brutuswayne
Active Member
After having a few days of rest after NYCC, I'm already feeling the itch to start working again. I did promise myself that I'd take at least 2 or 3 weeks to rest before I get cracking again. But, that doesn't mean I can't start planning out the costume and sourcing all the pieces I'll be buying as opposed to making!
So, the inspiration for this idea comes from a friend of mine who's been wanting to make a Female Steve Rogers (Stella Rogers) costume for a while. She got a start on an Age of Ultron suit for NYCC, but couldn't finish in time and pushed it back to a convention in February called Katsucon. We also have a bunch of other friends that had wanted to do genderswapped versions of the MCU Avengers (specifically Tony, Thor, and Bruce). Being one of their only male cosplay friends, I was immediately designated as the Male Black Widow for the group; the nickname we've given him is the Black Widower. I loved the idea, but the costume seemed too intimidating at the time. But, after completing the AoU Cap suit, I'm feeling bold enough to give this a shot. Starting from November I'll have about 3 months to get this done. I'm hoping that should be enough time as it doesn't seem like it will be as time-consuming or costly as the Cap suit due to a simpler color scheme and design (aside from props and accessories, those'll be intense).
After looking at the suit design from every angle, I've narrowed the amount of fabrics I'll need down to three kinds. The primary material will be black 2-way stretch pleather which I'll be hunting through NYC's fashion district to find one that has the stretch I need, but is still weighty enough to have a solid feel. I'll also be getting some black non-stretch pleather for certain things like the strips that run down the front of the legs, the detail panels on the shoulders, and any other pieces that have the triple topstitching design on it. My reason for mixing the two instead of using all stretch or all non-stretch is that while I'm confident in my patterning ability (especially since I'll be using McCall's new men's bodysuit pattern to make my mockup), I want there to be some room for forgiveness just for safety's sake. But at the same time, there are definitely sections that I want to be solid and maintain a consistent shape; like the shoulders, leg detailing, and bootcovers.
As for the third material...well, I'm actually still deciding on that. It will definitely be a non-stretch as it would be used for the textured panels that makeup the middle of the torso and the top of the arms, but I'll need to collect some sample options first before I decide. My kneejerk decision was black or dark grey cordura, but part of me thinks that may be TOO rigid for a suit like Black Widow's. I've also been thinking of using a black neoprene fabric as it has a mesh-like appearance and would be a pretty good contrast to the smooth pleather. A couple fabric stores nearby have a good selection of utility fabrics used for scuba suits and the like, so I'll also be looking through those to see what I find. I'll definitely be ordering a small amount of cordura regardless though to use for things like the belt and the short straps that hold the elbow/kneepads in place (want to use the cordura as a base and use some cuts of pleather as trim for the sides of the belts and straps to somewhat replicate the movie look).
Next is going to be the big challenge; electronics. I'll be running EL wire between the seams of the suit the same way they do in the movie; using a clear tubed EL wire with a plastic wrap that allows it to be sewn directly as opposed to channeling it through mesh piping. This will let me have the same red-lined look as the suit has in the movie do to the copper wire being visible when the lights are off. Still plotting out how exactly I'll run the lines to minimize the amount of power supplies I'll need, but right now it looks like I'll do it as two separate lines that each start down by the shin (letting me hide the power cell in the boot), running up the body, over the shoulder, down the upper back, and then back around underneath the suit to come down the arms. I also want to use LEDs to to light the kneepads, knuckles, and the widow-bites. I've never worked with electronics in costumes before so this is gonna be a trip. Thankfully, one of my friends who's much more experienced with electronics will be helping me out to get it all sorted.
And lastly, the accessories; Widow's utility belt, spider-bites, kneepads, gun, and batons. This is honestly the most intimidating part for me to tackle just because I'm really not the greatest prop-maker and my experience is really limited to foam and minimal resin-casting. I do plan to buy some pieces of this; hoping to get one of JJGriffin's Black Widow belt kits if he's still making them, the gun I'll be taking care of with a blue rubber training replica of the Glock 26 that I'll repaint black as I think all Glock 26 bb guns have been discontinued due to lawsuits from Glock. But, the spider-bites, kneepads, and batons are going to more or less be all me.
Jung Industries did a pep file for the spiderbites yesterday which I'll be using as a base to pattern mine out of craft foam, hopefully figuring out a way to carve channels for LEDs to shine through. But, to do the bullet-wristband, I'm going to turn to 3D-printing. I've had my eye on a Micro 3D Printer after a friend of mine picked one up for making smaller costume parts, and I'll be ordering one at the end of the month as a sort of birthday gift to myself. In my mind, the easiest way to do things like the bullet-wristband and kneepads that can support LED wiring is to 3D print them in a way so that they're designed to house lights and electronics. The same with the black sections of the batons, while I can use a length of clear plastic pipe with some lights in the base to make it glow, the easiest way to do the rest of the batons I think is to simply print them.
This also means that I'm going to have to teach myself how to model those pieces as well which I'm sure is going to be a long process of trial and error. If possible I actually want to print things like the bullet-wristband and kneepads with a clear filament. That way I can tape off the sections that the LEDs need to shine through, and paint the rest of them black as opposed to leave gaps and then attempting to cover each individual gap with a clear plastic of some sort. Whether or not that will actually work out that way is anyone's guess haha, but I've got friends more experienced with 3D modelling/printing than I am that've volunteered to to steer me in the right direction. As a fall back plan, if I do fail to properly model these pieces myself, I'll have to seek someone out that I can pay to do the modelling work so that I can print it at home.
A lot of this is still very up in the air as I only started plotting it all out about yesterday. But, I think I have a solid enough base plan to hit the ground running when November rolls in. This will definitely be challenging in the amount of new techniques and materials I'll be working with, but if I can make it even half as good as I'm imagining, it'll be worth it. But in the meantime, if you have any tips or advice on anything that I'll be tackling in this build PLEASE don't hesitate to say it! A well-thought out plan by an amateur is still a plan by an amateur after all, and part of the reason I made this thread now despite only being in the planning phase is in the hopes that if someone knows an easier way to do any of these things or sees a disastrous mistake in the plan, they'll point it out before it's too late :lol
So, the inspiration for this idea comes from a friend of mine who's been wanting to make a Female Steve Rogers (Stella Rogers) costume for a while. She got a start on an Age of Ultron suit for NYCC, but couldn't finish in time and pushed it back to a convention in February called Katsucon. We also have a bunch of other friends that had wanted to do genderswapped versions of the MCU Avengers (specifically Tony, Thor, and Bruce). Being one of their only male cosplay friends, I was immediately designated as the Male Black Widow for the group; the nickname we've given him is the Black Widower. I loved the idea, but the costume seemed too intimidating at the time. But, after completing the AoU Cap suit, I'm feeling bold enough to give this a shot. Starting from November I'll have about 3 months to get this done. I'm hoping that should be enough time as it doesn't seem like it will be as time-consuming or costly as the Cap suit due to a simpler color scheme and design (aside from props and accessories, those'll be intense).
After looking at the suit design from every angle, I've narrowed the amount of fabrics I'll need down to three kinds. The primary material will be black 2-way stretch pleather which I'll be hunting through NYC's fashion district to find one that has the stretch I need, but is still weighty enough to have a solid feel. I'll also be getting some black non-stretch pleather for certain things like the strips that run down the front of the legs, the detail panels on the shoulders, and any other pieces that have the triple topstitching design on it. My reason for mixing the two instead of using all stretch or all non-stretch is that while I'm confident in my patterning ability (especially since I'll be using McCall's new men's bodysuit pattern to make my mockup), I want there to be some room for forgiveness just for safety's sake. But at the same time, there are definitely sections that I want to be solid and maintain a consistent shape; like the shoulders, leg detailing, and bootcovers.
As for the third material...well, I'm actually still deciding on that. It will definitely be a non-stretch as it would be used for the textured panels that makeup the middle of the torso and the top of the arms, but I'll need to collect some sample options first before I decide. My kneejerk decision was black or dark grey cordura, but part of me thinks that may be TOO rigid for a suit like Black Widow's. I've also been thinking of using a black neoprene fabric as it has a mesh-like appearance and would be a pretty good contrast to the smooth pleather. A couple fabric stores nearby have a good selection of utility fabrics used for scuba suits and the like, so I'll also be looking through those to see what I find. I'll definitely be ordering a small amount of cordura regardless though to use for things like the belt and the short straps that hold the elbow/kneepads in place (want to use the cordura as a base and use some cuts of pleather as trim for the sides of the belts and straps to somewhat replicate the movie look).
Next is going to be the big challenge; electronics. I'll be running EL wire between the seams of the suit the same way they do in the movie; using a clear tubed EL wire with a plastic wrap that allows it to be sewn directly as opposed to channeling it through mesh piping. This will let me have the same red-lined look as the suit has in the movie do to the copper wire being visible when the lights are off. Still plotting out how exactly I'll run the lines to minimize the amount of power supplies I'll need, but right now it looks like I'll do it as two separate lines that each start down by the shin (letting me hide the power cell in the boot), running up the body, over the shoulder, down the upper back, and then back around underneath the suit to come down the arms. I also want to use LEDs to to light the kneepads, knuckles, and the widow-bites. I've never worked with electronics in costumes before so this is gonna be a trip. Thankfully, one of my friends who's much more experienced with electronics will be helping me out to get it all sorted.
And lastly, the accessories; Widow's utility belt, spider-bites, kneepads, gun, and batons. This is honestly the most intimidating part for me to tackle just because I'm really not the greatest prop-maker and my experience is really limited to foam and minimal resin-casting. I do plan to buy some pieces of this; hoping to get one of JJGriffin's Black Widow belt kits if he's still making them, the gun I'll be taking care of with a blue rubber training replica of the Glock 26 that I'll repaint black as I think all Glock 26 bb guns have been discontinued due to lawsuits from Glock. But, the spider-bites, kneepads, and batons are going to more or less be all me.
Jung Industries did a pep file for the spiderbites yesterday which I'll be using as a base to pattern mine out of craft foam, hopefully figuring out a way to carve channels for LEDs to shine through. But, to do the bullet-wristband, I'm going to turn to 3D-printing. I've had my eye on a Micro 3D Printer after a friend of mine picked one up for making smaller costume parts, and I'll be ordering one at the end of the month as a sort of birthday gift to myself. In my mind, the easiest way to do things like the bullet-wristband and kneepads that can support LED wiring is to 3D print them in a way so that they're designed to house lights and electronics. The same with the black sections of the batons, while I can use a length of clear plastic pipe with some lights in the base to make it glow, the easiest way to do the rest of the batons I think is to simply print them.
This also means that I'm going to have to teach myself how to model those pieces as well which I'm sure is going to be a long process of trial and error. If possible I actually want to print things like the bullet-wristband and kneepads with a clear filament. That way I can tape off the sections that the LEDs need to shine through, and paint the rest of them black as opposed to leave gaps and then attempting to cover each individual gap with a clear plastic of some sort. Whether or not that will actually work out that way is anyone's guess haha, but I've got friends more experienced with 3D modelling/printing than I am that've volunteered to to steer me in the right direction. As a fall back plan, if I do fail to properly model these pieces myself, I'll have to seek someone out that I can pay to do the modelling work so that I can print it at home.
A lot of this is still very up in the air as I only started plotting it all out about yesterday. But, I think I have a solid enough base plan to hit the ground running when November rolls in. This will definitely be challenging in the amount of new techniques and materials I'll be working with, but if I can make it even half as good as I'm imagining, it'll be worth it. But in the meantime, if you have any tips or advice on anything that I'll be tackling in this build PLEASE don't hesitate to say it! A well-thought out plan by an amateur is still a plan by an amateur after all, and part of the reason I made this thread now despite only being in the planning phase is in the hopes that if someone knows an easier way to do any of these things or sees a disastrous mistake in the plan, they'll point it out before it's too late :lol
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I'll probably drawn mine a bit closer into the center of the body just so that the fabric panels in the middle aren't so wide, but it's essentially the same method.
