5 Video Tutorials: including craft foam to leather. NEW one: Aluminum Tape to silver

[Guri]

Through experimenting and learning from others I find creative ways to get results on a low budget. I've had tutorials of my techniques on my website for almost a decade now (link in sig), with step by step photos and instructions.

I thought about making video tutorials that might be more helpful, but never bothered until I was inspired by Matt Munsen who was encouraging people to 'just do it' instead of talking/thinking about it.

So.... here are my first three I've put together. I've kept them to 2 minutes; enough to show the basics without wasting a lot of time on repetitive tasks. I would love feedback so I can make future videos better!

First video: How to make Craft Foam look like Leather
From this thread: Little Legolas
From the bracers, belt and boots of this costume:

Second video: How to make Craft Foam look like Hammered Silver
No thread
For the necklace on this costume:

Third video:How to create Honeycomb Smocking
From this thread: Dread Pirate Roberts
For these costumes (that bit on the shoulder):

I don't have a lot of costumes and props plans on the horizon, too much real life, but when I do use a technique that lends itself to a video tutorial, making these is sort of addictive so I'm sure I'll be posting more. I'll put them in this thread as I go, but if you subscribe to me on youtube you'll be sure to not miss any. (that is if you find this sort of thing useful... )

 

[CosBlade]

Re: 3 Video Tutorials: craft foam to leather, to hammered silver & honeycomb smocking

These are great tutorials. I'm especially fond of the craft foam leather tutorial. The results are great!

Thanks so much for sharing!

 

[Guri]

Re: 3 Video Tutorials: craft foam to leather, to hammered silver & honeycomb smocking

Sure thing! I'm glad you find them useful. I'd love to know if you make anything using them.

 

[FudgeMando]

Re: 3 Video Tutorials: craft foam to leather, to hammered silver & honeycomb smocking

Thank you i was just thinking about that for my Ac3 connor costume

 

[Risu]

Re: 3 Video Tutorials: craft foam to leather, to hammered silver & honeycomb smocking

Very cool! I had seen heat used to gloss the surface of craft foam before, but hadn't thought of just ironing it. Does the foam warp at all when you iron it? I'm thinking it would be a great medium for the embossed gold strips on my Prince of Persia armor, but if it warps when ironed I might need to iron it before cutting the pieces out and embossing them.

Also, that honeycomb smocking is really cool looking.

 

[Guri]

Re: 3 Video Tutorials: craft foam to leather, to hammered silver & honeycomb smocking

Glad it'll be useful, FudgeMando! I look forward to seeing the results.

Risu, hey there! The foam does shrink a bit with the heat and so I usually cut it a bit on the bigger side of my pattern, or iron it all first. And it does warp some if you just iron the foam, which is why I really prefer the heat n' bond with fabric treatment because it makes it sturdier and helps it keep it's shape. It may be an extra step and a bit extra expense, but everything I've done that way lasts so much longer.

I saw a killer Gil Galad at Dcon made from foam and it was backed by duct tape for strength and was holding up really well.

I just stumbled upon that smocking technique when trying to figure out the sleeves. I've seen so many Dread Pirate Roberts but never with that detail before and while I skimped on the rest of the costume for cost purposes, I wanted to at least get that part right. *hehe*

Since then, I've been looking up other smocking techniques and while I have no idea where I'd apply them, there is some really cool looking stuff out there. And once you get the pattern down, it takes more patience than skill.

 

[hyme33]

Kool tutorials thanks for sharing

 

[DethBecomesYou]

Re: 3 Video Tutorials: craft foam to leather, to hammered silver & honeycomb smocking

Very informative. Thank you for sharing with all of us!

 

[Guri]

Re: 3 Video Tutorials: craft foam to leather, to hammered silver & honeycomb smocking

My pleasure! Glad you guys liked it.

 

[TAZNITBR]

Re: 3 Video Tutorials: craft foam to leather, to hammered silver & honeycomb smocking

Guri, you did an excellent work in the tutorials, really thank you!

 

[CrimsonVision]

Re: 3 Video Tutorials: craft foam to leather, to hammered silver & honeycomb smocking

Great tutorials! It was AWESOME getting to meet you and see your stuff! Ohhhh the smocking! <3!

 

[Guri]

Re: 3 Video Tutorials: craft foam to leather, to hammered silver & honeycomb smocking

Thanks! Glad you guys enjoyed them. It was great meeting you too!

I've just uploaded a new tutorial - this one may not be found as much use to the members of this forum, but I'll put it in this thread anyway just in case.

For Halloween I wanted to make my niece Turiel, a female elf in the Hobbit, but alas, she wanted to be a faerie. So...

Here's how I made the wings:

Tutorial on how to make faerie wings - YouTube

 

[Guri]

Re: 4 Video Tutorials: craft foam to leather 2 others and a new one: Faerie Wings

Galadriel's new crown is absolutely gorgeous.

To make it I could not use my other method of craft foam because when you cut it that narrow, it just doesn't hold up. I thought about making it in real silver, until Jeff filled me in on all that was required. EGADS! haha! (Respect; because I can't do what you do.)

So, I had to try something creative and cheap. It took me a good couple of weeks to figure out a process I could fake well enough to make me happy wearing it.

Click for the video tutorial of how I did it: