The Costume/Cosplay Building thread!

I can imagine everyone has seen an awesome costume or cosplay at a convention. And I can imagine there are people like myself that really want to create those super!fantastic!costumes that attendees talk about.

Seeing as how this community has a vast array of knowledge (since you guys have helped me a lot in the past), I figured this would be one of the best places to gather information and ideas on how to build various costumes. And it wouldn't even have to be a costume from a video game (or in my case anime/tv drama). It's like Momgamer's suit of armor; something amazing to make just because you can. This would be a place for people to post what they're building and get ideas on how to construct it.

So, to start us off, here's what I'm working on for the 2010 Sakura-Con at the Washington State Convention Center for the first weekend of April.

IMAGE(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f236/jedibmoney/SASPO.jpg)
This is Sasword. He's from a Japanese TV show similar to the Power Rangers.

Luckily I'm not going off of using just photos, or else figuring out the detail would be really hard. I have an action figure of my character that I'm using strictly to see how everything bends and for the tiny details I need to include.

I have a few friends that have built complex armor before, and they use a material called BONDO (auto body filler) along with DeLite, and some other things... I figured to make this easy on myself, I'll start with the helm. I'm building it onto a wig head that will soon be the same circumference as my own. My friend suggested I make the basic frame out of chicken wire and possibly paper mache, and then put the bondo onto that.

But I was wondering what you guys think would be the best way to make a frame for the basic helmet?
And should I use the same method for making the torso?

This topic is oddly well-timed. I just finished my replica proton pack for my Ghostbusters costume that I'll be wearing to NDK 2009 here in Denver this weekend.

Xeknos wrote:

This topic is oddly well-timed. I just finished my replica proton pack for my Ghostbusters costume that I'll be wearing to NDK 2009 here in Denver this weekend.

I've actually been interested in doing this: how long did it take you and how much did the whole thing cost?

See? This is exactly what I wanted this thread for! I'm glad it was well timed for you. It was in the middle of the night when I was thinking about it and decided to post.

My trouble is finding a female that isn't all sexed up. While the costume thing is fun, most women in games and comics are showing WAY more skin than would be appropriate for me.

You're talking crazy talk!

peacensunshine wrote:

My trouble is finding a female that isn't all sexed up. While the costume thing is fun, most women in games and comics are showing WAY more skin than would be appropriate for me.

Pink jumpsuits are your friend! Or you can dress up and be Codex for halloween.

peacensunshine wrote:

My trouble is finding a female that isn't all sexed up. While the costume thing is fun, most women in games and comics are showing WAY more skin than would be appropriate for me.

What kind of character's are you interested in? I know some people will take those "sexed up" costumes and tone them down more for their body-type and their personality so that they won't show more skin than they want to.

peacensunshine wrote:

My trouble is finding a female that isn't all sexed up. While the costume thing is fun, most women in games and comics are showing WAY more skin than would be appropriate for me.

Well, not in the *good* comics and games.

My co-worker's son is building one of the Daft Punk helmets.

IMAGE(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h139/joshrevolver/Daft-Punk-sp01.jpg)

Marsman wrote:

My co-worker's son is building one of the Daft Punk helmets.

That's so cool. If I had the time, I'd make something like that.

I think the key to successful cosplay starts with 6 months in the gym. If you're carrying baggage, you just look pathetic.

peacensunshine wrote:

My trouble is finding a female that isn't all sexed up. While the costume thing is fun, most women in games and comics are showing WAY more skin than would be appropriate for me.

A female ghost buster in one of their grey jump suits? I'm sure you can get a surplus one somewhere.

Paleocon wrote:

If you're carrying baggage, you just look pathetic.

Unless you're Internet Boy

IMAGE(http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/images/lblackwell/2005/04/15/dont_worry_maam.jpg)

I wrote:

I think the key to successful cosplay starts with 6 months in the gym. If you're carrying baggage, you just look pathetic.

And that goes double for BDSM.

Sorry I wasn't able to comment earlier; I've been at the aforementioned anime convention all weekend.

dhaelis wrote:
Xeknos wrote:

This topic is oddly well-timed. I just finished my replica proton pack for my Ghostbusters costume that I'll be wearing to NDK 2009 here in Denver this weekend.

I've actually been interested in doing this: how long did it take you and how much did the whole thing cost?

I'd say between $200 - $300 dollars, or more depending on what tools you have available to you. The whole thing took about a month, but I'm going to rebuild some of the parts that didn't take the convention abuse very well, and also put in a lighting kit for next year. My suggestion would be to go to gbfans.com, as they have an excellent set of equipment plans and a great, great community on the forums.

Paleocon wrote:

I think the key to successful cosplay starts with 6 months in the gym. If you're carrying baggage, you just look pathetic.

I think that depends on the costume, but you'd be right 85% if the time. Especially the women who dress like Yoko from Gurren Lagann or any other skimpily-dressed anime character but seem to forget the fact that they weigh 300 pounds. "Oh, I'm hot enough, the guys will like it." NO. WE DON'T. PUT IT AWAY.

Marsman wrote:

My co-worker's son is building one of the Daft Punk helmets.

There's a guy we call the "Daft Punk" guy at our convention. His helmet is nothing short of amazing, and it even has a little scrolling LCD ticker inside of it that can say whatever he wants. The best part? When it comes time for the dances (eugggh) his suit lights up. Pretty cool.

Xeknos wrote:

I think that depends on the costume, but you'd be right 85% if the time. Especially the women who dress like Yoko from Gurren Lagann or any other skimpily-dressed anime character but seem to forget the fact that they weigh 300 pounds. "Oh, I'm hot enough, the guys will like it." NO. WE DON'T. PUT IT AWAY.

I cannot thank you enough for inspiring me to Google Image Search "Yoko from Gurren Lagann". Let's just say there are some appropriate cosplayers out there with that outfit.

Paleocon wrote:

I think the key to successful cosplay starts with 6 months in the gym. If you're carrying baggage, you just look pathetic.

IMAGE(http://unrealitymag.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/bad_cosplay_4.jpg)

There were ones that were much worse that I saw on the internets but they were definitely NSFW or NSFANYWHEREYOUARE.

KrazyTacoFO wrote:

There were ones that were much worse that I saw on the internets but they were definitely NSFW or NSFANYWHEREYOUARE.

Now I have to see them. Hyperlink that stuffs.

*shrugs apologetically* She got the hair right.

I've always wanted to do one good cosplay, but I don't have the wherewithall to construct a costume myself.

I want to do Vash the Stampede from Trigun with a twist. I want to do the moment where his arm was blown off and hanging from his other arm via handcuffs. I guess it would require the use of a mannequin arm.

boogle wrote:
KrazyTacoFO wrote:

There were ones that were much worse that I saw on the internets but they were definitely NSFW or NSFANYWHEREYOUARE.

Now I have to see them. Hyperlink that stuffs.

NSFW Pictures

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

So many crevices...

To get the taste of ewwwww out of your mouth here is a NSFW Ghostbuster Cosplay page.

And Rubb Ed. I think I found you hiding behind the girl in picture #11.

Okay, guys. Enough posting NSFW pictures about cosplayers that do a costume wrong because it's not proper for their body type. Its easy to do the same thing for guys and google Sailor Bubba or Man Fay.

Dominic Knight wrote:

Okay, guys. Enough posting NSFW pictures about cosplayers that do a costume wrong because it's not proper for their body type. Its easy to do the same thing for guys and google Sailor Bubba or Man Fay.

Sense of humor get, buddy!

Fedaykin98 wrote:
Dominic Knight wrote:

Okay, guys. Enough posting NSFW pictures about cosplayers that do a costume wrong because it's not proper for their body type. Its easy to do the same thing for guys and google Sailor Bubba or Man Fay.

Sense of humor get, buddy! :razz:

He's right though.... i'm always showing off my assets when i dress up.

Dominic Knight wrote:

Okay, guys. Enough posting NSFW pictures about cosplayers that do a costume wrong because it's not proper for their body type. Its easy to do the same thing for guys and google Sailor Bubba or Man Fay.

I was being gender neutral on my first comment. I realize your comment was probably not directed at me, but there it is. If you're going to try to cosplay a Spartan from 300, spend 6-12 months hitting the gym every day and eating iceberg lettuce and tuna out of the can. Otherwise, stick to playing Baron Harkonan.

Or somebody who wears layers. Lots and lots of layers.

The other side of this are the women (or men, if you're into that) wearing the skimpy clothing but are attractive enough to pull it off. Unfortunately, for every one of those, there are easily 5 people who epically fail.

Xeknos wrote:

Or somebody who wears layers. Lots and lots of layers.

The other side of this are the women (or men, if you're into that) wearing the skimpy clothing but are attractive enough to pull it off. Unfortunately, for every one of those, there are easily 5 people who epically fail.

I know this is going to come across as epic harshness, but I am convinced that the attraction of this kind of escapism is largely due to the fact that folks that are into it are mostly unwilling or incapable of arriving at that state of attractiveness on their own. Marsman's hefty internetboy could probably get all the shooting and blowing crap up he wants if he dropped 80 pounds and joined the National Guard.

Paleocon wrote:
Xeknos wrote:

Or somebody who wears layers. Lots and lots of layers.

The other side of this are the women (or men, if you're into that) wearing the skimpy clothing but are attractive enough to pull it off. Unfortunately, for every one of those, there are easily 5 people who epically fail.

I know this is going to come across as epic harshness, but I am convinced that the attraction of this kind of escapism is largely due to the fact that folks that are into it are mostly unwilling or incapable of arriving at that state of attractiveness on their own. Marsman's hefty internetboy could probably get all the shooting and blowing crap up he wants if he dropped 80 pounds and joined the National Guard.

I suppose. He could also just be a fan of whatever he's trying to cosplay as, and wants to shoot and blow crap up without hurting anybody or without the potential harm to himself.

I'd rather avoid turning this into a discussion about the merits or causes of cosplaying. I don't view it as a form of escapism, but I don't argue that you'd have the small group of people who take cosplay too far and use it as a form of escape. Instead, I'd wager that the vast majority of cosplayers do it because they want to feel connected with a larger group that shares the same interests as they do, which is perfectly normal.

My own experiences with cosplay leads me to believe that if you attend a convention in a good costume -- and maybe to a lesser extent a bad costume -- you get an extra level of social interaction out of it. And hey, even if the costume didn't quite turn out the way you wanted, you're still deserving of some respect because at least you tried. Of course, there's a fine line between "well, that costume's a little hokey, but you get credit for trying" and "what the fetch were you thinking, man-faye?" but I think you understand my point.