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Silhouette posted:And for the great knife, use 1" rigid insulation foam board. You can get an 8'x2' sheet at any Home Depot or Lowes for like $12. I embedded a couple of nickels in the curve so that it'd make a scraping noise when I dragged it along the ground. Foam board with embedded coins is a really clever idea! Con- and indoor-friendly, too. I'll file that away in my brain for future reference.
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Nov 12, 2014 15:36
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Tricerapowerbottom posted:ABS it is, then. Happily, there's a plastics supplier with stores in the Seattle area here that can make cut-to-order sheets. TAP Plastics in South Lake Union. Also, cosplayers have developed a specific repertoire of specialty materials because they work much much better for what you're doing than stuff from Home Depot. Read through the thread and look at what people have made things out of and research those materials. I'd say, stay the gently caress out of hardware stores unless you're there for something specific. Trust me, cosplayers have tested and tried all of these materials (they have hardware stores too) and have found that these specialty materials work so much better that it's really not worth even trying to ghetto something up out of unsuitable parts. If there's a cheaper way to do it, there will be a process blog post about it somewhere because these guys are obsessive and awesome. Pile of Kittens fucked around with this message at 05:59 on Nov 13, 2014 |
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Nov 13, 2014 05:55
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Silhouette posted:And for the great knife, use 1" rigid insulation foam board. You can get an 8'x2' sheet at any Home Depot or Lowes for like $12. I embedded a couple of nickels in the curve so that it'd make a scraping noise when I dragged it along the ground. Washers would probably be better than nickels, and last longer too.
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Nov 16, 2014 00:49
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I want to say that if you are worried about damage, that is a legitimate concern, but don't overvalue it. If you make something from heavy, authentic materials they might be very durable, but you can also end up in the situation where you have made something that is very frustrating to use/wear and makes you hate using the costume. I made a Rocketeer costume and decided to make the jetpack out of metal (mostly because I already had a bunch of it and tools for it) and the stupid thing ended up weighing a ton. After walking a con with it all day I was really uncomfortable, and passed on wearing it the second day completely. That was with the benefit of a supporting frame and reasonably constructed straps, not something that was sitting on my head/held in hand. It can be much better to make something that you are going to be able to easily wear and carry that might need an hour of touch up and repair after a long excursion. I mean this is a halloween costume, right? You'll wear it two or three times once a year (assuming you use it for trick-or-treating, and then a couple parties) so spending a bit of time fixing it up is not going to be a problem. You only need that durability for costumes that are getting worked frequently (and more often those people actually use have multiples instead)
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Nov 17, 2014 20:31
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Ashcans posted:I want to say that if you are worried about damage, that is a legitimate concern, but don't overvalue it. If you make something from heavy, authentic materials they might be very durable, but you can also end up in the situation where you have made something that is very frustrating to use/wear and makes you hate using the costume. I made a Rocketeer costume and decided to make the jetpack out of metal (mostly because I already had a bunch of it and tools for it) and the stupid thing ended up weighing a ton. After walking a con with it all day I was really uncomfortable, and passed on wearing it the second day completely. That was with the benefit of a supporting frame and reasonably constructed straps, not something that was sitting on my head/held in hand. Yeah, I pinched a nerve in my neck and had to do rounds of physical therapy after making my first 40k jetpack out of PVC pipe and bondo. Dude I cosplay with tore a bunch of muscles in his shoulder after we did Soul Calibur because his Nightmare claw was too heavy and also had to do PT. I'm pretty down on heavy cosplay pieces and props, they can be more difficult to deal with than just a bit of discomfort.
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Nov 17, 2014 20:40
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Ashcans posted:I want to say that if you are worried about damage, that is a legitimate concern, but don't overvalue it. If you make something from heavy, authentic materials they might be very durable, but you can also end up in the situation where you have made something that is very frustrating to use/wear and makes you hate using the costume. I made a Rocketeer costume and decided to make the jetpack out of metal (mostly because I already had a bunch of it and tools for it) and the stupid thing ended up weighing a ton. After walking a con with it all day I was really uncomfortable, and passed on wearing it the second day completely. That was with the benefit of a supporting frame and reasonably constructed straps, not something that was sitting on my head/held in hand. Time to make a cosplay fitness montage.
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Nov 17, 2014 20:52
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I made a knee-length chainmail shirt back in college. A friend wore it to a renfaire. Wasn't a good time for him.
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Nov 17, 2014 21:38
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Gounads posted:I made a knee-length chainmail shirt back in college. A friend wore it to a renfaire. Wasn't a good time for him. I need to do some amount of chain and/or scale for my Lich King build and I am so unexcited to wear it. It looks so cool but it's going to suck to make/buy and to wear. Ugh.
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Nov 17, 2014 21:45
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McPantserton posted:I need to do some amount of chain and/or scale for my Lich King build and I am so unexcited to wear it. It looks so cool but it's going to suck to make/buy and to wear. Ugh. Even aluminum stuff gets heavy after awhile.
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Nov 17, 2014 21:49
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Take a cue from WETA and make PVC chainmail. http://www.instructables.com/id/PVC-Chainmail/
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Nov 17, 2014 21:58
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my cat is norris posted:Even aluminum stuff gets heavy after awhile. It's a ways off yet before I get into that project so I've been considering other options, I may end up doing leather scales instead and just a chain cowl to try and cut back on spending shitloads of money and being super miserable! I saw somebody doing this on my facebook:  Would be cheaper, faster, and definitely more comfortable.
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Nov 17, 2014 21:58
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McPantserton posted:It's a ways off yet before I get into that project so I've been considering other options, I may end up doing leather scales instead and just a chain cowl to try and cut back on spending shitloads of money and being super miserable! I saw somebody doing this on my facebook: I've made something like that before too. Was more of a weekend project instead of a half year part time job.
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Nov 17, 2014 22:05
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I don't cosplay heavy stuff, but I do play airsoft and I've engaged in running, jumping, and climbing in dozens of pounds of gear. A major part of ensuring comfort is keeping the weight properly distributed across your body instead of straining one section.
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Nov 17, 2014 22:08
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McPantserton posted:for my Lich King As in Arthas, please say as in Arthas...
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Nov 18, 2014 00:04
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LadyRavenWaves posted:As in Arthas, please say as in Arthas... Yes!  That poo poo is gonna happen once I'm done with my Final Fantasy 8 costume.
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Nov 18, 2014 00:22
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Silhouette posted:Take a cue from WETA and make PVC chainmail. There is also these if you don't want to mess with sawing pvc to make rings: http://theringlord.com/cart/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=219&cat=Engineered+Plastic+Rings They're paintable/dyeable, already smooth, and snap (or glue) together.
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Nov 18, 2014 06:25
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Reformed Tomboy posted:There is also these if you don't want to mess with sawing pvc to make rings: I've actually been to Weta and those were the first thing I checked out but I think the price on those is going to be a deal-breaker for me :/
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Nov 18, 2014 14:35
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Silhouette posted:Take a cue from WETA and make PVC chainmail. chitoryu12 posted:I don't cosplay heavy stuff, but I do play airsoft and I've engaged in running, jumping, and climbing in dozens of pounds of gear. A major part of ensuring comfort is keeping the weight properly distributed across your body instead of straining one section.
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Nov 18, 2014 15:33
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How do I make me skin look all smooth in all it's elf like glory like all these other cosplayers, up close I look like I've been fighting wars in a coal mine for 2 years unless I use the magic of lighting.
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Nov 18, 2014 18:27
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Reformed Tomboy posted:There is also these if you don't want to mess with sawing pvc to make rings:  I had no idea those existed.
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Nov 18, 2014 20:18
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Samuel posted:How do I make me skin look all smooth in all it's elf like glory like all these other cosplayers, up close I look like I've been fighting wars in a coal mine for 2 years unless I use the magic of lighting. So much makeup. I have great skin by most standards and I pile it on. What looks horrifically fake and plastic in real light looks great on camera. McPantserton posted:I need to do some amount of chain and/or scale for my Lich King build and I am so unexcited to wear it. It looks so cool but it's going to suck to make/buy and to wear. Ugh. For really small ring or ragged-looking chainmail, I just knit it then paint the gently caress out of it. With the right stitches and yarn [I usually start with a black+metallic silver synthetic], it looks great and provides padding for the armour on top. Even if I highlight every single loop with metallic paint, it's still less time. If I really need dangly rings for super ragged edges, I'll weave in a few light-weight aluminum rings.
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Nov 19, 2014 16:05
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Bag of Hamsters posted:
This is what most theaters use for chainmail.
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Nov 19, 2014 16:46
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Also, Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
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Nov 19, 2014 19:57
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McPantserton posted:Yes!   I will have to find a way to meet with you at a con in my Sylvanas. Still need to fix it up and get some pictures in it speaking of. Progress pics on my end are kinda lame but here is the completed fem Charlie for Halloween...  At some point I may try my hand at making an accurate head but that was the best I had last minute. I'm back tracking a little on Lina due to forgetting to add a part in the skirt but here are some shots. I am hoping the skirt still lays properly after I add the darker trim in.   I'm pretty proud of the earrings.  Prop flames. 
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Nov 20, 2014 22:10
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Took the ol' suit out for another spin yesterday - aside from a few small scuffs, still mercifully damage-free from a couple of rough transits.   
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Nov 24, 2014 01:26
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Yes, please. That would be frickin' epic. Also, that fire looks awesome! Lina's going to be killer. And heads up to anybody who uses worbla or is planning on using worbla, the price is going up by about $8 per sheet in December on both cosplaysupplies.com and Yaya Han's store so now is a good time to put in an order if you were planning on it anyway. I just bought the amount I think I'll need for Arthas even though I probably won't be starting his stuff for a few months yet, my wallet is sad right now but perhaps will be slightly less sad later!
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Nov 26, 2014 17:12
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Jesus that's a stiff price hike. Why's it going up?
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Nov 26, 2014 17:18
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Stupid_Sexy_Flander posted:Jesus that's a stiff price hike. Why's it going up? Both places have said it's an overall increase in manufacturing and shipping costs. I guess more accurately the price is going up by 10% per sheet, I only ever get the XL ones so it's ~$8 for those.
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Nov 26, 2014 17:25
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Bag of Hamsters posted:So much makeup. I have great skin by most standards and I pile it on. What looks horrifically fake and plastic in real light looks great on camera. I don't know anything about make-up 
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Nov 28, 2014 09:29
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqXTUGfr9aU I don't know if it was posted in here prior (since it's back from October), but a friend linked me this and it's pretty loving boss.
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Nov 28, 2014 16:26
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This the thread to ask about Cosplay photography as well? I've gotten more into that side of late, and wondered how people go about getting more exposure. I'd love to eventually move into taking solo shots for people, get more 'in character' type photos.
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Dec 1, 2014 13:32
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My girlfriend is interested in getting a sewing machine. I figured if anyone knew a decent budget model, it would be you guys.
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Dec 1, 2014 17:25
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Cassa posted:This the thread to ask about Cosplay photography as well? I've gotten more into that side of late, and wondered how people go about getting more exposure. How do you arrange shoots and where do you post your pictures?
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Dec 1, 2014 17:41
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For some (relatively) quick and easy sci-fi armour, I was going to base an outfit around some American football pads and armoured motorcross leggings. All the "armour" sections are ABS plastic and I was wondering about the best way to paint these. I know that painting on ABS isn't meant to be ideal but I've worked with resin (for model making) before so know all too well about careful preparation and priming. I was thinking that I'd wash the plastic parts, sand them a bit, then use brush-on primer from the DIY store, then acrylic craft paint and then varnish it - I can't easily take off or mask the parts I want to paint so spraypaint is pretty much out. I don't need it to be too hard-wearing, but if it stood up to a couple of nights of wear without needing repainting that'd be ideal. Any thoughts on the process or brands? (ones available in the UK, ideally!)
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Dec 1, 2014 19:46
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10 Beers posted:My girlfriend is interested in getting a sewing machine. I figured if anyone knew a decent budget model, it would be you guys. The sewing thread always has great recommendations. I'd ask there.
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Dec 1, 2014 22:30
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We're approaching 3000 replies! I pop my head in here every so often and I want to say that I've seen some really awesome stuff get posted here. Good job, goons! And thanks for making this thread successful!
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Dec 2, 2014 00:52
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chitoryu12 posted:How do you arrange shoots and where do you post your pictures? I haven't tried arranging any yet. Mostly I head to cons and take photos of people there. Photos did go up all over the place, but deviantart made uploading huge collections a pain, and tumblr is as annoying, and I felt the pain of not being able to tag yourself in photos so I made a facebook page. I do share the galleries on the aus cosplay pages I know about too. Shameless link is here. I'll get some cards made up for next year and hand them out when I take photos. Cassa fucked around with this message at 02:41 on Dec 2, 2014 |
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Dec 2, 2014 02:32
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10 Beers posted:My girlfriend is interested in getting a sewing machine. I figured if anyone knew a decent budget model, it would be you guys. I don't know much about sewing, but I know Singer is supposed to be a pretty good brand.
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Dec 2, 2014 03:01
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Cassa posted:I haven't tried arranging any yet. Mostly I head to cons and take photos of people there. Most photographers I know will upload one shot to FB for profile linking and publicity and then link to the rest of the gallery on Flickr or their own site. Social media sites tend to do ugly things to photos. Have ideas for what you want to shoot. Next to getting photos out in a timely manner, leading the shoot is the best way to get a good rep. They're in the costume, they're probably tired and are limited in how they can move - if you suggest poses, tell them to fix small things [a flipped hem, hair in the face], and have a quiet place to shoot, you will make all of the friends. A lot of costumers don't know how to model, so gentle instruction will give you both better photos and an absurdly grateful subject. "Hey, this looks really cool. Can I get a few shots in a better setting/light?" is usually all it takes. I will always give a new photographer a shot if I have the time/energy, and a lot of costumers rely on those con photos to have any evidence of their work. If you can, show them a shot or two during the shoot to keep them excited. Get an email address or something so you can send them a link to their photos. Cards are nice, but unless someone really stuck out to me, I chuck them and usually don't have anywhere to store them on my costume. If you're doing private shoots, however short, have a waiver for them to sign. [This will also give you their contact info.] And please, please get at least one photo to them within the month or let them know your time frame. I'll forgive someone who can't get me photos for six months if they let me know that - people have jobs and lives. Yes, you are shooting them for free. They took time out of their day to work with you and modeling can be hard. Once you shoot someone once and they know you're reliable, you can usually escalate to longer shoots in more specialized locations or out-of-con shoots. If you're worried about experience levels, don't. Anyone who's not an rear end will know they're helping you build a portfolio, just like they want to get better making costumes. It may seem like everyone and their mother is taking cosplay photos, but the amount of reliable, non-creepy photographers who actually like taking cosplay photos is vanishingly small. Word will get around.
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Dec 2, 2014 17:38
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I'm planning on making a Doctor Doom costume in the new year and could use any sort of advice/guide/info on making armoured bits for the legs and arms. In a perfect world, I would love to make something like this: http://imgur.com/272c5Ai But I think this is a more realistic (and still awesome) goal: 
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Dec 3, 2014 19:37
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