17th November 2010: Progress update Here is how the costume is shaping up - life support control panel now fixed onto breastplate. I removed the Velcro from the breastplate fasteners because I just dont trust it..always snags and pulls on nice fabric! Instead the wide elastic straps are now fastened with large size hook/eyes. So, breastplate sorted.
In the pics I tried an off the shoulder top. Looks nice without the helmet but with the helmet on the bare neck looks wrong. This means I am going to have to make a long sleeved full coverage top (for this pic I just have a plain black T-shirt on). 3 days to go.. But I'm feeling good about progress. ^_^
15th November 2010: Breastplate progress Pic - Breastplate after clear Gloss varnish has dried.
Two coats of Johnsons Klear brushed on - It's meant for floors but I find this stuff is an excellent clear gloss varnish which dries fast and doesn't smell.
Sainsburys sell it.
14th November 2010: Breastplate progress Third coat. Colour looks solid enough. Now drying, tommorrow I will coat it all with clear gloss to make it super shiney. Also need to drill some holes and fix the life support control box onto the front.
Notice: top left, black wide elastic strip sticking out - this is how the breastplate is fastened onto me. Wide elastic strips are hot glued to the inside, and the other end has velcro fastener. (in case you were wondering)
12th November 2010: Breastplate progress Next stage - first coat of Black paint. Nothing special here, just ordinary craft acrylic. It's quite well pigmented so two coats might do this..
12th November 2010: Breastplate progress You might recognise this - from my Toyah cosplay. - I did what I wanted with that, and so I'm quite happy to be re-using this breastplate for another costume.
First stage - the glossy finish has been sanded down with rough sandpaper - this will provide a better key for the black paint to stick to. It has also smoothened the breastplate a bit more - which can't be a bad thing cuz gloss black could show up any unsmoothness..
ryaoki - 12th November 2010
When you say a few injuries, do you mean a couple of limbs sliced off and then lobbed into a volcano lmao
This is awsome,
Ranma1-2 - 12th November 2010
hahahaha Is that the sweet sound of approval. Cheers Buddy. :D
No the breastplate is protect her womanly assets ^^ ..and also protection against blaster shots. The injuries are to her face, sustained by being too close to Dark force lightning energy as she was in the process of killing her pre-decessor Darth..I forget his name.. something or other. K ?
ryaoki - 12th November 2010 this is actually swarv lol!
Toshi-chan - 12th November 2010
Genius. You will pull this off epicly!
Is genuinly excited to see this finished. ^.^
Ranma1-2 - 12th November 2010 Cheers guys. Work has begun! :)
Captain_Marvelous - 12th November 2010 Hnnng im taking responsibility for allowing this monument to awesome sexy nerdary! :) can not wait to seeee it! :) your coming on the masquerade with us cowboy! :)
Ranma1-2 - 12th November 2010 Yep-sir-y-bob :D
Anime_Angel - 12th November 2010 woh I never knew someone would get round to doing that version of Darthy^__^
Alyx - 12th November 2010 urm... YES!
Captain_Marvelous - 12th November 2010 If you had a poundshop local to you, they sell black car primer paint and its AMAZING in all my years of prop making ive never used anything else XD
Fishyfins - 13th November 2010
YES! this is awesome ^^
and ima gonna be a Sith right alongside you :3
Ranma1-2 - 13th November 2010
I'm glad you guys are so positive about this. At least I get some wear out of my Vader mask. I just couldn't do him properly cuz it wouldn't be right I am so short compared to Luke. But this way I can get away with it. (I needs ma heels) ^_^
Ryuk I will defo check that out..I do have a poundshop locally. :) How can they do stuff like that for a pound!? :S
Wyrdsister - 13th November 2010 Cute, go for it and have fun! ha's wha cosplay is about. Pics please when you ge back, of course :p
Captain_Marvelous - 13th November 2010 Im not sure, the same way they can sell heroclix, transformers dvds, a dremel tool, an engraver, dremel head bit sets, official batman figures, massive packs of craft foam and camping lanterns. XD haha poudland rocks but only certain times of the year
ryaoki - 14th November 2010 Dude i wana cosplay chad vader ! lmao
Freyarule - 15th November 2010
Vader: Luke...I am your mother!
Luke: Wait, what?
XDDD sorry couldn't resist, this will be an interesting project and I can't wait to see the final result :)
alytheluvly - 15th November 2010 Hehe, interesting idea! Can't wait to see it finished :)
Ranma1-2 - 15th November 2010
Ryaoki - Do it. ^_^ these Vader masks are going really cheap on eB at the mo, you even get the microphone and vader sound box.
Freyarule, Alytheluvly - Not long to wait, this is for the weekend, Leeds ThoughtBubble Con. There is a cosplay comp so we're doing a Star Wars group for the masquerade. ^_^
Captain_Marvelous - 15th November 2010 Hnnng your damn right! Faye is currently making the Bantha :)
ryaoki - 15th November 2010 LINKY MR STEVE FOR A MASK!
Ranma1-2 - 15th November 2010
Ryuk - yes I've seen ^^ is gonna be too cute.
Ryaoki - how about
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/STAR-WARS-DARTH-VADER-VOICE-CHANGING-MASK-HELMET-/310270831960?pt=UK_ToysGames_ActionFigures_ActionFigures_JN&hash=item483d952d58
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Star-Wars-Darth-Vader-Mask-Helmet-Voicechanger-/150518560833?pt=UK_ToysGames_ActionFigures_ActionFigures_JN&hash=item230b9af841
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/STAR-WARS-DARTH-VADER-VOICE-CHANGER-MASK-HELMET-/270662336417?pt=UK_ToysGames_ActionFigures_ActionFigures_JN&hash=item3f04bb7fa1
Freyarule - 15th November 2010 Ooh awesome! Won't be able to make it but definitely looking forward to pics :D best of luck!
InfiniteJester - 17th November 2010 awesome idea!
kiichan - 17th November 2010 Oooh! Breastplate looks awesome!
Alyx - 17th November 2010 Love love LOVE this!
Ranma1-2 - 17th November 2010
Thank you guys. ^_^
Just a few days left to get this finished, but I'm feelin good about it. :)
No thanks - 17th November 2010 I don't know how you do it! another gorgeous cosplay, and you worked so fast! <3
Anime_Angel - 18th November 2010 Thats quite impressive, once it is complete, you'll then need the lightsaber since you cannot be Darthy without a lightsaber lol
Ranma1-2 - 18th November 2010
Charlotte. Hi baby. ^_^
Thank yoooou. Well the breastplate is re-cyled from my Toyah costume. Just painted black and drilled holes to fix the front panel onto it. Umm leggins in pic are bought ones (Oh The Shame! :P ) But I still have to make the top and it prob won't match them so I might end up making new leggins too..I'll have to raid my Mary Marvel fabric :S But I feel quite gorgeous in ths costume. The cape just fills out like a sail, even walking slowly, and it billows behind just like a villainous cape should. :P It's fantastic! I bought the fabric to make the top and leggins but when it arrived it didn't have much stretchiness so I thought might as well use it for the cape. So now I have a wet look cape too. It's all bordering on dominatrix! :P hahahaha.
Anime_Angel.. borrowing my friends FX Vader lightsaber again for this. :)
alytheluvly - 18th November 2010 Looks great so far! :D So shiny! ^_^
Sephirayne - 18th November 2010 Looking awesome. Love the design. Can't wait to see pics of the finished costume. I can't make Thought Bubble so sadly I won't be able to see this in person.
Saffron - 18th November 2010 Such a unique idea, I love it!
Saffron - 18th November 2010 Such a unique idea, I love it!
Captain_Marvelous - 18th November 2010 Hnnnng so awesome! really shaping up!
Ranma1-2 - 19th November 2010
Osaka - Glad you like it. :)
Ryuk - Phew! glad you are liking it so far. Should finalise everything tomorrow.
No thanks - 19th November 2010 haha! Villians cape indeed! with extra swish ;D
Bambi. - 22nd November 2010
You looked fab hun! really did hehe. I wanted to see your helmet D: murrr.
Did you get a pic with mr vader? ;D
Ranma1-2 - 22nd November 2010
Oh I'm glad you think so hun..thanks. ^_^ I noticed lots of people (non cosplayers) starring at me like wtf! so I was worried that maybe I didn't look so good. :S
The helmet lol - that word has SO got hijacked! :P I couldn't say a sentence that day without inuendo creeping in ^^ Umm yeah I only actually wore for about 10 mins at the start..I kept bumping into people and things inside the Con ^^ so I ditched it in the cloak room for the rest of the day. Yes I did have some photo's taken with mr Vader..I'm waiting for an L cosplayer called Sam to send some through from his camera, I gave him my email... :/ *waits in hope*
Adam and Faye took loads so there should be some to come. :)
Anonymous - 24th November 2010
your outfit was fantastic, I only got one photo of you and a policeman
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5984992&l=3ead6ecfa5&id=735301758
Ranma1-2 - 24th November 2010 LuciaDuvant - Thank you :) and thanks for the photo too. That came out well, poor policeman..I think the lightsaber went a little closer than he was expecting, I felt the need to remind him it wasn't a real lightsaber! :P They were both really good sports with all the cosplayers though. ^^
alytheluvly - 24th November 2010 Hehe, love the photo with the policeman!
FairyPorchQueen - 24th November 2010 This is sexy! Love it! Great ides hehe
DrunkleyCP - 24th November 2010 Loves it!!!
Toshi-chan - 25th November 2010
This turned out amazing!!!
0.o shiny cape!.....*paws*..
Ranma1-2 - 26th November 2010 Thanks for all your lovely comments guys. :)
jaks-kingdom-dwarf - 27th November 2010 you always seem to make awesome cosplays i love the pic with the police officer :D
Ranma1-2 - 27th November 2010 jaks-kingdom-dwarf - Awww thats a really nice thing to say, Thank you. ^_^
noirenotorious - 14th December 2010 This version is really cool! :) Good on ya!
Ranma1-2 - 14th December 2010 Butterfly-Godess - Thank you. It was really fun cosplay to do. Dont know if I will ever get to cosplay her again though, esp as shes kinda ..made up. ^_^
FairyPorchQueen - 17th December 2010 What a beautiful and original idea ^____^
Ranma1-2 - 18th December 2010
Thanks ^_^
It was nice to have loads of freedom with the design and fabrics etc. I can see now why steampunk and OD appeals to so many people..you get the chance to be creative and use dress design skills to make your own thing, then have the fun of wearing it. Its quite different from my usual trying for exactness of a screen costume. I will defo have a go at more own designs sometime.
DarkNyte - 5th October 2012 Think i remember seeing you.