torsdag 30. oktober 2014

Demon Hunter shield and Bracer

Since I did take some in progress photos I might just add a write up of this piece also. For the smooth surfaces I used cardboard as a base, with foam details in layers. The end piece is only foam. 



I wanted arrows to stick out of my shield, but to be able to pack and transport the costume I need to be able to take them off. For this I embedded M5 nuts into the cardboard and secured with worbla, while the corresponding bolt where attached to the arrows (You'll see later)

Then I gradually covered the top with worbla (only the top) and wrapped it around the edges. 



Since I was going to cover up the underside with fabric anyways I thought I would save a little by only using worbla on one side. The ornamented back piece would not be covered with fabric, so I tried to blend the surface using paper mache again, and it worked beautifully. 

I also made a bracer and a claw for the other arm. 


Again, painting will be covered in a seperate tutorial. 

tirsdag 28. oktober 2014

Demon Hunter - Leg armor

So many armor parts and so many techniques to use. Love this project, I have learned buckets. Here I will show how the thigh, leg and shoe armor was made. 

And I tried a few thing I have never tried before too, like curved shapes with cardboard base covered in worbla. In this tutorial I don't explain how worbla works, only how I have used it. 


Blizzard Demon Hunter concept art

Thigh armor. 
Since these pieces are single curved I thought I could use cardboard as a supporting core for the worbla, which worked great. I also alsmost always only use one layer of worbla. 




Some detail pieces were more curved, here I used foam (2 mm) as a core





Detailig done with thin strips of worbla

Leg bracer
This piece was way more curvy, so foam core all the way. 


I tried two methods here, the first where I used two seperate pieces attached with a seamline goind down the middle, and this (see picture below) where I used one piece and streched it over an acrylic sphere. 



All the pieces attached together and detailed with worbla strips.  



The knees are made from separate foam pieces covered in worbla.  




D-rings are added along the sides to attach the armor to my legs. More about the painting in a later tutorial.   

Shoe armor
Shoe covers need to be flexible, and form fitting to the shoes :)

Many armor makers forget to address the back of the shoes. Even though I have no idea what the look like from behind, I will make something interesting. 







See how the chest peice was made here. And a painting tutorial here (when it is done)

Demon Hunter Pauldrons

This have to be the most iconic piece of this armor and I wanted to make sure the looked badass - The pauldrons. 


Blizzard Demon Hunter concept art

Again I would use worbla, but I wanted to see if I could make the base out of cardboard and then cover it up with worbla and details afterwards. Also on the larger pauldron I needed to make horns and a mean skull face. All this without making the shoulders too heavy (as mentioned before, I'm weak and don't want to carry more than I need).

Small pauldron
I covered a balloon with paper mache and added details with cardboard. 



When it had dried I added details in foam.


Tha pauldron has several indents, created by just cutting away some of the cardboard. 


When done I covered it up with worbla, bringing out the foam details as I go along. I used a small wooden stick to press down the worbla (e.g. a pencil or chopstick. I started on the top and worked my way to the sides. 




All wrapped up





Thin strips of worbla was added along all edges to create dimensinon.



Under the pauldron there are a couple of smaller armor pieces which were made much like the leg armors, by covering foam with worbla and shaping ot over a ball. 
This a part of the leg armor


Large pauldron with horns
With the larger pauldron I had a little more touble to the the basic shape. But same method by using paper mache over a balloon and adding foam details in layers was essentially used. 





To get more depth to the mouth. 

Starting to cover it with worbla. 

Here I just used a blunt pencil to press in the worbla and bring out the details

For the skull piece I first made the form out of clay, then used that as a mold to shape the worbla, so I would end up with a light weight shell. 



A hollow skull shape


I filled the space with tin foil to help keet the shape up while I added the rest of the worbla. 



Before we move on with the skull details we need some horns. I build a basic grid out of cardboard.  



Filled that with expanding foam

And carved out the shapes. 

To be able to get the horns off the pauldron when needed, I added bolts to the horn base. Then I could screw them in place when needed. 



Testing



I used all my small left over pieces of worbla for teeth. The pieces were heated and shaped. 


Priming with gesso and glue, since I needed to get this peice pretty smooth. 

More testing with the chest piece I made earlier. 

I needed a small piece under this shoulder also. 



Painting will be covered in a seperate tutorial here.
Until then, enjoy the full effect of these enormous shoulders, I have to go sideways though the dors in our apartment.