Foamcore and insulation aren't so much heavy as they are bulky and rigid. Touch-ups will happen with any costume (smart cosplayers always carry a repair kit!) and the damage incurred by my costume was due to improper fitting on my part. Ravyn's Perceptor fared far better.
It's usually easier on the costume and the maker to just leave the bottoms of the boots open so your own shoes touch the floor. Less damage to your costume and probably better traction.
Helmets can be made of many different things. For Xaaron, I got a skateboarding helmet as a base and while Ravyn did the building for me (I had events to work, bleh), the crown piece was foamcore and the outer shell part foamcore, part insulation foam. If I manage my fabric Xaaron, I'll probably go with a ball cap as a base for the helmet and trim down the bill as a support for the crown piece. The outer shell will be upholstery foam covered in fabric.
Note that both my Xaaron helmet and Ravyn's Perceptor helmet kept the face plates separate; it's much easier to don and doff that way, and you don't have to take off the entire helmet if you need a breather; you can just slip out the face plate. I plan to make the face plate for my fabric Xaaron out of Crayola Model Magic. It'll have to be sealed against moisture, but I can shape it to fit my face better, which will improve visibility over the foamcore face I used the first time 'round. I can also sculpt a more accurate face exterior that way.
I think Luna used Sculpey for some of the detailing on her Dinobot helmet, but my memory is really not the best. You should probably ask her about that, because her helmet (well, the whole costume really) was awesome.
Bulkhead's "shoe-tread" feet can probably be simulated with upholstery foam cut to shape with a little cardboard inserted for extra support/rigidity.
As for detailing/colour lines/etc. on larger expanses, if you're working with fabrics, you can probably cut the details out of a thin but suitable material and glue them on with fabric glue. (The stuff works, it really does.)
Honestly, it doesn't have to be perfect to work. My Xaaron costume? That was held together almost entirely with masking tape. Yes, masking tape. Tape, foam, and cardboard and it worked. I stressed out so much trying to get it made, but now that it's behind me, I have to say I was such a spazz. Have fun with it, learn as you go. It can only get better and easier with each successive effort. :)
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timeasmymeasure
Herein I ramble unnecessarily.
Date: 2009-01-09 07:48 pm (UTC)It's usually easier on the costume and the maker to just leave the bottoms of the boots open so your own shoes touch the floor. Less damage to your costume and probably better traction.
Helmets can be made of many different things. For Xaaron, I got a skateboarding helmet as a base and while Ravyn did the building for me (I had events to work, bleh), the crown piece was foamcore and the outer shell part foamcore, part insulation foam. If I manage my fabric Xaaron, I'll probably go with a ball cap as a base for the helmet and trim down the bill as a support for the crown piece. The outer shell will be upholstery foam covered in fabric.
Note that both my Xaaron helmet and Ravyn's Perceptor helmet kept the face plates separate; it's much easier to don and doff that way, and you don't have to take off the entire helmet if you need a breather; you can just slip out the face plate. I plan to make the face plate for my fabric Xaaron out of Crayola Model Magic. It'll have to be sealed against moisture, but I can shape it to fit my face better, which will improve visibility over the foamcore face I used the first time 'round. I can also sculpt a more accurate face exterior that way.
I think Luna used Sculpey for some of the detailing on her Dinobot helmet, but my memory is really not the best. You should probably ask her about that, because her helmet (well, the whole costume really) was awesome.
Bulkhead's "shoe-tread" feet can probably be simulated with upholstery foam cut to shape with a little cardboard inserted for extra support/rigidity.
As for detailing/colour lines/etc. on larger expanses, if you're working with fabrics, you can probably cut the details out of a thin but suitable material and glue them on with fabric glue. (The stuff works, it really does.)
Honestly, it doesn't have to be perfect to work. My Xaaron costume? That was held together almost entirely with masking tape. Yes, masking tape. Tape, foam, and cardboard and it worked. I stressed out so much trying to get it made, but now that it's behind me, I have to say I was such a spazz. Have fun with it, learn as you go. It can only get better and easier with each successive effort. :)