I made and designed this costume with the help of my coworker at the smoky mountain center for the performing arts. Still a few kinks to work out but it works pretty well
I think Ik how he did it in 50% sure I keep watching the vid and what I gatherd was he bought round metal and shaped the body , and for the legs I think Ik what he did, the legs are made out of this wood so he must've drew the parts on a thick platform and carved it out with those wood cutters that wood shops have and he sand it a lot to make it smooth and painted it and for the movement, I believe those are moving bolts not too tight but not too loose , and he attached it to a string on his legs to the wooden ones and for it to be attached to his body I believe a thick sting strap around his waist, and I believe that's how he did it
You have saved my bacon! I am building a centaur for our school art show and this is THE best centaur I have seen (and believe me, this is a difficult costume to find so I've seen PLENTY)! It works within my aesthetic perfectly. I have to tweak materials a bit but you have a winner here as far as I am concerned. BRAVO! And thank you so much! :-)!!!
I agree, however, there might be limitations to where it is placed due to the mechanisms and weight. No idea, though, I've never worked with anything more than a lawn mower. Which, even then, has run me over.
You notice his front legs are not on stilts. If he were to actually dress up as a centaur, he'd need stilts to replicate hooves. He is merely and obviously testing the mechanics.
This is fantastic!!! For a long time now I've been curious as to how to create rigging for a centaur costume to have the back legs move. This is great inspiration :) thanks for posting!
This is an amazing piece of costumery, would love to have seen a non-tribal version with the covered torso and full hooves for the front as well. Beautiful work!
I wonder if you enlarge these and put small stilts on your legs about knee height and build a body you can use your shins and feet to fill out the body a little more make it more realistic might be challenging to walk but would be interesting to try man I wish I had the time and skillset to put these ideas to practice your so lucky man
I am nocostume expert. Though think adding a bit of weight at the back of the horse (more or less where the back legs join), might help sell the effect. All I see is the rear end lifting up and the hooves 'tip toeing'.
would you be willing to do a tutorial on the puppetry mechanics? I'd like to do something similar for a con this summer, and it'd be cool to have moving back legs. :)
I see back in 2011 you said you were going to try and make a tutorial? Would it be possible for you to simply post photos of it or give a simple tutorial? Anything at all would be extremely appreciated by myself and many, many others.
I'm sorry. someone has probably already asked this, but what materials did you use? it looks like you used pvc pipe but it's hard to tell what other materials you used.
The the only problem with the average centaur costume is that the back end just seems so “weightless”. Like it has no mass to it at all. And those legs! Just flopping around like a marionette. It’s not just you. It seems to be a regular problem with costumes with moving legs. It’s either that or the ‘stiff as a table’ type legs.
Please, I'm making an indy film, I would be immensely grateful for any kind of sketch or blueprints of any kind! Please post even a basic scribble of the design if you must, anything!
I really think I have a much better Centaur design...instead of standing as the front legs, mine is completely mechanical with all four legs walking correctly. The operator is in a kneeling position with their upper legs harnessed in for support. The mechanics of the Centaur work on bicycle principles...your shins and feet are in separate cradles connected to pedals...as you pedal, each of the four legs would lift and move forward in succession. A harness around your waist is connected to two rods which are connected to each side of the pivoting rear hips of the legs allowing for steering . The design is sound but would have to take a bit to get used to, since you are at horse height and not touching the ground. It would be intimidating to see walking towards you .
I have the actual horse skeleton measurements found on line...the skeleton would be made of a strong wood for the rib cage and aluminum for all the rest of the structure...the muscles and skin would be created by someone on puppetry. It would be great for festivals or comicon
Only thing I’m lacking for the Centaur Project is funding...so it’s on the back shelf...if anyone wants to fund the Project I guess I could one for you...I would not have a place to keep it.
