2nd Age Elven Armour Lord Of the Rings! Build

Ps.. No don't use any kind foam based material for the sword. lol.... I did this, baaaaaad move. The insulation foam is really wonderful stuff but for anything with length and especially for it being such a thin item, it's way too easy to damage or snap in half...

Big difference between the insulation foam and EVA interlocking foam mats. EVA foam is fine for swords, guns, etc., and is used all the time for scratch built props. Your typical source for EVA foam are the foam mats used for garages, storage rooms, at-home gyms, etc. It is quite flexible and takes a beating quite well...
 
Darth, you're absolutely right. For some reason I was just thinking about the more styrofoam based material and forgot about the wonderful interlocking mats. Those things are a godsend and they do hold up. :lol
 
I saw an interesting tut ages ago on making prop swords. I'd credit the guy but alas...

anyway the basic idea was it was built up with layered/overlapped (think brick pattern) card pieces. Once the basic shape was laid out a channel in the middle was cut out and a bit of dowel was glued in for strength.

With a bit of googling I'm sure it can be found again. I might try later or someone else might know what I'm talking about.

Keep it up anyways
 
Darth, you're absolutely right. For some reason I was just thinking about the more styrofoam based material and forgot about the wonderful interlocking mats. Those things are a godsend and they do hold up. :lol

No worries, brother. Just didn't want to scare away the OP from a more than suitable and cost-efficient material. ;)
 
I saw an interesting tut ages ago on making prop swords. I'd credit the guy but alas...

anyway the basic idea was it was built up with layered/overlapped (think brick pattern) card pieces. Once the basic shape was laid out a channel in the middle was cut out and a bit of dowel was glued in for strength.

With a bit of googling I'm sure it can be found again. I might try later or someone else might know what I'm talking about.

Keep it up anyways

That is a good idea well. I might use wood dowle. For the middle section. :eek
Update comming soon! :lol
 
Im having trougle finding more craft foam for the armour. This was a trial but I might just go a head with what I have done and make this the final chest piece. Still working out what I can make the sword form. I also need to but a hot-blade for cutting the EVA foam.
 
Looking good, i'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out (o: I just started making
my own 2nd age elven warrrior costume. I posted a thread in the replica movie
costumes section if you want to have a look. Keep the posts comin'.
 
Im having trougle finding more craft foam for the armour. This was a trial but I might just go a head with what I have done and make this the final chest piece. Still working out what I can make the sword form. I also need to but a hot-blade for cutting the EVA foam.

Some places like Michael's Craft and Jo-An Fabrics sell it in large rolls.

Or you can get it on line: http://www.amazon.com/Foam-Roll-36-X60-White/dp/B002JPX68W

The first Haldir sword I made from tin foil, papermache and covered it with clay. Here's how And here's what it looked like, click to see it enlarged.



The second one my husband carved from wood. It was much better. Don't have a bigger one of this.

head.jpg


If I were to make another sword without my husband's help, I might use a metal yard stick for a sturdy base, cut the shape I wanted out of cardboard, glue it and then cover it with glue or some other strengthening agent - some use bondo, some fiberglass... I'd experiment.
 
Guri,
I have always LOVED what you guys created in the elven archers. The group photos from DC a few years back were breathtaking and the workmanship you all put into those.. just wow.. :) goodness.. It's hard to say which sets of armor I like more, the 2nd or 3rd age.. Either way, they both have some incredible detail.

Keep it up! Looks great!.
 
Guri,
I have always LOVED what you guys created in the elven archers. The group photos from DC a few years back were breathtaking and the workmanship you all put into those.. just wow.. :) goodness.. It's hard to say which sets of armor I like more, the 2nd or 3rd age.. Either way, they both have some incredible detail.

Thanks Jathoris! It was a labor of love, for sure. Every time I watch Haldir march into Helm's deep and see all the archers at the wall, I fall in love all over again...
 
I know is has been a long time, this is not really a physical update but more a planing update.

These pictures of ordinary elves are what I'm basing my final costume on
I took these screen caps.

ELF+9.png


Mystery+ELF.png


This guy is cool might base my costume on him without the spear and have a 2H sword instead. :)


This shows how the hair is reacting to the battle and the diffrent colours.
Just interesting to look at thats all.

Looking into getting a wig Im not really sure I have found a few links that might help.

Elven Hair / Wig suggestions

Most of the Hero wigs used in LOTR were human hair, and they are not a shiny as the cosplay wigs that are made from plastic. I looking for a cheap Human hair wig or a plastic wig that looks right. Either way it will need tweaking, I'm not sure if you can buy long male wigs. I might have to get a female one and mod it.

Any help would be great on wig buying as I have no idea. :confused


The hair styling will be based on Haldir!

Haldir_2.jpg
 
I don't like the plastic wig looks either, but I have had to deal with them in the past. While doing some experiments getting them 'dirty' for the human characters, I discovered that putting some shoe polish on them doesn't just make them dirty, but mats down the shine. I was making an Eomer wig piece for a costume display, so I used brown and it looked much more real, but a bit dirty.

f there is a cream colored polish out there you might be able to use it on a blond wig to take the sheen off without discoloring it? There may be other hair product that could do the same thing. The trouble with wigs, though, is that they do tend to get tangled and elves just aren't supposed to have a bad hair day!

The shine is just part of the problem, most wigs are parted down the middle...

I tried to alter a costume wig to look like the Haldir one, but the hairline didn't turn out that great...

Legolas wig

I did find this image on how the movie wigs are made, but I never tried doing it myself:

12.gif


It is possible to make a costume wig hairline look decent by combing your real hair back over the wig and hairspraying it in place:

aragornben.jpg


I've seen a picture of a girl dressed as Legolas who had brunette hair and she bleached just her bangs the color of the wig.


Oh, and just for fun... apparently Legolas has had a bad hair day. :lol

orlando-031711-8.jpg
 
I don't like the plastic wig looks either, but I have had to deal with them in the past. While doing some experiments getting them 'dirty' for the human characters, I discovered that putting some shoe polish on them doesn't just make them dirty, but mats down the shine. I was making an Eomer wig piece for a costume display, so I used brown and it looked much more real, but a bit dirty.

f there is a cream colored polish out there you might be able to use it on a blond wig to take the sheen off without discoloring it? There may be other hair product that could do the same thing. The trouble with wigs, though, is that they do tend to get tangled and elves just aren't supposed to have a bad hair day!

The shine is just part of the problem, most wigs are parted down the middle...

I tried to alter a costume wig to look like the Haldir one, but the hairline didn't turn out that great...

Legolas wig

I did find this image on how the movie wigs are made, but I never tried doing it myself:

12.gif


It is possible to make a costume wig hairline look decent by combing your real hair back over the wig and hairspraying it in place:

aragornben.jpg


I've seen a picture of a girl dressed as Legolas who had brunette hair and she bleached just her bangs the color of the wig.


Oh, and just for fun... apparently Legolas has had a bad hair day. :lol

orlando-031711-8.jpg


Awesome thanks for the tips, any website in particular that sold the wigs you got? Also what did you do for your elf ears? I'm keen to know before I buy anything.
 
Definitely go with a lace front! We're getting one for my bf's Legolas this year, as we're going for complete movie accuracy.

Just search "lace front long straight wig"
 
Awesome thanks for the tips. Is there anything special I need to know about styling a lace front wig?

Would this wig work? I have no idea. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/200754431884?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649


I'll just buy some latex elf ears off ebay.

EARS.http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/360251090428?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

I saw this awesome thread here replica prop forum he made his armour templates a hole different shape.

http://www.therpf.com/f24/lord-rings-prologue-2nd-age-elven-warrior-137726/

For the chest pieces, should I remake my entire chest piece? and use my old one to do painting trials on?

FOUND A AWESOME LINK WITH KICK ASS REFERENCE PICTURES HERE!

http://s448.photobucket.com/albums/...n Warrior Reference Pictures/#!cpZZ1QQtppZZ24
 
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Sorry, I was away on vacation for a week. I bought the wigs I used on sale at a costume store after Halloween. Nothing special, and very inexpensive.

And that link to the lace front wig looks like a good one! Not a bad price either. :)
 
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