#worbla
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Last clue for the cosplay I’m wearing at Colossal East! The uniform is completely done, and I simply have to finish the wig now, then pack up and goooo. I hated doing another cos so last minute but I hadn’t had inspiration for weeks, and it felt good to be doing this in a not crunch-way but just getting stuff done.
As a follow up to our Making Worbla Smooth Experiment, here is the detailed write-up regarding the methods used in that experiment.
Making Worbla Smooth
There are many methods for making Worbla smooth so I decided to do a test run myself based on the primary methods others have used. The three main ways of covering Worbla have been using Gesso, Plasti-Dip, or Wood Glue. This experiment only covers Gesso with Mod Podge acrylic sealerorGesso with Plasti-dip. I didn’t have Wood Glue available during the time of conducting the test so there will be another part to this series that will include a comparison using Wood Glue.
Method
I used 8 layers of Golden Sandable Hard Gesso and 150 Grit Sandpaper. I prefer this Gesso over any clear Gesso as you can actually see the streaks so that when you sand it, you can see the Worbla getting smoother (pictures 3 & 4). In addition, the sandable Gesso has additives that makes it thicker so that you don’t have to do as many layers or as much sanding to make it look good. Yay for that!
You’ll notice I didn’t do a good enough job of sanding so you can still see some streaks in the forth image. If I were to do this again, I would do 6 layers, sand with 150 grit, and then add another 4 layers, then sand again with 150 grit to get a smoother finish (instead of just 8 layers straight). I tried sanding only 4 layers in and unfortunately, I exposed the Worbla, so 6 layers of Gesso is the very minimum in guarding against Worbla exposure. Also, it’s very important that each layer of Gesso dries completely before you put on the next. Otherwise, if you start sanding, the Gesso will chip and take, along with it, all the layers underneath. In picture 4, you will notice this happened on the edges of the Gesso which is why the Worbla is exposed there.
Results
Picture one (left) shows the top piece which is Worbla painted without any additional work. The bottom piece is 8 layers of Gesso, sandpaper, one layer of Mod Podge acrylic sealant, and then one layer of Gold Metallic Paint.
Picture two (right) shows the top piece which is Worbla painted without any additional work. The bottom piece shows Worbla with 8 layers of Gesso, sandpaper, 2 layers of Plasti-Dip, and one layer of Gold Metallic Paint (Rustoleum brand).
Conclusion: I was surprised that the piece with the Mod Podge sealant looks smoother than the one with the Plasti-dip! I think the Plasti-dip made the items look more foam-like than I anticipated. It seems as though the Plasti-dip reacts oddly to Worbla.
Stay tuned when I try this experiment with Wood Glue.
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All decorations for Merrill’s belt are coated in wood glue and drying. Time to tidy up the worbla-styrofoam-heatgun-dremel mess and to get back to the suit. #cosplay #wip #DragonAge #merrill #DragonAge2 #belt #beltbuckle #worbla
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Do you ever struggle w missing cons but choosing travel instead? I know cons are travel (usually), but I mean like vacations/seeing pals. I can’t decide how to plan my year, but cons don’t feel like a priority. Maybe if a lot of friends are going to the same one?? Aaaaa I don’t know!
#worbla #worblaarmor #thermoplastic #thibra #conselfie #cosplayselfie
https://www.instagram.com/p/CbnLW5Lu8Lk/?utm_medium=tumblr
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Day 17 of the #shepropchallenge is first time tackling a new material. When I made my Valkyrie costume to go with @lostsymbiote ’s Agent Venom, I used some of his leftover worbla to make my boob armor. It was my first time working with worbla and I was rushing last minute (to no one’s surprise) so it came out looking like doodoo, lol. (Meanwhile J’s Venom armor came out soooo good but then it all melted in a hot car )
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#sheprop #cosplay #cosplaychallenge #costume #sewing #sewingproject #convention #worbla #armor #marvel #comics #marvelcomics #valkyrie #venom #agentvenom #sword #asgard #asgardian #arda #ardawigs
https://www.instagram.com/p/CFQk2lyD9te/?igshid=9lvr8u08uphe
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Every time I see a Saladin cosplay I just wanna yell “It’s me, Jolder! Joldoor… hold the door…”
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Long post is long! So GP Denver was a blast. I’m having so much fun attending GPs and I plan on going to many many more. A huge shout out to Cascade Games for being so welcoming and making sure I’m comfortable and having a good time. And thank you @wizardsmagic for making such a fun and creative game. Chandra is one of the few characters I cosplay who I really love and feel connected with. She is such a badass and I plan on wearing this cosplay for many many more events!!
And yes. That Pia Nalaar cosplayer is indeed my actual mother! She made it all herself in a week! So mad props to her on her first cosplay and GP! I’ll see if I can drag her to Vegas next ;)
Thanks for the love everyone. I’m moving this weekend so I’ll be busy but many exciting things are coming!’
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Couple announcements…
I first want to say I’m extremely thankful for everyone who’s stuck around during this… now… 7 month? ordeal that started Right after ECCC. The dark skies are finally parting for some sunshine and me and my boyfriend are moving into our own place again come December 10th. Poor news on my birthday and great news the day after his haha. I purchased another webcam to get started on setting up a better streaming space and once that’s all done I’ll be scheduling regular streaming whether it be #cosplay progress or some gaming.
Once that gets started I’ll also be starting a patreon which I’m a little nervous about but I’m whole heatedly invested into making cosplay/costumes into a business and have already started a few small things with a prop maker friend, so trust me. Things are in the works, it’s just taking some time.
Don’t forget my shop is open and you can order the prints listed there! If you order now I’ll include some free mtg tokens as well! Hooray!
Lastly! I have been asked on occasion about if there are things I want. I don’t believe in asking for anything, but I know some people that’s just how they want to support someone, so I made a little wishlist on Amazon. All of the things listed are things to (mostly…) better my cosplay career/set up. I did not make my address public as I’m in the process of getting a PO Box, but you can always message me and I can give it to you. =)
http://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/2GKICQO8MGG67/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_ws_x_BthpybEAHVVC1
OH. And if you’re in Denver this weekend for GPDEN then come find me and say hi! I’ll have some tokens with me there!
That is all and happy holiday season everyone!
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Huge thanks to my friend Peter Roig Photography for a really fun photoshoot at Stan Lee’s Los Angeles Comic Con this past October. More to come, but here’s a first look! You can see me in this again at GP Denver.
Still my favorite cosplay to date. @wizardsmagic
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I’ve actually been working on #cosplay again, which is weird for me. I’m trying to finally finish #Severa for #AnimeNorth, which means finishing off the armour someone else started. It’s a whole new experience for me. My shield still needs a couple more coats of paint, but I’m pretty happy with it so far. #cosplayprogress #FireEmblem #FireEmblemAwakening #FEA #worbla
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#DragonAge 2 is now backwards compatible on Xbox One! I’m pretty excited because I’ve been itching to play again, so to celebrate, here’s some #DA2 #cosplay (with bonus Krem)! Hawke was made by @alexrendesigns, Isabela was made by @honeysaliva, and I made Merrill myself (overnight waaah). : @zombiekat89, and @robbinsstudios #DragonAge2 #dragonagecosplay #bioware #hawke #magehawke #bloodmagic #worbla #biowarecosplay #dragonageinquisition
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Keeper’s Robe from Dragon Age Inquisition now in my store. It’s craft armor made by worbla, artificial leather and Eva foam. Now I could have done it differently, but I love it, albeit a photo of the unfinished part #cosplay #cosplaywip #cosplayprop #cosplaying #cosplaygirl #cosplayprogress #cosplayinprogress #armor #evafoam #worbla #evafoamarmor #dragonage #inquisitorlavellan #dragonagecosplay #dragonage2 #dragonageorigins #dragonageinquisition #gamecosplay #etsy #etsystore #bioware (at Ulyanovsk)
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwzxq9IHASP/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ywd9y7zsfme3
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My Felicia Cosplay!
Based off No Flutters Art!
Worn at Katsucon 2018!
And
Photograph by Marie Newby Photography!
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Nothing is worse than putting the last details on your prop, messing up, and not having enough time or supplies to fix it. These tips will help save you a lot of grief in the long run.
1. Research the piece you’re making. Whatever you do, research the fudge out of every prop you make. If you’re making armor for a specific character, find several different pictures and videos of that character from all angles. If it’s wings for a steampunk prop, look up a few species of birds and see how their feathers come together. This is intrinsic to getting your pattern right. After all, you don’t want to get to the event only to realize that your prop is totally wrong.
2. Do mock-ups. Whenever I’m getting ready to make a prop, I sketch it out and construct it in paper first. It might seem excessive, but it will make the entire project run more smoothly. Mock-ups help you:
a. See where there will be strain in the prop.
b. Determine the best way to connect each piece.
c. Rework the design if something isn’t meshing.
d. Create a template for your patterns.
3. Make sure your pattern is perfect. Never rush making the pattern that you’ll use to cut out the pieces for your project. If you start with ill-fitting pieces, the best you’ll get out of all your work is a bad-looking prop. At the worst you’ll get to the event and have it fall apart around you.
4. Beware of hot tools. I once burned my heel with a heat gun so bad that I couldn’t walk right for a month, and now I have a permanent scar. If you’re using a heat gun, make sure you have somewhere safe to put it when you’re molding your prop. If you’re working in boiling water, look out for drips of hot water.
5. Beware of hot plastic. The plastic will get deceptively hot as well, and a lot of times you won’t notice it until it burns you. If you don’t want lobster red, hyper-sensitive fingertips for weeks, use thin leather gloves and proxy tools (rollers, spoons, etc.) to work on your prop.
6. Don’t leave your props in the heat. They won’t totally melt, but they will get bent out of shape…and then you will too.
a. When you’re driving to your event, make sure any Wonderflex or Worbla props are packed in a cooled compartment out of the sunlight.
b. When you come home, keep them safely stored in room temperature or below and don’t put them in front of a window. It’s pretty easy to fix the droopy parts if your prop does melt, but you won’t want to do it.
And finally…
1. Save your scraps.
2. Fit together your pattern pieces like a jigsaw on your sheet.
3. Use primer!
4. Glue beforeyou paint.
5. Don’t try to bend or stretch the material too far.
6. Hold the corners of each unrolled sheet down with weights.
7. Prevent bending by using several layers of material.
8. Mix and match Wonderflex and Worbla so you’re always using the best material for the job.
9. Update old patterns for new projects.
Stupid mistakes end up costing you a lot of time and money, not to mention bodily harm. Try to keep these in mind when you’re working on your next prop and you’ll be amazed at how well it turns out.
You can’t wait to start making your home-brewed suit of armor, but you’re not sure what you’ll need before you sit down. Here are some basic tools that you’ll use whenever you’re working with Wonderflex and Worbla:
Pencil
So you can mark where you will cut.
Paper
If you’re prone to making mistakes, it’s good to make stencils on paper and cut out each piece according to them.
Tape
For keeping stencils down.
Scissors
For long, straight cuts and trimming frayed edges.
Exacto knife
For cutting intricate designs. You’ll want to get a lotof these.
Heat gun
A hairdryer on PCP. A heat gun is, hands-down, the single most useful tool you will have at your disposal. It heats up quickly, will let you target specific areas, and gets the plastic nice and malleable faster than anything else will. You can get one for a little over $20 on Amazon. A microwave or heater will do if you don’t have a heat gun, but trust me, this is so much better.
And that’s it. Six tools and a whole world of prop-making has opened up before you.
This guide was made under the wing of Costume Discounters (www.costumediscounters.com). Please go check out their site!! They sell wigs, shoes, shirts, essentials…all sorts of goodies.
New #WonderWoman tutorial is up and live! We are making her sword, #Godkiller now. View the full video on my Facebook page or on Youtube. Using mainly Balsa wood and #Worbla. This sword is actually pretty easy to make, just takes more time than I thought. Great fun project though.
#wonderwomanfilm #cosplay #galgadot #wonderwomancosplay #dccomics
#videotutorial #video #cosplayhelp #sword #propmaking #foamsmith #balsawoodcraft #crafting
Please excuse the uneven prime job (ran out of Grey plasti-dip) BUT! The #WonderWoman shield sculpt is COMPLETE wow! . Completed with foam and #worbla. Used #PunishedProps @chinbeard shield pattern, great pattern I bought from him. ANYWHO, off to prime, sand, prime, and sand some more. Follow my twitch for live builds with my Wonder Woman cosplay. Such HYPE.
#wonderwomancosplay #wonderwomanfilm #galgadot #cosplay @gal_gadot #costumedesign #cosplay #dccomics @cast4art #foamsmithing #shield
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Throwback to the build that inspired us to get serious about building! We made Garuda in 2014 for the #ffxivfanfest in Las Vegas. We had never attempted something so ambitious before and we got hooked! ❤️❤️ #cosplay #eggsisters #eggsisterscosplay #eggsistersfx #ffxiv #garuda #primal @ffxiv #evafoam #worbla #finalfantasy #tbt
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