Hopefully this is the right place to ask this.
Ok so this summer I plan on giving my self a little project. For the first time ever I’ll be making my own set of armor from foam. As of right now I’m thinking a ODST armor set would be an easy one to start off with. I know there are templates online to help me and pre-made helmets that I’ll be using.
So what I was wondering is, if anyone else had tips that could help me with like things they wish they knew when they first started, or better options than ODST armor for my first costume build.
All I know right now is I need foam, scissors, head gun, and a hot glue gun. So if there is anything else I’ll need let me know as well.
Lastly if anyone has exsamples of there own armor they have made feel free to share it, as I need some inspiration for things like colors, armor design, and maybe spartan armor Incase I go down that route instead,
Again, hopefully this post is in the right spot, if it is not, please let me know.
I’d definitely recommend a utility knife as opposed to scissors. Not only does foam dull blades quickly, but a utility knife is useful for cutting details and lines into the foam. (I’m assuming since you mention a heat-gun, you’re already familiar with the concept that heating up a cut in the foam will help it expand and become more prominent?) Also, with a utility knife, you’ll be able to place the foam onto a cutting mat (or some surface you aren’t worried about damaging) and slide the knife down it. That way, you will have way straighter and cleaner lines since you won’t have to hold the foam steady.
Secondly, it would also help to use a sharpie to draw the lines into the foam that you’ll be cutting by. If your foam is black (like mine usually is), a silver sharpie will show up well.
Also, a lesson I had to learn the hard way, getting one-inch thick foam isn’t a good start. Very few utility knives can cut through a full inch of foam, meaning I wasn’t able to get any decent shapes cut out cleanly. If you need an inch thick, cut out and glue together multiple layers.
I don’t know if you know this, but just in case: if you’re planning on painting the foam, you’re going to want to seal it first - use certain materials (one I use is “Plasti Dip”, which is a spray-on rubber) to coat it. Otherwise, the foam will absorb your paint, the paint will dry, and if your foam is bent at all the paint will crack.
That’s the basic stuff I can think of right now. I’ll let you know if I think of any others. Feel free to ask me questions!
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> I’d definitely recommend a utility knife as opposed to scissors. Not only does foam dull blades quickly, but a utility knife is useful for cutting details and lines into the foam. (I’m assuming since you mention a heat-gun, you’re already familiar with the concept that heating up a cut in the foam will help it expand and become more prominent?) Also, with a utility knife, you’ll be able to place the foam onto a cutting mat (or some surface you aren’t worried about damaging) and slide the knife down it. That way, you will have way straighter and cleaner lines since you won’t have to hold the foam steady.
>
> Secondly, it would also help to use a sharpie to draw the lines into the foam that you’ll be cutting by. If your foam is black (like mine usually is), a silver sharpie will show up well.
>
> Also, a lesson I had to learn the hard way, getting one-inch thick foam isn’t a good start. Very few utility knives can cut through a full inch of foam, meaning I wasn’t able to get any decent shapes cut out cleanly. If you need an inch thick, cut out and glue together multiple layers.
>
> I don’t know if you know this, but just in case: if you’re planning on painting the foam, you’re going to want to seal it first - use certain materials (one I use is “Plasti Dip”, which is a spray-on rubber) to coat it. Otherwise, the foam will absorb your paint, the paint will dry, and if your foam is bent at all the paint will crack.
>
> That’s the basic stuff I can think of right now. I’ll let you know if I think of any others. Feel free to ask me questions!
What armor did you do for your costume?
Like I said earlier, I plan on a ODST build as I think it will be easier than a full spartan armor build. Am I correct in my thinking?
Also if you could make a guess, how much eva foam do you think I’ll need? I was looking at the play mats as there are tutorials on how to make an ODST armor set on YouTube using that kind of foam.
oh and what thickness of foam works best?
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> > 2533274974033696;2:
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> What armor did you do for your costume?
> Like I said earlier, I plan on a ODST build as I think it will be easier than a full spartan armor build. Am I correct in my thinking?
>
> Also if you could make a guess, how much eva foam do you think I’ll need? I was looking at the play mats as there are tutorials on how to make an ODST armor set on YouTube using that kind of foam.
>
> oh and what thickness of foam works best?
Since it was my first time working with foam (and with my hands on a physical craft in general), my armor was a bit simpler. It was for a Fallout cosplay. I already had a vault suit, so all I needed was to make a few pieces that looked like salvaged metal strapped to my arm. I figured the look of salvaged metal would mean I wouldn’t need all my lines and such to be perfect, and I was definitely right.
I think it depends on the specific armor set. Some Spartan armors seem to have smoother surfaces than ODST armor does.
I can’t make a very accurate guess as it depends on your specific body size, unfortunately. I’d recommend measuring your arms and torso and all that to figure out how much foam you’d need for the basic pieces, then maybe get a bit more for the added layers and detailing.
I’ve heard people say that 1/2-inch foam is pretty good, so maybe go with that or little lower. The important thing to remember is with thinner foam, you can add extra layers. It’s harder to cut down foam that’s too thick, though.