Alien / Nostromo Uniforms

[Gatekeeper]

Time for a bump.
I'm at a loss here... thought about mixing some blue and gray dye for the jacket... then, I popped Alien in the DVD player and checked the bridge scenes - now I'm partial to adding some brown to the green instead. I dunno... a "Han Solo ESB parka"-situation has arised. Now, I know I can't emulate the very true color of the jackets used in the production, but I can strive for some true-to-screen color anyway... opinions?

Another thing for you experts out there: what color are the wings? Dallas has gold wings on his jacket - are Kane's supposed to be silver?

Also, anybody got a lead on the shoes used by the crew?

Randy - I really like the look of your patches! Are you going to offer them?

 

[Kt Templar]

I found it interesting just how different the colour can be on these. I thought the first one I'd got was green... that's until I got the second!!

 

[Gatekeeper]

That top one looks like mine...
I dyed it with a couple of bottles of brown dye yesterday - most pleased with the results:

I'll give it a go with just a tad more brown dye, to even hues out a bit.

A little comparison:

Base green is still dominating a bit, but it's getting there...

 

[Kt Templar]

Hey Gatekeeper, I really like the tonal value of that jacket. I don't see any brown in the screen jackets personally but I'm happy to concede that you do.

So, I've been doing my own experiments in colour this weekend! Staring with a sage green and a bright 'army' green I've come to a couple of conclusions...

1) Do not use dye remover, nasty stuff and doesn't remove any of the outer shell's colour whilst making the inside mottled. (Not happy about that).

2) The green doesn't take that blue that well, it still looks green underneath.

3) I'm convinced they did dye the originals to make them a bluey grey. (or brown!).

I've used Dylon 'Antique Grey' with a 1/4 'Denim Blue'... Probably went 'slightly heavy on the blue.

Pics to follow when they have dried a bit better!!

 

[Gatekeeper]

Templar - most interested in seeing your results!

True about the dye remover - I didn't dare to try it at all, only washed the jacket before applying the dye.
As for the blue gray, I thought so too, until a bunch of promo pics and screen grabs turned my head towards the brown...:lol

Personally, I believe the originals were made just like you said - though the result combined with the weird lightning on the Nostromo set gives all kinds of mysterious hues to the jackets. Apparently, blue and brown are confused a lot... wonder if it's got something to do with old film stock and/or development processes?

 

[Kt Templar]

One thing is for sure, the wings I got are too darn small! Where did you get yours? Mine are from blue tiger trading and are about 3 1/2" inches across.

Anyway a couple of pics, on a horrible overcast day.

 

[Gatekeeper]

That's a sweet blue! Nice, Nostromo-esque shade... Hadn't I gone the brown way, that's what I would've wanted my jacket to look like.

Those wings are indeed small - they're about the size for the Ripley-jumpsuit and t-shirt wings, but look like the jacket version...mine are from Intergalactic. He has them on eBay basically all the time.

 

[Kt Templar]

Ah, thanks I'll look into it. I might also see if I can get one custom made in gold.

Have hit a slight snag with the lettering on the back. Heat transfer paper for light fabrics (ie clear backing) does not show up on the blue. I need to use heat transfer paper with a white backing so it shows up... soooo I have to cut out each letter by hand .

Luckily, I'm a 10th Dan scalpel user!

How are you tackling this problem?

Also how wide are those wings?

 

[Bill Froog]

I concur - that colour does look similar to the real thing. The colour (in the film) looks to me like charcoal. I don't see any brown in it either.

As far as variation in the jackets goes, bear in mind they have been made by various different companies and probably from different materials. Some look shinier than others. The 'tail' is (in case anyone was curious) what you sit on when the seat is cold. A sort of anti-piles device I suppose. :lol

It's a shame they don't make the wings in gold. I suppose one could unpick the blue and redo it with gold thread but I wouldn't like to try that myself.

I have a G-4B flight suit and will take some photos of the inside leg lacing as soon as I can find the charger for my camera battery :confused

Getting the suits is going to be tough as they are fairly rare and go for silly money. Ones without the internal compression bladders or otherwise incomplete ones should be cheaper. I got mine from a guy in Italy for about £20 as it has a busted zip. I'll be lucky to get another. As I think I mentioned before, these were also made in Europe as EFA-10 flight suits - maybe they'll be easier to get. If anyone knows where to get a load of damaged suits I'm sure there'll be buyers on this forum. Maybe someone has a friend/relative in the U.S.A.F. or someone who deals in military clothing.

 

[Harry Harris]

How about using fabric paint? If you had a self-adhesive cut vinyl stencil you could use that as a... erm... stencil.

That way all your lines and curves will be perfect.

Harry

 

[Gatekeeper]

Kt Templar - my wings are 115 mm across. If you find someone who'll custom-make them, let me know - I might be in for a set of silver ones!

I feel I'll have to defend my choice of dye here...:lol thing is, I don't believe what I see on screen in older movies any more. I've been mentioning the Solo ESB parka - the blue vs. brown flames rose pretty high on that one. Apparently, the two colours are easily confused for optical/lighting reasons.

As for the Nostromo jacket, when I say brown, I'm talking about hues, not colours... that is, I do NOT believe the Nostromo jackets had a chocolate-y hue to them!
As a matter of fact, until someone shows me an original, screen-used jacket along with a tasty platter of crow, I don't think they were blue, or charcoal for that matter. The base colour of these jackets were most likely some form of green. As I've been told, the "sage-green" (my jacket) and the "grey-green" (modern, or at least 1990's colour) didn't exist in the 70's. The Mk3's of that era were OD, though I'm sure there were differences in shade depending on fabric stock and such. Green and brown shades also get confused a lot, especially if you're in olive territory.

My point being, I've dyed one of these. As has Kt Templar. As he wrote above, the jackets don't take dye that well - Kt had problems with the blue, I used two sets of brown dye, and I still have what most people would call a green jacket. The base colour won't go away, something which I believe would be evident in a screen-used jacket as well.

I'm not saying I have the final word, or even claim that I'm right here. I love the outcome of Templar's jacket - to me, it looks very Nostromo-esque. And I'm most pleased with my jacket as well - getting the lacings (in a green which will stand out from the jacket's colour) on the sleeves, the pink piping on the collar and the back text (I'm thinking of a pale teal or blue-gray, btw) will complete the look.

 

[Kt Templar]

I totally agree, to disagree .

I've seen the photos where it looks brown, and also where it looks blue.

In the film it goes from one to another. Knowing the base colours and imagining that the tools for recolouring are probably pretty similar, it's a given that there would be some colour underneath muddying the waters!

On a side note, I understand that Bermans, and specifically Noel Howard worked on Alien. I wonder if there were any Alien jackets in that treasure trove he left behind when he passed away recently.

 

[Bill Froog]

Kt Templar - my wings are 115 mm across. If you find someone who'll custom-make them, let me know - I might be in for a set of silver ones!

I wouldn't say no to a gold set!

My point being, I've dyed one of these. As has Kt Templar. As he wrote above, the jackets don't take dye that well - Kt had problems with the blue, I used two sets of brown dye, and I still have what most people would call a green jacket. The base colour won't go away, something which I believe would be evident in a screen-used jacket as well.

Odd - my jacket dyed perfectly. I stuck it in the machine with a pack of Dylon Navy Blue and it came out navy blue - not a trace of green (except for buttonholes, zips etc.) or brown for that matter. I didn't even bother to wash it or use pre-dye (I was too eager as usual). The fabric seems to be a ventile cotton except for the hood which came out patchy.

On a side note, I understand that Bermans, and specifically Noel Howard worked on Alien. I wonder if there were any Alien jackets in that treasure trove he left behind when he passed away recently.

I met Noel a few years ago when I went to MBA to buy some Indy gear. Nice man he was too. His assistant Lee showed me some of Harrison Ford's costumes so I suppose he may have had some Alien stuff.
I reckon, however, they were probably put together by Tiny Nicholls as was the prototype sold by the Propstore recently (http://www.propstore.com/product-Tom-Skerritt-Prototype-Jacket.htm). I emailed Angels to ask if they had any original Alien costumes but they said they hadn't. Mind you, having been there and known several people that worked there, they probably have a lot of stuff they don't even know about.

 

[Kt Templar]

I talked with Peter Botwright of Wested leather today, he has a long history with Tiny Nicholls. Now I knew that they'd made the leather jacket that Weaver wore in Aliens but Peter is certain that he worked on Alien, Aliens and Alien 3. Cloth as well as leather. But I could tell that my mentioning of RAF jackets didn't ring a bell with him.

BTW that prototype shows very clearly that they did try to bleach the colour out!

 

[Bill Froog]

I talked with Peter Botwright of Wested leather today, he has a long history with Tiny Nicholls. Now I knew that they'd made the leather jacket that Weaver wore in Aliens but Peter is certain that he worked on Alien, Aliens and Alien 3. Cloth as well as leather. But I could tell that my mentioning of RAF jackets didn't ring a bell with him.

BTW that prototype shows very clearly that they did try to bleach the colour out!

Ahh yes. Peter's a nice guy too. I still have my Raiders jacket I bought from him about 10 years ago.

Now if only someone could track down Mr. Nicholls....

The photos of that jacket at Propstore are very useful as far as seeing how the jacket goes together. I might try pre-dye on mine. As the dye came out very evenly I don't reckon I should have too many problems. When I ruin it I'll let you guys know so you can have a good laugh. :lol

 

[Kt Templar]

Ok, so I got to experimenting with inkjet transfer film on the 'tail'.

The stuff you use for white t-shirts obviously won't work, but the stuff for dark cotton works a treat. You have to cut very carefully around the letters so this is going to be HARD.

When I do the back of the jacket I'm going to put a newspaper between the lining and the back so the honeycomb texture doesn't show through.

Anyway quick pic.

 

[Bill Froog]

The stuff you use for white t-shirts obviously won't work, but the stuff for dark cotton works a treat. You have to cut very carefully around the letters so this is going to be HARD.

I've been wondering how to do the lettering.

Where do you get that stuff? Any links?

 

[Kt Templar]

I've been wondering how to do the lettering.

Where do you get that stuff? Any links?

Most artshops or stationary shops will carry it places like Rymans. Make sure it's the one for dark material.

But, beware it is pretty fiddly... I just thought, another option would be to send some artwork to a vinyl cutting place and get some self adhesive lettering done. Of course you could get it silk screened too.... that's probably what they did on the film.

 

[SG-RB]

I could send a tracing of the Nostromo font that I have for people that need it. What I did this time was trace the letters onto adhesive labels (full sheets would work best), then cut out the letters. Mark your positioning on back of jacket, then remove protective backing and carefully place on back of jacket. I used some green spray paint that I had around the garage. The letters came out pretty crisp. If you go the spray paint route, make sure you mask off any exposed portions of the jacket to protect it from overspray.

Sorry for the lousy photo!

Randy in San Diego

 

[Gatekeeper]

Interesting. Thanks for the offer - PM sent!