Tyrael updates

So I have made some progress on the chest armor. Currently, it needs a few more coats of gesso, then it gets the crap sanded out of it before being painted.

This is my first time working with worbla, so there's some trial and error going on. I started the chest by trying to make a form out of craft foam to wrap the worbla around (I've read this is a good method for working with worbla). However, making a form to go over a chest that isn't flat is difficult to say the least. After screwing around with foam for a couple of hours, I ditched it and just decided to use the foam pieces as patterns for the worbla.

So after cutting out the worbla and trying to shape it, I realized how it will show every single little ripple if its lying on any non-smooth surface. Oh boy. Now that I've worked with it a bit, I realized doing the chest first wasn't the best route to go, but it didn't turn out too badly.

The first picture, you can see the front section and the back have been attached to each other (worbla sticks to itself wonderfully). I then added the collar, and did all the edge details with worbla strips. There's also small details around the collar.


There's going to be some rippling in places that I can't sand out, but most of it will be covered with other armor/fabric, so the small problems I see all over the place won't be very noticeable. The last chest picture shows the chest after about 4 coats of gesso. It needs maybe 2-4 more coats before its time to sand. I'm doing the gesso thing since worbla is a rough texture and not very metal like if painted raw. Thus the creation of a smooth surface for painting with the gesso (again, read about it on le internet).

I made the chest as one solid piece, but after adding the collar and the bottom pieces on the stomach, I couldn't get it on and off with the wing harness on (almost got stuck in it).

I ended up cutting the back in half, with cut out sections for the wing harness spokes, and added velcro closures. It goes on and off much more easily now, without scrapping my arms up from the worbla (that happened).

Other things I got done this weekend are the base forearm armor pieces. I need to add all the details and then gesso/sand/paint. Those are worbla over craft foam, they are much sturdier than the plain worbla chest. Live and learn.

The other thing that's mostly done are the circle armor pieces that go on the chest. They need to be sanded, and the worbla spikes need to be sanded and shaped, but they will be ready for paint after that.

There's a bunch left to do, but with the chest assembled, everything is much more manageable. Especially since I'm about to go on vacation and won't be working on anything for the next two weeks.

Because I'm defending my thesis tomorrow. Yep.

Sword!

 When I made the Shepard armor a couple of years back, I made a prop gun out of foam to go with the armor in one day. While I think it was pretty good for being made in a day, I was never really happy with the way it turned out, there were seams all over the place that no amount of paint would cover up (although I was probably the only one who could see them).

This time around, the weapon is being built much more slowly and deliberately, and I think its coming out really well. There's still quite a number of seams to cover right now, but it needs another coat of mod podge, then a coat of primer, then its sanding time.

Top left is the hilt pieced out before being sanded and attached to the blade. Top right is after the biggest piece of the hilt was attached. Bottom left, the whole hilt attached, and bottom right, with the grip detailed out with the pommel on.

The pommel needs to be sanded down and details need to be added to the hilt and pommel before being painted, but it's mostly done. It won't get painted until I'm ready to paint everything, but it's looking pretty good for just being white foam at the moment. I'm contemplating coating the blade in worbla (its a bit floppy at the moment) to make it stiff, but we'll see how much time I have after the rest of the armor is done.

Oh yes, those are lights in the hilt and pommel, this thing is going to glow so much.

Speaking of armor, here's what the shoulders look like at the moment.

 The are all still separate pieces, I need to paint them before the final assembly. I will also probably need to cut down the interiors of all the small pieces before final assembly.

Next to be made: chest armor and those circular chest pieces. Break out the worbla!

Materials: Acquired

Remember when I said The Monarch and Dr. Mrs. The Monarch were my next projects? Yeah, well, nope. Last post I forgot about that, and well, Tyrael is started ahead of those other two. They are still on the docket, but I decided I wanted to compete Tyrael in a costume contest prior to the other two.

Anyways, I now have a huge sheet of Worbla in my possession as well as all the other things I was missing (like paint and fabric), and I'm getting ready to build the chest armor. Currently working on the hilt of the sword, and once that's done and primed and ready for painting I'll move onto the chest. Once the sword is done, I'll post progress pictures of that and the shoulders. Which are, by the way, all ready for paint and assembly, just haven't taken a picture of those yet.

Actual costuming

Whoa what is this, an actual update? Yup, I started a new costume. This is the base of the sword for the Tyrael costume, El'Druin. As you can see, it's just a  foam blade on the sword base which is a metal yard stick and a piece of PVC glued on for the handle, but its at least started. 

Activation energy to actually start something is usually pretty high, so I'm quite happy that I've finally started. 

I'm waiting on some lighting elements to be shipped before I get to the hilt, but I've got it designed out onto some foam, so it'll assemble quickly once I've got the missing items. 

I've also gotten some progress done on the shoulders, but I'll wait to post about those until more of that is done. 

You might be able to see that there is Mod Podge in the picture, I'm using it to coat all the pieces and make them stiffer, more durable and less likely to tear, and as a base for all the eventual paint. I'm making the majority of pieces out of 1/16 inch foam, which is quite malleable, but also quite flimsy. I might end up making the chest out of worbla, but I haven't gotten there yet, so we'll see (answer is probably, but I need to order it). 

Things I still need to buy: that worbla, stuff for the wings, shoes, strapping, buckles, velcro, so much paint.....

Ugh, but its going to look baller when it's done, the shoulders already look sweet; spent a couple of hours today cutting out tiny scrollwork to add raised detail to the pieces.