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Costume Photos
Trophy...
Posing with Wing Zero
Glowing Eyes
Saturday Stand Off 2 with Odd-One-Out
Masquerade
Default Pose
Saturday Stand Off with Odd-One-Out
Reference Picture
Costume Information
| General | |
|---|---|
| Cost : | £230 give or take |
| Awards : | Judges' Award - London MCM Expo May 2010 - Saturday |
| Time Taken : | Too Long |
| Description | |
|---|---|
| This was originally a Secret Cosplay as I wasn't sure how much I'd be able to get started, but it seems to be coming along well, and I still have plenty of time to get this one one for next year. I'd been thinking about making a Gundam for a long time now, and it was only until recently when I stumbled across someone else on CI also making one, that I thought I should take my paper concept and turn it into a real cosplay. It's been hard work so far, but I've been enjoying the build. So far, the hardest part to make has been the helmet. I still have to sort out all the electronics, but that should come in time. The helmet itself is a nice fit, and the only thing that worries me is whether or not I get all the rest of the proportions right. I'm marking this one as complete but I will be rebuilding and strengthening this for October. 7th June 2010 I now have a little over 2 weeks to finish the first rebuild due to a photoshoot request. Things to repair/strengthen Torso - Done Back - Done Wings - Done Wing Mounts - In Progress Legs - Done Paintwork - Planned | |
To-Do List
| PANIC!!! | High | In Progress |
| Shoulders | Medium | Complete |
| Arms | Medium | Complete |
| Electronics | Medium | In Progress |
| Helmet | Medium | In Progress |
| Legs | Low | Complete |
| Pistols | Low | Complete |
| Paintwork | Low | In Progress |
| Repair and Strengthen Wings | Low | Planned |
| Repair and Strengthen Torso | Low | Planned |
| Repair and Strengthen Feet | Low | Planned |
Journal
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New Frame and Wing Mount Built (Posted 13th June 2010) Due to how the wing mount has been made, I have to integrate the frame into the back panel. This means that each Gundam will have its own frame instead of a shared one. |
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Rebuild Underdway (Posted 6th June 2010) Okay, There were a few hot days last week, and I stupidly left some of the suit in the car. Most of the pieces are still there, and I have to remake the right foot (as this is what broke on Saturday, forcing me to pack them away as it would be too dangerous to hobble about with a semi mended foot) I've started on the new body frame, which the existing shell will wrap around. This will effectively strengthen the torso, and provide a new mount for interchangeable wings. I'm doing this alongside my Deathscythe as the frame will accommodate for both Gundams. |
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Started Base Painting (Posted 17th May 2010) Okay, i've started to trim rough edges, and try to smooth out corners. It's still not working very well, but I started to paint the base layer of the torso, guards, feet and wings. I'm using an acrylic spray as the base, and will apply a second coat plus varnish for the top later depending on how it looks. I'm still trimming the edges for the legs and arms (basically all the white/grey bits) so i won't know how they will turn out until I start painting them, which will hopefully be tomorrow. |
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Lack of inspiration so close to expo = epic fail (Posted 16th May 2010) I still have to paint the thing. I haven't even thought about how I'm going to fill any gaps around the edges of the foamboard to give it a smoother look. All the black pieces are okay as the paint can semi obscure imperfections, but the arms and legs simply cannot be avoided. *sigh* wish me luck... |
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Lower Legs in Progress (Posted 8th May 2010) Okay, I've spent most of last couple of nights and all of today working on getting the basic shape of the legs going. My first attempt was initially too tight, so i ended up making alterations and recutting the side panels. At the moment they are both a nice snug fit, and I am still able to bend my legs. |
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Hands in the making (Posted 29th October 2009) I've started working on the hands now. I didn't get a chance to do any work on this leading up to the October Expo, so it's nice to finally get things going again. |
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Not much more progress on this (Posted 1st October 2009) Been working on something else at the moment, so i had this on hold, but I did buy a massive sheet of Model Foam for the feet. Proper solid material, almost 2 inches thick, so I should be able to cut a few sheets, stack up, and model around them, for some platform goodness. ^__^ |
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Detachable Shoulders (Posted 28th August 2009) Okay, I already have both arms done, but not joined. I started on the shoulders, and couldn't decide where and how to mount them. So, I had a little inspiration, and made them slot into the sides. Yes, that's right, the shoulders have now been built as detachable pieces, meaning, easier to store, and also easier for me to wear!! So far, I am able to get the helmet, torso, arms and shoulders on by myself, which may prove useful later on. I still need to finish off the shoulder pieces, which I will hope to get done in the next day or two. |
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Time for some Arms (Posted 23rd August 2009) Okay, I have some time and hopefully a little inspiration. I know that I haven't fully finished the Torso, but I will probably work on the arms this week. Arms should be fairly easy compared to the rest of the build, as they're simple geometric shapes, and all detail can be added on later. Will probably update this journal with a WIP photo at some point, before submitting a proper one. |
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I officially hate soldering, fingers got too close to iron... (Posted 18th August 2009) Okay, I decided to make the first of many of the LED units for my build. The standard kit comes with Red LEDs, which i know are pretty bright. I replaced these with Yellow ones, only to find that they're not quite as bright as I hoped they would be. I'm not sure whether the battery is low, or whether the LEDs are genuinely not bright enough. Attached is a picture of the unit available from Maplin for about 4 quid. Works well so far, but I know that Maplin sell an LED Torch (Code: MAP401) that has a single/dual bright white LED, but it's more than a fiver :S Anyway, I shall see how the rest of the electronics go. |
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Materials (Posted 17th August 2009) Okay, I probably should have put this one as my first journal, but hey, better late than never. Normally, I would have gone for this too, but for some strange reason, i went with ....... *drum roll* .......Foam Board. "What Madness" I hear you say. Well, to be honest, i was kinda skeptical to begin with as well, but with that in mind, I still went with the foam board, for one thing only. Rigidity (without the use of additional materials (fibreglass/resin/plaster etc etc) Anyway, so far, the build has been going well, and I'm lucky to have a fellow cosplayer (Odd-One-Out) to set the bar in terms of build quality and finish, because it means I always have a goal to aim for ;) |
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Electronics (Posted 7th August 2009) Damn I hate soldering!! Edit: Okay, so I had all the electronics prepared, but....I couldn't find my soldering iron >__< |
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Starting Point (Posted 23rd July 2009) Okay, I've started to make this thing now. It appears to be going well. I've made 1 prop and the front part of the headgear, and part of the chest. |
Comments
You know I like this, haha.
Too cool for school Vince, this already puts Wing to shame!
lol, it's still early days yet Phoebe. i will relax when the whole things actually starts to look like a gundam.
I think the feet are probably going to be the most important.
hmmm, wondering whether to change the title of the cosplay. Not sure how many people will know what a GAT-X105E is ^^;
holy cow thats looking awesome already O_O
:O wow!
Nice work K4tt ^^ i direct you to www.mechacosplaytips.tk if it still works and go through some of Eva's tutorials. And try and get what you need before the site closes. :( But it's got some good leg and feet ideas.
Regards
Venom
ah, one of my top 10 favorite mobile suit designs. not as cool as the hyaku tho ;p
construction looks good and clean!
The light is damn cool. Sir!
Thanks Phoebe, but judging by my last electronics attempt, it hasn't quite worked out how it's supposed to look. I think i need to think up another idea >__< Whatever happens, I want lights dammit!!!
looking great i look forward to seeing more and have you though of using battery powered xmas lights?
Torso pics - it is exciting seeing this progress. Your Gundam is gonna look badass when it is finished. :)
Wow, looks amazing so far!
Thanks for the comments people.
@Mothfox. I didn't think about xmas lights, purely because the ones I have run on normal bulbs, and I think to get the strength, I really need LEDs instead of filaments.
@Ranma1-2. ^__^ I think it will only look badass IF i can get it painted to a high standard. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to use as a base, because there are still so many rough edges, and I suspect that I'll be using a lot of epoxy putty and sticky plastic >__<
This is looking BADASS; Vince your house isn't exactly the cleanest but the Gundam is looking clean ;)
LOL Phoebe. almost 5 years of crap accumulated in the flat :p
did you mean the carpet not clean (lots of bits from the cutting) or the storage boxes behind the TV? >__<
I'll be sure to replace that photo with a "cleaner" one ;)
Hey k4tt, i used LED's but got two for you to check out. Also something else your going to need :).
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=35769&doy=18m5 - super bright LED's
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=36398&doy=22m7 - 8mm panel LED's
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ITAG=SPEC&ModuleNo=30269&doy=18m5#sp... - Ball Bearing Fans 50mm. Best thing ever invented for cosplay helmets.
Regards
Matt
Thanks for the links. I actually bought most of my electronics and LEDs from Maplin already, but didn't want to invest in the super bright LEDs due to cost. Looks like I'm probably going to have to. As for the fan, I didn't think about installing one as the helmet is a pretty tight fit. I might be able to get two in the sides, but not sure how restrictive it would be. Otherwise, I'm looking at hidden ventilation to help with the air flow.
thats the single sexiest thing ive seen since last expo 8D
Slow down mate, you are waaay ahead! Haha! Good to see the pics, every new pic makes me more and mroe excited.
lol. Pheebs, Are you forgetting that I have to make two of these things. I want to at least finish mine, so that I have more time to work out whether I'm going the same route for the second one. I'm putting the electronics on hold for the moment. I want to get the rest of the build done, and painted, to give me more inspiration.
this is looking really rad :)
This is looking A-M-A-Z-I-N-G cant wait to see the final production line ;D
This is so cool i can hardly express it in words O_O
Eeeeeee Vince excited!
looking forward to seeing this one at the expo^__^ I wish I made a better effort with cosplay for May lol
dunno when it'll be finished but it will be by the end of the year, am gonna make more progress on it after the expo with 2 hour sessions and knowing me, I can always afford it lol
I can't believe I never commented on this because it looks absolutely amazing.
Whoa, Vince! Wings look incredible!
looking awesome
OK this is turning out to be a little too good lol, I think you will be in a photography swarm with this thing on lol
lol thanks Rik, but trust me, this thing looks pretty raw and messy at close up. I really need to get cracking on sealing all the joints, and then painting the damn thing. First things first though. need to finish the waist area and the feet *sigh* too much to do, so little time...
lol, should have started sooner lol
but yeah, I don't think anyone may care how bad it may be close up because they normally judge the effort mostly because they are always a few feet away lol
EXCITED MUCH?!
Legs look stunning, suit up is impressive
Really nice work K4tt.
Nice to see the whole suit together for the first time. I agree with you on your proportions comment. Are your feet on raised platforms inside the suit? if so I don't think you need the extra boost of height - your own body proportions look like they will be tall enough just wearing flats. Easier for you to walk in too, cuz you can feel the floor.
@Ranma1-2
My feet are indeed on raised platforms. despite the suit not being as colossally tall as I hoped, the issue is that in the suitup, i wasn't wearing shoes or anything, i was just in my socks, and although the proportions might look okay (if not a bit too tall), ideally i need to make the platforms on the feet a little shorter to compensate for the soles of the footwear that I will be using, hence why I wanted to trim off a couple of inches.
Granted, the ankle shields will obscure the view of my footware, but I really wanted the whole thing to look absolutely proportional. i don't think I'll ever be 100% completely happy about this build, but it will leave me open for improvement for future cosplays ^__^
Hmm yeah. The only other thing you could do to make it look less tall is bulk out the width somehow.
Its looking awesome!!!~ Can't wait to see it finished!~
Really, REALLY can't wait to see this!
Gotta admit, you sure are gonna finish this in time for the Expo^__^
Looking forward to seeing this at Expo - good luck!
I've not seen Gundam Seed really (first disc only), but have seen and own all of Gundam Wing. Regardless, I am looking forward to seeing this if I manage to come across you at expo!
Insanity! XD Can't wait to see it!!
-Phi
Wow, this looks EPIC!
Are you going both days to expo? I hope to see you there so i can take pictures of you...if you let me X3.... this will be awesome to see.
Thanks people! ^__^ I'm slowly getting there. I still need to finish off the helmet wings and gloves, but the painting is coming along.
@Rik
yeah, fingers cross, it looks like it might be ready for the Expo
@Slimdefinition
I was tempted to do a Gundam Wing cosplay, but Pheebs (Odd-One-Out) beat me to it :(
Strike Noir is actually featured in a spin off called Stargazer, but the model is still loosely based on the Strike
@Phi >__< Insanity indeed. what the hell was I thinking?? btw, I NEED to comment on your Recon Armor
@Tanuki-Otaku
Yes, I'm going on both days. I've spent too much time and effort on this cosplay so I need to make the most use of it :)
Come look for me. I'll probably be lurking somewhere alongside a fellow Gundam (Wing Zero)
Wow, this is really impressive!
Looking forward to seeing this ^_^
How on earth I managed to miss this both days was beyond me! The finished product looks so amazing! Congrats!
Incredible cosplay, hope we'll be seeing it again :)
This was an incredible costume. I'm so sorry that things broke but well done for still standing and for going on the stage. And of course for getting the Judges Award - well deserved.
Thank you for the Pocky; a very sweet thought but I was more than happy to help.
I look forward to seeing the remake in October! =^_^=
I loved this so much! Congratulations on the award! I'm really looking forward to seeing it again in October!
@CrystalNeko
Unfortunately I only wore it on Saturday and was mostly over by the CosplayDesk doing initial repairs. Couldn't wear it on Sunday as it would have taken too long to fix as it pretty much fell apart at the end of Saturday
Thanks for the support everyone. I really appreciate it.
I'm hoping that my budget for October will allow me to fully reconstruct all the failed parts of the suit, as well as strengthening them, and perhaps implement new features as well ^__^
Soooooooooo sad I missed this! I was really looking forward seeing this on the weekend, but sadly I never had a ticket to watch the masquerade. From the photos it looks absolutely amazing, all the hard work and effort paid off.
this was absolutly awesome
Too cool to spend some time with you and your wife, thank you for being there!
Enjoyed seeing this for real. Nice meeting you in the masquerade queue too. :)
Hey Vince! It was brilliant to meet you guys too! We're just sorry we couldn't have spent more time talking with you! Hopefully see you again in October! <3
-Phi
great job on this man, and congrats for the masquerade
Congratulations on your award, and wow this was truely fantastic!
Thanks everyone. Was great meeting you all and gaining some new friends too! ^__^ Hopefully see you all in October
Awesome mech costume is awesome. :D
Thankyou for the comment, it makes me happy :D I really really wanted to see your costume but i didn't :(
If you want I could upload so close up photos of the complete swords?
X
Awsome Gundam, amzing skill constructing them
Awesome work, I can't believe how rammed in there you were! Well done!
I saw this whilst outta costume and this was brilliant! And thanks for commenting on my angewomon and Erza, I shall aim to not disappoint ;) also rewearing angewomon so you can see her next october ;) looking forward to your next cosplay! G'luck!
Thanks for the comments ^__^
@Tanuki-Otaku - I'm hoping to get Noir repaired for Saturday so you might see it then.
@kiichan - hahah, yeah, I was packed in really tight in the suit. couldn't actually sit down for the whole day!! :(
by the time I took it off, I had bruises on my neck and shoulders.
@Speckles - Yay. hopefully I'll be able to see your Angewoman in october!! WIll definitely be looking out for you!!
this was a great suit shame i missed it, but it was great chatting with you on the sunday :D
It was great to see you ^^ on and of the stage well done on u awarde u really did an epic job ^^
This was totally amazing @_@ I take my hat off to you and your skills!
Award was very much deserved!!
O.o inspirational :)
That is amazing and well done you for The Judge's Award. ^_^
I remember seeing you at expo.
You really did look amazing!
so amazing >.< what sorts of materials did you use?
Oh god did this just make me scream! This is awesome! Love the detail and scale to it and how sleek it looks!