cosplay updates

[rose_of_pain]

First off, I've uploaded a number of new photos over in my cosplay.com gallery so check that out: http://www.cosplay.com/gallery/m3699/ and give me some love? T_T I dunno, haven't been feeling all that great about how some of my costumes have been turning out lately. Especially Ciel. I did feel great about it but now...not so much. As I realize it looks ok when I'm sitting but kinda horrid when I'm standing (thus why I didn't upload any standing photos to my gallery...meh.)

In other news, Cloud is coming along though I need some opinions.

Belt:

Good width or should it be a tad bit shorter? 'Cause don't want to add the bias tape on the lower end and then decide I need to cut it shorter. XP I followed Cassandra's lovely bias tape advice and did the stitch in the ditch method. Quite happy with it considering I had no idea how the pleather would work as bias. ^^;

Also not sure if I should use foamies or more of the pleather for the designs on the belt. Foamies risk a chance of cracking when its bent around my waist but don't know if the pleather would look silly or not.

Shoulder Armor:

Obviously haven't put the bolts on yet but still in the initial painting right now. Too bumpy? I know its supposed to be a bit rugged but I'm worried it might be a little too much so. I'd need to get more model magic if I want to try to make it smoother though as this was about the best I could do with sanding.

~Lyn

Comments

[lauand.livejournal.com]

According to the first design for the videogame, I'd say that the belt is a little bit shorter and goes a little bit higher.

I don't know about stiching, so I don't know about Cassandra´s advice, but the bias looks damn fine.

[rose-of-pain.livejournal.com]

Yeah after looking at this photo for a while, I'm thinking of cutting a bit off. Its annoying as when its not on me, I kept thinking I was making it too short so added extra on XP Only to not need that. x_x; Oh well, maybe the strip I cut off will be long enough to make one of the straps out of, lol. And I know its goes a little higher but it looks pretty silly with the boobs XP And I didn't want to put my binding back on for the photo.

btw there's a few more new Schuldig cosplay photos in my gallery link I posted. ^^ I did the white outfit this time.

[lauand.livejournal.com]

Oooh! I like the one with the shadow!! Although the one on the stairs in great, too. And the first on with the cell-phone is crazy XDD!! (Seemingly, I can't choose). I've always thought that Schwarz in white looked really cool. Paradoxes of life.

I've been browsing the gallery, but I barely know any character at all (I should read Tsubasa Chronicles, I know). One thing that I have to say, though, is that I love the fact that the high heels in the Shaka cosplay is canon! XD! I think I commented on that cosplay in the past?

[rose-of-pain.livejournal.com]

Thank you~ ^^ The shadow thing was Farf's idea. Oh man, we were so cracky I'm not even sure how that cell phone photo happened but it was too great not to post. We also did a cracktastic Charlie's Angels pose but most of the photos blurred of that one and it would've worked better if we had a Nagi in the center so we could be "Crawford's Angels". XPXP

Hee, yes I believe you did as I think I linked you to that costume when I first found you on LJ. ^^ I'm still quite proud of that one. And I actually had a hard time walking in those heels as I never wear heels. XP It was kinda sad. Oh those silly saints and their heeled boots. >>

[gherix.livejournal.com]

if you decide to smooth the armor try covering it w/ a layer of paper clay before sanding. the stuff is feck'n magical for getting everything even, it sands so easily. and it sticks to just about anything thats not a glossy surface!

[rose-of-pain.livejournal.com]

The model magic I used is a lot like paper clay. Tried it as its cheaper and I know a lot of people use it so thought I'd give it a go. Only real reason this isn't that smooth right now is 'cause I used a beach ball as the base XP but now that its a lot more solid, whatever I put on top would probably be a lot smoother this time around. I mean I did get it down pretty well from what it was originally from sanding but a lot of the cracks go all the way through. But yeah I'd be using one of those 2 clays to fix it up with. Sadly my last bit of paper clay dried out so I'd have to get more. lol

[twentystitches.livejournal.com]

Just with your proportions I think the belt could stand to be a little shorter but those belts are damned weird man. The shoulder yeah- probably too bummpy as it is right now. Maybe just fill in the larger dents, sand smooth and paint over again to see how it looks? jfklafea getting shit smooth is the hardest thing.

[rose-of-pain.livejournal.com]

Well yeah, that's what I had intended to do if I was going to add more. The tutorial I was using calls for that but I ran out of clay, lol. So I was trying to be lazy but I'll go get more. Just gotta do a better job at storing it afterwards so it doesn't all dry out on me like my last bunch did. ^^;; I just have to decide if I want to use more model magic or go back to paper clay as I'm not sure which would be smoother.

[ofthelily.livejournal.com]

I would do a little more work to the armor. I would aid another layer and if you wanted to try to have like "battle damage" try to do something that would give it noticeable dents.

In other news, you frickin Ciel costume is like the most badass thing you have made! Even just seeing it in pictures makes me go O_O! You should be very proud of it!!!! Don't doubt yourself so much! You really have come into your own with your tailoring the past few years!!

[rose-of-pain.livejournal.com]

*nod* Yeah, I've pretty much decided to do that. I was experimenting a lot with this anyways and just wanted to see how it'd look with the paint before going into a new layer like the tutorial calls for. I decided to try out model magic this time as I've seen a lot of folks we know use it. Though I may go to paper clay for the next layer just 'cause I think its easier to get really thin while the model magic was pretty good for the initial base. And isn't as brittle as paper clay tends to get. Def glad I used a beach ball as the base though as its made it so much more flexible and less breakable as a result (I've dropped it on the floor several times to test XP)

And <3 to your icon~ ^_^ I'm so excited for Geass-ness whenever that will happen in the future!

Though I also should probably warn you that whenever I next see you, I may be evil and make some burned discs for you all for my latest obsession that I think you guys might like. XP As its got really nifty Wonderland themes going on but its a bit more unique than most series do it.

[ryuuraigeki.livejournal.com]

I'm always glad when people tell me that they used my tutorial :D

paperclay'll definitely be easier to smooth/sand. michael's will take joann's coupons, so if you have a spare, use it on your paperclay. or buy it in bulk from the manufacter if you ever need a lot of it, since it'll be $5-6 for a 16 oz brick instead of $6 for a 8 oz brick. (minimum order is $50, but you can group order if you don't need as much) anyway, when putting paperclay on, if you take a cup of water and dip your fingers in it from time to time, or otherwise wet the paperclay and rapidly rub your palm/fingers over it, you can smooth it really well without sanding. you'll still need to sand a bit, but it cuts down on the work quite a lot.

I also usually sprinkle a little extra water in my paperclay ziploc baggie when it goes in (to help keep it from drying out). then I put another ziploc baggie around it as a second layer to protect it, just in case the first one isn't airtight.

if it's for FFVII cloud (still catching up on lj backlog, forgive me if it's written somewhere before), the belt should probably have a bit trimmed off the bottom. when I did my room mate's zack belt I just cut out multiple layers of pleather (to add depth) and carefully glued them on with e6000. if you seal them properly foamies might be all right as well, although it would be harder to match the silver of your bias tape exactly.

[rose-of-pain.livejournal.com]

Yeah I've worked with the paperclay before and I usually have a thing with water with me when working with it. So I'll probably just get that as its easier to store than model magic too. Just this time, not be an idiot and make sure its actually airtight afterwards as I didn't quite get it tight enough sealed and forgot about it and then years later was all "...oh maaaan T_T" as I had like half a package still left even. *laments*

Yeah, I went ahead and trimmed off some. 'Cause it was just an issue of like the piece looked a lot smaller when I was working on it on the floor and then when I put it on me, realized how much bigger it was than what I thought. XP And wanted to make sure if others felt the same way or if it was just me. lol

Hmm, that's very true about the matching thing, didn't think about that. I just wasn't sure if the pleather would look a bit tacky or not as it worked great for the bias tape but I wasn't sure on the rest since sateen stitching may be a bit weird and I hate leaving fabric edges untouched. And in the past gluing pleather down didn't go so well but probably wasn't using a strong enough glue (I do have e6000 these days). Though on the foamies front, do you know whats good to seal with them with as I have not found anything that works that great from my own experience and I'm a bit bawfled by how people get them to work so well for them but mine always crack. XP

[ryuuraigeki.livejournal.com]

Having a phobia of raw fabric edges is a useful thing usually, but with pleather, you're usually all right for surface applique type things (IMO) since it won't fray and is also thick enough for the glue to not show through. (if the backing is white or some other color that might show on the edge, you can always carefully sharpie the offending color on the edge so that it doesn't.)

As for foamies, I haven't perfected the art (although when I get home I'll be attempting to for KOS-MOS...), but from what I've heard/seen, a flexible gesso (liquitex stuff is usually bendable) with a flexible paint on top might have good results. as long as your sealant and paint are able to move, I'd think it'd be all right. (it's not like it'll get bent a ton with the vinyl probably being rather stiff underneath of it too, I'd think)