TFP arcee, "oh, scrap."

[keyismykitty]

I wasn't sure if I was allowed to make two in progress threads or not, but I saw that a few other people had two up at once, so I figured I'd get this up here. (If I'm not allowed, someone delete this or kick it to the storage thread plzkthx)



Anyway. With Cliff nearing completion and my inability to finish anything without moving on to the next project (no worries; Cliff's still in progress, just currently taking a bit of a break), I present a rig that will be entirely my own: Prime Arcee, to go with Cliff. And if anyone's paying attention to my signature, G1 Starscream right after (read: during) that. Because apparently when the good ideas train rolled around, I said "no thanks, I'll pass".

Starting date: June 23
Deadline: Halloween 2012
Budget: eh.
Materials so far: $40
Percent complete: 1%

designs











I'm gonna be honest, this is probably gonna take me, like, two weeks, if I work as fast as I did with Cliff.

[keyismykitty]

helm

...

[keyismykitty]

arms

...

[keyismykitty]

torso

update

Okay, so, here's what I've decided to do. I'm gonna make the torso as follows:
black undersuit to account for the neck
fabric over foam for the armor (naturally)
and corset for the abdomen

I noticed that Arcee's abdomen is a shade darker than her silver parts, and originally, I was gonna make the corset out of the same material as the silver parts, but then I was like...nah. So. Corset's made of steel. (Not literally. The color is called steel. >.>)

However, this left me with a dilemma. I don't want this spandex rubbing up against my undersuit, because it'll either squeak or slip. After much deliberation, I decided to make a liner from a light blue jersey cotton, that way it matches the armor, but doesn't look like the armor on the off chance someone sees it. (It's just not supposed to.)



Went outside to work, 'cause it was a lovely day. Here's half of the corset, just the parts all cut out.



Had to sew it all by hand, because I lack a machine, and the machine scares me anyway. I keep getting bit. D: I'm bad at doing this by hand, though. XD



Finished the liner, though, and hey, it doesn't look that bad. Probs gonna have to go through and add a few more stitches to take it in a little bit more, because I don't think it's gonna be quite tight enough. /headdesk



I'm getting better at this. X3



Aside from looking vastly unimpressed, I nearly finished...well, nothing, actually. But it was right about this point in time I realized "dear lord. I'm going to own a spandex corset. What have I become." XD

update

Diaper, ta-da. Here's the front:



And here's the back:



Also, I finished (...eh) the...uh...boob armor, and omg it took forever. I was trying to make it out of four separate pieces, which kept giving me stupid looking Madonna boobs, they had these exaggerated points (which my brothers rightly mocked. >.>) , but after talking it over with shiro, I realized that one piece with four darts would work better.



I believe this: http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9teqyjJ...6gk4zo1_400.png was my reaction upon finishing this part.



And it fits! WOOT. Now to cut out the foam sheets and cover them in vinyl.

[keyismykitty]

legs

...

[keyismykitty]

extra stuff/con photos

...

[Pilot]

Nah, you're totally allowed to have as many WIPs as you want. Just remember that if they're inactive for a while, though, they'll wind up in Storage.

[keyismykitty]

Sweet. I'm in the process of finding my SD card (because I lost it...again DX) but I've got plenty of pictures for both rigs coming up.

[keyismykitty]

Okay. So. Ordering fabric, and I'm having a bit of a dilemma.

I can't decide if I want to use metallic spandex, the same material I used for Cliffjumper, or stretch vinyl. Since we're going as a pair, I kind of want to match, but on the other hand, I /really/ like the look of the stretch vinyl. So...do I want this?

http://www.syfabrics.com/View.aspx/Fetish-...h-Vinyl/584/225

Or this?

http://www.syfabrics.com/View.aspx/Metalli...pandex/2020/322

And, if I go with the stretch vinyl, would a traditional spandex undersuit work? I mean, I know in most mechs, it would, but considering that I'm gonna have huge parts of my legs exposed, should the undersuit match the armor? If so, how do I explain this:

http://www.milanoo.com/Black-Shiny-Metalli...suit-p4209.html

arriving in the mail at my father's house? XD I'm not worried about parts rubbing together and squeaking, I know how to take care of that (liberal application of corn starch)...but, I mean, is all that vinyl a little much?

Anyway, I'm leaning towards the vinyl, because part of the design involves a corset, and I want to be able to use the corset for other costumes, and I feel the vinyl would look a bit better than spandex. (And yes, I know, both vinyl and spandex make a near useless corset. XD It's for looks, not functionality.)

So...thoughts?

[keyismykitty]

Well, nevermind that last post, decision's been made.

Also, updated the torso~

[aniayka]

Ooooh, such a detailed pics of the armor.

Your costume will be impresive

Good Luck!

[AutobotDen]

GMTA... I'll be donning a corset for one of my costumes too... Just need to get it made >.>;; I'm impressed by your visual disassembling and patterning. That's one of the hardest parts of most any costume, is figuring out all the different pieces and how they go together. Well done!

[robotponiesn7]

Spandex corset ftw =P

Seriously, this is looking awesome. The details on your rigs are soooo good!

[ember-ablaze]

This is so cool! What a good idea for the spandex corset. This is going to look so amazing when it's all finished! Can't wait to see more!

[keyismykitty]

Thanks! I think I'm gonna have to scrap the corset for now, though, I ran out of spandex, and I'm too broke to get any more. Once the whole thing's done, if I decide I still want it, I'll probably find more and finish it.

[ember-ablaze]

I'm curious - what're your plans for building the helm?

[keyismykitty]

Weeeell...right now, I'm looking at a W sort of shape, putting darts in that to curve it to the shape I want, and that'd be the front...then for the back, I've got another W short of shape, but the legs would be a little fatter, and then I'd glue that so it was like a bowl, and it'll slide in under the first part, and then I'm just gonna add kibble over it...if that makes sense. ^^; I'll upload pictures of the mocks once I get it done, I'm working on it now, gave up on the arms for the time being.

As for her cheek things, well, I'd had them done, but I decided they were ugly and started all over. That was just a bunch of long skinny triangles glued together, though.

[keyismykitty]

Smallish update in the torso section.