How to Armor?

[Anonymous No.6964536]

Any seggestions on how to make armor and weapons that don't suck without dropping a /ton/ of cash?

Somebody once told me that model magic, painted makes good armor if you just need small pieces like I do. Anybody agree or disagree? Have a better suggestion if the later?

My plan right now on the sword is kinda... fake one. Get a wooden one and repaint it so it looks like the sheath. The blade itself for the character seems a little complicated for me. Literally no idea what to do with it.. But I don't know, tips and tricks?

Pick very related

[Anonymous No.6965021]

bump?

[Anonymous No.6965045]

There are ways to make good armor with budget materials, but it requires experience and skill. Which it doesn't sound like you have.

Sorry, but you're pretty much doomed to suck. Just make something out of cardboard and have fun with it.

[Anonymous No.6965113]

Do you care about weight? Where in the world are you located?

[Anonymous No.6965119]

>>6965045
>it requires experience and skill. Which it doesn't sound like you have.
>Sorry, but you're pretty much doomed to suck.

pic related

[Anonymous No.6965245]

Paper maché, time and patience.

>Collect a lot of (free) newspaper
I save up a huge stash of free newspapers for the armor stuff my friends and I planned to make, though now I'm using it for something else but still. Rip the newspapers in strips, don't cut because the ripped edges appear smoother on other layers. Also, there is a "grain" to newspapers so it's a lot easier to rip in straight lines than jagged.

>Flour and water
Cheap all-purpose sort of flour will work in a pinch. Add a few cups of flour first, and then pour a bit of water at a time while mixing. You don't want it to be watery! Just make sure to beat the lumps so you have a good even paste. I work with glue-ish texture, and while I work I do add a bit of water towards the end as the paste gets thicker with more flour leftover.

>Application
When nice and smooth, dip a strip thoroughly and use your fingers to smooth out the excess of paste. Apply onto base (see below) and spread smoothly. Sometimes I end up ripping the paper with "darts" so it would lay smoother as I spread it.

Work one full layer at a time with a little bit of overlapping. Let it dry completely! I work a lot faster when I do one layer session each time, and after a few hours I do another layer when stops feeling cold to the touch (cold = wet). If you apply too many layers at once, the underlayers won't dry and you'll end up with a weaker prop/armor.

>Bases: thick balloons, cardboard, bowls, foam, etc.
Just cover the ones you want to release from (ex. bowls) with plastic bags/syran wrap, and then tape firmly so there isn't weird bubbled up plastic, or it'll be a hasssle while you apply paper maché. Then at the end you can gently pull the plastic off with the dried paper maché off the base.

[Anonymous No.6965257]

>>6965245
(Continued)

>Sanding
This helps make your paper maché look less like paper maché because of the edges left by the strips. Before painting, sand it smooth with some 100grit to 250grit. Brush off any dust before priming it. Prime, sand smooth again, and repeat this if you want. Then paint and seal. I think some people have applied gesso before priming, and sanding that smooth? I haven't done that before but since you're on a budget I think you can skip gesso...

Sorry I don't mean to sound like some pro, I just have some experience in paper maché, and it's works surprisingly well and it's strong if you do enough layers.

It only works well if you have the time and patience for it because of the time it takes to dry and the last stage to make it look nice. If you rush it, it will... well, look rushed. Good luck!

[Anonymous No.6965258]

>>6965245
How wide are your newspaper strips?

[Anonymous No.6965269]

>>6965258
About 1.5-3" wide, but of course depending on the size of your project, you want to work with smaller or larger strips.

[Anonymous No.6965282]

>>6965113

Not really. My boyfriend will be wearing Chrom, and I'm making him do bicep curls every day for the next month so he doesn't have goofy chicken wings sticking out of his sleeveless side.

I'm in Maryland, in 'merica

[Anonymous No.6965288]

>>6965045

Elaborate?

Don't be a dick, everybody started somewhere. Tell me how to make good cheap armor and I'll do the best I can with it.

[Anonymous No.6965291]

>>6965045

Elaborate?

Don't be a dick, everybody started somewhere. Tell me how to make good cheap armor and I'll do the best I can with it.

Like >>6965119 said

[Anonymous No.6965293]

>>6965245
Actually I should add about using anything paper as a base: since you're applying wet pasty newspaper onto a paper base (ex. cardboard), you don't want to get that soggy and wrinkly. I forgot I made these giant ears with poster paper but since I had that worry, I cover it with syranwrap and tape. It helps.

[Anonymous No.6965297]

>>6965245

I've never heard of using flour and water. Is it just as good ad modge-podge (or however it's spelled)

[Anonymous No.6965298]

>>6965282
>I'm making him do bicep curls every day for the next month

>women
>in charge of fitness routine

You don't do weight training every day to get bigger muscles, fool. Muscles get bigger during rest, not lifting.

Also, if you ever use the phrase "Im making my boyfriend do ____" then you are a bitch. Imagine if your boyfriend tried to force you to do exercises so you didn't have "chicken arms" for a convention. You'd probably call him a sexist pig. Which is exactly what you're being.

[Anonymous No.6965310]

>>6965298

Oh shut the fuck up. I'm not /really/ making him do anything. He asked me to make him a costume, and I told him if he wanted it to look good he'd have to get a little muscle definition.

Maybe if you had a girlfriend you'd learn to tell when somebody's joking around.

[Anonymous No.6965313]

>>6965297
Yea right? I thought paper maché was about glue and water, but it's not! It's the flour that starches the newspaper stiff and strong. I've never used modge-podge for structural purposes (I did simple picture applications with it and that's all), but I think flour+water beats it still. Though there are more paper maché recipes out there that involves more ingredients, like wallpaper stuff or powdered marble for that porcelain finish.

[Anonymous No.6965319]

>>6965313

Imma give that a try then. Flour's cheap and water's free. Thanks :D

[Anonymous No.6965325]

>>6965319
Keep in mind that you shouldn't plan on keeping these long term. The flour will rot after a few months, and even if sealed will smell god-awful.

[Anonymous No.6965332]

>>6965325

Should I make this the weekend before the con, or will they last about a month if I make them now? I'd rather have a head start incase they don't turn out well I'm no SOL

[Anonymous No.6965339]

>>6965319
No problem! If you're still not sure, do a small project first. My friends and I tested paper maché (flour & water one, and glue by itself) and plaster bandages. After the samples dried, the paper maché with the flour and water beat the others! And sanding wasn't so bad either. If you can, I think it's better to vacuum the dust off your work than brush, or a combination of both.

[Anonymous No.6965345]

>>6965325
It gets moldy if it's still damp. Then again I haven't kept a paper maché project so long to see it be moldy even after it's thoroughly dry so what do I know!

[Anonymous No.6965358]

>>6965332
A month shouldn't be any issue. Just keep em in a cool, dry place.

[Anonymous No.6965369]

>>6965339
>>6965345
>>6965358


Thank you all* so much! I appreciate the tips.

Would using like.... pipe cleaners as a frame be a good idea?

(*not sure if one person, or two or three persons)

[Anonymous No.6965371]

>>6965310
For serious though, go to /fit/. Just doing curls isn't going to have the desired result.

[Anonymous No.6965384]

>>6965282
Maryland is a mecca of nerdfighting, which means you have tons of people in your area who make legit armour. The local SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) group probably has an armourer whose job it is to teach people how to make armour sufficient to protect users from rattan weapons: this stuff varies from historically accurate steel to sports armour made from thick plastic and backed with foam. You also have Darkon, Dagorhir, and probably some Amtgard and NERO folks around that can help: find their local forums and ask around.

Have him do more than curls or his arms are going to look funny. Most of the mass in in the tricep, anyway. Doing the same exercise every day isn't going to built mass, and building one muscle group only isn't efficient. I would highly recommend sending him to /fit/ and going there yourself.

[Anonymous No.6965386]

>>6965371

You're right.

Honestly I just loaned him some of my weights and sent him on his way. The character isn't hella jacked, so I'm not ultra worried, just trying to get him less flabby.

But yeah, we should research it a bit more. He knows even less then me about fitness... I figured toning up would be a pretty straight forward process.

[Anonymous No.6965387]

>>6965369
(Looks like another person to me!)
Pipe cleaners? I wouldn't recommend it knowing how flimsy they are. Your frame/base have to have some stability. If you have some metal hangers you don't use, you can bend them till they snap or, preferably, use hardy metal pliers to cut it down, bend and tape. It'll be hardier than pipe cleaners and still cheap/free.

[Anonymous No.6965391]

>>6965386
I'm sure a grown man is going to totally get massive gains using his girlfriend's weights.

[Anonymous No.6965404]

>>6965384

I actually did darkon until a few months ago when I fucking crippled myself. Nobody I know can make the armor for as cheap as I need it to be. It needs to look good, not be functional. Yaknow?

I've resolved to hit up fit. The "do curls errday" was kinda a joke. I just suggested he lift a little. You're right I should do as much research with that as I'm doing with the rest of the outfit

[Anonymous No.6965409]

>>6965391

30 pounds enough you think?

Like I said, not going for massive gains.

[Anonymous No.6965416]

>>6965387

Good call :)

[Anonymous No.6965427]

>>6965404
Look up your local SCA armourer, it's his (or her) job to put people in armor for cheap.

Who did you fight with in Darkon? I crossgame into Darkon sometimes--it's a 5-hour drive, but we have friends down there.

[Anonymous No.6965437]

>>6965427

I fought with Elidor.

Its actually been more like... a year since I fucked up my knee now that I think about it. Every few months I think I'm ready to go back out and I'm just not... I'm starting to think this injury will be permanent which really sucks (have been to doctors and physical therapy)

inb4 took an arrow to the knee

[Anonymous No.6965455]

>>6965437
We roll with No Quarter when we go down there, but I haven't made it to enough events to be allowed to put arrows into anyone's knees.

I used to have really fucked-up knees from years of wrestling and from running cross-country with improper technique. The main things that helped me were changing how my foot hit the ground (look up "barefoot running" and "forefoot running technique"), paying attention to ankle (and therefore knee) alignment (I was letting the arch of my foot fall flat--see a podiatrist and he might be able to help your knees), and paying attention to not locking-out my knees.

[Anonymous No.6965482]

>>6965455

Lol

No Quarter was cool, I liked them. I wasn't super social outside my country, but I liked a couple of them :)

That's not a bad idea, actually. I fucked mine up with improper running, but really ruined myself when I didn't let it heal correctly.
....all the people saying I shouldn't give fitness advice were probably totally right. lol

[Anonymous No.6965505]

>>6965482
I'm pretty stoked about the 4-day event in mid-August. The only thing that makes me sad is that I can't shield-edge people, which is one of my favorite Dagorhir techniques: I wield a 20-pound shield explicitly for this purpose.

Everything is almost always about balance, in fitness and in life in general. I'm sure there're exceptions, but I haven't found them yet.

[Anonymous No.6965542]

This is relevant to my interests, so I'll pose a question here:

Would it be possible to add iridescence to a flexible armor piece? The armor is supposed to look sort of like a leathery crapace, and I really want the color to be entirely accurate, but I can't figure out the best way to do it.

[Anonymous No.6965549]

>>6965437
A lot of my friends are or were into Darkon.

Most of them were with Nergel, though. From what I understand it has a reputation for drama. : / I wanted to join for a while, but nerd drama...no.

[Anonymous No.6965573]

>>6965549
I'm the guy from >>6965505. Nerd drama is just about my least favorite thing. My approach to dorkbattle? I show up, I beat people with sticks, and I go home. Sometimes I hang out with people, but usually I just hit them and disregard their politics and gossip.

[Anonymous No.6965604]

>>6965245
>>6965257
>>6965269
>>6965293
>>6965325
Is there any way to do a somewhat large paper mache project without it rotting within a few months? You said even if you seal it, it rots. Is there any way at all to prevent this?

Also, how long does, let's say, a project like a pauldron take to do if you're using the method you mention here?

Personally, to give you an idea, I'm going to be doing a cosplay of the main character from Dark Souls 2 and need to make metallic looking armor. This includes designs in the armor. This all needs to be (or rather I would prefer that this is) done by July of next year. Is there a way for me to etch designs into the craft?

Sorry, if I'm sort of bombarding you in one post. I have a really good understanding of working with materials if I'm just guided in the right direction, but, considering I'm on somewhat of a small budget, I have no idea where to start. This would be my first time cosplaying as well.

[Anonymous No.6965663]

>>6965604
Same issue. I've been using crafting foam for armor and have been painting over it but now I'm running into the issue of detailing and with the crafting foam it's starting to look really tacky :/ Is it easy etch into fiberglass?

[Anonymous No.6965739]

>>6965604
Hey there, I'm the anon who said all of that except for >>6965325 (but I did reply with >>6965345 )

About the rotting thing, I think the best way is to just make sure it's very dried out. There are ways to dry faster nearby an open oven or inside the oven (I'm assuming the people mentioning this use an electric oven, but monitor on your works anyway).

Pic related and taken about now. This is a sample my friend made with the paper maché (flour&water) and it wasn't sealed, but has no sign of rotting (tiny green color from some newspaper ad) and no smell either. This was made back in February, and still as strong as heck. I left this out and near a window, and it took about 2-3 days to make sure it's dried out.

At the moment, I'm working on a giant Blanca (explains my dried flour hands in the picture, ahhh). I'm on my third day of paper maché but so far only four applications, so it's about 4-6 layers in some places. I manage to do two applications at most in a day, once around noon and then another around evening. While I work from top to bottom, as I get close to half-way, the top already starts to dry. I think I'm looking at about a week of paper maché so I can achieve about ten layers, but I may do more just in case since this is rather huge and will be hollow.

So I think for your pauldron, it can take about week or less if you do paper maché twice each day or every other day (1, 2, 1, 2,...). I just hope where you live isn't humid, which can slow down the drying.

For the tiny details I think if you can make paper clay (I think it's basically shredded tissue paper, flour, and water) and use that for small details, and then use thin strips for paper maché to cover. Besides the paper clay, you can even roll pieces of paper and tape down with masking tape. Try googling about this, there may be more methods besides this!

I just hope I'm not giving out bad info! This is based on my own experience that seems to work but may not be for everyone.

[Anonymous No.6966002]

>>6964536
>Somebody once told me that model magic, painted makes good armor if you just need small pieces like I do.

Oh yea, I did a sample of model magic and... rather disappointed with it. Made the same time with the paper maché stuff, and after a few days it was still a little spongy. By now it's hardened but ripped in places. It's not for me, I'll say, but it does seem to work for some people.

>http://xero-cosplay.deviantart.com/art/TUTORIAL-Armor-using-Crayola-Model-Magic-326554209
This looks like a neat and easy to follow tutorial if you still want to try.

[Anonymous No.6966574]

>>6966002

I'm pretty sold on the paper mache, because being frugile also a big priority. I am so pleased to hear people say one of the best ways is also one of the cheapest ways.

Money's tight and I wouldn't even be going to the con if I didn't get tickets for my birthday, so I'm being a super cheap ass on the costume lol. My friend moved out of her college dorm for the last time and had extra long twin sheets she'll never use again. You bet your ass its now a cape.

[Anonymous No.6966591]

>>6966574
Another idea, if you have cheap fabric on hand, is to laminate the layers like with a linothorax. Paper mache is almost certainly cheaper, but linothorax is bad-ass ancient Kevlar.

tl;dr: Stick with papier-mâché.

[Anonymous No.6966776]

If you don't want to try paper mache, you can buy sheets of craft foam and glue it together with contact cement. Make patterns like you would fabric or papercraft and you can still sand it even though it's a little tough. You can fiberglass it or coat it in wood glue to make it more rigid if you want. Chrom just has that one shoulder piece so it shouldn't be too difficult.

[Anonymous No.6967673]

>>6965739
How many layers do you typically add to a base? How many layers were the most you've done on an object, and do you know anything about what adding even more layers does?

[Anonymous No.6967766]

>>6967673
>How many layers do you typically add to a base?
Let me try to answer this a bit differently. In the sample I posted, my friend did about 2-3 layers over heavy poster paper (I guess card stock? You can find these in dollar stores usually) and it's pretty strong width-wise. Length-wise, however, it takes a bit of force just to bend it, but it bounces back to its usual curve.

I think for the project I'm currently working on and future works will be typically 8 layers and more so it can take the sanding and still be sturdy. On a similar note, even if I'm just on my fifth application, there may be really up to 7 layers overlapping each other in some spots because of the shape of the base (the curvier the likelier this can happen) and the size of strips.

>How many layers were the most you've done on an object(?)
5 layers and counting! Pic related. The base is an exercise ball covered in plastic for easy release, and I used heavy poster paper for the bottom half, that's why you see that edge line around the "equator". The ears were a mix of cardboard and poster paper.

>do you know anything about what adding even more layers does?
Weight and strength for sure. I can't think of any other negative/positive factors...

[Anonymous No.6967983]

>>6967766
Thank you! I feel like such an ass for asking so much and then having to ask more. Even now I need to ask a little bit more, I'm sorry if I've become a bit of a bother.

I've been looking into more and more paper mache and I've seen that people add glue to their solutions. What are the positives/negatives to this?

Also, what do you think of fast mache? I was watching a video where they used fast mache and then sanded it down. Does this help? And can you still apply the primer, paint, etc etc afterward?

Once again, I'm sorry if I've become a bit of a bother, but it seems as though there's more intelligence on paper mache and armor making than most things I've seen elsewhere.

[Anonymous No.6968110]

>>6967983
It's not a problem! I actually keep an eye on this thread just in case for more questions or ideas. I just hope I won't lead you astray or something because I'm not as experienced as a lot of others are. It's beneficial for me to even look up more about these sort of things, too.

>glue
To me, it's unnecessary to use. Maybe if you want to glue down pieces sure, but to add to flour and water is not needed I think. My friend and I did a sample of glue and water paste and there are slight differences in appearance. It does feel a little plasticy and looks a bit shinier than the flour and water mix, but between the two samples, the glue and water mix is weaker than the flour mix. I remember it feeling a lot sticker on my hands when smoothing it out. I have an easier time washing my hands of flour and water VS. glue, flour, and water goop on my hands.

The basic con to this, as far as I know, is that glue cost money, and it seems like recipes call for a lot of glue.

I did read a tip that you can use 1:1 glue and water mix to cover your paper maché work to smooth out edges of the strips, but I haven't tried this myself to see if it works.

>fast maché
Seems like paper maché clay but pre-made and packaged! Looks like a nifty product, I can see it being applied to your paper maché work and then you let it dry to sand smooth after. It should be fine to prime and paint but research the product if you have Michaels around your location in case it doesn't take to certain paints well for some reason.

It's all good fellow anon! I'll add that I think it helps to make your works stronger if you alternate the direction of the strips. Maybe you do one layer horizontal, and then the next one is vertical. I have to do all of that and more for the head so it's strong all around. Also, try using other types of paper besides newspaper, especially tissue paper for smaller details because it's more finer.

[Anonymous No.6970029]

A bump before I continue paper machéing.

[Anonymous No.6970059]

>>6970029
Be sure to post progress pictures!

[Anonymous No.6970240]

>>6970059
Oh, uh sure but it's not quite armor, sorry if this bothers anyone.

I'm just working on the underside/bottom half since last night I only got to do the top half. Lately it's been cooler so the paper maché isn't drying as quick to do it twice in a day. I think I'll break out the hair dryer if I don't start early enough in the day so I can continue at night...

[Anonymous No.6970243]

>>6970240
Here's a fuller picture of the bottom side. I have the opening of the exercise ball pointed at the bottom so I can deflate it... Which I should have honestly tested this beforehand. It belongs to my sister, who let me use it for this, and she said it should deflate just fine but slow. I guess I'll see what happens when I'm done the paper maché, filler, and sanding...

[Anonymous No.6970244]

Hey, i've got a bit to add about the wallpaper paste option.

Unfortunately it was rushed as fuck and my dad wanted to help but he kind of ruined it..

Takes a bit longer to dry, but very solid and strong and you can keep the paste for later.
Obviously more expensive (a bag of about a litre of powder costs about $15 in australia) than the flour option, but at least you need not be concerned about rotting~!

[Anonymous No.6970267]

>>6970244
You can add salt to the flour to keep it from rotting. I did and the stuff I made held til I decided to get rid of the costume years later.

[Anonymous No.6970287]

Okay so this seems to be the best place to ask.

A friend and I are working on Ephraim's armor from FE Awakening and I was curious if the idea's in this thread would work for what I'm going for. And if not what would you guys recommend.

[Anonymous No.6970318]

Just saying all you fire emblem cosplayers are my heroes. I love you guys. Hope to become one someday when I suck less.

Sage for off topic.

[Anonymous No.6970339]

>>6970287
hmmmmmmmmmm
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

i'd use worbla because it'd be tonnes easier to achieve the same thing BUTTTTT i guess yeah

[Anonymous No.6970357]

>>6970287
I think it depends on what you can afford. Like what >>6970339 said, worbla/wonderflex/whatever would be somewhat easier to use but it's expensive. It is possible to make the pieces from paper maché, but it's an option if you don't have a huge budget and have lots of time, especially the latter. You have to work harder at getting a smoother finish with paper maché, though I don't know how the other mediums work.

[Anonymous No.6972029]

How much sweat and abuse can a papier-mâché piece me made to withstand?

[Anonymous No.6973227]

Just woke up from a dream where the exercise ball (my base) deflated but the head was perfect, nice and strong. I decided to return the ball in its usual form so I tried inflating it. It didn't work as there were apparently holes in it. I was too fixated on the ball to care about my prop head, ahhh.

Anyway, yesterday I got to use some Elmer's Wood Filler to cover parts of my head in, around the ears and that raised edge especially. Feels nice and hardy since I let it dry over night, so I'll sand it a bit smooth before applying more of the stuff. What I'm hoping is to add surface in some areas that are indented, and fill it with wood filler before I add more paper maché layers. So far the head is at 7 layers (up to 9 in some small places).

>>6972029
Are you planning on fighting in it or something? Haha I kid, but really depends on how many layers you make and how properly you make it. Rushing paper maché is going to end in disaster because you won't let the under layers dry, resulting in a weaker and moldy project.

[Anonymous No.6973263]

PEPA-FUCKING-KURA!!! Seriously, pep armor is pretty much the best way to go if youre just starting out and are on a budget. Once you get good at that, then you start expanding to bigger and better mediums. Thats what i did, and i can make some pretty damn good armor now. All you need material-wise is cardstock, hot glue, fiberglass resin, fiberglass matting, and bondo. My first cosplay was a halfway decent masterchief suit that i did completely from pepakura, it took me about 3 months and literally cost me less than $75. Look into it OP, also check out 405th.com, its a halo armor forum, they have a ton of really good information in the noob stickies. Good luck.

[Anonymous No.6974905]

bump!

[Mandark No.6974918]

>>6973263

I second this method when you're starting off and on a budget...buuuuuut I will point out unless the file you want exist you're basically screwed

[Anonymous No.6974939]

>>6973227
>Are you planning on fighting in it or something?
Yes, actually. I train in taekwondo, judo, and parkour and do fight scene choreography, and I was thinking about putting together a video at some point with me wearing an Amon/V crossover mask and doing cool stuff.

This mask:
>>6965017

[Anonymous No.6977679]

>>6974939
It should be fine, just make it well, at the very least 8 layers of paper maché, paint and seal. If you drop it or scratch it by accident, it can be fixed with a bit of wood filler, paint and seal again. If someone steps on it... Well, there can be dents but push them back the best you can and retouch it up.

[Anonymous No.6980076]

>>6977679
Thank you kindly, my Anonymous friend.

[Anonymous No.6984534]

does anyone have craft foam armour tutorials?

[Anonymous No.6984541]

>>6970287
I'm actually working on regular Eirika and Ephraim now. I found a tutorial for styrene and craft foam armor that looks okay, but I've never done anything like this before and am afraid it's way outside my capabilities. I don't want to look like crap, but...

[Anonymous No.6985394]

Any tips on vac-forming?

[Anonymous No.6985600]

I'm about to try craft foam for a small armor piece. There are a lot of tutorials online and while they aren't as nice a metal they look pretty nice if done well. And you can mess up since its cheap and just start over.

[Anonymous No.6985642]

>>6985600
it also cracks like a bitch once it's over 3 months old.