BEANIE MASK - PART 1 (*SPOILERS* if you watch the anime Bleach)

I'm starting this project as a birthday gift for one of my friends, who happens to be a major Bleach fan (and also doesn't know I have this blog...allowing me to document it thusly without ruining the surprise). 

By "Bleach," I refer to the popular, top-ranking manga-based anime, and not the chemical agent used to whiten everything in its path.

[WARNING! POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THOSE CURRENTLY WATCHING THE SHOW!]

So I took inspiration from Ichigo's (the main character) hollow form.  It's a pretty epic piece of face wear, and since my friend is such a fan of the show, I thought he'd appreciate something Ichigo-esque to wear for himself.  Clearly, wearing a creepy half-mask isn't done now-a-days, but beanies are.  My conclusion: PUT THE MASK ON THE HAT.  

For those of you who didn't pick it up from previous posts of mine, I don't believe in spending money if I can scrounge up my sources from my immediate surroundings.  So naturally, rather than checking out Amazon or eBay for a Bleach themed beanie, I went the harder route - but one I think would be more appreciated - and decided to make this baby from almost-scratch.  

Step 1) Find the nearest pair of old shoes and beat the crap out of them until they surrender unto you their souls.  I mean soles.  

This is not an easy task.  It requires cunning, patience, strength, a sharp knife, and a great deal of inner rage.  Also, kitchen shears, if you have access to them.  

A wise person would suggest that you do not attempt this at home.  But seeing as the whole point of this operation is TO FIND YOUR SOURCES AT HOME, disregard that warning and DO WHAT YOU MUST.  So I removed the sole of both shoes and took some of my handy-dandy spackling and filled in the ridges and grooves in the sole, so that the texture wouldn't show through, and painted over them with my home made white primer (see "BEGINNING PROJECTS - HOW TO MAKE PRIMER"). 
Next, I sketched out a rough image of what I wanted the mask to look like, and cut up the pieces of the sole into the general shapes I would need. This turned out a lot better than I was expecting because frankly, at this point in time, I was beginning to think I was getting getting a little in over my head with this concept.  Fortunately, the pieces didn't look too terrible, and I was able to replicate the general shape the way I wanted it, using several Google images of Ichigo in the mask as a reference.

I'm going to let the paint dry now, and collect other necessary items to finish it.  I still need to buy a beanie to mount this thing on (somehow...!!!) and some clear enamel to coat it with so it doesn't melt and flake under weather conditions.  

And I've decided, hats are way too complicated.  

Goodnight.

-Chimmy