Costume coming together...but I need some opinions and ideas!

[Kagetora]

Hey all.

Getting a costume together to go with the sabers I built, and I was going to build some armor. Here is the costume thus far:

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3908/14890583950_d29862c8c5_s.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/oFQ8Q3)

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5558/14890533629_6bcaeca5d5_s.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/oFPSSr)

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3865/14890628678_043c3d87dc_s.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/oFQn8d)

The armor is only going to be partial, just a breastplate to begin with (you know, for that occasional blaster bolt that slips through :p), with more parts possible in the future.

The question is, what color should I make it? Everything thus far is basically green and silver/grey, with a bit of black and gold thrown in. I was shopping in Home Despot today for some spray paints, and hit a brick wall when trying to choose some color.

I could go with a sage green, a darker green, an olive, a dark grey metallic, or possibly a bronze metallic. I'll be getting some gold paint for making some food capsules for the belt, so whatever I picked, I was going to do some painter's taping on the base color and add some gold highlights.

I'm leaning toward the sage green (about the same color as Kao Cen Darach's armor in the Old Republic trailer) or the dark grey metallic (a very dark steel color). But maybe some people with actual taste could throw around a few opinions. :grin:

Thanks in advance.

[Ty_Bomber]

For the color pallette you have, I would opt for a gun metal armor with some gold accents. I just think it would tie in very well with the colors you are already working with.

In fact, I think a brass/gold top coat weathered to show a gunmetal "raw" armor underneath would probably be perfect.

[Kagetora]

I'd been waffling about "new" vs "weathered" as well. What are some good ways to create the weathered look? I read somewhere about painting the basecoats and letting them dry thoroughly, then smearing some toothpaste on the spots you wanted to show through the topcoat as the weathered areas before spraying on the topcoats. Then you can just wipe/wash the toothpaste off. Are there better ways people are using?

[Ty_Bomber]

Thats certainly a tried and true method. I think a "gilded" breastplate that hasseen lots and lots of use, maybe even passed down through the order, would be coolest.

[Kagetora]

I'll see what I can do. The worst that happens is I do some sanding and paint over my shame. :D

Stay tuned.

[Kagetora]

So, I grabbed a few things and a junk/test piece and gave it a shot.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3920/14974024870_a436af85d7_s.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/oPcMUA)

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5586/15137658356_eccd5e4568_s.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/p4EsrA)

Its just a hammered metallic black base coat with a dark bronze overcoat. It turned out ok, but I learned that when I go to make the actual pieces, to put more thought into where the weathering goes. :lol:

I'm also thinking of putting a stripe or stripes of some sort on the pieces, probably a dark green to go along with the rest of the outfit. Nothing too large, just something to break up all the bronze a bit. Other suggestions?

[Ty_Bomber]

Looks good. If it were my armor I would do a metallic green or a brass ring framing the piece. Just along the outer edge of the piece to provide something to draw the eye.

[Darth Wulf]

Looks good. If it were my armor I would do a metallic green or a brass ring framing the piece. Just along the outer edge of the piece to provide something to draw the eye.

^This. Initially I thought a sage or olive green would tie in nicely. On second thought, however, the gun metal idea or even green or dark bronze distressed with a raw look underneath would be a fantastic idea as well. The sith folks like myself have it relatively easy with lots of gray, silver, black and red. ;):twisted:

[Kagetora]

Yeah, I don't really have a goal as far as Jedi/Sith/Other. Just sort of putting together a costume with green, grey, and gold. Tans get so...boring. Maybe Corellian Jedi, or perhaps just someone who isn't too closely associated with the Temple, and sort of does his own thing.

Anyway,

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5574/14986170800_b578433f2a_s.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/oQh3tb)

Here is how it is turning out. I'll throw up some other pics when the other pieces are done and assembled. Thanks for the suggestions. :D

[Ty_Bomber]

Coming along great. Lets see how it looks with the robes!

[Kagetora]

Going to have to be tomorrow. The padding is soaked from scrubbing the toothpaste off in the sink, and I want to make 100% sure all the paint is dry before it gets anywhere near the linen robes. ;)

How it turned out:

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5564/15174329715_7df322a538_s.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/p7Upyp)

Some claw marks on the front from an encounter with...something, and a pair of blaster scorch marks on the back from some cowardly bastard while in some wretched hive of scum and villainy. I scrubbed off the carbon scoring, but obviously never got around to repainting... :D

[Ty_Bomber]

I must know what Bronze paint that is for reasons.

[Kagetora]

Since its for reasons, I'll happily share.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3854/14997067020_2ce31e3e70_s.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/oReTx3)

IIRC, it was listed as "Bronze" or "Dark Bronze" on the Home Despot pricing label on the shelf beneath it. It sprays on nice and coats well even with a single coat. I put a few on, but only for durability when I was scrubbing toothpaste off.

Here is the armor with the robes. Please ignore the lack of proper Jedi Footwear, as I got lazy and didn't want to dig them out.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3890/15160713026_561cd340bd_s.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/p6GBMU)

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3838/14997172267_284f9d5126_s.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/oRfqPD)

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5572/15180717651_c04e49773f_s.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/p8t9te)

The front is a bit small, but it replicates "real life" ballistic armor fairly well as far as sizing...typically your plates are from the top of your sternum to your belly button, to cover and protect the heart and lungs. That seems to work ok here too, just protecting the vittles from stray shrapnel and blaster shots. It would also be easy to expand upon with some belly/groin armor plates affixed to the belt, and possibly some pauldrons hanging below the shoulder spaulders and covering part of the upper arm, stretching in toward the chest a bit. Maybe in the future. For now, done. Its basically just for Halloween this year, although maybe in the future I will make some better armor from scratch and go to a couple cons for fun. I have plenty of friends who go, so maybe I will tag along. One of them is in the 501st, so probably knows all the good events.

Anyway, thanks for the help picking colors, weathering, and ideas for the trim. Didn't turn out too bad for a quick job. :p

[jedimastergarcia87]

Very cool. For some reason how you have the armor set up reminds me of the classic green Power Ranger. Especially with the green robe colors. Looks good though. =]

[Darth Obi Don]

looks really good with the robe on .Not so much without it.

[Kagetora]

Honestly, that's sort of my opinion too. Still, 99% of the people in the bars at Halloween won't know any better. They will ask "what are you?" :p

Actually, the shoulders really help keep the robe in place and on. Kind of handy, actually.

[Ty_Bomber]

Honestly, that's sort of my opinion too. Still, 99% of the people in the bars at Halloween won't know any better. They will ask "what are you?"

Thats what the sabers are for, right?

[Kagetora]

Thats what the sabers are for, right?

That's the 1% who are sober/smart/observant enough. ;)

[Celticblood]

nice double blade combination