J326 Spartan III Armor Version 2 WIP [Foam]

[J326]

Update: thanks for all the comments!

BAT MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!!!

In other news:
Perhaps you could add some detail by NOT modge podging certain areas on purpose, is that what you did there?

The areas i didnt mod podge are the areas in black which i left as plasti dip. unless you're pointing out a specific spot.

anyways I've been sanding my Knife and Helmet. a palm sander and rotary tool make the job just easier but i still don't like sanding so much.

Update:
First I finally got to working on the knife. I did the bondo work and painted it. I then Made a Sheath out of Craft foam by sketching a shape onto paper and then cutting it out onto foam and building it in layers. the results of the mod podge work arent too spectacular but when i sprayed a layer of plasti dip it kind of reminds me of cheap leather.

I don't have any screws small enough to go into the sheath on hand so Ill see if i can try to find any cheap computer screws.

 

[J326]

Update! first i'm sorry for the double post but I can hardly wait for some one to reply to this thread cuz i seem to have bad timing on my updates. But i shall make it up with a large picture dump that i had to edit my last post to get them in. so go ahead scroll up and read the last post first, ill wait here...

...ok now that you're done
My next work was on the Hand plates. I decided I wanted to use the simple Mark V from CE since they are easier and quicker to do. I took Rhinocs files printed glued and traced them onto Craft Foam

Now after a week of on and off sanding I give you the helmet. Its not perfect but Sanding remains my bane so I got it to the point I was satisfied with.
here's it with a coat of flat black

and here's the basic color scheme decided to keep the stripe down the middle as black instead of white which I like and coincidentally saves me the trouble of having to buy white pray paint =P

Finally it was time to put some grit on there and it's paint is more or less done. Now i need a cheap visor, lights and tubes.

That's all for now!

 

[pupcup]

Your armor looks amazing, J326! I hate to noob-bomb this thread, but I am just so curious about foam builds. Are there any tutorials on foam-building? I think it looks much cleaner and more hearty than pep, and I want to start a foam build of my own, but I don't really know where to start.

 

[J326]

Update! Finally got to work on the gauntlets! I used Ruze's model since it was foam friendlier then Rhinocs. Though the side panels in black foam i took from Rhinoc's model and stuck them on. Applying Mod podge to them at the moment and will have them painted when I can since I ran out of Primer.
Progress

1 down

and Now 2!

@ Pupcup
There aren't any solid foam tutorials per say but benstreeper seems to put down the general idea in this thread Here
It's basically:
1)Use pepakura templates on top of anti fatigue foam mats. This part is the hardest since it requires a lot of thought on how to put pieces together since pepakura templates are usually not foam friendly.
2) Use a lot of Hot glue to seal in seams on the inside
3) When model is done apply mod podge or plasti dip to seal the foam for primer and paint

 

[Gamemaster]

Your armor looks amazing, J326! I hate to noob-bomb this thread, but I am just so curious about foam builds. Are there any tutorials on foam-building? I think it looks much cleaner and more hearty than pep, and I want to start a foam build of my own, but I don't really know where to start.

Ask no questions, you will get no answers.
I have some tut's and other info here: www.squidoo.com/how-to-make-halo-armor

J326, your armor is looking premium, I like the mod podge idea and have a question, is it flexible after it cures? and if it does happen to get creased will it crack? Do you have to wet sand it, or will high grit dry sanding work too?
Thanks and keep up the good work

 

[J326]

Ask no questions, you will get no answers.
I have some tut's and other info here: www.squidoo.com/how-to-make-halo-armor

J326, your armor is looking premium, I like the mod podge idea and have a question, is it flexible after it cures? and if it does happen to get creased will it crack? Do you have to wet sand it, or will high grit dry sanding work too?
Thanks and keep up the good work

It's pretty Flexible after it cures but the problem is unless the paint itself is flexible over bending it will cause the paint to crack. The bottle itself says to wet sand with 400 grit and has no mention of dry sanding it. Though I just did a little something different with the gauntlets and I put two coats of mod podge onto them very thinly then Primered it. I wet sanded the primer instead and resprayed more primer onto that and it yields results just as smooth. Its possible to dry sand primer but i havent tried that and I like wet sanding with my 400 grit better. I need more primer and will get some later so hopefully I will have my gauntlets painted today.

 

[Carpathia]

This is coming along nicely! Loving your paint jobs and that knife looks great D You're welcome). Keep doing great, can't wait to see more!

 

[J326]

Hehe Thanks for the comments and now I can bring forth an Update! Gauntlets are done painting the strip down the right gauntlet is for aesthetics and to help me figure out right away which one is my right one.

Except for the visor and some minor details the Upper body is pretty much completed it now sits on top of my pipe man skeleton pretty freaky to see my armor up close on a skeleton as tall as I am.

 

[ShinigamiNG]

Looking pretty awesome! Keep up the good work!

 

[Mstruvmgc]

Comming along very smooth there bud. I love how it looks. My eyes are like YAY!!! lol Great detail work with the weatherd look and stuff

 

[J326]

Update! Been working on the Cod piece, have to thank Roadwarrior for an awesome model and Calladar for sending me a foam friendly unfold.
just need to finish the back plate and to connect them together.

Also my sister got me a wounded pig I have now given him great fortification against all Angry Bird attacks.

Finally my Visor came in today and now i need to trim and mount it

 

[TheBradinator]

AWWWWWYEAHHHH! Looin GREAT Brah!

 

[thorn696]

You're build is coming along nicely, The paint is looking great.

 

[Gamemaster]

Eye candy
After browsing through your thread, thebradinators and a couple others I am really starting to get the MKV itch. Advice to self: stop gawking at 405 threads and finish the current projects.

 

[J326]

Update! Trying to finish this costume by next Thursday so I can have something to wear at Sacanime for the one day im visiting with friends. I finished painting the cod piece and constructed the Thighs. I will seal them today and hopefully paint.

 

[TheBradinator]

Those are some nice leggs!!!! Lookin GREAT Big Dog!

 

[thorn696]

Looking great, At this rate you'll make you're deadline with np.

 

[J326]

Thighs painted and shins done and in the progress of paint. unfortunately I have to spend the next 2 days moving stuff to my college apartment so I might not have enough time to do the boots.

 

[Darkrider9]

Your stuff is looking really neat, I can't see any imperfections. The color scheme on the helmet is nice, I like how you painted the brim black. Man I can't wait to try out foam.

 

[Gamemaster]

First off, let me say your armor is coming out very nice. I like the size & propotions, paint scheme and your attention to detail, I am sure you will get alot of ooh's and ahh's when you wear it in public.
From a critical eye perspective in some of the rounded areas I can see some seams where there should not be a seam after final painting. Remember, when using pep files by the fiberglass method you would bondo & sand to achieve the smooth round look, so when converting the pep to a foam pattern you will instead have to join that seam prior to cutting the foam and then shape it later by carving the back and/or using a heat gun.