Another Lina Inverse-Style Shoulder Pauldrons

Admit it. Most shoulder armor you see at conventions looks cheesy, cardboard-y, heavy, and is about as ungainly as anything you'll ever see. But it needn't be, as you'll soon see.

Here are the steps I took to create my first stab at shoulder armor using my foam and plastic method. The subject: Lina Inverse from Slayers.

Costume Tutorial: Kagamine Len

Boy-soprano Len hasn't quite grown into his pipes... or his clothes - so let's aim for a slightly too-big, boyish silhouette.

Check Your Coloring!
There's a big difference between Rin and Len. Even at first glance, the twin's uniforms have one noticeable difference. It's the coloring of their shorts. Looking closely, you'll see that the mismatch is because Rin's shorts are actually dark grey, while Len's costume is black. Purchased costumes tend to be made in pairs with the same fabrics, so accurate coloring will give you an extra home-made touch.

Kagamine Len Construction Point Check!!

Len's image is rail-thin, so keep that in mind when sizing. Since the character has a "cyber" feel, shiny fabrics like enamel are also an option for accents. Use whatever fits your own image of the character.

Lina Inverse-Style Shoulder Pauldrons

Materials:
Wire # 16
Soldering pencil, solder paste and tin
Tweezers
Sandpaper # 100 and # 200 (so they say, are the gray and black)
Carpenter's white glue
Silicone gun + glue sticks
stucco= filling wall plaster
Spray paint or enamel (black and gold)
Cardboard
FOMIX
Paper
Brush
1 inch black elastic
Red christmas bulbs

What to do

0. Draw real size top and side view of 1 pad (they are symmetrical parts so right side equals left side)
1. Make profile with wire, folding each corner with tweezers and curve shaping a cylindrical object (this case, use a pot xD). Solder wire where each end point meets after bending. Remember putting solder paste after melting tin.
2. Add necessary guidance (welding) to generate the volume as well as drawing the side view. Horizontal and vertical guides.
3. Cover wire skeleton with FOMIX, pasting on back with silicone to each guide and edge.
4. Cut cardboard or FOMIX in triangular form, paste it on bulb wrapping it.
5. Equal surface with stucco (apply 5 coats and sanding, repeating the process several times) or newspaper (glued with carpenter gum, do not add water because this will delay the process.)
6.Cover bulb with paper and tape to prevent getting stained when you paint base in black and gold borders.
7. Join shoulder with black elastic, paste back of the piece with silicone.
8. Result = a happy Lina

It is a long process but here there is no Wonderflex and those wonderful materials. The finished product is a lightweight but rigid, with an extra layer of resin and is indestructible ^ ^, the wire can be replaced by sewing plastic guides but will not be as reliable structurally. Sorry if it is very hard xP.

Credits goes to: Anne-annie-annet

General Tutorial: Packing and Item Transport

Staying organized on the go!! Unbeatable luggage packing skills can be yours!!!

We'll show you how to make the most of the space in your cart (and the least mess when you take it all out).

Choosing the right cart (a small roller-suitcase) will make any event a breeze!

Your wig, your costume, boots and your camera... Participating in a cosplay event is enough to give anyone a packing headache! Some people stuff their carts full to overflowing and some even need to pack a second bag with their leftovers! If you use the tips introduced here, you too can master the art of the "no-fuss cart".

First you need to choose a cart.

Recommended Dimensions:
W41cm x H64cm X D27cm
Weight (unpacked):
8 kg

Once you`ve compacted all of your goods, a cart like this should work for just about anything. Most people pack all sorts of items for cosplay events, so costumes made from materials that fold down easily are ideal. Read on for what will fit (and how)!

Your costume
If your costume creases or wrinkles easily, you can pack it in a hanger bag.

Wig
Your wig should be set before you leave. If the style is complicated, you should pack it in a shoe box or something else to protect it from being crushed.

Make-up Pouch
This should be one of your later additions ~ pack it after your costume and large items. It should fit in the spaces between other items.

Boots
Platforms and tall boots take up a ton of space. Keep this in mind when shoe-shopping. Don't buy anything you aren`t willing (or able) to carry!

Camera
Use your costume as a cushion. Wrap your camera carefully and then pack it on the top (so it doesn't get crushed).

Dead Master's Horns

Materials used:

Headband
Wire
Super Glue
Craft Foam
Black Paint

very light weight..
just like a normal headband Ü

Credits To: ~Mist-gun-01

Dead Master's Gloves

Credits To: koi-ishly
Source: Deviant Art

Another Boot Cover Tutorial

Credits to the owner of this pic :)

Prop Tutorial: Idol Master Boot Cover (Idol Master)

Transform your boots! Let's make Idol Master boot covers<3

The girls in Idol Master DS have awesome boots ~ so let's try making some boot covers! You can replicate quite a few of the girls' footwear with a similar technique -- so give it a try!

 Things you'll need
-stretch fabric (shiny prismatic and enamel finish white)
-elastic band
-double-sided tape (for fabric)
-boots
-lightweight pattern paper
*not shown: metal ring, star spangles, zipper (optional), sewing machine

Posing Tutorial: Music Characters (Vocaloid)

You can change the feel of your photos with just a few small changes!
Here are some poses to help you "feel the music"<3

The vocaloids all share a strong connection to "music". So those dressing as them naturally want to convey the image of "sound" right? Here we'd like to introduce 6 simple prop poses to make your costume come alive! If you're portraying a character related to music these will fit to a tee, so give them a try! They'll work for all sorts of situations.