Sooo, it’s been a while since I showed you some of my current project, but… I was busy. Sadly not just because of my costumes, but much more because of a traineeship which costs a lot of the freetime I had before. Well, but the traineeship will end at in one month and then I became a lazy but cosplay addicted student again, ha ha. In addition I had a lot of motivation problems in the last few months. I don’t know why, but I guess I just needed a break and so I was lazy as hell and stopped with my cosplay progress for some month. Well, after I got my confirmation for beeing a cosplay guest at Japan Expo I suddenly got all my movivation back and now I’m exited and busy like in my most motivated times. So… all the progress you see here is made in only three weeks. It’s not really a lot, but like I said I have pretty less freetime because of my traineeship and so I’m a bit slowly. However I hope that this project will be done in a few further weeks of work.
So, what project am I talking about again? My Barbarian from Diablo 3, hell yes!
So far pretty all armor main armor parts are done: Both pauldrons, both bracers, both leg armor pieces, all parts of the hip armor (even with ass armor!) and the hardest armor I’ve ever created, the breastplate are done. Now just the tiny parts like the armor for the shoes, for the knees or hands are missing. And a huuuuge amout of weapon!. Oh, this costume will be a pretty hard one, but I’m SO looking forward to walk around as a heavy armored, bulky amazon with so many weapons that you give up to count them!
But back to the costume progress. Well, well, like always I used my good old sandwich method to build my armor parts. To add the threedimensional details I worked also with modeling clay, Friendly Plastic and a new thermoplastic material called Worbla’s Finest Arts. Worbla is all the brown stuff in my photos. This time I was also in charge for the main paint job. My husband Benni however still added some pretty nice highlights and gave my armor with his awesome painting skills a great, final look.
Sadly at some point I’ve got a little problem with Wonderflex I always worked before. I’ve got some new sheets, but sadly there was something wrong with them and I was not able to use them for my further armor parts. At the same time a good friend and one my lovely sponsors offered me to try his new material, Worlba’s Finest Arts. It works in almost the same way like Wonderflex, but the main difference is, that it don’t have a fabric grid inside. So I’m able to expand it more and use it also as a rough kind of modeling clay. The time you are able to work with is just shorter and you need to take care since it also tears appart pretty easy.
So, at some point I had to use for all of my further armor parts only Worbla. The white parts are still made of my last Wonderflex sheet, the brown stuff is Worbla.
One little problem with Worbla is also, that it can get pretty rough if you stretch it too much. So at some spots I had to add a lot of layers of Gesso. But in addition I was able to give my armor some three-dimensional details which was never possible before for me.
At my hip armor for example I modeled a lot of details like the skulls and the pyramid pieces to give this pieces a real and just a more detailed look. The second picture shows my poor basic paint job, which was the preparation for Bennis part, which you can see in the final picture. It’s so wonderful to be able to count on this support. Without his help my armor would never look as good as it does now.
In my last blog entry I also showed you a breastplate, which I sadly was not satiesfied with. Everything looked just wrong and it also didn’t fit to my body at the end. So, there was a new try and this time it turned out much better. The main reason a sucessful result was the use of PVC acyrlic globes to give the boobie bags the right shape. Everything followed pretty automatically. As you can see I’ve added many layers of Worbla sandwich pieces and parts which consisted of two layers of Worbla. So it was pretty easy to give it a realstic and threedimensional look only by adding of some simple details. Despite of like always the paintjob was the most important part for the final look. My work lasts till the fifth picture. At the last step Benni added some nice shaddows, highlights and details and gave my breastplate at the end a great, but pretty cartoon like look.
Well, well and that’s the final result. Oh, I’m so happy that this version worked like I planned. Why are breastplates always the most difficult part of an armor set?
And yeah you can see my current progress. Yeah, there is only armor so far and despite of I’m just done with with the biggest parts, but some little pieces ar missing. In addition I still need to add a lof leather, fur, fabric, belts, chains and many, many weapons. Wow, it’s a pretty huge project, but so far I’m really satiesfied with it and have a lot of fun during the costume progress. Aw, I just love building armor!
Well, and that’s all so far! Sorry that you didn’t heard anything from me for such a long time, but I just needed a break. However now I’m back and so much full of motivation, that I’m just not able to stop to work. In addition I really hope you see, how much fun it can be to see something growing by your own hands. Cosplay is just a wonderful hobby and I really hope I’m able to imspire and help you with my blog a bit. And don’t forget: If you don’t want to wait for the next blog entry, just follow my work on facebook. I post very frequently, answer questions and just love to talk with my followers there.
In addition: This weekend you’ll find me at Japan Expo in Paris. At Sunday I will held there one of my workshops and will also answer some questions at a panel at Friday. I’m still not sure what costume I will bring with me, since it’s pretty depends on the stuff I will show at the workshop. Soooo surprise yourself and say hi if you see me! Cannot wait to meet you, guys!
Hai kamui :D! im wondering, for the breast plate, did u use the worbla to get your cup size from your acctual boobs or used a bra and molded it over?
I just guessed. :)
I’m curious; with the chest armor, did it actually stay on, without having it attach at the back? Or was there something else you added to help it..stay?
wow, i’m a facepainter who is starting to bodypaint in Australia. I stumbled onto your blog whilst looking for ways to use expanding foam. Everything else you do is just fantastic. I’m learning a lot from your skills!!! LOve it.
awesome, totaly awesome your costuming skills are the best ive seen.
Geniale Arbeit. Bin durch den GamesCom Contest auf dich aufmerksam geworden. In diesem perfekten barbara Kostüm denk man allerdings an vieles – aber nicht an Barbaren ;)
In diesem Sinne: Weiter so!
MfG Moe
You are such a huge inspiration! I love seeing your progress!
I’m currently working on/finishing the Demon Hunter from the concept art….
I’m eager to try working with some of the materials that you used for this costume…
AHH! This is so beautiful! Incredible work!
This version certainly a wonder! And the help of her husband was essentially made the dress too flashy.
Sorry do not speak English, my language is Portuguese.[ google translator ]
How do you put on the breastplate since the material goes hard after molding? Txs :)
Oh, it’s still flexible enough! :)
Awwww, thanks a lot guys! Just love your comments! :)
Wooow! Wie immer unglaublich und ich bin schon sooo gespannt wie es weiter geht! :D
Schön, dass du wieder da bist und die freie Zeit hast du dir verdient! ^__^
Liebe Grüße
Christina
PUT IT ON!!!
It’s still not done! :)
Happyyy *_* shalalala! I want this material too U___U
I also, I live in the country, is not accessible
1 Million [Win]!
you get so much done quickly! Your posts always motivate me to work harder on my own costumes even if they dont turn out as well
Awww, thanks a lot! Guess motivation is the most important point for a project! :)
I think the posts are useful. Everytime i found your cosplay props are fancy but they are just made of simple material and i think it is amazing!http://www.bonhoo.com/cosplay-costumes_c4.html