FemShep N7 Armor, Valkyrie Rifle, + Omniblade (Mass Effect 3)
- Thread starter Freya Willia
- Start date
Freya Willia
Well-Known Member
Re: FemShep N7 Armor and Valkyrie Rifle (Mass Effect 3)
So, I was looking at the first files I made, and realized...
IT IS OFFICIALLY ONE YEAR SINCE I STARTED THIS COSTUME.
*sob*
People always think cosplayers have a lot of time on their hands. Yeah, no. Not when it takes you that long.
So, I was looking at the first files I made, and realized...
IT IS OFFICIALLY ONE YEAR SINCE I STARTED THIS COSTUME.
*sob*
People always think cosplayers have a lot of time on their hands. Yeah, no. Not when it takes you that long.
Yeah, but your costume is just kick a**, and not so simple (your props too), can't pull off attention to details like you've done in a short time :thumbsup
Just read through and had to compliment your amazing creativity and skills. Love the home brew approach to the whole build process too, very inventive/ingenious, thanks for sharing
*edit* If it makes you feel better, I have a project thats still WIP after nearly two
Just read through and had to compliment your amazing creativity and skills. Love the home brew approach to the whole build process too, very inventive/ingenious, thanks for sharing
*edit* If it makes you feel better, I have a project thats still WIP after nearly two
Last edited:
Freya Willia
Well-Known Member
*edit* If it makes you feel better, I have a project thats still WIP after nearly two
Thank you. The longest hold I have on a costume is for my third (yes) remake of Twilight Princess Zelda. I began re-doing that costume when I got my embroidery machine almost 4 years ago, it's... still not finished. I did learn the software all on my own, and how that actually translates to printing on fabric. It will get done, but I've been working on it off and on because I want to have at least some other characters portrayed in my uh, cosplay career...
Posed my mannequin arm with a few more omniblade parts.
Nessy
Active Member
I just read through the entire thread over the past 3+ hours. This is the best Mass Effect costume I have ever seen, bar none. Thanks for sharing all the updates, photos, how-to's, and side stories in this thread. The painting tips were especially nice to have. I am bookmarking this thread for future reference and subscribing to make sure I don't miss any of your inspirational work.
Also, I would like to thank Escher for that link about hydrodipping. Fascinating process, hopefully I will be able to use that someday...
Also, I would like to thank Escher for that link about hydrodipping. Fascinating process, hopefully I will be able to use that someday...
darkestknight
Member
This body of work is inspiring and truly awesome. Thank you for recording and maintaining your build, it has been great to follow this. I hope your final suit ends up as close to perfect as you hope! I'll have a look at anything you build :cool
Freya Willia
Well-Known Member
Thanks guys! Whether you've just dropped in and read through everything, or kept pace for the past year, I appreciate everyone sticking with me. I try not to grumble too much
This costume has been hard, and a lot of the stuff I've just had to learn as I go. I know nothing about electronics, so that is what I'm currently figuring out for the N7 rifle and other parts of the suit I want illuminated.I heard people use EL tape for their various Mass Effect and other costumes around here, but I've never seen how it looks in person, and I also read that it makes a buzzing sound. I don't know how pronounced this is, but, electronic humming noises tend to drive me NUTS (when those old cathode-ray TVs were around I had to unplug them when I came in the room, because even turned off I could hear that high pitched whine. This drove my parents nuts). Fortunately I think there is room for a 9V battery almost everywhere in my suit that could be lit up (back panels, belt, arm braces).
EL is awesome, I love it.
The EL itself makes no sound, its the driver that whines a little. It's not that loud to be honest, I have one in my helmet pictured in my avatar, and I don't notice it after a minute or two.
I work with EL a lot, so if you want to go that rout at any point, hit me up with a PM and I'll help you out any way I can :thumbsup
- - - Updated - - -
EL is awesome, I love it.
The EL itself makes no sound, its the driver that whines a little. It's not that loud to be honest, I have one in my helmet pictured in my avatar, and I don't notice it after a minute or two.
I work with EL a lot, so if you want to go that rout at any point, hit me up with a PM and I'll help you out any way I can :thumbsup
The EL itself makes no sound, its the driver that whines a little. It's not that loud to be honest, I have one in my helmet pictured in my avatar, and I don't notice it after a minute or two.
I work with EL a lot, so if you want to go that rout at any point, hit me up with a PM and I'll help you out any way I can :thumbsup
- - - Updated - - -
EL is awesome, I love it.
The EL itself makes no sound, its the driver that whines a little. It's not that loud to be honest, I have one in my helmet pictured in my avatar, and I don't notice it after a minute or two.
I work with EL a lot, so if you want to go that rout at any point, hit me up with a PM and I'll help you out any way I can :thumbsup
That omniblade looks great so far!!! Don't worry about the time. I'm a perfectionist so it takes me forever on some things. I have too many hobbies so that cuts into prop building time as well.
Freya Willia
Well-Known Member
I can't quite explain it, but those types of sounds make me skittish. I probably have a little bit of a phobia where electric/power noise concerned.
I recently had a serious electrical problem in the (ancient) house I rent, which did not help my neurosis of the matter. Finally noticed something was wrong when the vents from the basement started wafting a burnt-plastic stench... which was so strong it could not be the lingering odors of hot glue or styrene from my studio. My house would have eventually burned, I had to keep all the power off until it was fixed. I'm grateful it did not, and I'm also grateful my art and costumes have survived the many episodes in my rental saga.
Back on topic, I do like how the EL wire, at least in photos, appears to be a fairly dim light. I'm sure you can also wire up dim LEDs but it seems more practical for a space suit to not have "HEY SHOOT ME!! OVER HERE! LOL!" bright details on the armor. I think I'll save LEDs for the rifle and a visor if I choose to make one.
Yeah, the buzzing noise from the EL driver is not that loud... you could hear it if it were in your helmet but if you put it down around your waist then you probably wont hear it unless you have super hearing. I think the EL tape is a good choice for the Mass Effect armor as well. I am more familiar with LEDs than I am with the EL stuff though. LEDs are fairly simple to wire up as well but if you want any help or advice on it then feel free to drop me a PM and I can take a look at what you are doing.
Freya Willia
Well-Known Member
You are correct. But I've developed a trusting relationship with my heat gun. Though super-loud power tool noises don't bother me that much. With my dremel/power sander/drill I'm more afraid of dropping them because I don't have big beefy hands to control a random kick.
One detail I'd like to have in my suit is the finger lights. From the extremely brief research I've done, it seems like wiring the traditional way with LEDs would be annoying.
Though I've looked around on the e-textiles products at Sparkfun, and those seem like a far more comfortable option. Some of the tiny LEDs already have tiny little resistors built in, and some pads are pre programmed - a slow pulse effect might be nice for gloves. I don't know how long those batteries/LEDs would run if lit for long periods (30 minutes?) of time though, and conductive thread in stretchy fabric might need really careful application. I'm probably going to order a few parts and see how that goes, with no expectations.
Yeah for that application conductive thread is a godsend. I would use some small SMD LEDs. You might need to mount them yourself instead of getting those ones already on a pad... some may work but you would probably need 2 or 3 in a row for each knuckle for even lighting since they are lines. The don't have to be bright and these small LEDs dont draw hardly any power. They can run all day depending on the power source, voltage, current, etc. If you ran the conductive thread under the handplate to the forearm armor then you probably have some more room under there for AAA batteries. If you wanted some kind of pulsing effect though you would have to get one of their IC controllers unless you want to get into a little electrical engineering, lol. They have circuit plans out there that can do pulsing effects with a 555 timer. This can be a pretty small circuit but buying a pre-made controller is definitely the easiest way.
I've checked back in on this thread periodically for a while, and I'm constantly impressed not only with what you're producing, but also that you've charged ahead into a lot of new processes; a lot of other folks might have been scared away. Fantastic determination and your efforts are definitely paying off. This has got to be one of the most awesome builds I've seen for all those reasons.
Keep it up -- can't wait to see the final product, whenever you finally get there!
Keep it up -- can't wait to see the final product, whenever you finally get there!
Elderpred13
Active Member
Darn nice work on the armor, very precise. You could make a really nice Iron Man...er..Woman costume.
tachitachi
New Member
Hi Freya,
There's no words to describe your work...... It's A-M-A-Z-I-N-G...
Just wondering- how much did all this material cost you? An estimate...?
There's no words to describe your work...... It's A-M-A-Z-I-N-G...
Just wondering- how much did all this material cost you? An estimate...?
Freya Willia
Well-Known Member
My budget for this costume (costumes in general, but I've pretty much only worked on one this year) was around 50-75$ per month. The largest investments were the custom printed fabric, which had a 5 yard minimum for service, so that ended up being around 120$. I got that for my birthday last July (I'm super lame). Still have 3.5 yards of that, 60" wide, which I plan selling - there's easily enough for two more suits. The carbon fiber vinyl and my wig were around 50$ each. I've probably spent 100$ in plastic, which I still have 90% of. Then there are a lot of things like leather, glue, apoxie sculpt, paints, and silicone that I've already had around for years.
I'm also a big fan of selling furniture to craigslist when I want to pay for art supplies but don't feel like babysitting or making portraits on the side. I move constantly. If I could learn to sleep standing upright this would be majorly convenient and free up a lot of floor space.
Thanks!
Emmabellish
Active Member
Use EVA foam mats for bed. Cut up bed when necessary for costumes.
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