Orange Maniac[Wearable] : Phoenix Wings(200+ Feather Leaves), Bird Face Mask, Feather Capelet, Bird Feet!

For this instructable, i wanted to make something big enough and something for my own! Since i thought about, i have been dreaming to make it complete(to wear and present) and been working on the same!

So, Lets get started!!!

To make the outer frame, i am using stretcher parts (with runner) of the umbrella as the skeletal bones of the wings.

Attached the stretcher as wing bones to the handle part of a walking toy(got from my nephew). This handle part will act as back support to tie the wings structure to my body. I used thin metal strings to tie the handle part and the skeletal.

To make the base part, i have removed unnecessary part of the stretcher and i did paint the handle part with orange enamel paint.

In between, i soaked some black threads in corn paste (corn flour + water : boiled together) so that the threads are stiff enough and do not get tangled.

At every edge tied with black coloured strings and attached to the handle part. These black threads will also serve as nerves.

For making the major content of the wings, we shall create layers of feathers made out of orange coloured paper chart sheets, aligned across its skeletal!

For my phoenix wings, i have created five feather structure that could be tied to similar ones to add every layer.

In order to attach feathers to each other, i followed two methods:

1. For small feathers, i used staplers to make them look tightly attached.

2. For large feathers, i used thread and glue to make them look loosely attached.

1. For the smaller feather lines, at the two top most layers :

Cut chart sheets of

Very small

Height - 8cm

Width - 4 cm

Small

Height - 13.2 cm

Width - 3.8 cm

2. Fold the two sides of the strips pressing at the centre.

3. Snip out feather structure out of the strip.

4. Use stapler pins to arrange them serially, next to each other.

5. At the back side of the layer, fix threads with strong glue.

1. For the larger feather lines, at the three bottom most layers

Cut chart sheets of:

Medium

Height - 12cm

Width - 4 cm

Large

Height - 16 cm

Width - 5 cm

Very Large

Height - 25 cm

Width - 6 cm

2. Fold the two sides of the strips pressing at the centre.

3. Snip out feather structure out of the strip.

4. Punch single hole at the one half, of every feather leaves.

5. Insert stiffened thread across the holes of every feather leaf.

6. Keep the leaves at a specific position; attach the thread with glue to the feather leaves.

Now, we need to add these large and small feather lines in hierarchical increasing order from top to make it resemble a bird's feathery wings!

We would need a sample bird feather image for reference and here i have used feather structure of common raven as the model.

Here's the set of feather lines, ready for one side of the wing. Tied the threads of the feather lines, at appropriate places starting from the bottom to the top.

It is better to start from the bottom and make it to top as the smaller ones will be at the outer side and the larger ones will be at the inner side.

Here's the glimpse of the completed phoenix wing, brimming in bright orange!

Let's get started with making a Face Mask aligned with the wings!

For feathers to use for the mask, i am making use of the :

Medium -> Very large -> Small feather types(as described in previous steps)

These feathers were carved slightly at the sides randomly to give realistic look for it!

For the centre part, i cut a small portion of the chart as in the picture in this step. I drew the image on the chart with pencil and cut across the lines.

To make the Beak part, i drew straight lines (as in the picture with measurement in this step) on chart paper and cut across the bold lines. Dotted lines will be folded to give a realistic look of the beak.

I cut the beak at the outer side, following the bold lines.

I used white glue to attach the back side of the beak. Used a small piece of chart paper for additional support.

At the centre dotted layer of the beak, i attached both the sides with white glue so that the beak looks bent over the side to give a realistic look.

1. Used a small strip of chart paper which will act as base to the face mask (the part which gets attached to rope etc).

2. Folded the sides of the feathers those mentioned in :

Step 10 : Making of Bird Face Mask - Feather pattern!

and used white glue to attach them.

3. Marked the centre part of the base strip.

4. Fixed the centre part.

5. Attached the feather strips and then the beak.

Using a slanted trapezium shaped chart paper, i drew the structure with:

a. dark shaded part, to snip out

b. light shaded part to fold inside the beak

And then glued it to the sides of the beak.

This step is to create the second part of the sides of the eyes with simple structure drawn, folded and glued with piece of chart paper.

Finally the bird mask is added with double chart strip to add support so that we could add rope etc to tie the mask to the head.

The same way of making feather lines described in :

Step 6 : Large Feather Lines!

i used a single layer(medium) of it and but punched holes at both sides so that the feathers are straight to the body which is used as capelet.

I used a orange coloured thin cloth strips, stitched velcro tapes to the end part so that i could wear it in my arms.

Now, lets start making the Bird Feet so that the Bird costume is full and more realistic.

We are gonna make two parts for one finger(or as per one's wish). These two parts could be worn in the finger through the space inside.

1. Using equal height, width colour paper sheet of Black and Orange colour.

2. Fold two sides of the sheet, so that the resultant look more a triangle shape.

3. Make a small bottom structure at the triangle, so the resultant look more like a boat.

4. Fold a small portion of the bottom structure at the right side.

5. Insert folded small portion, and insert it to the left side(bottom structure).

6. You can use white glue for strong fixing at the bottom structure.

1. Using equal height, width colour paper sheet of Black and Orange colour.

2. Fold two sides of the sheet, so that the resultant look more a triangle shape.

3. Make a small bottom structure at the triangle, so the resultant look more like a boat.

4. Fold a small portion of the bottom structure, at the left and right side.

5. Now, open the triangle part and bent one side of it, towards the bottom structure.

6. Make a small folded structure at the other triangle part. This is resemble the nails of the birds toes.

7. Insert either of the folded bottom structure (like we did in part1) to the another. This will enclose the other parts. You can use white glue for strong fixing at the bottom structure.