The Exterminator (Dalek Fascinator)

So, as you do, I fancied dressing as a Dalek at a con. One day, when we have enough space, I’d love to build my own full size Dalek but, for now, a flouncy dress with a corset and crinoline seemed like a more sensible idea. But what to do about representing the head? I’d seen a few others online do similar Dalek outfits and  most seemed to involve fitting the dome lights to a  hairband. I liked that idea, and it looks great, but I wanted to do something a bit more… so The Exterminator was born!

I made a version 1 trying to shape cardboard into the right shape but it came out too cone-like. So I bit the bullet and went for paper mache to get a hemisphere.

It quite simple, blow up a balloon into roughly the right size and shape. Then use slightly watered down PVA glue to attach strips of newspaper to it. Obviously, no need to paper the whole thing or be too neat about the bottom edge. Better to do slightly too much though and then trim it when dry to exactly the right height. Apply at least three layers, allowing it to dry thoroughly in between.

Once the final layer is dry, pop the balloon to release the paper.

Trim the edges to the same height and to make it neat.

I made the dome lights from a mix of white and translucent Fimo clay. It’s not clear in the picture but this gives them a glassy texture. To cut down on weight, they’re hollow. Like little thumb pots.

The eyestalk is also made of Fimo: a flattened black ball with a blue dot baked in and a white disk. They’re glued onto a piece of thick wire.

The shell was now painted white using acrylic paint to  hide the newsprint.

Then the final gold. I used two layers of paint.

The dome lights are attached with hot glue. I, carefully, painted over the any hot glue that was showing with gold paint so that it didn’t show.

I made a hole and pushed in the eye-stalk, hot gluing it outside and in.

To counterbalance the weight of the eye-stalk, I added a ball of clay on the inside and hot glued that on too.

Then there was the question of how to be able to wear this as a hat.

I went for the easy option and used kitchen roll and hot glue to create a squishy stucture inside. Literally just wadded up bits of paper and glued them randomly to the paper shell and to each other. Layer upon layer until it filled the whole inside.

Then I hot glued a Sinamay fascinator base onto the paper, and glued onto that a hair comb. It doesn’t look sturdy but I danced all night wearing this and it didn’t break.

To finish off the outfit I also made this choker with a bit of gold velvet ribbon, some sticky backed Velcro and a Davros pin badge.

The outfit also involved a gold leather corset that I dirtied up with black acrylic paint and a skirt that was recycled from an ugly old dress that I bought for £2 at a charity shop. My Dalek bumps were taken from a cut up official Dalek outfit that I was lucky enough to get in a sale for a £5. Each one was hand sewn on by my miracle worker Mum. Underneath is a two hoop crinoline and black net top. I also made a “whisk” from art straws (and masking tape) and spray painted it silver. The plunger is a plunger.

Here’s the final outfit.