Interview for School Project

[TehAstro]

Hello everyone!

I'm Miles, I'm currently a junior in high school, and I chose to build some pieces of Halo armor as my graduation project. It's coming along nicely so far, I have a Nerf Longshot cut to resemble a Battle Rifle, a modified Halo 3 Legendary Edition helmet, and a full arm Pep'd and ready for glassing. I also have to complete a written part of the project, and part of it is to document interviews of people who know things relevant to your topic. So, what better place to go for costume armor construction than the 405th? Whether you're a veteran builder or a novice who's only finished your first piece, I'd love to hear from you. I only need one or two documented interviews for my project, but I can add in however many if I get enough replies. One to three sentences per question would be great, and you can either post your answers or PM me.

tl;dr If you want to answer some simple questions for me it would be greatly appreciated.

1. What have you made, costume-wise?

2. What methods did you use?

3. Are you happy with the way your piece(s) turned out?

4. Approximately how long did it take to complete, and how much did it cost you?

5. Are there any special skills involved in building a costume?

6. What can you expect to put into the average costume, and what can you expect to get out of it?

7. Would you recommend building a costume to people who are interested in it?

8. Is there anything that you would tell someone before they set out to build a costume?


Thank you very much for your time.
Regards, TehAstro.

 

[AGENTREGENT]

1) Currently working on a Hal 3 Mk. VI suit.

2) Pepakura for main structure. 2 coats resin outside, fiberglass mat and resin on the inside, bondo on outside.

3) So far, yes.

4) Collectively the whole project has taken about a year and a half, start to finish. But I took a long break, then started up heavily again. Not much over $100, and I am.

5) In my opinion, I think you need a steady hand, hand-eye coordination, math (for scaling), and a good amount of eyeballing (when applying and sanding bondo)

6) Care, a splash of love, a ton of patience, and a LOT of elbow grease. I expect to get lot's of pride out of it, as well as fun at conventions, parties, costume days, etc.

7) I would. It's a great learning experience, and pretty fun and awesome.

8) Research this a lot, and prepare for a lot of work. Although at times you'll get super pissed at your work and all that, you'll be very proud of your end result.

Good luck with this, man! It sounds interesting.

 

[Pigglywiggly1973]

1) Currently to date: Storm Trooper Armor (full suit), HALO MC MK VI helmet, Predator Bio mask ( P1, P2 and custom), Current project Ironman helmet.

2) Ive used mostly "hard armor" tech's. Fiberglass, Resin, and abs sheet's. Most armor i wear or make is display armor.

3) To date everything i've made im happy with. that being said i'm always improving skill and idea's on how to work out a glitch or work around to a issue thanks to the ppl on the 405th and just plan out thinking before mounting something.

4) for the Trooper armor took about 3 months from start to finish. MC helmet took 2 months. Iron man has taken about a month so far. Cost .. the trooper armor was most expensive around 400 total to go from nothing to sand trooper.

5) Anyone can make a suit of armor. How detailed it becomes on how skilled you are or want to be. The more you practice the better you become.

6) I take the time to think about who i am building the piece for. For friends and family, ill take my time and work out details that they dont notice but ppl around them will. For me .. lets say .. i'm never happy with it, i will always be changing something on suits for as long as i own it.

7) Yes. but also advise them to take the time TO RESEARCH AND READ ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING on the build they are going to do. DOnt just join a site and start saying , How do i do this or that , without taking the time and finding the answer yourself. I know sometimes you'll have to read 50 pages for that one answer your looking for , but its worth the time to do it . If you still dont understand it then ask , but do it so ppl know that you have looked for the info and not just wanting to make a suit for next month and then get upset or disheartened when someone tells you most ppl on here take a year or so to make a build.

8) Everything i have stated above almost everyone on here will agree with .. with tweaks of coarse. Some will add to or take away from these answers. but when it comes down to it. The only thing stopping you from building a suit , helmet, weapon, or even a vehicle is you. Not the guy behind a keyboard bashing you for the way he looks at something. If you are happy with it , then wear it with pride and let them show you their outfit.

I hope this answers some of your questions and you move onward and upward in your skills and schooling.

As a famous person once said: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself, ..and spiders... "

 

[CasualCosplayer]

1. ODST Medic from Halo 3 ODST and right now I´am working on a Spartan IV Head Hunter.

2. Pepakura - paper/cardboard - resin - fiberglass - bondo - paint

3. Since the ODST Medic was my first one I think they turned out pretty good.

4. 2 years, 450 euro

5. I think anyone could make one but it is a plus if you are creative and have a lot of patience.

6. Actually I have never thought about this but then again I never think before I do something

7. Definitly!

8. DO some research and watch a bunch of tutorials!

Good luck mate!


Pat-

 

[foxleader]

1. what haven't I made, halo reach marine, odst, in game item's, and almost all the UNSC/ covenant weapons.

2. free hand most people will use templates but I like to just look at and image and build it from that.

3. happy yes some times I go back and mod them to look a little better or if I learn to do something that improves the weapons or armor.

4. well most projects take about a week to two weeks and that's just using cardboard, and cost around fifty buck U.S.

5. yes some skill is needed mostly its having steady hands and the willingness to sit down and just do it.

6. I go in hoping it looks like the armor In the image, but then I look around and find things that aren't just in the image and then it turns out better.

7. sure as long as it's not twenty people at once.

8. when you start down this road you will fail, but learn from it, start and again and with what you've learned from last time you'll do better.

 

[Kyre]

1. I've made a Halo 4 Scanner helmet, a Mandalorian helmet, two combat knives that slot into a friend's shoulder pieces, and I did most of the assembly and hardening for that friends Reach armor, and I've made Benjamin and Clayton Carmines' helmets.

2. I have used the Pepakura route for all but one of the knives so far, and that knife I made by layering Sintra.

3. For the most part, yes. I feel the Scanner and Mandalorian helmets could have been better, but they turned out well enough for the tight time frames I had to work with.

4. Each helmet took about two months work, when added up, but it was mostly in sets of two to three hours. The Reach suit was far less detailed, and I only went up to the hardening so it also only took about two months, again in short pieces. The knives were each weekend affairs.

5. Patience and an eye for detail, but those can both be learned. A steady hand, as well, but you can train yourself into that as well.

6. One can expect to put a lot of time and effort into a good looking costume, and if you pay your time out wisely and appropriately, you can expect to get something more than awesome for Halloween, small costume parties, and after a few tries for the experience one can start heading into convention's costume contests.

7. Yes and no. I would recommend starting with a basic helmet or item that you like, such as a Mandalorian helmet, to get into the flow of the work while not having to deal with the hard details that are in pieces like the Halo 4 helmets, but I would not recommend getting into it if you have a very sort deadline or unreasonable expectations for your first tries.

8. Be prepared to fail, and allow it when it happens. Sometimes a piece just does not go as planned or something goes wrong and it is not salvageable. I lost my first attempt for the Scanner helmet due to the resin not setting right and causing very bad warpage. The Mando helmet, however, i was able to salvage from it's extensive cracking and air bubbles.

 

[cha0skn1ght]

1. What have you made, costume-wise?
I have made an ODST suit, Carter's armor from Reach, and my multiplayer Spartan from Halo 4.

2. What methods did you use?
I used Pepakura for both the ODST and Carter. EVA Foam for my Halo 4 Spartan.

3. Are you happy with the way your piece(s) turned out?
Fairly happy. Of course you always look back and think of what could've been better.

4. Approximately how long did it take to complete, and how much did it cost you?
My suits varied in terms of time but no more than 6 months and no less than 3. Anywhere upwards of $300 + after everything is said and done. Most likely $500+

5. Are there any special skills involved in building a costume?
It doesn't hurt to be able to have steady hands and a lot of patience. Soldering could come in handy if you want to add lights and fans and such.

6. What can you expect to put into the average costume, and what can you expect to get out of it?
Time and effort, and probably a lot of it. But you get the satisfaction of making something from the ground up and having people marvel at in and be in awe when you walk in the room.

7. Would you recommend building a costume to people who are interested in it?
Absolutely.

8. Is there anything that you would tell someone before they set out to build a costume?
Plan ahead if it's your first time. Don't rush things. Don't get discouraged when you have to make the same piece 3-4 times to get the size you want.

 

[morkar78]

1. What have you made, costume-wise?
I'm actually working on the H4 master chief armor, undersuite and the energy blade

2. What methods did you use?
pepakura+resin+fiberglass+bondo for the armor; no bondo for the blade; fabric for the undersuite

3. Are you happy with the way your piece(s) turned out?
80% happy

4. Approximately how long did it take to complete, and how much did it cost you?
It started on April 2013, not finished yet. Total cost....about 300-400$

5. Are there any special skills involved in building a costume?
Perseverance....

6. What can you expect to put into the average costume, and what can you expect to get out of it?
Time...loooot of time..... and wel...I just like to dress up like the master chief among the people...

7. Would you recommend building a costume to people who are interested in it?
Defnitely

8. Is there anything that you would tell someone before they set out to build a costume?
TAKE YOU TIME....and do your researches carefully before starting (not like I did)

 

[EVAkura]

Not sure if you need any more, but what the heck!

1. What have you made, costume-wise?

Iron Man Mark VII helmet (foam), Sharkboy and Lavagirl full outfits (foam), M6H Sidearm (Foam), Blank helmet with casting mold (paper clay and joint compound for the helmet, and latex for the mold), and work in progress is the Halo 4 Rogue helmet and armor (Pepakura and epoxy), Recruit armor (Pepakura and epoxy), Binary Rifle (Foam, wood glue, wood dowels, aluminum channels, electronics - hand soldered circuit board, and Bondo), and lastly, Exo-suit (foam and tons of elastic).

2. What methods did you use?

Pepakura, sliced, EVAkura (I made my own term, but it works!), basic electronics, paper clay sculpting (home made),and unique hand-drawn templates

3. Are you happy with the way your piece(s) turned out?

I am very happy with the way they have turned out because each time I finish a piece, I can see the progression of my skills, and take note of new methods I will use in the future.

4. Approximately how long did it take to complete, and how much did it cost you?

I started this epic journey four and a half months ago. That was the very first time I have even considered making armor/props. I would say I have "invested" around $2000.00+ so far.

5. Are there any special skills involved in building a costume?

Definitely! The ability to listen to, read, and absorb information for later application is an absolute. A steady hand and patience are also necessary, as well as motivation (and the ability to overcome defeat when something goes awry).

6. What can you expect to put into the average costume, and what can you expect to get out of it?

As with any hobby (provided it has not gone past that point); patience, time, and a high probability of expenditures. You should be able to reap an ample amount of pride and knowledge that you can use for future builds.

7. Would you recommend building a costume to people who are interested in it?

No. I would recommend someone starting off with a primary piece that is fairly simple to make (Foam helmet is a great start). This will help build confidence as well as give them the basic knowledge of what to expect for future builds as well how to progress. If they get frustrated because of failure and do not want to continue, then there was not much invested and not much lost. However, if they succeed and want to continue, they have a piece they can always point to and say, "that was my first build! Look at how far I have come."

I believe a full costume (generally multiple pieces) would set their expectations too high and might be overwhelming. Baby steps in my answer to that one!

8. Is there anything that you would tell someone before they set out to build a costume?

If this is for you, you will find yourself constantly smiling and/or doing the happy dance when you complete a milestone or major step in a project. Completion should bring a great sense of pride and accomplishment. The rewards can often greatly outweigh the temporary frustration and sore fingers you may experience when building. And lastly, as with every hobby I can think of, SAFETY FIRST and use quality tools! A glove just does not have the same effect when you are missing your arm.

 

[Gray]

1. What have you made, costume-wise?
On the date of October 15 2013, I have completed one suit of Halo 3 Mark IV MJOLNIR Spartan armor. As of currently, I am moving on to more strenuous armor builds involving magnanimously more detailed work than before, which would be Halo 4 Armor, on a personal basis. I've already pepped a Halo 4 Recon helmet, and I'm currently in the midst of making a Recruit chest plate.

2. What methods did you use?
I used the methods of card stock paper armor, light coat of resin on the outside, adhere fiberglass matting to inside of armor, and resin the matting, then, if any imperfections are visible; I use bondo to cover up those imperfections, and smooth out ridged faces of the armor. I also try to keep the different areas of the armor from warping by securing the inside of each piece before external resin is applied.

3. Are you happy with the way your piece(s) turned out?
I love the way the pieces turn out in the end result! They usually end up being very smooth, and not warped using the method that I use. But they are never perfect, nothing is.

4. Approximately how long did it take to complete, and how much did it cost you?
I'd give an estimation of 3 or so months for the first stage of the armor. Originally, I began in June of 2012, and worked on it each day until about late August. But to get it to where it is currently, probably around 6-8 months of work total, being each day worked.

5. Are there any special skills involved in building a costume?
If there were any skills out there that involve building costumes, I'd say It'd have to be patience. This goes out especially to pepakura work, for the process of cutting out many pages of paper, gluing the shapes together, and then getting it into a finished product takes much time!

6. What can you expect to put into the average costume, and what can you expect to get out of it?
I'd say that you'd have to do what you would with any other activity, you'd have to put time, money, etc... into these things in order for them to come out at least satisfactory. And in the end, you get a feeling of accomplishment, and enjoyment in making the actual costume. Also, you could attend parties with the costume, contests, etc... and you may make the armor pay for itself, but that isn't the whole purpose of creating armor. Everyone has different reasons, but I truly believe that in building this armor, you learn that things take time, and that patience is a key factor in life.

7. Would you recommend building a costume to people who are interested in it?
YES! If you have an interest in something, you go right out and do it! The best thing in which people can do is find out what they like, and if building armor seems to interest you, trying it out cannot hurt you! And in the end if you didn't really love building the costume than you just keep finding things that do, and try them all!

8. Is there anything that you would tell someone before they set out to build a costume?
Yes. Something I'd say is that it isn't easy right off the bat, just like other hobbies, activities, etc... Building armor does in fact require preparation if possible, such as a plan, to know what you're doing, and what you're getting yourself into. Having a good plan, and doing enough research could lead the most unskilled of people to turn out with the best resulting things, or in this case, armor/costumes. But it is even more important to start out LIGHT having too heavy of a load could easily drive a starting costume builder to feel stress, and resentment in ever trying armor building, it'll eventually just feel like a burden if someone jumps too far into the whole process of armor building. Start out light, don't think too ahead, and worry more about what you are currently building, than something you're about to build.

 

[JohnRansom]

1: To date I have made two suits (one complete the other a complete mess) of Mark VI, an operator helmet (from Halo: Reach), a full suit of Mark V with a Halo 3 Recon helmet, modified slightly (as seen in my profile picture), a Halo assault rifle, a Batman costume, and a full set of N7 (Mass Effect) armor.

2: The first three things on the list above I used the cardstock and fiberglass method, and for everything after that, I stuck with foam.

3: My first build was super exciting, but incredibly bad. The second was more visually appealing, but still not complete. I was ok with the operator helmet, but the bondo work was lame. Then I found the foam method, which I started out confused by, but then learned to love for its cheapness, simplicity, and ability to produce details so long as you are willing to be creative with it. Once I had that, I made the next set of builds, all of which I am immensely proud of.

4: The first two each took around a month, the operator helmet took one month on its own, the Mark V foam took three months, and then there is the assault rifle, which took one day, and the Batman and N7, which I made together and at the same time over the course of about a month. Each suit cost roughly 60-70 dollars apiece, with the full Mark V costing more like 100.

5: The special skills, as others have said, are mainly patience, but also ingenuity, determination, and imagination.

6: A good chunk of money, a lot of time, and a lot of practice. In the end though, showing off the costumes is super exciting. A few called me a nerd or obsessed, and maybe they were right. But they can't do what I can do with a package of foam either.

7: Without a doubt, if you want to, you should. It is a fantastic hobby, with great internet communities of all stripes full of ideas and people to discuss things with. Looking at your suit of armor sitting there, or even just a helmet will fill you with a sense of extreme pride.

8: It is going to take time. Your first work will probably, almost definitely, turn out wrong. It is going to bite your wallet, and it is going to take a lot of time. The only reason I finished my work so quickly was because I was only a highschool student, and I had a lot of free time. Now I would be lucky to finish one helmet in a month. But it is something worth trying. Just don't rush into it. I know I did. The prospect of building something so cool got me all riled up and I wasted a lot of time and money on a build I later looked at in disgust. It really is a huge test of patience and control.

 

[MICRO]

GRUNT!!! and master chief











this is my second halo build. i have built halo master chief for my son using pepakura files. and my second is the full grunt build, i built that from free hand.

the methods used were foam. it is flexible easy to find and easy to use. not to mention it is relatively light weight.

I cannot believe how the grunt suit turned out. i really impressed my self and the crowd reaction at the Wizard world portland 2014 comic con was amazing

the master chief suit 3 weeks and the grunt suit 3 months off and on.

The skills involved are basically patience.thes and any suit take a lot of time and patience.

there isnt a monetary price you can put on any of these. each and every one is created by someone different. they are all unique and all amazing.

I would absolutely reccomend building costumes. it is a great creative outlet. and you can share it at any convention. people love seeing a life size video game character.

watch many youtube tutorials. ask questions of any of us on the 405th. find your local 405th batalion on the facebook to inquire.