Blackout/Grindor, 2009

[NatsumeRyu]

Blackout / Grindor
Ok, well...the reason I was invited here, I guess.

Pictures of the finished product: (download for the bigger pictures)
http://natsumeryu.deviantart.com/art/REVEN...-HERE-127013384
http://natsumeryu.deviantart.com/art/You-W...-What-128402445
http://natsumeryu.deviantart.com/art/Evade-128402898
http://natsumeryu.deviantart.com/art/Trademark-128403739
http://natsumeryu.deviantart.com/art/Regal-128404557
http://natsumeryu.deviantart.com/art/Umm-no-128405746

I plan on getting more pictures if I get to any Halloween events.

WIP:
First off, I'm cheap My poorness guided my decisions on this costume, XD.
I decided I'd have another go at making a Movie-verse TF costume after my Starender Cosplay did well at the two places I took it for Halloween 08, and I didn't think it was that special. I thought, with God's guidance, "If I could make this flimsy little costume (Starender), and people like it, then I should put my newfound knowledge to another movie costume, which would REALLY make people happy."
And so, shortly after October of 08 I started collecting cardboard and stuff.
Blah, blah, didn't really do anything until April 09, when I decided on doing Blackout, and I had collected a bunch of various foam from the boxes stuff came in from moving to a new house. And I had done a lot of reading on these forums by then... X3 (I found you guys before I started on my Starender costume)

It wasn't until the last or second to last week in May (the 21st) that I actually began working on the costume, and I set my deadline for the Second Movie release, though I didn't plan to where my costume to the theater (I just work better with deadlines...). I did finish it in time - so this costume took about a month to completely build.


I don't want to go TOO involved in the building process, so I guess I'll give you pics with short descriptions...and if you have any questions feel free to ask.

Basically, my costume is shoes, pants, shirt, gloves, backpack and head.
Mostly all of the "armor" is made of various styrofoams, with exception to tiny/thin pieces (hands, face), which are cardboard, and the supporting understructure for the backpack is a double thick cardboard (from a refrigerator box ) Glued it all together with hotglue, and painted with acrylics. Oh, and the hub of the helicopter blades was a potato salad bucket, lol.

WIP/Detail Photos: (In the best Chronological order I can come up with)
Head
I wore a blue headsock on backwards (so the eye hole was in the back), then glued stuff on it and painted it (because polyester doesn't dye...). I also painted details on it, including the optics, which, before hand I had wanted to be little LEDs,.but I ended up being too lazy/poor to get them, so I painted them on too. They didn't turn out bad, and I don't have to worry about wires tickling my face....
http://natsumeryu.deviantart.com/art/BOWIP-Head-130714509
Since I don't have any mirror pictures of the completed head, I'ma look through my videos and if there's video of it I'll upload and link you.

Gloves
Not really a WIP, but they were done in about a day. They were easy.
Basically gloves (which I did buy specifically for this costume - $10....nice gloves...a lot of fun to wear...) that have painted cradboard pieces hotglued together.
I can make a fist, though I don't think I have pictures of that....

Arms
Buncha softer styrofoam pieces glued all around my lower arm. I nixed the few skinny upper arm pieces Blackout has because you can't really see my upper arm under his huge backpack, and cause they would just make it harder to move when fully costumed. Plus they'd be weak... The lighter S shaped pieces on the inside of the arm are the only ones made of thicker/tougher foam.
http://natsumeryu.deviantart.com/art/BOWIP-Arm-130717638
You can see Camshaft, my Camaro in the back, ha ha. And Grill is on the right...and Fender or Hinder on the left...Fender I think....lol.
These pieces were carved out with boxcutter and a grinder (to make them curved).

Legs
Thinner, harder styrofoam than the arms, except for Blackout's knee...jutting things... I had to make those out of the softer stuff because they were curved and thicker. The pieces on the back ofthe upper legs are cardboard - so I can sit in my pants. (Blackout can sit...if there's a chair with no back, and it's tall enough for the blades not to ram into the ground...ha ha)
http://natsumeryu.deviantart.com/art/BOWIP-Legs-130720442
I'm very happy with how easy they are to move in, despite the mass of pieces all over it (I thought the ones on the inside of the legs would be a problem).

Backpack
Definitely the longest thing to do, considering all the kibble and such. I nixed some random kibble that I had no clue what it was on Blackout. It seemed utterly useless, plus nobody noticed those pieces anyway...It's closest to the missiles on the toy, if you wanna look for it.
http://natsumeryu.deviantart.com/art/BOWIP...Part1-130725749
http://natsumeryu.deviantart.com/art/BOWIP...Part2-130726921
Dad made the fuel tanks to save me time.

Shirt: Front and Back
Last pieces I did -
http://natsumeryu.deviantart.com/art/BOWIP-Shirt-130728622

I guess I don't have any pictures specifically of the feet. It's just one piece that attaches to the laces of the shoes. Lemme know if you want me to take pictures of them.

[Sedra]

That is very awesome!

[KAIZERWOLF]

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!

[NatsumeRyu]

Thanks you guys. I want to make this costume better (it's loud when I move around cause of all the foam rubbing against each other, especially the blades), so I'm trying to see if there's something I can do to make it quieter and last longer (what do you think a fixative would do to painted foam?). I'm also thinking about what costume I might want to try next year. I have a lot of foam left. I am seriously considering Movie Sideswipe. He's just got a lot of curved pieces I don't really wan to do...
I had someone else in mind too, but I can't remember....

Anyway, thanks. I sorta wish I could have gone to a convention to meet everyone.

[Pilot]

Very cool. Thanks for sharing a how-to for this with us!

[NatsumeRyu]

Was the least I could do after learning so much from everybody else's stuff. I hope it helps others as well!

[NatsumeRyu]

Hate to double post, but I have a couple questions about what I can do on this costume -

I want to make it stronger and look better(less foam and more metal look), and I hear gesso or spray-on polyurethane (supposed to be more expensive, but faster) can do this. Thing is, I've no experience with either. Do you guys have any experience you could share to point me at which one, or other ideas of how to beautify/coat/strengthen the foam? Thanks in advance for any replies.

[I3ooI3oo]

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by polyurethane, It comes in many and I mean many forms. I assume your talking about sheet plastic but could you explain.

Also you might just want to consider tried and true paper mache. If you finish it off right it can look really good. Also look at Corazon Azul's Gum Tape Tutorial. I've never seen it up close but he got featured with that technique and that;'s saying something.

[NatsumeRyu]

Thanks! I might just go the gumtaped way, it sounds the easiest, plus there are people I can talk to for help! I'll probably PM Corazon Azul for further info about it.

I've only had a few encounters with paper mache in the past, and it was bad... *shivers*

[I3ooI3oo]

Paper mache can turn out some really good results but you have to do it right. If you search around I'm sure you could find some good tutorials. The advantage of paper mache over the gumtape method is that since you are using torn news paper instead of gum tape you have a thinner material with tapered edges. So you won't be able to see the seams between the pieces of paper as easily. I also think that the really good ones finish it off with something like gesso too, but I could be wrong. It's entirely up to you though and I'm exited to see what you come up with.

[JefireFan]

^^ wow, you're look so good, awesome!

[NatsumeRyu]

Thank you very much! I'm glad to hear it!