Spartan017
Jr Member
I'm making my first costume over the summer, and it's gonna be an Elite Honor Guard. I don't know if it'll be red or white. Please give me any tips or anything! I'm new to this, both costuming and this website!
1st Costume: Sagheili Honor Guardsman
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Spartan017
Jr Member
Well this is just an experiment, but I'll use cardboard for the basic armor construction, and depending on how much things cost, I would love to fiberglass it, but I don't have a whole lot of money (but my B-Day is in July...) so if that's too much I'll have to settle with paper mache 
The best tip anyone can give you is to study the forums. Starting here is a good idea: http://www.405th.com/showthread.php/30542-NOOB-reading-list
You should also know that making a costume is a lot (a lot!) of work and very expensive, at least if you want it to look good. Paper maché will not yield the most stunning results, neither will any other "lets save every last cent we can" methods. On the other hand, most resins (including polyester resin, which is the cheapest one) are toxic, which means that considering your age you should at the very least talk to your parents about them first, maybe even let them help you. It also means that in addition to the actual materials, you'll need to get some equipment to protect yourself (and anyone who helps you).
Jedi Ranger
Active Member
- Member DIN
- S777
I always thought that the Elite Honor Guard looked awesome! Good luck on your build, and be sure to keep us posted!
Have you considered foam as a building material? People are doing amazing work with it lately!
Have you considered foam as a building material? People are doing amazing work with it lately!
Spartan017
Jr Member
Yeah, I'm gonna actually buy the fiberglassing stuff. My dad will help me with it, cause... well he's my dad! And I'm gonna buy some of those things, you know, so I don't breath in the toxins. I'm also gonna make an energy sword that lights up, using LEDs. And if I can, I'm even gonna make an energy staff! I have been looking at stuff on the forums. I have all the design ideas, too. One of the only other things I'm worried about is stilts for the legs...
Spartan017
Jr Member
Yeah, I saw Pete Mander's YouTube videos for his (super amazing) animatronic Elite costume, and he used foam and shaped it with a heat gun. It looked very awesome, but this build is my first, so I'm gonna just make a basic cardboard costume. Then I'll move on to foam.
Agent Arizona
Well-Known Member
Why? It would be better to start with foam if your just going to be redoing it. Cheaper and easier too. With card board you're going to have to bondo the whole thing to get rid of lines and fiber glass it. With foam its just glue and sand.
Thats just my two cents but its your project. Good luck!
Edit: oh, depending on how tall you are, stilts may not be necessary. But if your going for accurate hight or you're short you may need them. They are not to hard to make.
Spartan017
Jr Member
Hmm... I guess I will use foam. How much does it cost? And how would I cut it, like if its thick? And I probably will need stilts, because I'm kinda short. :\ But it'll actually make the legs look better, 'cause you know how Elites have those weird chicken-looking legs? I was going to make them for that shape, and extra height.
Agent Arizona
Well-Known Member
EVA foam mats its what you're looking for. Harbor Fright sells a pack of 4 for $10. You wont need more then 3 packs. As far as cutting goes, really sharp scissors. Then you just smooth out the edges later on. If you have access to a band saw that might be a little better.
This is better because resin is going to cost about $30 then probably another $30 for Fiberglass and around $20 for bondo. Not to mention safety gear and other materials.
Harbor Fright EVA Foam Mats
This is better because resin is going to cost about $30 then probably another $30 for Fiberglass and around $20 for bondo. Not to mention safety gear and other materials.
Harbor Fright EVA Foam Mats
Spartan017
Jr Member
Thanks a lot! I'm not sure though... Cardboard is easier to work with, and I need it to be shiny. I think I'm leaning more towards the cardboard and fiberglassing...
At least give foam a try, it's so much easier to work with. And you CAN make it shiny, foam builds are covered in plasti-dip which can be painted, so just use gloss paint or a gloss laquer.
Spartan017
Jr Member
Okay, I think I'll try it. But when you build the armor, do you make it separate from the undersuit or whatever, or do you build it right on it?
gingersnapples
Well-Known Member
seprate from the undersuit. improves mobility and makes it easier to actually put the armor on.
Spartan017
Jr Member
Ok. I think I'll do this then...
I don't wanna start a flame war, or dis any of the members of this site, but there is some BS advice handed out to noobs on here.
You can make EXCELLENT props for next to nothing. Card, foam, plastic, cardboard et al.
Learn to paint properly and spend your money on that instead. By all means read everything you can find, bay all means try some PEPs, by all means ignore me. However all these were made with materials that cost less than 10 bucks.
No resin, no bondo - nothing noxious and no need for safety equipment. You will need some tools but not many.
Cardboard;
Cardboard WIP;
Plastic and cardboard;
an old funiture cushion;
Cardboard, pipe lagging and old crap;
A good paint job can make a mediocre build great, but a poor one will ruin even the best construction. Learn to paint properly and you're on a winner.
Cardboard
You can make EXCELLENT props for next to nothing. Card, foam, plastic, cardboard et al.
Learn to paint properly and spend your money on that instead. By all means read everything you can find, bay all means try some PEPs, by all means ignore me. However all these were made with materials that cost less than 10 bucks.
No resin, no bondo - nothing noxious and no need for safety equipment. You will need some tools but not many.
Cardboard;
Cardboard WIP;
Plastic and cardboard;
an old funiture cushion;
Cardboard, pipe lagging and old crap;
A good paint job can make a mediocre build great, but a poor one will ruin even the best construction. Learn to paint properly and you're on a winner.
Cardboard
Agent Arizona
Well-Known Member
Ill agree with you to a point. No one starts out making props on that magnitude. Yes, paint is everything but it takes trial and error in order to get a desired effect and a lot of practice. Paper boards do work on smaller things but for armor plates, not so much. Elite armor is as basic as it gets. Mostly geometric shapes and lines. Using cardboard on armor plates is a waste because there is no detail in them and you have to fiberglass them. Using foam on this build will give the armor depth and a more solid look to it.
Hi you can check out my stuff on making a spartan costume on youtube if you like its under technohog1. I dare say youll have the same issues I did as this is my first shot at it to but that said I have made similar effects stuff my tip is take your time and be patient enjoy and good luck!
my tip is take your time and be patient enjoy and good luck!Gentlemen, I agree with you that foam is a great material. I use it all the time, and if the OP can get hold of the foam tiles then he will probably do better than cardboard. My main point was that advice to noobs on the 405th is often that a costume costs a lot of money to make, and requires all manner of chemicals. Don't get me wrong, I use the 'standard' methods too, bondo, rondo, glassing and matt, but it is not the case that you can't get elite type results without spending a small fortune.
You can.
You can.
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