Modesty Studios

Been awhile since I've updated. You can thank my new job for that! (It doesn't have as much downtime as other jobs I've held.) But I'm happy making money regularly. So many of the costume projects have been on hold since starting work. I seriously get way tired after work and I was dealing with a minor pest problem with pantry beetles. :P So far I've got my "chainmail" fabric pinned to my dress form. Yes...a dress form. SO happy I have one. I still have to sew those pieces together. Just this week I've been switched over to night shift too which I've heard is a bit slower but I'll believe it when I see it. Anyway, so that's been my life for the past couple months. It's been pretty art blocked and writers blocked too. (It's the worst.) I've also got a bad case of side-project-itis. :P I suppose if I start playing Dragon Age again I'll be more inspired to work on my armor. (Well, okay I also had a break-up which has it...

Been doing a bit of an experiment craftwise. It may become a cosplay but we'll see. So here's what's I've done. Supplies: 5mm foam, googly eyes, plaster bandages, wire, cutting tools, and markers. Also a plastic mask. I cut the mouth and traced the plates.  Cut the eye holes to be a bit bigger. The googly eyes to size to the eyes.  Cut the back of the googly eyes and colored the white part of the tape. The thick foam for the eye shape. Used the molding mesh to shape the nose Foam for one plate. I wrapped the mesh with masking tape. More plate work. Mesh with tape wrapped around it. Added the eyebrow plates with more mesh with tape. Shaped the top of the mouth with mesh and tape. The lower jaw was shaped with foam and tape.  Mandibles 5mm foam. I wrapped all the pieces with the plaster bandages.  Here she is all put together....ish. Another view.  I still have plenty to do on the mask but ...

Some cosplayers made a very excellent replica for this prop out of acrylic or plastics or something that had to do with laser cutting. And of course he sells them for about $200 a prop. DEFINITELY WORTH IT if you want to drop the cash and go for high quality. Simply google omni-tool prop and you'll find it pretty easily. But I want to do it MYSELF even though I'm a terrible prop maker...worse than costumes. So I'm going to make a low cost omni-tool and share how YOU can make it too!  Here are the materials I plan on using.  Tools Heat Gun/Blow Dryer Scissors Exacto Knife Box Cutters Glue Gun/Clear glue Masking Tape Scotch Tape Printing Paper Invisible Mounting wire References Supplies Two 2-liter Clear Soda bottle smooth sides Orange, smooth transparent folders/binder dividers Clear Snaps (optional) Orange Sharpie (optional) Orange Enamel paint (optional) Testors Window Tint Spray paint (optional) Orange Vinyl Headlight tints (optional) Here...

http://www.worbla.com/?page_id=4013 OmigoshOmigoshOmigoshOmigosh!!! This is the answer for so many of my prop issues for Tali! It's also a fantastic way to make casting molds. Seriously...if I could make a visor with this!! This would be way easier than thermoplastics. Downside is that it is pricey. I want to make an Omnitool out of it. Also redo the visor. :D

Ha so it's been awhile since I posted progress. And progress had been made! First I'd like to show off my Grey Warden costume that I "debuted" at PAX South. Some of it broke off before I got this picture taken. :P Grey Warden...missing elbow armor. Tali's cosplay has been retired early as I rethink the design. The helmet is the only part that really came out nicely. Well...the metal arm stuff was pretty good too...and pants. Okay but my issue is that it had too many moving parts to put on by myself. I'm rethinking some of my take on the costume design. Like I probably will sew the bandeau onto the shirt directly and make the neck thingy out of fabric instead of foam. I still have plenty of leftover fabric so I can do it. And I'm still unemployed. :P Much sadness. I have the fabric for the Inquisitor but little motivation to work on it. Currently, I have some very serious things to think about for my life in terms of work. We'll see how things ...

I hope that during the two days off that I have, I will FINISH fixing the Tali costume and then focus on losing weight. ...I never thought I would ever say I have to do that. For most of my life I was struggling to GAIN weight. Metabolism DOES slow down at 30. LIKE ON THE DOT. Gained 10 pounds in a month or so. /sigh/ Which has made Tali a little snug. ;) I have spanx but they can only do so much. Luckily, I can go on a low carb diet and exercise more. Still waiting on feedback about jobs, looks like I'll have some unemployment time in January. Boooo! But I am making plans for my Inquisitor cosplay. And hopefully finishing the Warden. I have sunk quite some time into it and some money but I really don't have a planned event to wear it at so it's hard to really work on it. Also, want to wear the elf armor to the Ren Faire. :) We'll see how things go though. :)

Curse you inspiration. I'm not saying I'm actually going to MAKE this costume since I need to finish Tali and the Grey Warden costume first. But I am half-tempted to drop the Warden for this. Ugh but so much of it is done. Must finish. So here's the plan. Costume Analysis There are 4 layers: Chainmaille, Green Armor, Limb Armor, Clothe bits Chainmail looks like a bit body suit. but most likely shirt and chaps. There are seams that are visible on the chain itself. For the feet, it looks like clothe sandals. Same with fingerless gloves. Green Armor: A bodice and Tassets. They look like they're a firm leather with some raised designs. Because it's a game, the bodice is all one piece with no discernible method of keeping it on. although I guess you could tie it in the back. The tassets look simple enough and attach to a mystery belt under the bodice. Limb Armor: These (on my screen shots) are coppery/Bronze in color. The Arms have pauldrons mixed of leath...