7 replies to this topic

[CannibalLollypop]

He everyone!

I have been looking for something to do for the holidays, so I am going to make cosplay armor for my 09 Cosplay!

However I am clueless on what to do, I have read around on nearly every website I can think of and most have really complex ways on making armor, some say to sculpt a design then mold and cast it from fiberglass, sounds great and everything but can be VERY dangerous and hard, so that may not be an option for me..

Another way to make cosplay armor is to use foam and a plastic called styrene, I have thought about this idea and it seems more probable for me, plus its cost effective, however the only place that sells styrene is City Plastics and its on the other side of town (In Adelaide) and every time I go there its shut, which sucks...

Another way I saw was to use a material called EVA, its basically foam, you can find out about it here http://www.cosplayclasses.com/the-ultimate...cosplay-armors/

This also seems good, but does anyone have any other idea's on making armor, I am wanting to make an Arthas costume (from Warcraft 3 and World of Warcraft Frozen Throne)

His armor is fairly simple, the only thing I am finding hard it to make all of the detail and skulls on the armor, I thought about sculpting them and casting them with plaster or something cheap, perhaps some resin I can find somewhere...

But if anyone has any other easy ways to make armor and can give me a slightly detailed explanation on how to do so without breaking a fairly small bank balance would be a huge help!

Thanks Everyone!

[Merrick]

Reactor Drone is our resident armourer in a variety of materials. I'm sure he'd know the best way and alternative suppliers.
If he doesn't respond to this thread in the next few days it may be worth sending him a PM.

[Reactor drone]

With that much sculptural detail and being on a budget I'd actually suggest papier mache and air drying/paper clays.Another source for styrene is Mulford plastics,north of the city but without vacuum/blow moulding gear you're limited with what you can do with styrene(good for flat curves though).

[p0rtalman]

hmmm, ways of making it look good, without using materials like fiberglass, are difficult...
you could try, for the details, getting just a block of some kind of hard foam. Perhaps somehow get some expanding foam to the approx shape of what your making. then carve it out and use body filler for the details.
Or, an easier way, that just came to me, carve out the basic details with Styrofoam, then do a coat of body filler, which will make a hard layer, and body filler doesn't melt Styrofoam. And you can sand the finer details into the body filler.

I would go with fiberglass, once you learn the basics it is great for making hard armour pieces, have a look at this site, its got some helpful info on the basics: http://amethyst-angel.com/armormaking.html
also, this is a downloadable guide for making space marine armour, http://www.megaupload.com/?d=76D59NUK, you could apply there method to your armour.

Edited by p0rtalman, 28 November 2008 - 12:27 AM.

[CannibalLollypop]

With that much sculptural detail and being on a budget I'd actually suggest papier mache and air drying/paper clays.Another source for styrene is Mulford plastics,north of the city but without vacuum/blow moulding gear you're limited with what you can do with styrene(good for flat curves though).

Ohh cool, thanks a bunch!! I have seen a way to use styrene without using the gear, its basically using hot glue and bending, its basically what I would need to do, it seems easy enough, I have everything for it so it wont be too hard. for the skulls I have also seen easy ways to make vaccume forming tables, so I could just make one of those and sculpt the skull out of clay then use the plastic over it or something I guess, it shouldn't be too hard...right?

hmmm, ways of making it look good, without using materials like fiberglass, are difficult...
you could try, for the details, getting just a block of some kind of hard foam. Perhaps somehow get some expanding foam to the approx shape of what your making. then carve it out and use body filler for the details.
Or, an easier way, that just came to me, carve out the basic details with Styrofoam, then do a coat of body filler, which will make a hard layer, and body filler doesn't melt Styrofoam. And you can sand the finer details into the body filler.

I would go with fiberglass, once you learn the basics it is great for making hard armour pieces, have a look at this site, its got some helpful info on the basics: http://amethyst-angel.com/armormaking.html
also, this is a downloadable guide for making space marine armour, http://www.megaupload.com/?d=76D59NUK, you could apply there method to your armour.

Cool, I have seen some Styrofoam for sale at Clark Rubber, where do I get body filler from? I haven't seen any hard foam for sale anywhere, but I can always look around I guess, I have all holidays now, I plan to make the individual mail sleeves from foamies that I am going to carve, coat in white glue and spray with some metallic paint *hopefully I can get some in a can, its easier to use*

For fiberglass methods *if I was going to use fiberglass* I would look here, it has some amazing stuff on how to make a full body suit of cosplay armor: Bio Weapons

Edited by CannibalLollypop, 28 November 2008 - 10:58 AM.

[p0rtalman]

You can find body filler at any car parts stores, like super cheap auto etc...

[Reactor drone]

Ohh cool, thanks a bunch!! I have seen a way to use styrene without using the gear, its basically using hot glue and bending, its basically what I would need to do, it seems easy enough, I have everything for it so it wont be too hard. for the skulls I have also seen easy ways to make vaccume forming tables, so I could just make one of those and sculpt the skull out of clay then use the plastic over it or something I guess, it shouldn't be too hard...right?

If you do a vacform mould in clay it's best to use water based clay(pottery type) since it won't melt and for a limited run you can vacform over the sculpt,remove the plastic from around the mould piece and then vacform over the plastic covered sculpt.It'll help hold everything together and allow demoulding of the subsequent pieces.

Don't forget to add vacuum holes in depressions in the sculpt or you'll get shallow pulls as the vacuum decreases when the plastic seals the edges.

If you can find it urethane surfboard foam is ideal for sculpting and limited run vac forming.Polystyrene foam can be a litle melty,both chemically and thermally.Use polyester fillers on it with care(better yet apply a barrier like woodglue to be on the safe side).

[CannibalLollypop]

You can find body filler at any car parts stores, like super cheap auto etc...

Cool thanks for that

If you do a vacform mould in clay it's best to use water based clay(pottery type) since it won't melt and for a limited run you can vacform over the sculpt,remove the plastic from around the mould piece and then vacform over the plastic covered sculpt.It'll help hold everything together and allow demoulding of the subsequent pieces.

Don't forget to add vacuum holes in depressions in the sculpt or you'll get shallow pulls as the vacuum decreases when the plastic seals the edges.

If you can find it urethane surfboard foam is ideal for sculpting and limited run vac forming.Polystyrene foam can be a litle melty,both chemically and thermally.Use polyester fillers on it with care(better yet apply a barrier like woodglue to be on the safe side).

Cool, I will see what I can find, I am going to get some modeling clay from RIOT at the plaza, they also sell foamies which can be good for cushioning the armor so its not so hard or heavy on your shoulders.
I will also begin making my gauntlets and chain mail for the shirt tomorrow too, I am so excited to get started, I havent made a costume in ages! I am so excited!