GI Joe costume: toy or "real world?"

[cayman shen]

OK, time for my annual "make big plans for Halloween, don't follow through with them, and end up with no costume because I can't complete anything."

Anyhoo, I was thinking of the GI Joe Flash, the laser trooper from 82 with the red padding.

The question is this: do I try to emulate the figure EXACTLY, or do I go as a real-world soldier wearing Flash's laser gun, backpack, etc. For instance, the flash figure has brown, laceless boots that look almost like riding boots. But a real soldier would have laced combat boots. And because the figure came out in 82 there's no real details such as rank pins, dogtags, etc. Do I add that because a real soldier would have them? His pants have no pockets, but a real soldier's BDUs have pockets, etc, etc.

Mind you, I don't finish 90% of what I start, so if you want to reply, think of it more as a theoretical discussion...

 

[Fett80]

If you want people to reconize the caracter you should go for the cartoon look.

 

[SSgt Burton]

Well I put together a Recondo back in 2008. My line of thinking was to go for a full scale version of the 1984 toy:

It's funny- while trying to search for a pic of the toy I came across this custom 1/6 scale figure:

I think the 1/6 scale looks more like me than the '84 toy! :lol


So I really like seeing someone do an accurate version of the toy rather than what a "real World" version of the toy might look like. :thumbsup


Kevin

 

[td2253]

Kevin, LOL! That's a pretty good likeness of you bro! Nice job on the costume!

Cayman, Flash was one of my favorite GI Joe figures back in the 80's. Would love to see your WIP posts if you decide to go for it.

 

[cayman shen]

A bit of preliminary research yielded some potential gear:

The helmet has a more or less vintage shape:
Amazon.com: Firepower Airsoft Tactical Helmet - Army Green: Sports…

Not sure if the visor will fit, but there's motorcycle stuff out there to cut down for the straight across look:

Amazon.com: Scorpion SpeedView Sun Visor for EXO-100 Helmet - --/Clear: Automotive

Probably tomorrow I'll start on a cardboard backpack to feel out the project. Awesome recondo, by the way SSB. Instantly recognizable to a 30-something!

TD: I'll likely emulate the 25th collar and boot section, if I can figure that out, and go with 82 shaped pads, backpack, and gun.

Man I hope I can muster the ooomph to do this. I always get excited and then fizzle out.

 

[cayman shen]

3AM. I suck. Insomnia sucks. But fabric.com has pre-quilted red fabric and a nice muted silver upholstery fabric. Having it pre-quilted takes a lot of the fear out of this...

 

[cayman shen]

OK, made templates for the quilted bits. Made most of a backpack, but here I hit a snag. I made it from mainly sheet styrene, and all the detail is very crisp and sharp. Normally that's desirable, I guess, but I want a softer more vac-formed look which would be more in line with the feel of the 82 toy backpack. I may try again using foam for the main geometric shapes.

About five hours and a LOT of styrene blown there, but I'll chalk it up as practice. I'm not crazy about some of the proportions anyway.

 

[themanwoaname]

the red parts always seemed like plates or armor to me.

 

[muttmo]

It is amazing how they made the toy look like you.. yes a few years before now..

 

[SSgt Burton]

It is amazing how they made the toy look like you.. yes a few years before now..

Is this aimed at me? :lol

Are you the guy who made that 1/6 scale figure?

Because I was making a tongue in cheek joke when I said it looked more like me than the toy. :rolleyes :lol

Sorry if I hurt your feelings. :rolleyes


Kevin

 

[cayman shen]

The resemblance really was uncanny :lol

 

[Scapey]

You need to man up, Kev, and take it to the next level!
Get those surface piercings next to your elbows! Complete the look!

 

[cayman shen]

Actually, that's kind of inspired: doing the rivets and all, going as a "living toy." Probably would work better on non-cloth costumes....

 

[dreaminspired]

OK, made templates for the quilted bits. Made most of a backpack, but here I hit a snag. I made it from mainly sheet styrene, and all the detail is very crisp and sharp. Normally that's desirable, I guess, but I want a softer more vac-formed look which would be more in line with the feel of the 82 toy backpack. I may try again using foam for the main geometric shapes.

About five hours and a LOT of styrene blown there, but I'll chalk it up as practice. I'm not crazy about some of the proportions anyway.

if i was doing this project i'd spray it with 3M spray mount and lay a layer of cloth over it and keep soaking the cloth with layers of latex house paint till it mutes all of the details.... maybe sand the layers of paint between apps. that's how i made my Mcquarrie bucket look muted and vac-formed. it sucks to waste all that styrene.

 

[cayman shen]

Hey, thanks for the idea! I'm gonna try that if the V2 I started today doesn't pan out.

I was thinking of Ace of Cakes how they always lay fondant over the cake forms and thinking that a plastic version of that would be perfect. Sounds like your idea is a similar concept, so awesome.

 

[dreaminspired]

Hey, thanks for the idea! I'm gonna try that if the V2 I started today doesn't pan out.

I was thinking of Ace of Cakes how they always lay fondant over the cake forms and thinking that a plastic version of that would be perfect. Sounds like your idea is a similar concept, so awesome.

ha! exactly like fondant. great example of what i'm talking about. i used to soak the cloth in latex paint first but it gets too messy and i found that it works just as well to saturate it once it's spray mounted to the item. glad to help!!! hope it turns out.

 

[dreaminspired]

here's a simple commpad and backpack prototype that i made for my mcquarrie snowtrooper costume to illustrate how the edges get muted using this technique. i've since done work on both pieces.

 

[SSgt Burton]

The resemblance really was uncanny :lol

I think the figure might be taller than me. :lol

You need to man up, Kev, and take it to the next level!
Get those surface piercings next to your elbows! Complete the look!

Actually, that's kind of inspired: doing the rivets and all, going as a "living toy." Probably would work better on non-cloth costumes....

Come to think of it, that IS a pretty awesome idea Scapey! Simple way would be attaching a couple of cheap convex mirrors to your shoulders and elbows (not too sure about the opposite side of the rivet).

And maybe just fake the joint lines in the knees by just painting them on?

And Caymen- I've seen at least one guy using the helmet you posted for an '82 Grunt impression (might have been Breaker though).

It's probably the closest off the shelf helmet you'll get. Personally I think the '82 helmets look more like an open face motorcycle helmet with some thicker side panels.


Kevin

 

[cayman shen]

OK, I'm still kinda fiddling around with the original question...to what extent do I want to make this a "real" looking soldier, while still being identifiably GI Joe's Flash? For one, eliminate the silver and make it light gray. That's subtle. Number two, add some real gear to the harness and belt, as if this dude was really going into the field. Not crazy about the helmet, I decided, but stuck it in the picture for reference.

To make toy accurate, strip all but back pockets from BDUs, scratchbuilt laser gun, and something approaching the look of the toy's pack. I'm aiming to a) maintain a high standard of realism, b) be reconizable as the character, c) be aware of the limits of my skills (I can't get the toy's pack perfect, even in sketches and blueprints), d) be aware of cost, and e) maybe some electronics in the gun or the pack. A few simple lights really add something.

Here's a reaaaaaallllllly crappy MS Paint mockup of the kind of real-world/toy mashup I'm thinking of. Imagine the BDUs and helmet match the harness. Not sure it really conveys the idea, but if this is going to look really dumb, I'd love for anyone to tell me!:http://www.therpf.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=32536&stc=1&d=1282633492

 

[Chuey]

My personal preference is use real world components, but throw in stuff that people recognize from the comic books, toys and/or the cartoon. That is the approach that I took with my Tunnel Rat (I'm on the lower left with a M-14) and that is what ID1113 did with his General Hawk.