The Thing and RJ MacReady

This variation resembles the thing when he's just starting to form human features while still resembling an arachnid and alien-like appendages.

latex paint

acrylic Paint

air duct

latex glue

glue gun

jacket with faux color

sunglasses

fake beard

faux snow

Gorilla spray glue

kitten tunnel

skeleton skull

led lights

plastic drop cloth

heat gun

duct tape

zip ties

When creating the thing, I really wanted to make something that was unique in that it resembles almost a part of me, but also ambiguous in whether or not it is a part of me. Similar to not knowing in the movie which of the characters is the thing.

The head was difficult to decide on because throughout the film, the thing takes on many different personas. So we decided that the character Norris was the best reference to use.

For the head, a latex mask was used. After studying online, I found that using liquid latex was the best way to paint on top in order to change the coloring. Several shades and coatings were used to give the skin a more flesh look by first painting around the gums, then embellishing its features later on.

I then used a skeleton head and wired and hot-glued it inside the mask to form a shape that could open and close its mouth. In addition, batting was used to fill inside the flesh to make the head look more lifelike.

Initially, I wanted to use servos or a hand mechanism to make the eyes blink. However, I was able to locate some LED eyes that, on a loop of 30 seconds, would show moving back and forth, up and down, as well as blinking before they reset to the original phase.

The teeth are a little tricky in that if you make them too big, they might be vampire-like and comical. But also, if you make them too small, they might not show up.

I wrapped aluminum foil around a wooden skewer and added masking tape for durability. Next, I applied Titebond glue for strength and hot-glued the individual teeth to thin cardboard. After shaping the teeth with scissors, layers of hot glue were added to build up more realistic forms. The completed sets of teeth were trimmed and hot-glued to the upper and lower fronts of the skeleton jaw area.

The initial idea was to use an air duct to create a long neck feature, as you see in the movie and on a replica toy. However, I found this to be too rigid and potentially constricting to my movement over an evening. As a result, I found a cat tunnel, which still allowed for the similar cylinder shape I was wanting, but also the ability for me to bend and move the Thing character in many different ways. I then began to wrap plastic drop cloth rings around the tunnel and used a heat gun on it to melt the plastic so that it gives more of an organic, coming-to-life look. Paint was then applied to match the skin tone of the face, with several coats needed after letting it dry.

The body was merely constructed out of papier-mâché, which was then wrapped multiple times with plastic drop cloth and a heat gun in order to give it a wrinkled, more organic vibe.

The legs were actually a store-bought spider that I expanded and then put tough stuff foam on top of. Once that dried, I wrapped it with plastic drop cloth and used the heat gun. It became very clear that the legs were too long and they needed more of a point to them. So by using cone-shaped Styrofoam, I was able to give that pointed edge. This was then also wrapped with plastic drop cloth. The legs were then all painted, and the body and the legs were attached to the jacket.

Once complete, all the pieces were connected with the head so it was a seamless body with a cut out of the jacket where the arm went

Since I was RJ McReady, I had to look like I was coming out of Antarctica. The best way I knew to do this was to use a wig, a beard, and snow sunglasses. I then went to the dollar store and bought fake snow, and I used Gorilla spray glue. The Gorilla spray glue was first applied to the hair, and then I sprinkled sparingly fake snow, shook it up, and then sprayed more on top so that it would stay. I then repeated the process with the goggles and the beard. Once this was complete, we did the same thing with the jacket, where initial Gorilla glue was sprayed on and sprinkled with the snow, shake it up, and then spray it once more.

Once all the grunt work was basically complete, we're able to do some finishing touches, where I filled in the face a little bit more, giving it a little more pop of his cheeks. In addition, paints were used around the neck that allowed it to blend more and contrast with the brown jacket that RJ McReady was going to be wearing. His mobility was pretty solid, and we're excited about me bringing him out. Overall, this is probably the most fun I've had walking around with a costume in the years I've made them. If you've made it this far, thanks for reading, and happy Halloween!