Boromir, Full Costume Build (Pic Heavy)

[Anduril]

Thanks again for the positive comments everyone .
Dash, awesome Faramir! Yeah, too bad we can't get pics done due to the whole other side of the world thing.


Today I started on my Surcoat trim which I'm also making myself since I couldn't find anything similar to use that I was happy with.

So I marked out some guide lines on the fabric strips and using my machine I used a straight stitch down the middle of each one. Then on the biggest setting of zig zag stitch (The one with multiple stiches, not the regular mode) I sewed down each side of the center line making a diamond pattern:

It's not perfect so something to do better on my next one

I got halfway down my second length of fabric when I ran out of silver thread so I'll have to continue once I buy some more.
Here's how far I got:

Once I have all the diamonds done I then have to sew a short straight stitch horizontally across each one which will be really time consuming part.

So with the trim making at a stand still I decided so add the two embroidered lines around the edge of the surcoat collar, again by cheating using a zig zag stitch with pretty much no stich length to get that embroidered look:

 

[jollyskeleton]

I won't be at Armageddon Melb this time, but I'll be joining u in NZ! Hehe. See ya at the Red Carpet Hobbit Premiere Costume party? I don't have a costume though

 

[Vrogy]

very, Very, VERY excellent work here- and lots of it.

 

[Anduril]

I won't be at Armageddon Melb this time, but I'll be joining u in NZ! Hehe. See ya at the Red Carpet Hobbit Premiere Costume party? I don't have a costume though

Yep I'll be there! Can't wait!


Trim is finished and sewn on plus I did all of the "X" stitches across the waist seam tonight as well:

I'm just going to take a second to apologise for all the bad photography in this thread
I usually work on this everyday after work until late at night so I'm taking quick pics in bad lighting just before going to bed so I'll need to get some nicer photos taken at some point to show it all off a little nicer :$.


So anyway, I think most of the actual sewing is complete now so it's time to get my hands dirty again and get into all the prop, sculpting/casting and leatherwork stuff!

 

[CelticRuins]

This is just becomes more and more stunning with everything you finish!

 

[Gee2]

This is just becomes more and more stunning with everything you finish!

Agreed, just amazing with every update!

 

[N2darkness]

Looks very good! What props will you be making?

 

[Eldritch Arts]

Oh my, this is infinitely more beautiful than any of the women's LOTR costumes! Incredible! I salivate for more pics

 

[Driver]

Not really a LOTR fan but that is absolutely nuts! Hella skilled there dude. Keep it up man.

 

[Anduril]

Thanks everyone

Over the past few days I've begun work on all the buckles and clasps.
Here are some of the masters I made just using super sculpy then baking them to get them hard for casting:

A bit of touching up on a few bits and I was ready to make the Silicone moulds.
I started by making one for the Surcoat clasp pieces and while waiting for the silicone to set I started cutting out my leather pieces for the belt and Bracers:

Today was actually my first time casting anything so my fingers were crossed the whole time. It was quite simple though overall but I still felt relieved when the moulds came out nicely.
Then I mixed the resin with some aluminium powder (I couldn't resist cold casting them ) and poured it into the moulds, repeating it six times to get all the required parts.
This is what I ended up with:

I put some thick bent wire in the back of the middle pieces before the resin had set fully so that they will (hopefully) function properly and close the surcoat at the front when I'm wearing it.
There's also wire cast into the buckle pieces for extra strength.

They were still a bit soft and bendable tonight so I'll give them some more time to harden and then polish them up with some steel wool to give it that metallic shine.

So far so good!

 

[Anduril]

Surcoat clasps done and sewn on!

Did a test fit with everything so far and this is how it's looking:

Just need to finish the leather parts like the belt, bracers, scabbard etc, make the shield and a convention friendly wooden sword.

 

[womo68]

Wow! This is really stunning attention to detail. Thanks for sharing!

 

[jollyskeleton]

Awesome looking! I shall remember to get a pic with you

 

[Guri]

So fun to see this coming together! I love the progression and casting the buckles yourself!! So great...

 

[Spiderman1962]

very nice job!

 

[megaweapon]

Wow, I have to say you're quite talented. This is an awesome costume. Are you going to put it on a mannequin when it's all said and done?

 

[CelticRuins]

Lucky! Your cold cast buckles don't need to hold weight! Cold casted some Legolas buckles and the main one holding the quiver, snapped at Dragon*con! -_-

Luckily we had back ups!

They look bloody wonderful, though! Your detail is exquisite!

 

[LuthienTinimiel]

This is stunning! I'm a huge LOTR fan and simply cannot wait to see this on you!

 

[Anduril]

Wow, I have to say you're quite talented. This is an awesome costume. Are you going to put it on a mannequin when it's all said and done?

Thanks. I definately would love to put it on a mannequin eventually when I get one but for now it can live on my Dress Form when it's not being used to make things

Lucky! Your cold cast buckles don't need to hold weight! Cold casted some Legolas buckles and the main one holding the quiver, snapped at Dragon*con! -_-
Luckily we had back ups!
They look bloody wonderful, though! Your detail is exquisite!

Any of the buckles I've made that have the possibility of being put under any stress have wire cast in the middle of them so hopefully they're strong enough for what they need to do


I've made a decent start on the belt this week. I took some inspiration from fevereon's Shield Strap build. After a few failed attempts trying to make a stamp mould out of sculpey I thought I'd try something different so I got some scrap bits of thick styrene I had lying around and carved the design out of that. I couldn't get all the intricate details so it isn't as good as I would have liked but sculpting and carving aren't something I'm really experienced in yet.
Once the design was cut out I glued it onto some scrap PVC then mounted that on some 7mm ply wood (also lying around ).

I ran some tests on some scrap leather first., I wet it then placed the stamp face down on the leather and pressed it on using a C clamp. Repeat a few times and you have a decent looking pattern:

So when I was happy with the overall look I started to stamp it onto the strips of leather I'd cut for the belt and this is what I ended up with:

So it just needs some dye, mabye some antiqueing gel, the buckle cast up (Made the mould a couple of days ago) and then I just have to make the metal cap pieces for the ends of the belts.

 

[Diastrom]

What size chain mail links did you use?