Uhm... first build... yay

[HereForRootbeer]

Uh, hi? I'm gonna start building an ODST armor suit soon, either from the Andrew DFT templates or from the Armory foam pep templates. Which would you guys recommend? Also, I've got a few questions, mainly about color schemes and emblems, although I do have another one about where to put stuff on the armor.

Colors: So, yeah. I'm probably going to do a rootbeer brown (or similar, 'cause rootbeer brown is quite dark) for my secondary, and black as the primary. I know that the stripe on the helmet gets colored and parts of the chest plate (although where exactly the colors go is still being researched). Any other places to paint that I should know about?

Emblem: If I was going to put a custom rootbeer emblem (like my avatar), where would I put it on the ODST armor?

Stuff to attach to the armor: I'm debating about whether or not to use a 'nade launcher or a shotgun for a primary prop weapon. I have a good idea for the shotgun shells, although where to mount extra grenades on the armor is eluding me.

Also, go Hawks!

Well, that's all from me. Give me some good vibes, alright?

 

[Sean Anwalt]

To be game-accurate I'm not exactly sure where things would go. If you're not sort worried about accuracy, it doesn't really matter where you put the emblem or paint stripes. Maybe over of the other helljumper cosplayers would have better input.

 

[he4thbar]

good vibes sent. Also take a crack at the armory foam templates. trust me you won't be dissapointed. I had to make the same decision and am glad I went with the armory files

 

[HereForRootbeer]

Thank you both! I do want it to be game-accurate, but still my own. Pep it is!

Also, I have a LOT of Testors enamel model paint. Would that stuff be good to use for detailing?

 

[Fallen]

Yeah. If you want accuracy I'd do the foam templates in the armory. Ask any of the troopers on here who have done those builds if you find yourself stuck or needing a little extra advice.

As for enamel paint for detailing, it depends on what your bottom coat is. Here's a chart that's helpful for that.

Just test your paints before applying to your parts. That way you can see if the results are good before applying to your suit.

Applying an emblem, chest plate is common. You could also put it on the helmet. It's really up to you.

 

[PaiganBoi]

DFT's armour I believe is the Reach ODST. A lot o beginner foamsmiths like to start with that version of the armour because his templates are a simplified version. The helmet though is a little too simplified and boxy. The ODST files found in the Armoury are based off H3 ODST.
As for paint scheme it's entirely up to you. For me I went with a custom paint of grey and black.

 

[HereForRootbeer]

Hey, thank you all! It's amazing to have this kind of support! And Fallen, that chart is extremely convenient. Thank you. I do have one more question. I wear glasses, and I've been looking at ways to be able to fit my glasses under the helmet. I can pull a few tricks with the padding, but otherwise, I'm a bit lost. And please don't say "just wear contacts". That's not in my playbook.

 

[he4thbar]

Benton188 wears glasses. he might have a suggestion. otherwise pad it as you normally would a helmet. but be sure to have fans in your helmet to prevent fogging.

 

[Benton188]

I usually wear contacts when I'm in armor, but I've had a few occasions where I had to wear my glasses instead. Thankfully foam is forgiving in this as it can stretch a little bit, making it easier to get your head in through the neck hole. Plus the odst helmet has a nice shape, unlike some Halo 4 and 5 helmets, so you should have plenty of room on the inside. Just make sure that you can get through the neck hole with your glasses on, and wipe them down with some anti-fog prior to wearing them.

 

[IrrationalSound]

Yeah. If you want accuracy I'd do the foam templates in the armory. Ask any of the troopers on here who have done those builds if you find yourself stuck or needing a little extra advice.

As for enamel paint for detailing, it depends on what your bottom coat is. Here's a chart that's helpful for that.

View attachment 287831

Just test your paints before applying to your parts. That way you can see if the results are good before applying to your suit.

Applying an emblem, chest plate is common. You could also put it on the helmet. It's really up to you.

This is super helpful! I never even considered this before

 

[HereForRootbeer]

I usually wear contacts when I'm in armor, but I've had a few occasions where I had to wear my glasses instead. Thankfully foam is forgiving in this as it can stretch a little bit, making it easier to get your head in through the neck hole. Plus the odst helmet has a nice shape, unlike some Halo 4 and 5 helmets, so you should have plenty of room on the inside. Just make sure that you can get through the neck hole with your glasses on, and wipe them down with some anti-fog prior to wearing them.

Thanks, I'll definitely use this info.

So! My foam arrives tomorrow, and I've printed out templates for the forearm and the helmet (scaled, of course). I'm getting quite excited. I more than likely won't be able to post pictures all that often, but I will if I get the chance.

 

[HereForRootbeer]

Wow... It's been a while, huh? I never did get started on the armor because La Corona dropped in, I moved, and a ton of other stuff went down. But now I'm back in action! So I was looking at the foam templates, and the main chestpiece seems to be... missing. The classic ODST plate. You guys know what I'm talking about. Keep in mind, I'm doing foam. Are these all the files? If so, what am I not seeing here?

 

[PaiganBoi]

The chest plate is missing from this set. One option is to use the Reach ODST chest plate.

 

[StattingUp]

Any updates? I could see myself making an ODST in the future and love seeing what other people are up to! Good luck! I think adding the custom emblem and your own color scheme is what making ODST is all about.