brother and I are going as a Big Daddy and Little Sister for Halloween and I was wondering if if would be possible to get your dimensions for the body of your suit? It would, of course, be immensely appreciated. I'm sure that we could figure it out on our own, but due to clashing work schedules we haven't been able to get a straight day of attention to the project. So, any help would be a godsend.
Thanks so much :)

Violet Kaht said...

Sorry, forgot my addy -__-'
butterfly_guide@hotmail.com
Thanks again :)

Ellen said...

Both my boyfriend and I think this build is absolutely amazing!! Many commendations!

Unknown said...

if you cuold send me a costume like that i will pay you 6000 dollars

Sutashi said...

Hey! Wow great job man! I am totaly going to do this cosplay next year for Anime North! lol yeah next year I dont have enough time at all this year so yeah could you tell me how much the fabric was? That would be GREAT thanks! Just email me asap please =]

red_fire_wolf_10@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

freaking brilliant mate. you are relly good at these

Unknown said...

How much did this cost? I would love to do something like this, but with the cost of the tools and all the supplies I don't think I'd ever be able to swing it.

Daniele Nofi said...

It's awesome! :D

G'orzak said...

With a strength enhancing exoskeleton worn underneath, this would be the greatest thing anyone has ever made ever. Being able to throw people against walls in that thing would be amazing, assuming the hand could handle it.

G'orzak said...

Also, hate to be a negative nancy, but I couldn't help but notice you forgot the sproingy coil drill bit thing at the end of the drill.

Harrison Krix said...

@G'orzak: Given that this costume was worn at a crowded convention and I couldn't actually *see* where the drill was at any point in time, I thought that arming the tip of it with a sharpened corkscrew would be a poor decision. Sometimes accuracy should take a backseat to safety.

The Great Spaz said...

You are awesome!!! Maybe you can try subject delta sometime.

Unknown said...

wow amazing! I just discovered your blog and i'm already a fan! continue like that you're doing very great things with you hands!
[sorry for my bad english i'm french]

Unknown said...

you need to make a big sister costume now that would be awsome

pantomimehorse said...

Very well done ^^ I love how you documented everything so well lol I am going to attempt one now and I was wondering approximately how much some of the supplies cost?

Unknown said...

hello me name is jose melendez i live in puerto rico you ar friking cooolll men i tree to make une to but is hard to me to maket but tree i steel make it you can help me out pliss you can give me a clue or i dont no pliss help me out ^^ i have 19 years i em in high school i tree to make it whos for fun and for school pliss help me out ^_^

Homemade Things said...

Have you ever thought of making the Big Daddy that is in the second game? it would be so awesome. My fiance and I love how you were able to make this amazing costume. I also like your Little Sis ADAM Syringe. Your are very talented. I can wait to see what else you come up with.

Unknown said...

Hey there,
First and foremost, you are an amazing craftsman/artist.. BEAutiful attention to detail!

but i have a few questions, if you would spare the time to answer :D

1. Do you have any tips for texturing the ureshell, and fiberglass resin? i am set on the basic build principles, but im not that great with detailing the material. "/

2. Am i seeing it correctly that you cut out the bottom of the suit,instead of two separate leg holes?

and
3. Did you use pvc for the casing you built around your upper arms? if so how did your burnish it? with a file? and was there an actual method to actuating the fingers in the finished design?

Thanks so much for any input you are able to share, and keep up the fantastic work..

email: irishcarbomb59@aol.com

Unknown said...

Hello my friend, my name is Violet and I would love to use this for my own cosplay of Big Daddy, I like in Arkansas Russellville and if you'd like contact me at rawr_andy28@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

This is the most amazing thing

EVER

Please adopt me.

Timothy said...

My friend's husband is the head aquarist at the aquarium, if you're still interested.
And excellent craftmanship all around.

Xeno234 said...

say i wanted this costume, is there some way i could like commission you to make it? or at least get some very detailed instructions for a noob who's never made anything in his life?

DeadLine said...

Just wondering if i could get an email of the actual measurements? planning to build a suit for an upcoming irish anime and games festival

cesar said...

hey friend you use fiberglass?

emily Davenport's Blog 1050 said...

This is absolutely beautiful. I am blown away! I mean, the drill actually works! I wish I could put into words the magic this brought to my heart.

http://myfacewhen.com/17/

korinta said...

Have you ever thought of making the Big Daddy that is in the second game? it would be so awesome.
Core Drill Rig

otaku2life said...

dude the costume is amazing and I was glad that I was able to read till the end seeing as how you will still add some of the parts that you could have improve upon. I really hope that you will post the finished version of this soon :D

Oh yeah I'm also planning to do a bioshock cosplay too, only I will try and attempt with Delta ^_^

Thanks to this I got some ideas for it too ^_^
You are also an inspiration to me man seeing as how I am only 5'6 =3= I was close to giving up on the idea though thanks to your works I am back at track with it :D

Hope I can post some pictures and let you see the results >3< Though I hardly doubt that I will have time soon with it though thanks again for this blog really inspired me :D

Gs4247 said...

Cage is a bit large at the top and the body seemed really really fat on the sides.

Soccer Jerseys said...

Oh Great!

harperturbz said...

That is a some amazing work u do mate! are u able to make to order? i would love for u to make the big daddy costume for me!

katya said...

Hey thanks for the great tutorial slash progress thing, we are thinking about making a big daddy and big sister costume for the next convention

Theory22 said...

I'm a huge fan of bioshock and I am geeking out over this suit! Awesome work on the Bouncer style big daddy! Have you thought about doing the Subject Delta, Alpha, or Rosie style big daddies?

Unknown said...

HELL NO HELL NO ARGH ARGH NO BUZZ BLAM BLAM AHHH!!

Unknown said...

I just want to say, your work is awesome. Just awesome. I plan on doing a Delta Big Daddy (Bioshock 2) cosplay along with my friend who wants to be a little sister. This is so much inspiration for me. The suit looks incredible, and the fact that you can spin the drill... mind-blowing. You're a real inspiration for me and I'm gonna use some of your work process as reference when I get ready to undertake this great task :)

Sian Jeffries-Jones said...

I'm a massive Bioshock fan and this is simply stunning, gobsmacked is a good desciption for me atm :-D

TheAmazingMrE said...

Please make me one I will totally pay you for your time,just name the price.

JP said...

Can yo do a more detailed step by step on how to make the drill, no one has mad a decent one yet

Bioshock1AmFan said...

I am the bigiest bioshock fan anf that is badd ass

Yousaf said...

Brilliant work which has done impressively one of I really like the it and appreciate it. This is a one of the huge build.I also Congratulate you on your well deserved awards.I wish i could meet you once in life.I will try to visit your country by cheap flights and see yours other creations.

mahnoB said...

Harrison,
I would like to know some more in depth measurements about the suit and also, considering you are 5'7" and 135Lbs, would this be an appropriate size for a guy who is 6'1" and 180Lbs?
Thank you.

Sven said...

i want to copy it is that ok?

Blacksquid said...

I was thinking of making an Alpha series costume using some of your design techniques.

Unknown said...

What is the scale of the blueprints that need to be printed

clown069 said...

Epic design man. I wish I could make something this awesome.

Unknown said...

*looks at wallet, shakes head, looks at bank account, nods* How much for that suit?

Unknown said...

Absolutely astonishing! I am flabbergasted by the attention to detail and the resulting realism of the end product. Well done, Sir!

Unknown said...

In addition to the LED lights in the dome for effect, you should hook up a voice changer with a microphone and hardware inside the dome (space permitting) as well a concealed speaker or two on the outside. Seeing a Bouncer walking down the hall towards you is one thing, but when he can show his emotion via ports AND groan in that heavy rumble...we'd be looking at perfection.

Unknown said...

I love what you have here. Thanks for sharing this us, it is really amazing! Love to have it as my Halloween Costume.

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