Nikolai (Part 5) – Padding / Jeans / Jacket

Continues from Part 4.
Next step – padding and clothes. Nikolai is done!

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Padding was done and redone – so you will see 2 attempts below. The reason – I made the padding too tight and stiff first time. Because Nikolai had a bit of a beer belly, it was hard for him to bend. The second time – thinner foam and looser stuffing did the trick.

Padding – first attempt.
1/2″ thick foam

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Jeans. They are made out of human-scale jeans material. If you look to buy it, the key words is “stretch jeans material”. Stretch jeans material is a bit thinner and the stretch is helpful. Buy a remnant, it is cheaper than by the yard.
Other materials:
Sewing thread,
3mm brass studs,
miniature belt buckle,
a lambskin leather remnant for belt,
abrasive buffing sponge to make jeans worn.
brown and beige pastels to make jeans dirty.

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1st Padding stripped. As I said earlier, I made the padding too tight and too stuffed the first time. Because Nikolai has a bit of a beer belly, it was hard for him to bend. The second time – thinner foam and looser stuffing did the trick.
Also, while I was back to the naked metal, I added longer finger knobs and replaced the screws with threaded rods.
I love those knobs and the short ones were lost in the “flesh”.
Here is what the armature looks like now – I can grab the two ends with my fingers and adjust the joint tension on the fly. The knobs are completely covered by foam/clothing, but I can feel them under the foam.
Here is what each joint looks like now

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Thinner foam: 1/8″ Naked Foam, stuffed with loose cotton balls.
I stitched the body loosely with sewing thread to “sculpt” the body into the shape.
Extra long sewing needle (dollmaker needle) makes it easier.

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Tubular gauze smoothens and pulls everything together. He looks like he is in long johns.
Also the top looks like a knitted sweater, so I decided not to make a t-shirt.  Nikolai will be wearing a hoodie at all times.

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That’s much better – he is able to bend and hold the bend, even backwards, even with his paunch.

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Hoodie.
Nikolai hates trying clothes on.
The hoodie is made out of an old (but clean) t-shirt.
Other materials:
Sewing thread,
3mm brass studs,
Short human-scale zipper (I am looking for small scale zippers to add to the inventory).
Putin’s logo is printed on printable cloth on a HP Laserjet printer and glued with Fabritac fabric glue.

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Nikolai is dressed and looks very manly.

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Nikolai’s male status watch is actually a fashion ring. I had to cut a piece out of the band with wire cutters and close it on Nikolai’s hand with pliers.

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Nikolai puppet is complete, but there is more on this project.
Next – furniture, room, props.

If all goes as planned, Nikolai will be starring in a stop motion film.

A group of stop motion enthusiasts are making a collaboration stop motion project. Each of us take a “job” (script, storyboard, character concept sketches, puppet fabrication, props, animation, editing, music and foley, etc.). We work together to make a short film, and, in return, get the shared rights to the films – for promotion, experience or resume. No pay, just the rights to the video use.

If you would like to join us, please join the public Facebook Group So You Want to Make a Stop Motion Film.
Nikolai The Troll Group is currently a private group and will be opened for public once the film is made.

Continues on Part 6