Blood Dragon ME2

[Kamon]

I've been thinking about cosplaying as something for a while now but just didn't know what. Being that this was to be my first attempt at coslay anything I want to make sure that: 1. my costume would be universally recognizable 2. pretty easy to make (for my barely there artistic abilities) 3. awesome, I came across mass effect and was sold. Being that I'm a female and don't like the way the standard fem shep armor looks I opted to go with the Blood dragon armor. I collected the peps (shout out to Darhood, eidylon, zero-sama, and the 405th, thanks guys!) reference images, View attachment 406956View attachment 406957View attachment 406958 grabbed cardstock and eva foam and got started.
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The Helmet

materials used - 110lb cardstock
tape & glue
http://www.4shared.com/file/KtIinKS6/blood_dragon_helmet__zero-sama.html
high temp hot glue gun (should've gotten the low temp one because it hardens faster allowing you to work faster without compromising your seems)
blow dryer

reference
modeled
cut the model to use as foam templates (your pep should be 1/2 in 1 bigger than your measurements so it will fit)
made a test model on some foam I bought for cheap to figure out if the pep would cleanly transfer to foam; it didn't, the cut-outs for the face plate leave you no place to attach it to the helmet. I extended the place where it cuts out for the "eyebrows" on my final model down to where it dips just above your nose to fix the issue (pep will give you the red arrow side, extend it down to where the white arrow is pointing)

test on left, and final model on right. I'm leaving the middle open so I can wear ti with my mohawk but I have the middle spine just in case. Lastly I'm still puzzling out how to make the respirators; when I know you'll know

 

[Kamon]

Soooo...those respirators aren't happening anytime soon. In other news I added snap closures to the bottom back and inside of my helmet so it's easier to put on/ take off and easier to put lights in later.
Shoulders were pepped and as expected I nailed the test model





I'm joking it, it was not positive so I whipped out the dremel and sanded down the edges and things improved drastically.
Here is the remade final model

Things you need to know: 1. BEVEL your edges on the bottom where you need them to over hang
2. Just get a dremel. You need 1 sanding tip and 1 cutting tip it will save you so much frustration
3. if you're attempting this build and have questions just comment or message me

 

[Kamon]

The Blood dragon shoulders forearms thighs and boots are hard to find as over the years some links have gone dead- here is the entire set of pep files that all still work as of 2014 posted for Lou (but feel free to use them) - http://www.4shared.com/zip/wfOo7O_bce/Complete_Blood_Dragon__Zero-Sa.html - thanks zero-sama and eidylon

 

[IMIM2]

I made and modified blood dragon before.
I made some simplification on the collar, but it can be re-modified by free hand.
It is for foam speed build.
As for the respirator, I found out a rubber parts which similar with the shape, so I just glued in.

If you interested, PM me, I got all parts separated and pep'ed.

 

[Kamon]

I made and modified blood dragon before.
I made some simplification on the collar, but it can be re-modified by free hand.
It is for foam speed build.
As for the respirator, I found out a rubber parts which similar with the shape, so I just glued in.

If you interested, PM me, I got all parts separated and pep'ed.

Thanks again for the help, I'm looking for the parts you mentioned to finish the helm.

Thanksgiving put things on hold; though over the weekend I managed to get the other shoulder finished and started on the shin armor. I rescaled and pepped it but my calved are bigger than the symmetry of the 3d model permits (aka, if the shin is wide enough it's way too long or if it's the right length it won't close in the back) so I free handed some extra strips for the back.

This is the finished model but it came out looking very flat. I plan to re-do later today and should end up with something like the one's found here http://www.therpf.com/f24/mass-effect-2-blood-dragon-build-112958/.
The mistake I made was that I wasn't really sure how far to stagger the knee pad. I also couldn't figure out which edges to bevel and which to just cut straight. Looking at the reference images found everywhere on google, what I made is exactly what it would look like in the real world following the game model but games and real life don't always see eye to eye. It's lacking the "finished" look we all go for, so remake pending... I'll be adding elastic straps and snap closures to secure it in the back like I did my helm for easier wear. I'll let you all know how it goes.

over and out

 

[Kamon]

I'm alive! The holidays were really busy but I managed to get the hand plates, shins, and helmet done.

I ended up free handing the respirators by taking the outer 3 rings from the pep file, drawing, cutting, then sanding my 10mm foam into 3 4/5mm hollow cones; then glued them together and set them inside another piece of foam cut from the pep to be the outer casing of the breather. From there I pepped and cut out the lower portion of the helmet and kept the excess portion and glued a circular piece of foam to it to set inside the respirator to create the offset look for them and it made it easier to mount later. I bought a piece of accrylic and plan on building the lighting system later this week to complete the last aesthetic edit to the helmet before sealing it with plastidip and painting it.

The handplates were easy enough the you'll find the pep files just include the part that covers your hand and you'll have to free build the knuckle and finger plates; which i plan to do by gluing craft foam over my undersuit gloves. The foam I have was a little thick so measured 5mm of and used the dremel with a cutting bit to thin it out.(not shown here) The thinner version conforms to my hand better and is more aesthetically pleasing overall. Note; The back plate will need to be sanded into shape; the easiest way to do this is to cut it at an angle then sand it to get a uniform slope. (also not shown)


The shins need a lot of editing if your proportions don't match the ones in the pep file, if you need help with yours just message me and I'll go into detail about it but for this post, just know that it's a pain. Here's the shin. Build the to and bottom separately because the pep file for the knee is too small in relation to how you'll need to offset/ curve it. To overcome this either free hand the knee or pep out 1 size for your calves the rescale the knee bigger and pep cut and assemble.

This post is really streamlined and haphazard so if you have any questions just ask.

Also thanks to KSR, I'm just waiting on a few more pieces to come in so I can build a set of these

 

[Kamon]

Ok so i stopped updating this; in short this happened. [A5TTACH=CONFIG]503686[/ATTACH] I'll have the hips built by Wednesday. Everything plastidipped, strapped, snd painted for con on Friday.
Here's the unpainted version or my modded nerf sidstrike, i'll update later after i take a pick of the painted one

 

[Kamon]

Hips pepped, assembled, and plastidipped. The pep didn't fit well so i used mending plates and binding posts to put a hinde in them so i can also sit.
In other news all the lights work. I have el wire inside plastic tubing tinted red using nightshades automotive tint

The plan is to finishing painting the shins boots hips and hand plates tonight, then strap everything tomo and on to con

 

[Kamon]

"I am commander Shepard and this is my favorite store on the Citadel."

 

[CLOTHAR]

Looks good. Have fun at the con!

 

[Kamon]

Thanks! This was my first build, it turned out pretty good! I'm trying to get to your level, your suit is amazing. ^_^