Modular Steampunk Gas Mask

[Keeleon Ohms]

This is a work in progress, but I present the "beta" version of my modular face mask design! It consists of 3 pieces that can all be worn seperately or in any combination of each other. I have been costuming my whole life, and I have always tried to be as efficient with my costume pieces as possible, having them serve multiple purposes. So I try to keep all my designs as open, flexible and interchangeable as possible the next piece I'm going to work on is an aviator cap, to make a full head coverage. I'm using a retail one now, but there's no reason I shouldn't be able to make the whole thing.

And check out my facebook for some cool pictures of a Halloween event I did recently with these where I represent "The Mad Hatter's Clockwork Army" along with a couple creepy mannequins.

And if you wanna see more...

Edited November 5, 2012 by Keeleon Ohms

[bluesman1951]

Scarey comes to mind here . I am seriously out of my element with this . However I'll comment to this extent : The lines are straight and even ,spots and rivets are uniform and straight ,spacing looks good every where symetrical . Looks like quality work ,just very different for me . I'll go now and leave this to be commented on by others more qualified . Thank you very much for showing us this work . Bill

[Keeleon Ohms]

Lol, "scary" is usually what I get... ;P

I guess my mind is just in a creepier world than the average person. I had to get constant reassurance that I was "creepy" enough for the Halloween event, and I guess I was successful. It's not for everyone, definitely, but of course I don't think I'm ever gonna do a pair of saddlebags for a Harley with horse carved into them Thanks for your comments. I'm pretty OCD about having all my stuff be even and symmetrical, so I'm glad you noticed.

[David8386]

Mask looks good, like the details in it. Thanks for posting.

David

[Spinner]

Love it Keeleon, great idea to be modular and the execution is well done. Look forward to seeing more.

[infoimp]

I like how the modular mask can look so different depending on the order in which you put it on. (Yeah, I had to click over to see MORE!)

Great job, Keeleon!

[mikesmith648]

The Harley saddlebags with a horse on them gives me an idea..................nice work btw

[Keeleon Ohms]

I like how the modular mask can look so different depending on the order in which you put it on. (Yeah, I had to click over to see MORE!)

Great job, Keeleon!

Thanks! That was actually part of my goal. I do like the look of wearing the face mask OVER the mouth part, except it doesn't become quite as "seamless", because it flaps up a bit. It's not that easy to see in the pictures, but the dust mask part is removable with 2 snaps, and I have easily swapped out another one to show off at conventions. And then when tightened it sits snug right under the eyes keeping the whole thing from flopping, where it doesnt do that with the eye mask on top. I plan on making different mouth pieces too, like a plague doctor "bird beak", to give even more options

[infoimp]

I plan on making different mouth pieces too, like a plague doctor "bird beak", to give even more options

Geez, I LOVE the plague doctor stuff. Please be sure to give us a link when you finish that!

[Jazznow]

Great stuff. Would Like to know how you made the gears. They are Super clean, do you have a Stamp for them?

Greetings Jonathan

[rosiart]

Thanks! That was actually part of my goal. I do like the look of wearing the face mask OVER the mouth part, except it doesn't become quite as "seamless", because it flaps up a bit. It's not that easy to see in the pictures, but the dust mask part is removable with 2 snaps, and I have easily swapped out another one to show off at conventions. And then when tightened it sits snug right under the eyes keeping the whole thing from flopping, where it doesnt do that with the eye mask on top. I plan on making different mouth pieces too, like a plague doctor "bird beak", to give even more options

Very creative. Just a question. How do you breathe in it? Are there other perforations besides the grommet holes?

[Keeleon Ohms]

Great stuff. Would Like to know how you made the gears. They are Super clean, do you have a Stamp for them?

Greetings Jonathan

I don't know WHAT I would have done without the steampunk craftaid: http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/home/76605-00.aspx that came out about the same time I got into leather seriously! If you've never used a craftaid, I can highly recomend them. I just wish there was more variety, but they make for such a cleaner carving then if I were to try and hand draw or trace. And actually, jsut a couple of weeks ago, Tandy came out with some gear stamps I have been waiting for, for a while. They're not as amazing as I would have hoped, but they do still make adding a small gear here and there much easier than carving it out. I still think just wetting and "embossing" real gears into the leather makes for a prettier impression. You can't really see it that well in the picture, but here's an example of embossing on this belt:

And if you look here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/110489580/steampunk-leather-rebreather-w-gear You can see what the new 3d stamp from Tandy looks like. I much prefer the carving to any of them, but the first one I showed with the carving took me like 3 times longer to make than any of the other ones >.<

Very creative. Just a question. How do you breathe in it? Are there other perforations besides the grommet holes?

Those are the only ventilation, however, for me at least, they provide plenty. In fact some of the masks I've made have no holes, and I haven't had a problem with them. Of course, I have been wearing full face costumes and gas masks for years, including my most recent latex Predator costume for up to 8 hours at a time, so my tolerances may skew from the norm. The mouth mask does have snaps on the side so it can be unnapped and dangle offo ne side and resnapped within like 5 seconds, so even if you were to need some air, it can be gotten easily

[Jazznow]

Thanks for your explanation. Will get the craftaid and the Stamp soon.

[Helsing]

Very interesting!

A very OT trail of thought that comes to mind.

There is a phenomenon that has a name that eludes me, "the ... gap" och perhaps "valley".

When something is rather different from a human, for example a monkey, you tend to see the similarities but if something is rather like a human, like a doll, you notice the differences. You are skillfully using this in making the correct differences which creates the "scary" impression.

Does anyone know the word I am looking for?

[Keeleon Ohms]

Its called the "Uncanny Valley" ( http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley) , although it more refers to when an image or creation is SO close to looking lifelike, but is just missing "something". This is actually closer to the opposite of that, where all the features have been removed or exaggerated to the point where you know its a face, but there is no legitimate reason to know that. It has eyes, and yet there are no eyes, and it clearly has a mouth/nose, and yet not at all. Its a very interesting part of the human condition that allows us to look at the mask and know its a face, even when it has none of the characteristics of a face, and that is unsettling in a different way then the Uncanny Valley. I would like to know what that concept is called. The canny valley? Its a similar concept that ancient warriors would use when going into battle, and why you see such scary disfigured monster faces on some "battle masks" and helmets.

Or it could just be a coincidence because its defined to fit the contours of a human face so therefore it has the shape of one ;P

[Helsing]

The uncanny valley - thank you!

This is what causes children, grownups and even animals to peck on anyone who is different, like a dissabled person.

We spot the difference and feel discomfort. Try to see through it.

[MonsterMan]

Wow! Nice work!

[Imapeopleperson]

I would love to have some kind of patterns or see a little more of the design of them, Like pictures inside the mask, the strapping system you are using to hold it all in place, Great looking piece, just getting into some masks for bike riders and thought yours looked awesome.

[Keeleon Ohms]

I would love to have some kind of patterns or see a little more of the design of them, Like pictures inside the mask, the strapping system you are using to hold it all in place, Great looking piece, just getting into some masks for bike riders and thought yours looked awesome.

Sure thing! I'm actually making a custom order for a bike mask right now so I'll just take pictures and post as I make it. The first thing is to cut out the basic shape. I made my pattern (through a lot of trial and error) by folding a piece of cardstock paper in half to make sure both sides were symmetrical. Then I cut out the base piece shown here. I'm gonna be caving some flames on it (free hand >.<), and I'll post some more pictures as I go.