Seeking Armor Advice/Suggestions
Dec. 19th, 2011 12:23 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rose_of_painSo I've mentioned before that I'm going to at least attempt to start on my dream costume, Hades from Saint Seiya, with the goal of getting it done some point in 2012. So I kinda need to at least start on it soon or at least start getting the materials for it. But of course, I'm not really an expert at armor and big costumes like this. Which is why it makes me nervous because its a little out of my comfort zone and realm of expertise. I'm really only good at sewing and I've never done a BIG costume of this scale. So I'm making this post in hopes of getting some advice and such from those of you who are a bit more familiar with these things.
Mainly looking for advice and help with suggestions for materials and the best way to go about with big wings and more the "how to make this so I can get it on and off". 'Cause I know how to do the detail work and the general idea of how to make the pieces. Just not very good at figuring out how to make them work so I can get in and out of it and make it so I can transport it and walk in it without it falling apart on me.
So anywho...
This is the costume in question:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/yana_angel/memes/hades2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/yana_angel/hades.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/yana_angel/Figures/hades09.jpg - My figure
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/yana_angel/Figures/hades06.jpg - Figure sans wings
Other people's photos from google search:
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/5876/dvdelysioncy7.jpg
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111109180116/knightofthezodiac/images/9/9a/Hades_CDZ.jpg
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/513BmRa2uSL._SL500_.jpg
I'm doing more of the Sacred Saga look (first photo) but using the color scheme of the original design. In other words I'm not doing the purple colors of the first image there, going more with the traditional black but am not doing the helmet because its stupid looking and he never actually wears it. But also doing the little extra wings on the boots which aren't in the 2nd image. Basically I'm doing whats exactly on the Myth Cloth figure. Especially since I can take off every single tiny armor piece and study it, which is why I love this figure to death. So I can take pictures of each armor part but decided not to do that yet 'cause honestly don't want to waste the time if no one even ends up reading this at all. But if you guys do and want to see specific pieces to give me better suggestions with, I can do that.
Ok, so I have done a lot of research and read a lot of tutorials so I do sorta have an idea what I'm doing. But its more the fact that there's so many methods and I'm not sure which is the best to do for each part.
But from my own experience, I am at least somewhat familiar with the following materials: Wonderflex, Craft Foam, Plastic Styrene, Foam Core, and some of the Industrial Foams (though doubt I'd need them for this).
The parts I mainly need help with are the following...
+ The Wings
- There are 6 big metal wings and ok I pretty much have an idea of how to make each wing themselves, probably going to do craft foam + plastic styrene so that they're pretty light but still have the metal look, unless someone has a better suggestion.
- I'm mainly concerned with HOW THE HELL DO I KEEP THEM ON?! I've seen some of you guys do crazy costumes like this with huge backpieces but that part confuses me the most. I have nooooo idea what to make a backpiece out of and how one wears it. The figure itself even has a backpiece that the wings connect to but it just snaps into the back of the figure and obviously I can't just snap it onto my own back. lol (I wish). But yeah, the point is it doesn't have to be pretty or not obvious. 'Cause they aren't meant to be real wings. They are meant to be just part of the armor. And the wig will probably cover most of it anyways.
- My ideal plan is to have the wings carried down by helpers and basically have people there to assemble them on me whenever I stop somewhere. 'Cause I just wont' be able to walk with them on. So ideally would like a backpiece thing where it will be possible for other people to connect the wings while its on me without it being too difficult for them.
+ Chest Plate/Upper Torso Armor
- This is the main parts of armor that confuses me. Like how does one do these parts and how does one get it on and off? Like just the basic parts that go around the chest area. 'Cause there's basically like a chest plate thingy that goes all the way around. I'll be wearing a body suit underneath as that's basically what all the Saints wear. Or its like tight shirt and pants. I can't remember at this moment. But either way, point is, I'll have cloth worn underneath so there is something there. It won't just be my skin and armor, lol.
- In the past, on my Shaka costume, I just cheated with this part and took some gold pvc pleather and sewed a shirt together that had seams where each armor piece was to try to create the same look as armor. And then I put the shoulder/chest piece over top which was made of Wonderflex. Hades doesn't have a huge chest piece like that like Shaka did. His is more individual pieces. Like there's one piece on the chest and then the shoulder parts are separate.
- So I dunno...if I should have like one gigantic thing that goes on together or if I should make each piece and have it so it connects somehow to the under chest piece, like its on the figure. Pffft. Does that even make any sense? Argh.
- If you can't tell, this is the part I'm the most clueless on. XD I've looked at other Saint Seiya cosplayers and other armor costumes in general and never have been quite sure how they get it to look so good but also are able to get it on and off. XDXD Someone's gotta know...right?
+ The Waist Armor
- In the past, on Shaka, I just did this part with a belt (made of the gold pvc again) and made all the pieces out of craft foam and glued them to the belt and it just velcroed closed. It actually worked ok but it was very hard to transport and the craft foam could easily get bent and messed up. And Hades' pieces are a little bigger here so I'd prefer something that would work a little better.
- With this part I'm mainly looking for the best material suggestions 'cause I pretty much know how to get the shapes and the details. And suggestions on how to put these on. If I should do a sort of belt thing again or have them attach directly to the bodysuit underneath or...??
+ Boot Armor
- I've done armor on boots before and I plan to buy boots just for this costume so they can be permanent but I've had lots of issues of keeping the armor ON the boots. I've had pieces fall off a lot as they tend to be a hard item to get stuff to stay on while you move. I plan to get knee-high Go Gos for this and attach the armor bits directly for the most part. But...
- The wings on the boots...I'm really nervous about how they'll stay on and making them so they won't get easily knocked off. I know its hard to see them on the first photo but I'm mainly referring to the longer wings that are little under the knee. Its easier to see them on the figure. They also fall off the figure ALL THE FREAKING TIME lol so this is another reason why I worry about them. I'm guessing I probably should make them so they can come off the boots so they don't get messed up in transport. But also not sure how I'd get them to stay on if I did that.
+ Knee & Thigh parts
- With Shaka I had a major issue of the thigh parts falling down a lot. I made them out of Wonderflex and they looked great and I just slid them up over my thighs but they would move as I moved after a while. But at the same time, dont' want to make them too tight that i'm unable to get them on or cut off circulation. XD
- The knee parts was something I was never really able to get right on Shaka either. I just put some roundish pieces of Wonderflex at the top of the boots to kinda work for that part. But they actually are meant to be their own separate pieces that cover just over the knees. But yeah, got that round shape that I've never been very good with. I've only been able to get that shape with clay and I'd rather not have such a fragile material at that part. Also once again unsure how I'd attach them and keep them on. On the figure, it just snaps into a little hole directly on his knee and positions in between the boots and overlaps the thigh part a little.
+ Gloves
- Actually I'm pretty good on this part for the most part. I at least have an idea how to make them and get them on and off but any suggestions with this too is appreciated. I'm still debating if I should make the main part of the gloves be fabric and attach the armor bits on top like I've done in the past or if I should try to make the entire thing be armor...which scares me a little but might look better?
- On the figure, they're made of three separate pieces. There's the actual "glove" part on the hand, then a piece over the lower arm, and then another over the upper arm. And there are gaps of skin showing here and there in between so pretty sure its meant to be 3 separate pieces.
- And then once again I have a few wings but they aren't as fragile as the boot ones so I'm not as worried about these.
+ Shoulder Armor
- Mainly just need suggestions on what material to use to get the right shape over my shoulders. And then how to attach it to the rest. 'Cause I'm guessing, like most of this, I'm going to have to make it as separate pieces that attach somehow.
So mainly its the attaching and materials parts I need advice with. XD ...and yes I am WAY OVER MY HEAD here. T_T And I've had many doubts as to whether I'm ready to actually do this but the only way I am ever going to be is if I just push myself to do it. And well I'm just going to take it tiny bit by tiny bit and probably experiment with some stuff but I'd like to get suggestions from others who have done more armor than me first as to what is the best to try with. I also am totally cool with mixing various materials. Though ideally I'd like to try to aim for the same shine/color to all the pieces. And also suggestions on the best way to make it all look like metal.
Also. It does NOT have to be realistic looking. Saint Seiya armor is VERY shiny so no need to try for the more realistic metal look I've done on things like my Buster Sword. I actually want this ridiculously shiny. XD lmao 'Cause their armor like never looks that damaged. Well, ok, sometimes it does but it always magically repairs itself (WITH BLOOD! ...I kid you not, they repair their armors by covering them in blood but anywho!). But the Gods tend to never really have that unless they're getting their asses kicked. And the only actual damage Hades gets (well in regular Saint Seiya at least, I'm not counting Lost Canvas 'cause that isn't canon and I'm not doing Alone-Hades) is ARROWED. XD (Stupid Seiya) but it doesn't really make much of a dent in the armor. Though funny thing is that this figure also comes with a chest piece to the Seiya God Cloth figure that has a slot for Hades sword so that you can have Hades stab Seiya! XDXD I am so insanely amused by that and it ALMOST makes me want to get the Seiya figure just to do that (and use the "AHHHHH!!!! I'm STABBEDEDEDED!" extra head)...almost. >>;; But uhhhh that has nothing to do with the costume so yeah. I'm done.
~Lyn
Mainly looking for advice and help with suggestions for materials and the best way to go about with big wings and more the "how to make this so I can get it on and off". 'Cause I know how to do the detail work and the general idea of how to make the pieces. Just not very good at figuring out how to make them work so I can get in and out of it and make it so I can transport it and walk in it without it falling apart on me.
So anywho...
This is the costume in question:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/yana_angel/memes/hades2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/yana_angel/hades.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/yana_angel/Figures/hades09.jpg - My figure
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/yana_angel/Figures/hades06.jpg - Figure sans wings
Other people's photos from google search:
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/5876/dvdelysioncy7.jpg
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111109180116/knightofthezodiac/images/9/9a/Hades_CDZ.jpg
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/513BmRa2uSL._SL500_.jpg
I'm doing more of the Sacred Saga look (first photo) but using the color scheme of the original design. In other words I'm not doing the purple colors of the first image there, going more with the traditional black but am not doing the helmet because its stupid looking and he never actually wears it. But also doing the little extra wings on the boots which aren't in the 2nd image. Basically I'm doing whats exactly on the Myth Cloth figure. Especially since I can take off every single tiny armor piece and study it, which is why I love this figure to death. So I can take pictures of each armor part but decided not to do that yet 'cause honestly don't want to waste the time if no one even ends up reading this at all. But if you guys do and want to see specific pieces to give me better suggestions with, I can do that.
Ok, so I have done a lot of research and read a lot of tutorials so I do sorta have an idea what I'm doing. But its more the fact that there's so many methods and I'm not sure which is the best to do for each part.
But from my own experience, I am at least somewhat familiar with the following materials: Wonderflex, Craft Foam, Plastic Styrene, Foam Core, and some of the Industrial Foams (though doubt I'd need them for this).
The parts I mainly need help with are the following...
+ The Wings
- There are 6 big metal wings and ok I pretty much have an idea of how to make each wing themselves, probably going to do craft foam + plastic styrene so that they're pretty light but still have the metal look, unless someone has a better suggestion.
- I'm mainly concerned with HOW THE HELL DO I KEEP THEM ON?! I've seen some of you guys do crazy costumes like this with huge backpieces but that part confuses me the most. I have nooooo idea what to make a backpiece out of and how one wears it. The figure itself even has a backpiece that the wings connect to but it just snaps into the back of the figure and obviously I can't just snap it onto my own back. lol (I wish). But yeah, the point is it doesn't have to be pretty or not obvious. 'Cause they aren't meant to be real wings. They are meant to be just part of the armor. And the wig will probably cover most of it anyways.
- My ideal plan is to have the wings carried down by helpers and basically have people there to assemble them on me whenever I stop somewhere. 'Cause I just wont' be able to walk with them on. So ideally would like a backpiece thing where it will be possible for other people to connect the wings while its on me without it being too difficult for them.
+ Chest Plate/Upper Torso Armor
- This is the main parts of armor that confuses me. Like how does one do these parts and how does one get it on and off? Like just the basic parts that go around the chest area. 'Cause there's basically like a chest plate thingy that goes all the way around. I'll be wearing a body suit underneath as that's basically what all the Saints wear. Or its like tight shirt and pants. I can't remember at this moment. But either way, point is, I'll have cloth worn underneath so there is something there. It won't just be my skin and armor, lol.
- In the past, on my Shaka costume, I just cheated with this part and took some gold pvc pleather and sewed a shirt together that had seams where each armor piece was to try to create the same look as armor. And then I put the shoulder/chest piece over top which was made of Wonderflex. Hades doesn't have a huge chest piece like that like Shaka did. His is more individual pieces. Like there's one piece on the chest and then the shoulder parts are separate.
- So I dunno...if I should have like one gigantic thing that goes on together or if I should make each piece and have it so it connects somehow to the under chest piece, like its on the figure. Pffft. Does that even make any sense? Argh.
- If you can't tell, this is the part I'm the most clueless on. XD I've looked at other Saint Seiya cosplayers and other armor costumes in general and never have been quite sure how they get it to look so good but also are able to get it on and off. XDXD Someone's gotta know...right?
+ The Waist Armor
- In the past, on Shaka, I just did this part with a belt (made of the gold pvc again) and made all the pieces out of craft foam and glued them to the belt and it just velcroed closed. It actually worked ok but it was very hard to transport and the craft foam could easily get bent and messed up. And Hades' pieces are a little bigger here so I'd prefer something that would work a little better.
- With this part I'm mainly looking for the best material suggestions 'cause I pretty much know how to get the shapes and the details. And suggestions on how to put these on. If I should do a sort of belt thing again or have them attach directly to the bodysuit underneath or...??
+ Boot Armor
- I've done armor on boots before and I plan to buy boots just for this costume so they can be permanent but I've had lots of issues of keeping the armor ON the boots. I've had pieces fall off a lot as they tend to be a hard item to get stuff to stay on while you move. I plan to get knee-high Go Gos for this and attach the armor bits directly for the most part. But...
- The wings on the boots...I'm really nervous about how they'll stay on and making them so they won't get easily knocked off. I know its hard to see them on the first photo but I'm mainly referring to the longer wings that are little under the knee. Its easier to see them on the figure. They also fall off the figure ALL THE FREAKING TIME lol so this is another reason why I worry about them. I'm guessing I probably should make them so they can come off the boots so they don't get messed up in transport. But also not sure how I'd get them to stay on if I did that.
+ Knee & Thigh parts
- With Shaka I had a major issue of the thigh parts falling down a lot. I made them out of Wonderflex and they looked great and I just slid them up over my thighs but they would move as I moved after a while. But at the same time, dont' want to make them too tight that i'm unable to get them on or cut off circulation. XD
- The knee parts was something I was never really able to get right on Shaka either. I just put some roundish pieces of Wonderflex at the top of the boots to kinda work for that part. But they actually are meant to be their own separate pieces that cover just over the knees. But yeah, got that round shape that I've never been very good with. I've only been able to get that shape with clay and I'd rather not have such a fragile material at that part. Also once again unsure how I'd attach them and keep them on. On the figure, it just snaps into a little hole directly on his knee and positions in between the boots and overlaps the thigh part a little.
+ Gloves
- Actually I'm pretty good on this part for the most part. I at least have an idea how to make them and get them on and off but any suggestions with this too is appreciated. I'm still debating if I should make the main part of the gloves be fabric and attach the armor bits on top like I've done in the past or if I should try to make the entire thing be armor...which scares me a little but might look better?
- On the figure, they're made of three separate pieces. There's the actual "glove" part on the hand, then a piece over the lower arm, and then another over the upper arm. And there are gaps of skin showing here and there in between so pretty sure its meant to be 3 separate pieces.
- And then once again I have a few wings but they aren't as fragile as the boot ones so I'm not as worried about these.
+ Shoulder Armor
- Mainly just need suggestions on what material to use to get the right shape over my shoulders. And then how to attach it to the rest. 'Cause I'm guessing, like most of this, I'm going to have to make it as separate pieces that attach somehow.
So mainly its the attaching and materials parts I need advice with. XD ...and yes I am WAY OVER MY HEAD here. T_T And I've had many doubts as to whether I'm ready to actually do this but the only way I am ever going to be is if I just push myself to do it. And well I'm just going to take it tiny bit by tiny bit and probably experiment with some stuff but I'd like to get suggestions from others who have done more armor than me first as to what is the best to try with. I also am totally cool with mixing various materials. Though ideally I'd like to try to aim for the same shine/color to all the pieces. And also suggestions on the best way to make it all look like metal.
Also. It does NOT have to be realistic looking. Saint Seiya armor is VERY shiny so no need to try for the more realistic metal look I've done on things like my Buster Sword. I actually want this ridiculously shiny. XD lmao 'Cause their armor like never looks that damaged. Well, ok, sometimes it does but it always magically repairs itself (WITH BLOOD! ...I kid you not, they repair their armors by covering them in blood but anywho!). But the Gods tend to never really have that unless they're getting their asses kicked. And the only actual damage Hades gets (well in regular Saint Seiya at least, I'm not counting Lost Canvas 'cause that isn't canon and I'm not doing Alone-Hades) is ARROWED. XD (Stupid Seiya) but it doesn't really make much of a dent in the armor. Though funny thing is that this figure also comes with a chest piece to the Seiya God Cloth figure that has a slot for Hades sword so that you can have Hades stab Seiya! XDXD I am so insanely amused by that and it ALMOST makes me want to get the Seiya figure just to do that (and use the "AHHHHH!!!! I'm STABBEDEDEDED!" extra head)...almost. >>;; But uhhhh that has nothing to do with the costume so yeah. I'm done.
~Lyn
