Something Different.......The Lament Configuation

[Out2gtcha]

This is replica of a prop from the movie series "Hellraiser".   As the story goes, the Lament Configuration was a  lock puzzle or puzzle box appearing in the horror story by Clive Barker, or in works based on his original stories. The best known of these boxes is Lemarchand's Box, which features prominently throughout the Hellraiser movie series.  A Lemarchand's box is a mystical/mechanical device that acts as a door — or a key to a door — to another dimension or plane of existence. The solution of the puzzle creates a bridge through which beings may travel in either direction across this "Schism". The inhabitants of these other realms may seem demonic to humans. An ongoing debate in the film series is whether the realm accessed by the Lament Configuration is intended to be the Christian version of Hell, or some other dimension of endless pain and suffering.
In the Hellraiser series of movies the "Cenobites" are demonic looking entities that exist in this plane, and come through the schism created by the puzzle boxes completion. 

 

 

As described by Clive Barker, who made the Hellraiser series:

 

 

- The interior surfaces were brilliantly polished. Frank's reflection — distorted, fragmented — skated across the lacquer.... Lemarchand, who had been in his time a maker of singing birds, had constructed the box so that opening it tripped a musical mechanism, which began to tinkle a short rondo of sublime banality.

 

The tune continues to evolve as each additional piece is moved:

 

- And there was music too; a simple tune emerged from the box, played on a mechanism that she could not yet see. Enchanted, she delved further. Though one piece had been removed, the rest did not come readily. Each segment presented a fresh challenge to fingers and mind, the victories rewarded with a further filigree added to the tune.

- The puzzle draws the player onward until suddenly the puzzle is solved and the gateway is opened. As the puzzle is nearly completed, the sound of a large bell can be heard tolling mournfully. The sound comes from the realm of the Cenobites, and announces their impending arrival. Once the gate is opened, the box begins reassembling itself.

 

 

I'm not really into horror films at all, but Pinhead was one of the Cenobites, and always fascinated me for whatever reason. The box itself was a huge fascination, as its seemingly near infinite ways of opening and the mechanics of the movement of it all, were really intriguing to me.

 

So...........I found a 1:1 size (functioning) 3D  Lament Configuration pattern, and sent it off to one of the many companies who you can hire to print out anything you want via bid. I had them print it off in a medium to smooth black medium and had them send it to me.  I could only get the print so smooth I figured, and anticipated having to do some filling and sanding.

The box came to me some time ago back in 2019, but not until the lock-down did I have the extra MoJo to tackle it.  The print was a bit rough for sure, but the action of the mechanism was very cool:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can see by the above pics, some of the surfaces that are supposed to be flat are very evidently rough from the 3D printing. That was the challenge.

 

Back in a min with progress pics................

[Out2gtcha]

I started off with a layer of Tamiya fine white to see where I was and what I needed to do "heavy lifting" on with some automotive rattle can primer . I quickly figured out that was EVERYWHERE. 

So, I got a big can of automotive self etching and self leveling primer and shot a fairly thick layer on:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then in was on to flush sanding all 28 individual sides (counting all the interior sides of each half). After that, I used a first round of Mr Surfacer 500, then once again, a round of sanding nearly 30 surfaces. You can see on these pics all of the 3D striations starting to get filled:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also went through and opened up some of the markings on the cube that got filled and shouldn't have during the multiple rounds of primer.

 

The box itself was supposed to be finished in a black super high shine lacquer finish with gold gilding on the outer flush surfaces. My plan for this is to do a couple more rounds of filling and sanding, finished by a round of black 1500 Mr Surfacer, ending in a gloss black epoxy paint finish. After the gloss black has dried, I will be using some gold leaf and size to represent the gold antiquing. My plan is to use some makeup sponges to delicately apply the size to just the outer flush surfaces, then apply the gold leaf.

I've not actually done gold leaf before, so this should be an experience. Here is what Ill be working with:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm working on this one around my Tigercat, and with the snow STILL coming down outside (already some amount down) Ill probably be switch back and forth between the two projects.

Cheers and thanks for looking in on me! 

 

 

 

 

 

[Panzerwomble]

Spooky timing , I'd forgotten all about these films for years, but was reminded last weekend of seeing Hellraiser 2 when it came out ( I hated it TBH) . The Q&A with Clive Baker afterwards was wasted on me completely .  

 

I was looking to see if they did a replica box, thought it might be cool as a shelf item to spot the 80's kids ( my mates) who would recognise what it is .

 

But here's the thing Brian , you know you can't just put it back together when you've finished it right ?  Seriously dude ,  you can't go mucking around with this stuff . 

 

 

 

Edited December 29, 2020 by Panzerwomble
spolling

[LSP_Kevin]

Now that really is different!

 

Kev

[Lee White]

You have to let the size (gold glue) get to the point where it is 99% dry before applying the leaf.  So dry that it won't leave a fingerprint, but wet enough that the skin on your finger would 'drag' on the surface. Then your gold will really shine.

[dutik]

Something very special, indeed!

 

 

I will check the news for supernatural incidents in Nebraska from now on. Better safe than sorry

 

Regards

- dutik

[Out2gtcha]

Thanks all!

1 hour ago, Lee White said:

You have to let the size (gold glue) get to the point where it is 99% dry before applying the leaf.  So dry that it won't leave a fingerprint, but wet enough that the skin on your finger would 'drag' on the surface. Then your gold will really shine.

 

Thanks Lee. I'll remember that! It also matches up with what the size directions indicate. 

I've got another layer of filler, this time Mr. Surfacer 1000, drying atm. 

I'll sand that flush tonight, and after that, I am hoping I can apply a final layer of Mr Surfacer 1500 black. Once that is on and sanded smooth I will apply some gloss black epoxy paint.

[Thunnus]

That's cool, Brian!  Creepy but cool.  I remember watching that first Hellraiser movie and feeling that Mr. Pinhead was one of those bad guys you start rooting for.  Kinda like Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs.

[Gazzas]

Cool....  but creepy!

[Out2gtcha]

Thanks all!

Well after another 2 rounds of sanding and priming, I finally had a layer of Mr. Surfacer 1500 black. 

Back in black!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then, finally a layer or 3 of epoxy gloss black:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the gloss black dried thoroughly, I wet sanded the flat surfaces with 2000 grit, and did some experiments with the gold leaf and size. I did a lot of experimenting, but the sponge application of the size just didnt have enough control. Also, the nature of the application, the glue was not super smooth, and it never looked right after the leaf was applied.

A lot of the details just seemed too small to have the leaf applied crisply enough, if that makes sense.

 

So, back to the drawing board! 

I had previously stopped off st Hobby Lobby to get some paint pens for the Tigercat, and just happen to have a gold paint marker that had a smaller chisel type tip. After a few experiments, I tried it on the puzzle box.

 

Low and behold I think we have a winner!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm going to put some time in on the box and see if I can finished the gold guilding. Then, I'll likely finish sand the gold and apply a clear to seal things.

 

Till next time!

[Confusionreigns178]

I've tried to watch some of the later Hellraiser movies. That was more than enough torture for one lifetime...! 

 

Good luck with your build. 

 

Chris. 

[Ryan]

The one with the chattering teeth really bothered me, plus the whole skinless dealio with Frank and later the other gal...yuck.

 

Seems like you could have mounted the piece and dry brushed it gold with reasonable results.

 

Looks the part the way you are doing it.

 

Ryan

[Out2gtcha]

Thanks again all.   I actually finished all the gold gilding with a majority of success. The only area Im not happy with is the large upper circle on top of each half of the box. The real prop is quiet smooth, and with all the area on those circles to be painted, the marks from the marker tip are quite evident.

Other than the two large top circle parts Im quite happy with how it came out, but need to let things cure.

My plan is to see if I can sand down the marks on the top circles with some 4000 grit, then see about thinning the gold from the marker (it says "oil based" so Ill do some experimenting, but pretty sure its going to be thinned with mineral spirits/enamel) and shoot a tiny bit through the air brush to make that area smooth (after I mask the black depressions off of course), then shoot a clear over everything.

 

Pics soon!

[Brett M]

Cool project! I use to have one of non-opening boxes that i kept on my desk way back when....oh, 20 years ago?

 

Looking forward to seeing it finished up.

[RadBaron]

That is cool as hell!!!