Motivation & Cutting Tips

I started to make a pep odst helmet awhile back using Hugh Holder's pdo files but progress has been really slow. It's taken a few months to get through the first 18 pages and it doesn't feel like it's shaping together, and recently most the pieces got crushed ripping the paper. Anyone have any tips on staying motivated? Are there any good ways of cutting out the parts or am I missing something?

Thanks

You have best avatar for that quote: "Were it so easy."

Here is a nice thread about motivation, I think pretty much everything has been said there. - http://www.405th.com/showthread.php?t=47435

Personally I don't have a whole lot of time, so I only do a few pieces at a time. It's kind of depressing for me too, so I can't help you there.

18 pages with more to go sounds like a lot..

When cutting out the pieces, I recommend a good Xacto knife or similar knife and just change blades as regularly as needed. I've been using the same blade for a long time, it just means I have to push harder. I may actually change it today since I have a lot of space time today...

Good luck mate!

i dont use pepekura much due to the fact that i make my own templates on foam but for motivation i have one thing that always works for me. That is watching all the armors and props made here on the 405th and the halo props and legions pages palmers armor the one who posted here earlier is also one of the reasons i keep wanting to make more. just keep watching amazing stuff till you are the one who makes the amazing stuff

I would consider trying to refine your process. A lot of us don't have a lot of time, but several months assembling the paper portion sounds like you could be missing some time saving steps. Something as simple as the kind of glue you are using because some dry faster than others, or how sharp the blade is that you are cutting with. I would recommend, like Lt. Shiney, using an xacto knife. Not as bulking and cumbersome as scissors. Also doing all of one thing at a time, score all the folds and then cut out all the pieces. Otherwise you will be spending lots of time setting down your tools only to pick them up again. I really focused on speeding up my progress during my builds so you might want to read through my tips here. Progress has also been one of my biggest motivators.

If you're new to pepakura, I'd recommend starting with one of the simpler pieces rather than the helmet. The helmet may be the most iconic, but there are a lot of components to your armor that will go together a lot more quickly and provide lots of practice to hone your process and skills.

Also, unless it's a super-huge build (25+ pages), I like to tun on the tab numbering and do my stuff in stages, especially if it's a build over a very long period of time like this. Cut everything out, then score all the pieces, and then finally build it. This doesn't always work well for some of the largest pieces, but it works well for most builds, and it's hard to crush flat pieces of paper before they're glued together. I'd also recommend keeping everything from one piece together in a flat box or folder until the actual time to glue it together comes. That way, your pieces are less likely to be lost or damaged before you put your piece together. I'd also recommend roping off (metaphorically) a section of shelving or workbench to store your build when the time comes to actually glue it together. A dedicated space for your project, out of the reach of pets and children, can help keep your project from getting crushed.

For the actual construction, I agree with the recommendations from Lt Shiny Sides and PerniciousDuke to use an Xacto. You can make some very precise and clean cuts with one when paired with a METAL ruler. Do NOT use a plastic one unless you really want a ruined ruler and plastic shavings everywhere. Then I have wonder why you're such an odd duck. A high quality sharpener will also go a long way and save on replacement blades, whether a pep or foam build, and as counter-intuitive as it sounds, a sharp blade is a much safer than a dull blade.

During actual construction, avoid hot glue. This can work for foam, but it's a nightmare when trying to get clean seams on a pep build. I know a lot of people recommend super glue, but I prefer to use one of the faster drying Aleene's Tacky Glue, either Quick Dry or Turbo, on my cardstock. They allow a little more play to line up seams, and holds position on all but the tightest corners in about 10-15 seconds. And remember that less is more. Globbing it on will only make it messier and increase drying time. A thin, even layer is all you need.

And never underestimate reinforcements and support struts. Many of the bigger builds already have them worked into the pep file, but some of the smaller ones don't. Take the time to create and install some reinforcements in your piece. It can be as simple as a piece of cardstock glued to the back of a larger face or popsicle sticks used to hold angled openings. There's nothing worse than watching all your hard work get warped and having to start all over again.

For motivation, normally I'd recommend taking a break, but on such a long term build like this one, I again recommend working on on of the smaller pieces. It's frustrating when you've worked on something for months and have nothing to show for it, especially after it gets ruined. Working on one of the smaller pieces and having something to show in a week or two can be a nice reminder that what you're trying to do is not impossible. It just takes some time.

I personally like listening to halo music or watching all the cut scenes on YouTube, just like a movie! Also, if you aren't really feeling it at the moment do something else for a bit and try going back. It's good to stretch anyways.

Also as a side note, I watched that one video of the dragon con parade from 2013 I think, which made me so excited to have my own set of armor.

It's been said, have extra blades and change them out when you feel the drag on the paper. I just use a blade sharpener because I use a utility knife. Then use the opposite side of the knife to score. I try and cut the pieces and glue them to their matches so I don't have loose pieces.

Good luck, it'll be worth it!

Tomboy's post was extremely detailed, and very well stated. I would recommend following that to the letter. Don't get discouraged by how long armor building can take. As someone with a number of hobbies outside of the cosplay world, I know that feeling very well. My build took over two years, working on it bit by bit, but it was so worth it in the end. There is no need to rush a build either, as you can easily tell when someone took their time with a build or if they built it as quickly as they could.

Thanks for all the tips guys!

Tomboy's tips definitely. Just to add on, I like to store my pieces Ziploc bags, one for each page, and mark them with the page number (e.g. 1 of 32). That way as I'm checking the model, I can click on a part and see what page it came from and grab that bag (this works well if you purchased designer and can save the file or kept all of the parts on the same page #'s when you resized).

For motivation when I've decided to work on my build, I just put on some music or better yet a show on Netflix. If I'm lacking ALL motivation to even begin working, you won't enjoy the process if it feels like a chore, so that may be an indicator that you simply need to step away for awhile and give yourself a break. Maybe instead of working on constructing your build, you spend your time looking at other people's builds and commenting, asking questions, and drooling over how amazing they are. Watch YouTube videos about the process, or maybe just go play some Halo.

Then my most important tip, when you do finish a piece (or have sections done you don't want to lose) keep them away from pets. I lost a few projects to my cat before I found the right spot to keep my builds away from her.

I cannot agree with ZP180 more about finding a safe place to store your project. I came back from the bathroom the other night and found our kitten had bit and bent the little progress I've made on my helmet and I about beat the tar out of her and had to hunt for a good hiding spot for my project.