tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49505311577873758332024-02-08T12:51:39.030-08:00[ alchemical equations ]Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-6020265108425561272011-01-29T15:12:00.000-08:002011-03-26T15:15:52.406-07:00Using end stop crimps to shorten a zipper<span style="font-style:italic;">tutorial by Saeru</span><br /><br />Shortening a #30 zipper is easy and straightforward to do.<br /><br />For materials, I recommend:<br /><br />- a strong pair of sharp scissors (We use Cutco brand shears, but a much more affordable alternative is Erdi snips)<br />- a bottle of fray check (you can purchase this anywhere that sells craft supplies, even wal-mart. However, white glue will do in a pinch)<br />- 2 end crimps<br />- a pair of needle-nose pliers<br /><br /><br />To start with, always shorten a zipper from the top. This will allow you to keep the bottom stop or insert intact. Know exactly how long you want the zipper to be before you place it in your garment or project, and then measure up from the bottom of the zipper. Make a mark on both sides of the zipper tape at this point, then make certain the zipper slider and pull that you intend to use is on the zipper below where you intend to shorten<br /><br />Cut a straight, even line across the zipper tape, aiming between two zipper teeth. Repeat this process on the other side where you have made your mark. Before doing anything else at this point, moisten the end of the freshly cut zipper tape with fray check on both sides, then leave it to dry until it is hard and invisible. Trim any stray fibres for a clean edge.<br /><br />In the top-most gap of the zipper-teeth, place the end crimp and crimp it in place with the pair of pliers. Be certain to do this from both sides to ensure the crimp is secure. Repeat this process on the other side of the zipper teeth.<br /><br />Now your zipper is ready to go into a garment! <br /><br />*Please be careful when using end crimps, as they will only keep the slider from coming off the end of your zipper provided that it is not being yanked. If the slider is yanked too hard, it will slide through the crimps and off the end of the zipper. If this occurs, it can still be placed back onto the zipper manually.<br /><br />(Photos to be added later...)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-53601567716518647492011-01-26T17:16:00.000-08:002011-04-04T17:29:06.229-07:00(non-styled) base wig : S-22 Shaggy Wave with Long Bangs from Cosplay.comOne of the new(er) wigs from Cosplay.com - I got this a while ago, right after the original "Cosworx" line was discontinued. (Now they are "Cosplay.com Premium Wigs"...which is a mouthful.)<br />- This style doesn't have a name yet, so it is referred to as: "<span style="font-weight: bold;">S-22 Shaggy Wave with Long Bangs</span>" ...which is, again, another ridiculous mouthful that no one will remember. ^_^;<br />- This particular color is: "<span style="font-weight: bold;">Autumn Orange</span>"<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/5559656197/" title="Shaggy Wave Wig with Long Bangs - Autumn Orange by orgXIIIorg, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5221/5559656197_0361fcdd90_t.jpg" alt="Shaggy Wave Wig with Long Bangs - Autumn Orange" height="100" width="67" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/5560234974/" title="Shaggy Wave Wig with Long Bangs - Autumn Orange by orgXIIIorg, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5224/5560234974_ff8a18dae9_t.jpg" alt="Shaggy Wave Wig with Long Bangs - Autumn Orange" height="100" width="67" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/5560234532/" title="Shaggy Wave Wig with Long Bangs - Autumn Orange by orgXIIIorg, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5176/5560234532_8cecac1132_t.jpg" alt="Shaggy Wave Wig with Long Bangs - Autumn Orange" height="100" width="67" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/5559655821/" title="Shaggy Wave Wig with Long Bangs - Autumn Orange by orgXIIIorg, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5102/5559655821_121ae836c2_t.jpg" alt="Shaggy Wave Wig with Long Bangs - Autumn Orange" height="100" width="67" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/5560235338/" title="Shaggy Wave Wig with Long Bangs - Autumn Orange by orgXIIIorg, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5093/5560235338_469cbac67f_t.jpg" alt="Shaggy Wave Wig with Long Bangs - Autumn Orange" height="100" width="67" /></a><br /><br />This is one weird wig. Very pumpkin colored. It looks to be a combo of 3 incredibly similar shades, approximately: regular bright orange, golden auburn and butterscotch blonde = which makes the color seem as though it could be actual real hair that was dyed an intense color rather than a costume wig. However, like all heat-resistant wigs, it is very shiny.<br /><br />(If you are going for the flippy look, it does retain its waves very well when storing or when worn. The wig in these photos has been been worn for one full con day prior to the pictures, but it has not be cut, colored or otherwise styled from its initial out-of-the-bag look.)<br /><br />Also, here is shot of the top:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/5559699135/" title="Shaggy Wave Wig with Long Bangs in "Autumn Orange" by orgXIIIorg, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5025/5559699135_db65272cce_t.jpg" alt="Shaggy Wave Wig with Long Bangs in "Autumn Orange"" height="66" width="100" /></a><br /><br />...and a comparison of other common orange wig shades (from New Look):<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/5559700387/" title="comparison of orange-toned wigs by orgXIIIorg, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5065/5559700387_574ba36498_t.jpg" alt="comparison of orange-toned wigs" height="53" width="100" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-70380810910679215412009-12-30T02:15:00.000-08:002011-03-26T15:08:10.169-07:00new giant zips available (yellow for Taokaka from BlazBlue)With our most current batch of <a href="http://www.orgxiii.org/shop/zipper-shop/">giant zippers</a>, we've included some <a href="http://www.orgxiii.org/shop/shop/giant-30-zipper-taokaka/">yellow zips </a>this time around, too - due to the *very* highly requested color of yellow, for those constructing their own Taokaka cosplays.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/4216409564/" title="giant #30 gauge zippers = yellow by orgXIIIorg, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2692/4216409564_349d2493e9_m.jpg" alt="giant #30 gauge zippers = yellow" width="240" height="160" /></a><br /><br />The yellow zippers will, by default, include a matching yellow slider...but we also offer the option to swap it out for a light-orange goldenrod slider instead to best match her character design.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/4227374057/" title="giant #30 zippers = yellow or orange slider options for Taokaka costume use by orgXIIIorg, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2675/4227374057_9991b3370a_m.jpg" alt="giant #30 zippers = yellow or orange slider options for Taokaka costume use" width="240" height="160" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/4216409100/" title="giant #30 zippers = yellow zip with orange slider for Taokaka costume use by orgXIIIorg, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4003/4216409100_5fdb0339a8_m.jpg" alt="giant #30 zippers = yellow zip with orange slider for Taokaka costume use" width="240" height="160" /></a><br /><br />These zips are full-separating, in a jacket-style. And, just like our other over-sized #30 gauge zippers, feature zipped teeth at a full 1" wide.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/4215637851/" title="giant #30 zippers = yellow by orgXIIIorg, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2672/4215637851_cf183fc37a_m.jpg" alt="giant #30 zippers = yellow" width="240" height="160" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/4215637715/" title="giant #30 gauge zippers = yellow by orgXIIIorg, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2688/4215637715_47580a09c8_m.jpg" alt="giant #30 gauge zippers = yellow" width="240" height="160" /></a><br /><br />These guys are now available here in our specialty zipper shop <a href="http://www.orgxiii.org/shop/shop/giant-30-zipper-taokaka/">here</a>.<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-26593932517798206532009-08-27T11:47:00.001-07:002009-08-27T11:47:43.210-07:00Kairi from Kingdom Hearts II : 8-13 Cosplay Wig Commissions<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://youtube.com/v/1owrXDXDpgQ' name='movie'/><embed height='350' width='425' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://youtube.com/v/1owrXDXDpgQ'/></object></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-75116713815783186582009-07-24T05:45:00.000-07:002009-07-24T05:45:00.321-07:00(2nd) Reno from Final Fantasy VII : 8-13 Cosplay Wig CommissionsSpin around of the second styled Reno wig<br /><br /><div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><object height="350" width="425"><param value="http://youtube.com/v/wx_KUimTzUQ" name="movie"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://youtube.com/v/wx_KUimTzUQ" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><a style="left: 0px ! important; top: 0px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="kidismjftnvnfipulres visible ontop" href="http://youtube.com/v/wx_KUimTzUQ"></a><a style="left: 0px ! important; top: 0px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="kidismjftnvnfipulres visible ontop" href="http://youtube.com/v/wx_KUimTzUQ"></a><a style="left: 0px ! important; top: 0px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="kidismjftnvnfipulres visible" href="http://youtube.com/v/wx_KUimTzUQ"></a></p></div><br /><br /><a href="http://www.orgxiii.org/custom813shop.htm"><br />http://www.orgxiii.org/custom813shop.htm</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-28850887814500456012009-07-24T03:25:00.000-07:002010-03-29T01:33:05.162-07:00(2nd) Zexion from Kingdom Hearts II : 8-13 Cosplay Wig Commissions<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><object height="350" width="425"><param value="http://youtube.com/v/_HELaLDOIDA" name="movie"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://youtube.com/v/_HELaLDOIDA" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><a style="left: 0px ! important; top: 0px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="kidismjftnvnfipulres visible" href="http://youtube.com/v/_HELaLDOIDA"></a></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-23707230314850468152009-07-24T03:24:00.001-07:002011-03-26T15:21:17.174-07:00Saix from Kingdom Hearts : 8-13 Cosplay Wig Commission<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://youtube.com/v/cM4ByO03Mrs' name='movie'/><embed height='350' width='425' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://youtube.com/v/cM4ByO03Mrs'/></object></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-82165412823461712942009-07-24T03:23:00.001-07:002011-03-26T15:20:53.056-07:00(1st) Reno from FF7AC : 8-13 Cosplay Wig Commission<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://youtube.com/v/-cBDCdeuOPA' name='movie'/><embed height='350' width='425' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://youtube.com/v/-cBDCdeuOPA'/></object></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-38208571649028584002009-07-24T03:22:00.001-07:002011-03-26T15:21:32.090-07:00(1st) Zexion from Kingdom Hearts II : 8-13 Cosplay Wig Commissions<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://youtube.com/v/NKXClmQeVBo' name='movie'/><embed height='350' width='425' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://youtube.com/v/NKXClmQeVBo'/></object></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-84075991684928466612009-07-24T03:21:00.001-07:002011-03-26T15:22:01.293-07:00Roxas from Kingdom Hearts II : styled cosplay wigs from 8-13<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://youtube.com/v/LHWN-V5l7zE' name='movie'/><embed height='350' width='425' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://youtube.com/v/LHWN-V5l7zE'/></object></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-3531705711714996792009-02-05T03:50:00.001-08:002009-02-05T03:52:37.676-08:00Xaldin wig styling experiment #1<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><a style="left: 0px ! important; top: 0px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab visible" href="http://youtube.com/v/VmiOX8Nnpnw"></a><object height="350" width="425"><param value="http://youtube.com/v/VmiOX8Nnpnw" name="movie"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://youtube.com/v/VmiOX8Nnpnw" height="350" width="425"></embed></object></p><p>One of the beginning steps to making Xaldin's dreds. Since real dreads are made from wool, there really wasn't anyway to simulate that convincingly with another material. However, since -his- hair isn't realistic at all, other structural bits (various widths of either latex or foam tubing) were needed to convey the movement, loft and volume of his design.<br /><br />(The end product was many several individual hair pieces that overlapped and latched on to each other. The conclusion was that it was too heavy and slightly too complicated for normal costume usage due to the interior forms...so Saeru will be investigating further to improve...)</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-62300213477394885942009-01-22T00:38:00.001-08:002009-12-30T08:52:11.227-08:00giant zipper unzipping<center><p><object width="425" height="350"><param value="http://youtube.com/v/mGS0YSrdi2Q" name="movie"></object></p></center>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-76812094107560693682009-01-22T00:38:00.000-08:002009-08-22T15:14:46.021-07:00prototype GIANT zipper rezipped<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://youtube.com/v/CviGWUFx4iY' name='movie'/></object></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-29825865639396924562008-12-12T06:00:00.000-08:002008-12-12T06:01:53.130-08:00quick noteA note on the nature of this blog : we really only update it when people ask a specific question (and usually when it's been a repeat question at that, so we know the answer is of general public interest.) Don't pay any attention to the dates of the entries, and don't hesitate to ask us to clarify something or add something else new. ^_-Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-33255129102992255882008-12-12T05:26:00.000-08:002009-06-17T21:48:29.491-07:00working with the giant zippers<p>In particular, when making an Organization coat, we actually sew a "decorative" top stitch in the garment vinyl down the front opening before placing the zipper in. We then pin the zip in place (with as many pins as possible...the more pins, the less possibility for wobbly stitch lines), pushing pins horizontally only along the pre-stitched line, so as to avoid extra holes in the vinyl.<br /></p><p> Alternatively to pining, the entire zipper -can- be Liquid-Stitched bit by bit to each edge, WITH PRESSURE then applied to the top (a book placed overnight is more than sufficient - but Liquid Stitch needs to be pressed flat as it dries.) This is to keep the zipper even on both sides as the fabric adhesive sets. The bond, once set properly, is permanent but still flexible - however, to be extra safe, stitching once more over the previously only-decorative stitch is advisable - and because the zipper has already been securely flatly with the glue, the garment vinyl doesn't become puckered or wobbly. That last sewing stage is good security so the zipper can be yanked opened and closed often.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/3061847611/" title="custom Organization XIII cosplay coat (detail of zipper) by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3025/3061847611_04935db0b7_s.jpg" alt="custom Organization XIII cosplay coat (detail of zipper)" height="75" width="75" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/3062689550/" title="custom Organization XIII cosplay coat (detail of zipper) by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3002/3062689550_d3bc72451b_s.jpg" alt="custom Organization XIII cosplay coat (detail of zipper)" height="75" width="75" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/3085695969/" title="custom Organization XIII cosplay coats (close-up of zipper & chain) by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3244/3085695969_1e22c51f65_s.jpg" alt="custom Organization XIII cosplay coats (close-up of zipper & chain)" height="75" width="75" /></a></p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">When working with a zipper that has been hand-fused:</span> remember that the spliced zipper should <span style="font-weight: bold;">not</span> be unnecessarily zipped before or after being secured to the garment, and high-stress bending should be avoided. Spliced zips are for <span style="font-weight: bold;">occasional costume use only</span>, and we recommend only attaching to fabric that is at least medium thick and with a slight give (such as with SYFabric's garment vinyl or real leather.) Anything that is too tight or does not stretch enough perpendicularly to the zip may cause the teeth to split on the splice. In addition, be wary when making tight-fitting coats, and be various honest with your measurements, taking also into consideration of how you bend when sitting. Also, if you choose to machine-sew in a combined zipper, <span style="font-weight: bold;">do not sew</span> where the small triply-thick spliced area is (which would break a needle.)<br /></p>If the zipper tape (a.k.a. the strip of polyester fabric that the teeth are mounted on) needs to be cut down vertically slimmer to fit better in a seam -or- cut horizontally to take off some unneeded teeth, the raw edges always need to be Fray Checked or Fray Blocked (or zig-zag stitched / serged) to avoid quick unraveling of the fibers.<br /><p>For any zipper used only as a decorative trim in areas that won't ever be zipped, Liquid Stitch applied inside the hem seam is more than adequate, and top-stitching is not necessary.<br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/509967510/" title="Rikujacket-finish by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/197/509967510_2126963677_s.jpg" alt="Rikujacket-finish" height="75" width="75" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/2224680621/" title="giant zipper in Riku's jacket by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2280/2224680621_86711ac8fc_s.jpg" alt="giant zipper in Riku's jacket" height="75" width="75" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/509930021/" title="Sorajacket-finish by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/205/509930021_2390524ba1_s.jpg" alt="Sorajacket-finish" height="75" width="75" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">(And if you need to attach your zipper to something non-fabric, like rigid plastic, see the Anti-Sora shoes in the post below.)<br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-89580420477896010572008-12-12T05:15:00.000-08:002011-03-26T15:19:58.284-07:00giant zipper splicingNote = we no longer do this tech ourselves, but for anyone wanting to do this stage on their own, there are few ways to go about this, but the following procedure has given the most durable results. (Please keep in mind this is for the occasional costume use - this is not recommended for a lot of constant zipping activity.)<br /><p>First, we cut off the bottoms of the zips, right in between the last tooth and the end stop. We usually use a tool called Erdi Snips, but Cutco Shears also work great. Even regular scissors work as well (though with a little bit of gnawing.)</p><p></p><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/654548507/" title="Step one-Cutting ends by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1058/654548507_dafcb9c5e9_m.jpg" alt="Step one-Cutting ends" height="69" width="240" /></a></center><p>Fray Block is then applied to seal the raw edges; Fray-Check is also fine to use instead. This is a very important step, to make sure the threads don't unravel. (The below photo shows the right side segment in two pieces - please disregard...at this stage, both sides to be connected should remain in the zipped position.)<br /></p><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/3102583478/" title="sealing the zipper tape edges by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3149/3102583478_98dffc9a69_m.jpg" alt="sealing the zipper tape edges" height="180" width="240" /></a></center><p>Then, instead of just throwing away the ends, they actually will factor back into the connecting process. Since the thick polyester zipper tape has a thick grain to it, that means it has a great grip - especially if being stuck to itself. After cutting the bottoms of the now-useless endstop (which -does- get tossed), they are cut into the following funny tab-shape.<br /></p><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/654548561/" title="Step two-Cutting joins by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1175/654548561_f07376823b_m.jpg" alt="Step two-Cutting joins" height="180" width="240" /></a></center><br /><p>Fray Block / Check is also applied to the edges of the "join strips" so they don't unravel either.<br /></p><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/654548631/" title="Step three-Fray Block the joins by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1349/654548631_45c56bd9f2_m.jpg" alt="Step three-Fray Block the joins" height="180" width="240" /></a></center><br /><p>The unusual shape of the join strips is important because the little tab must fit in between two teeth perfectly to join the zippers - rather like floss on real teeth. The last teeth from both cut-up zips can be fed right into each other, with the join strip to be placed on top of them.<br /></p><p>We -used- to use Weld-it on the tabs here, but after doing this for a while, we have found that The Amazing Goop, though thicker, is much more effective and will have the splices be much more durable - though you'll need a small stick to get it in between the teeth of the zipper. After coating both the entire tab and the zipper tape where the tab will be placed (and letting them dry for five minutes) the pieces are then stuck together firmly. Forceps can hold the tabs down in between the teeth as it sets up overnight, though this isn't that necessary with Goop as it had been with Weld-it. This is repeated on the reverse side, directly underneath, making a little sandwich of zipper tape over the cut line.<br /></p><p></p><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/654548663/" title="Step four-Weld by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1171/654548663_45fa09f09c_t.jpg" alt="Step four-Weld" height="75" width="100" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/654548775/" title="Step five-Set by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1273/654548775_60387014f8_t.jpg" alt="Step five-Set" height="75" width="100" /></a><br /></center><br /><p>As you can see, it's hard to tell where the tabs are glued in, even when looking at the light grey zips for better contrast here. (This is, of course, ideal, though annoying for illustrative purposes.)<br /></p><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/2341462268/" title="spliced zips by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2196/2341462268_5e1b43ae4d_m.jpg" alt="spliced zips" height="180" width="240" /></a></center>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-34106329268631031782007-06-27T23:04:00.000-07:002009-02-26T02:34:27.009-08:00Kingdom Hearts : Organization XIII cosplay tutorialsSaeru has begun compiling every useful bit of research, patterning & supply locations for the construction of accurate Organization XIII costumes - including weapon, wigs and coat tutorials <a href="http://forums.cosplay.com/showthread.php?t=117394">here</a>.<br />(And, if you need help with the Organization coat, chains/beads, wigs or props (or the whole cosplay) we do accept <a href="http://www.orgxiii.org/commish_813FAQ.htm">commission</a> requests now.)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-47643611161045073532007-06-13T23:59:00.000-07:002007-11-24T21:00:40.211-08:00Armor Edging, Tech #1 & #1.5After the majority of an armor piece is assembled it is more than functional for costume use, but by adding a visual edge to it, non-metal armor can look more realistic, as most designs contain (or imply) a border to armor pieces.<br />Sometimes a flat airbrushed look is good for more sci-fi-inspired characters, but beyond just painting on a line along the edges to match a flat illustration, a piece can look even more significant with an actual dimensional edge. This also helps the ends of the chosen materials to be structurally sturdier, and gives a cleaner line and consistent edge width.<br /><br />The basic approach is to attach trim directly along the outer top perimeter of the piece. A slightly textured grain is usually best for disguising where the edges will intersect. Satin-y ribbon is not recommended, as it frays easily (and is hard to Fray-Check without discoloring - as I learned from working on my first <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/ensui/1510266467/">YURA</a>) plus photographs kinda strangely. An alternative to pricy ribbon by the yard is also to dig through flat-style yarns. One gets a lot more that way and sometimes there are more interesting options than what is in the normal trim section. I've personally also used shoelaces and Foamie strips. If something is the right width and thickness, it can always be hand-painted or dyed to be the correct color, in any case.<br /><br /><center><table bgcolor="#e7edcd" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="7"><tbody><tr><td><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/1527631353/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2396/1527631353_4974021362_m.jpg" alt="253612" height="240" width="204" /></a><br />The basic look of "flat ribbon along an edge" tech is shown here in the armor for my second YURA outfit. To get around having to match up all the corners, I actually cheated in this case and cut the exact outline shape out of stretch vinyl, like a big wobbly O-like shape. If just ribbon had been used here, many individual pieces would have had to be matched at the corners. Since I was replicating a costume that does physically exist (and his real costume doesn't seem to have trim splice-lines) I had to opt for this more complicated method.</center></td></tr></tbody></table></center><br /><br />To go a step further, to simulate a formed metal piece, fabric piping can be attached along on the -inside- edge of the armor piece, to give a rounded "lip" to the ends, where the curve extends over the edge from underneath, outlining the armor. Piping applied this way can be bent at the corners in a more believable way than a top-layer ribbon can be. It can also be sandwiched in the middle of intersecting planes for rounded corners.<br /><br /><center><table bgcolor="#dae5ad" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="7"><tbody><tr><td><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/1510960582/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2083/1510960582_60654f2319_m.jpg" alt="P5090110" height="240" width="179" /></a><br />Thick piping here makes up all the gold lines on the edge of the plates.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/1528500376/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2052/1528500376_cdb146e3b3.jpg" alt="301017" height="500" width="321" /></a><br />& all the piping here is the exact same stuff as above, just painted blue. Instead of just sitting on the top surface, it fully covers the side edge of each piece and is wrapped around to the back underside.<br /></center></td></tr></tbody></table></center><br /><br />Small gauge piping can be found packaged in the notions section of the fabric store - however, most times, I tend to want a much wider curve than prepackaged piping allots for, such as for Nightmare. Pre-made, uncolored thicker piping can sometimes be found with the drapery-making supplies, but recently I've not been able to locate any. Luckily, it can easily be replicated by hand, by sewing a casing of cotton strip with rope on the inside to give it its shape.<br /><br /><center><table bgcolor="#e7edcd" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="7"><tbody><tr><td><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/430069366/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/168/430069366_c1999098ed_m.jpg" alt="P5290402" height="240" width="180" /></a><br />Albel's gauntlet was a combination of no edge, a painted edge, a flat trim edge and a rounded piping edge. The piping here has been painted gold and glossed to match the shiny look of the rest of the armor.</center></td></tr></tbody></table></center><br /><br />For more complicated designs, a more textured cord or a braided rope can be substituted for extra ornate-ness. These can be found in the home-dec supplies, usually sold by the yard.<br /><br /><center><table bgcolor="#dae5ad" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="7"><tbody><tr><td><center><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/384996085/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/138/384996085_dce40e1ec0_t.jpg" alt="DSCF1857" height="75" width="100" /></a><br />The mouth of the creature's face on Albel's shoulder armor uses a twisted cord, to add an extra highlight to that detail.<br /></center></td></tr></tbody></table></center>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-18000210628344494692007-06-10T21:27:00.000-07:002008-04-03T22:25:48.878-07:00Anti - Form Sora Shoes (by Saeru)Sora's shoes started out as a dream I thought would never happen. In my little world of cosplay, shoes were ALWAYS bought, and then modified. Shoes were not something that one constructed...<br /><br />Unfortunately, Sora's shoes do not exist. This is probably a good thing, because there would be many more cases of people injuring themselves after tripping over their own huge feet.<br />Personally, I didn't want to end up in the hospital.<br /><br />Ever gone scuba diving? Snorkeling? Maybe just played in the backyard pool as a kid?<br />How about those fins.<br />You know, the kind that make your feet look like funny frog legs. As soon as you get out of water, you're stuck with these huge pieces of plastic and no hope of walking around without them curling up and trying to make you fall flat on your face.<br />This became the first Sora dilemma.<br /><br />Remember how I said that purchasing that action figure was one of the best moves I could have made? Here is reason number 2: Valor's feet have this awesome little pivot built into them. It allows you to stand him, easily, on pretty much any angled surface. They're also extremely pleasant to just play with.<br />This concept ended up saving my Sora shoes, as I decided that I, too, would build them with a pivot. In this manner I was able to walk, run, crouch, squat, and slink about without having to worry about my thin plastic clown shoes busting or the zipper seams popping out.<br /><br />So here is what I did!<br /><br />I bought a pair of clown shoes. Thankfully this was easy at the time that I began, because it was Halloween. I walked into a costume store, and picked up a pair for 2 dollars. Thinking this was swell, I grabbed another pair for later use. >.> Upon getting home I realized that a pair of clown shoes were, as I suspected, extremely difficult to walk in, so I cut off the back half, leaving just the front 'hump' of the shoe. However, the front hump was too WIDE to fit snuggly over my foot, so I cut it in half again, across the center. Sora's zipper was going to need to go there, anyhow. Thus, in the end, I had two bisected pieces of clown shoe to make the front.<br /><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/189/504071036_620be443e1.jpg" /><br />Initial Shoe Test<br /><br />It was time to move onward! The base shoes that I chose were a pair of No Boundaries Converses, available at Wal-Mart for about 10 dollars. The clown hump fit over the front of them nicely, and they were a good shape. Plus they were comfortable! Which makes them one of the few pairs of cosplay shoes I actually don't mind wearing. ^.^ To attach the clowns onto the converses, I drilled a hole through the sides just big enough to fit a Chicago screw.<br /><br />Lemme talk for a moment about Chicago screws. They're not called Chicago screws here, because I'm in Chicago. Here, I believe they call them screw posts.<br /><a href="http://www.screwpost.com/">Screw Posts</a><br />These are the most wonderful little screws known to man. They've ended up having uses in almost every costume I've ever made, even when I didn't expect to be using them at all. They come in a variety of sizes, and, unlike the normal nut/bolt combination, you get a flat head on both sides of whatever you're screwing together(which is great for comfort purposes, especially on the inside of a shoe). These can be purchased easily at any hardware store.<br /><br />Screw posts were used as my pivot, and held my shoes together.<br /><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/209/504071042_dd02fd4b3e.jpg" /><br />Screwed Shoes<br /><br />Having now the basic elements of my shoe, it was time to make its covering. Sora's shoes have an unusual shape to them, being something like high-tops but looking more like cloth. The color irritated me, however, since it was the same shimmery purple that was present in all the edging on my outfit: the stuff that I had used stretch velvet on. Purple stretch velvet was NOT going to make a nice, smooth shoe cover, so I tried a little something new. I liquid-stitched the velvet onto black 3mm foamies, and then trimmed it down to the exact shape it was supposed to be in.<br /><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/210/504071048_84ef1a8d06.jpg" /><br />Sewn Foamies and Liquid-stitched velvet...<br /><br />Liquid stitch is a fabric glue that comes HIGHLY recommended by me.<br /><a href="http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.jsp?CATID=cat2864&PRODID=prd49254&source=search">Liquid Stitch!</a><br />You can buy it at wal-mart, or at a local craft store. As I found out, it is also very good for attatching fabric onto foamies. Be careful, as if you apply it too thickly behind a thin fabric, it WILL seep through. But if you spread a thin layer, then it adheres just lovely.<br />For best results with liquid-stitch, allow it to dry overnight.<br /><br />So now I had a basic shoe pattern and back, but I wanted to do something a little more--adding treads.<br /><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/227/504071046_b7fcc64c3f.jpg" /><br />Backpattern and Treads<br /><br />This ended up being a rather complicated process overall, as I cut the treads out of 6mm foam(foamies could be used, although we had a different kind lying around), and still needed to apply some sort of coating to alleviate the 'foam' look. What I ended up doing was coating the treads in about 5 layers of 'Plasticoat,' which is a spray rubber available at Lowes. Its the same sort of stuff that people use to rubberize their truck beds, and it helped seal and protect my shoe treads. Following this, I sprayed them with my purples to give them a gradient.<br /><br />I used gradients as much as possible on Sora, since he's got such a shifty color scheme. It ended up giving a lot of depth to otherwise flat places, especially on the shoe zipper. Here are my shoes at this stage, with the back cover attached and the clown part in place:<br /><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/214/504079508_28575cafa6.jpg" /><br />Shoe Progress...<br /><br />The zipper is not yet attached to the shoe, making that the next step in my process.<br /><br />These zippers were wonderful things in making Sora. Originally I had intended to use a #10 black plastic biker's zipper, but when I tested the shoe with that, the zipper completely disappeared when one stepped a foot or two away. I needed something larger, so I took one of the #30 zippers we had lying around, cut it in half, sprayed it in a gradient, and saw that it worked AMAZINGLY better. Even nicer was that the cloth tape didn't take the spray-paint, but the plastic zipper did, so the tape remained black on my now purple zipper. ^.^ These can be purchased from the following site, and, as far as I can tell, can only be purchased from here(unless you wanna spend 600 dollars on #30 zipper chain):<br /><a href="http://orgxiii.org/zippers">Giant #30 Kingdom Hearts Zippers!</a><br /><br />But how to attach the zippers to the clown shoe? I was not about to trust ANY sort of glue to adhere a heavy zipper tape onto a plastic, spray-painted clown shoe. I considered stapling, but found it impossible to get at the right angle to do so. Thus a crazy idea was born: I would hand sew the zippers to the shoe.<br /><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/227/504079512_efa34ea946.jpg" /><br />Holes<br /><br />96 tiny holes later, I began the process.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/504079514/" title="Shoe7-attach by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/223/504079514_b3742c4510_m.jpg" alt="Shoe7-attach" height="180" width="240" /></a><br />Getting close...<br /><br />With the zipper on and the clown shoe attached, my shoe was starting to look good! I made a tongue out of more black foamies, and then retrieved my treads for the long gluing process.<br /><br />I examined several pairs of shoes that were lying around, and noticed that there was a nice bead seam between the treads and the shoes. To duplicate this seam, I grabbed up some piping, painted it black, and attached it to the treads.<br /><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/221/504079516_0ea902fe2b.jpg" /><br />Gluing<br /><br />The glue I used at this point was called Contact Cement, supposedly a good glue for adhering cloth to plastic/rubber. This glue was functional, although it did start to come off after several hours of wearing my Sora shoes around. I would suggest something stronger, and I will probably be using a 2-ton epoxy when I re-do my shoes. One thing to note is that powerful glues tend to dissolve spraypaint, so be cautious when gluing that you don't drip it ANYWHERE.<br />Contact cement, also, adheres on contact(hence the name), so I had to be EXTREMELY careful when I attached the soles to get the placement right on the first go. This took a few 'placement' runs, before I actually put the glue on. But it seemed to go well!<br /><img src="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/504079518/" /><br />Shoe Tread<br /><br />The only thing I had left to do was attach Sora's straps onto the bottoms of his shoes. The initial step for this had to be done BEFORE I put on the treads, since his straps disappear beneath them. In the beginning, I had wanted to use the same black material for straps that I had used in the rest of the outfit, but I realized that would require me attatching velcro to the straps so I could get my feet in and out of the shoes. It would also require extremely exact placement of his shoe-buckles, which un-nerved me quite a bit. To alleviate this problem, I went with a nice stretchy elastic strap on his shoes, which allowed me to put my feet in without ever even removing the straps.<br /><img src="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/504079522/" /><br />Almost There!<br /><br />At this point, the shoe is pretty much done. The only additional step that I did was to add a nib in the front, and put some trim on the edge of the zipper to cover up the thread from where I sewed it on. Voila! A Sora shoe. ^.^Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-1621654705904277922007-06-07T21:03:00.000-07:002009-04-13T15:21:10.793-07:00"What is your armor made out of?"The answer varies slightly for each project...<br /><br />I have used small portions of 3mm to 6mm Foamies (and other similar closed-cell craft foam) and Styrene sheeting such as Sintra (which Saeru uses much more than I do) from time to time in detail areas, but the majority of my armor has been based from the stunningly wonderful "<a href="http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm/terms/4334">Mystery Foam</a>" that I discovered by fluke from <a href="http://www.sciplus.com/">American Science & Surplus</a>.<br /><br /><center><span style="font-size:85%;">Some of examples with it in use (in some cases with other materials)</span><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/1528500376/" title="301017 by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2052/1528500376_cdb146e3b3_t.jpg" alt="301017" height="100" width="64" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/430069366/" title="P5290402 by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/168/430069366_c1999098ed_t.jpg" alt="P5290402" height="100" width="75" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/1510103107/" title="PC040260a by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2296/1510103107_357fb16a5a_t.jpg" alt="PC040260a" height="100" width="87" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/2062104554/" title="254022 by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2091/2062104554_61143b4089_t.jpg" alt="254022" height="100" width="75" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/2061315971/" title="243741 by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2169/2061315971_fdc305dd6e_t.jpg" alt="243741" height="100" width="75" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/1510107479/" title="P6050053 by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2406/1510107479_9c3d8bae49_t.jpg" alt="P6050053" height="100" width="75" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/1527631353/" title="253612 by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2396/1527631353_4974021362_t.jpg" alt="253612" height="100" width="85" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/2061316113/" title="243281 by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2260/2061316113_2029562bda_t.jpg" alt="243281" height="100" width="57" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/116676052/" title="new wings in progress by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/54/116676052_bddb1837e7_t.jpg" alt="new wings in progress" height="75" width="100" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/2061316033/" title="243284 by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2309/2061316033_38aabbf7aa_t.jpg" alt="243284" height="75" width="100" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/1510962976/" title="PC040257 by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2183/1510962976_b0ab747e04_t.jpg" alt="PC040257" height="75" width="100" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/1582555745/" title="DSCF3491 by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2379/1582555745_bdb82db76b_t.jpg" alt="DSCF3491" height="75" width="100" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/2184191599/" title="3931 - Kingdom Hearts 2 - Riku's keyblade by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2414/2184191599_ee37d870a5_t.jpg" alt="3931 - Kingdom Hearts 2 - Riku's keyblade" height="75" width="100" /></a><br /></center><br /><br />Now, the website claims that it is "Insulite" - which it is <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span>, as it does not share all the properties of real Insulite of which I have procured a sample from the manufacturer to compare. I've been trying to get AS&S to figure out what it -really- is for -years- but nobody really knows. Anyway...<br /><br />Why I like this stuff:<br /><ul><li>It is easily cut with normal tools (scissors, razors, etc. Hot wire cutters not needed)</li><li>It is extremely lightweight and actually soft - which is great to wear and transport, but being thicker than styrene sheeting makes it more significantly-weighted-<span style="font-style: italic;">looking</span>. (Most of the time, this is desirable as it doesn't look like a piece of cardboard. For really delicate joint areas, I still recommend swapping in some thinner hard plastic sheeting like Styrene.)<br /></li><li>It can be bent, curved and heat-formed in all ways that Styrene can.</li><li>The corners can be sanded-down and rounded somewhat with a rotary tool.<br /></li><li>Unlike Styrene which needs rivets, staples &/or fume-y epoxies or plastic cements, you can validly use <span style="font-style: italic;">hot glue<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></span>for a <span style="font-weight: bold;">permanent</span> connection. Instead of just -adhering- the pieces of foam together, high temperature hot glue will actually slightly melt and fuse the edges of the foam to each other.<br /></li><li>It does have -texture- which admittedly isn't great for sci-fi fiberglassy-smooth mecha-stuff, but as I'm always simulating stone or bio-masses or weathered beat-up metals, having a starting texture saves me a few steps. It does -not- have that terrible duct-tape-looking mesh weave that you find on Wonderflex, and only requires thick coatings of paint &/or gloss if you are looking for a smoother effect. If you are looking for a -very- smooth texture, Foamies aren't a bad way to go - the thicker Foamies just don't come in very big continual sheets, is all.<br /></li><li>The foam does not like spray-paint very much, but that's okay, because I don't either. XD (Spray-paint, even good Krylon, will flake off pretty rapidly. Spray-paint will not, however, eat-away at this foam as tends to happen with open-celled Styrofoam.) Good medium to high-viscosity acrylic (such as Liquitex) will however adhere wonderfully if you're willing to hand-paint it - the plastics meld together and everything remains flexible so it cannot crack off. And! after painting is complete, the paint-job can be protected and made metal-looking with Liquitex "Gloss Varnish <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Flexible</span> Surface."<br /></li></ul><br /><br />This foam is also very very cheap for what can be gotten out of it. If you do not happen to live near Milwaukee, Chicago or Geneva, you can actually buy some of this miraculous <a href="http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm/terms/4334">foam</a> from the online selection, but it will be the smaller sheets than what can be found in the stores.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(By the way, if anyone can help me identify what my foam truly is, I'd love to know cuz I want to have a back-up in case AS&S ever stops handling it.)<br /><br />* New * We have a lead that this might be similar to "Lionboard" so I will try to find a sample to compare the two.<br /><br />* Newest * AS&S no longer carries large pieces of the foam in the stores (just the smaller thicker olive-colored sheets)...however, a blue-colored version of this foam has been spotted in the camping section of Wal-mart marked as a sleeping pad.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-39312808639559987322007-05-30T14:49:00.000-07:002008-09-21T06:39:33.123-07:00Organization XIII seamsShown here is the chest seam from the start of my Xigbar coat. The double-seam could have been much more easily top-stitched on a single pattern piece, rather than connecting three for the same area, but top-stitching was not very noticable in this case, nor is it as accurate to the designs (as the in-game rendered models have a visible raised piping.) Another concern was that when sewing on the top-side of this vinyl, the pressure foot &/or the needle itself has a tendency to slightly mark up the surface of the fabric.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/508478093/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/212/508478093_718b928a6b_m.jpg" alt="2301 - ORG13 coat patterning" height="180" width="240" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/508478091/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/204/508478091_da4444c0c4_m.jpg" alt="2300 - ORG13 coat patterning" height="180" width="240" /></a><br /><br />There will be more on this eventually...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-89769996450225630832007-04-22T10:41:00.000-07:002009-04-26T22:35:10.728-07:00Detailing Secret<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/1907165988/" title="Soul Calibur II - Nightmare cosplay by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2104/1907165988_548af0f01e_m.jpg" alt="Soul Calibur II - Nightmare cosplay" align="left" height="180" hspace="15" width="240" /></a> One of the most often asked questions about the Nightmare costume has been a surprise - how I pulled off the gold detailing on the helm visor and breastplate...and the answer is kinda silly: it's just a bunch of cut-up stickers. The particular brand I used is called "Class A'Peels" and they have a pretty extensive line of metallic finely die-cut decals - although if you check out any scrapbooking and paper crafts supply source, you can probably find even more.<br /><br />The areas that I applied the stickers are made of Foamies (rather than the textured foam I used on most elsewhere) because they were flat and smooth enough to allow stickers to adhere to them. After painting the Foamies by hand to visually match the texture of the rest of the armor, I started placing them on and over each other, like making a mosaic - sorta intensive placement, but a very straight-forward task of just matching the swirls up. I honestly just eyeballed it all as I overlapped the stickers to recreate the shape of the actual filigree from the game model. After pressing them all into place, I also coated them in clear acrylic varnish decoupage-style so they would stay put.<br /><br /><CENTER><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/1510960582/" title="P5090110 by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2083/1510960582_60654f2319_m.jpg" alt="P5090110" height="240" width="179" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/384995815/" title="DSCF1856 by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/137/384995815_45f5c91ecd_m.jpg" alt="DSCF1856" height="180" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/2061315971/" title="243741 by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2169/2061315971_fdc305dd6e_m.jpg" alt="243741" height="240" width="180" /></a></CENTER>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-80887262263616610812007-04-19T17:34:00.000-07:002007-05-30T14:48:28.715-07:00Successful Wig Straigthening LogSupposedly, only human-hair wigs are meant to be heat-styled, at risk of melting, frizzing or nuking. I found this to be true of cheaper costume wigs, and many normal "high-quality" European wigs.<br />However, every single wig we've experimented on containing Toyokalon (and comparable Japanese fibers) has held up and taken heat-straightening restyling without any damage to the strands. In order to get the results, I use a regular human-hair ceramic flat iron on setting 1 and clamp down briefly, repeatedly overlapping the heated areas.<br /><br /><TABLE CELLSPACING="7" CELLPADDING="1" BGCOLOR="#dae5ad"><TR><TD><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/194452894/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/68/194452894_0816f1ba47_m.jpg" width="160" height="240" alt="DSCF1391" /></a></TD><TD> This black wig came with the long back strands perfectly straight already, but for some reason, the mid-length sections were curled inward originally. The editing is shown in the right of the picture.<br /><TD></TR></TABLE><TABLE CELLSPACING="7" CELLPADDING="1" BGCOLOR="#e7edcd"><TR><TD><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/194452896/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/65/194452896_e1aed7c360_m.jpg" width="160" height="240" alt="DSCF1393" /></a></TD><TD> Here's a more extreme example. The side bangs here were originally as tightly curled as the back of the wig.<br /></TD></TR><TR><TD COLSPAN="2"><CENTER><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/194452898/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/59/194452898_d5ede25839_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="DSCF1395" /></a></CENTER></TD></TR></TABLE><TABLE CELLSPACING="7" CELLPADDING="1" BGCOLOR="#dae5ad"><TR><TD><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/513784099/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/197/513784099_154b5eb263_m.jpg" width="160" height="240" alt="DSCF2231" /></a></TD><TD> This is the wig I mutilated for Riku. (The original state is shown below.) Amongst other adjustments, straightening out the waves worked out well, and I still had a thick wig with good lift to spike the right way.<br /></TD></TR><TR><TD COLSPAN="2"><CENTER><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/513784089/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/191/513784089_7f707e82b3_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" alt="DSCF1843" /></a></CENTER></TD></TR></TABLE>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-59126276034779110222007-04-18T23:04:00.000-07:002009-04-26T22:28:35.264-07:00Forming Albel's arm & claw armorThe base of the shoulder pieces were first shaped by applying Rigid Wrap (plaster gauze) in a negative mold (in this case, the inside of a rounded light casing) - this allowed a lightweight shell that could be easily smoothed with just water after air-drying. If the gauze strips had been applied to the outside, it would have appeared rough and layered (this is the stuff they use for making real casts for broken bones, etc.) but by using the inside of the shape to be molded, it is smooth.<br />The semi-brittle shell was then backed on the inside with multiple layers felt and hot glue...which rendered it nearly indestructible, as it was dropped-kicked down a flight of stairs with no damage.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/430069354/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/147/430069354_f28363170e_m.jpg" alt="P1040142" height="180" width="240" /></a><br /><br />After completely drying and popping it out of the mold, the edges were trimmed and metallic silver and three shades of grey acrylic paint were dry-brushed on the armor and then finally coated in flexible acrylic gloss varnish. It had to be dry-brushed because if you get plaster wet after it is "dry" it will, of course, start running again. The paint and varnish should take care of that problem and seal it.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/430069361/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/183/430069361_0a5756268e_m.jpg" alt="P5290400" height="180" width="240" /></a><br /><br /><br />By the way, the top of the shoulder piece include a foam pad + velcro, which wraps underneath the top shoulder-seam of the shirt and actually connects to the underside of the neck manacle. This makes the connection very stable when moving, plus comfortable and pretty hidden. Normally, I'd attach shoulder armor via other armor pieces (either with lacing, glue or magnents, depending on the mobility needed) - but Albel's silly and doesn't have extra armor or strapping or even sleeves. >XD<br /><br />All of the rest of the arm armor segments are permanently closed tube segments (made of the "Magical Foam") and simply slip up onto my arm like a bracelet, and the claws are like tubular rings that slip on last over the glove. The top neck guard piece on the shoulder also was a slice of this slightly curved thermoformed foam, hot-glued into its slot.<br /><br /><br />Specific products used :<br />- <a href="http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm?terms=4334" target="_blank">thermoform foam</a><br />- <a href="http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm?terms=11523" target="_blank">heat gun (to mold the above)</a><br />- <a href="http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm?terms=956">Rigid Wrap</a><br />- <a href="http://www.liquitex.com/Products/products.cfm">Liquitex</a> medium viscosity acrylic paint and flexible varnishUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950531157787375833.post-26423727922769060382007-01-22T08:42:00.000-08:002008-09-21T06:53:23.936-07:00How Nightmare's back was made<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/2756162471/" title="Nightmare's spine by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3177/2756162471_3de421c88c_m.jpg" alt="Nightmare's spine" align="left" height="240" hspace="15" width="180" /></a> The base of the back is moreorless a strapped-on turtleshell-like cushion attached over my shoulders, around my neck and belted across my stomach with velcro-strapping - all which is eventually hidden underneath the breastplate. This is one of the very first pieces I put on when getting into Nightmare. (It's vaguely like how Saeru's wing harnesses operate with multiple areas of support, although mush more lightweight since it doesn't need to hold up anything.) The base back "pack" is simply constructed with thick felt, and it is stuffed with an interior of batting to simulate bulkier shoulder blades.<br /><br />Then, I paper-mached directly onto and over that first fabric layer. What you end up with is a hard, lightweight and textured clump that you can still cut up or add on to adjust the shape. You don't even need the fabric underneath for stability (Nightmare's shoulder, mutated arm and the majority of Soul Edge are just paper and glue alone) but I just wanted something a bit softer as a base since it would be pressed up against my actual back. In this case, I used a dark blue crepe paper to give a nice "under-painting"-like depth so it didn't turn out flat and cheesy-looking when I painted it.<br /><br /><center><table bgcolor="#dae5ad" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="7"><tbody><tr><td><center><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/2341499518/" title="texturing 2 by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3248/2341499518_b1e5e6c0de_t.jpg" alt="texturing 2" height="75" width="100" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/2341499520/" title="texturing 3 by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2108/2341499520_5bbc3bb986_t.jpg" alt="texturing 3" height="75" width="100" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensui/2341499522/" title="end texture by U-E, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3241/2341499522_0ae32b97d7_t.jpg" alt="end texture" height="75" width="100" /></a><br />(These shots are actually from a different smaller-sized project, but this is an example of what paper-mache looks like when it's drying. With the above, I used the heat gun to cause the glue to dry and contract at different rates making more blobs and craters. In the case of Nightmare's back, I let the crepe paper dry on its own, which gave a much more lined sinew-y look.)<br /></center></td></tr></tbody></table></center><br />As far as the skeletal portion goes, I had the unfair advantage of working at a weird shop that sells all bits of surplus items that were designed for other purposes: thus the spine is actually made out of many tiny resin kneecaps that were originally meant to be installed into miniature skeleton models...we think. (The really nice thing in this case was that the little bones were already jointed, so my tail even swings realistically.) If I hadn't come across this totally random perfect find, I suppose I would have had to locate some plastic Halloween bone decorations to modify or even cast a completely original spine. But this saved me some time, and the mini-kneecaps were overlapped spine-like and attached to each other via epoxy to the now-dried paper-covered back. Once they were on, I used hot glue as a texture over everything, adding extra muscles and veins, and then hand-painted it all.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0