Help with Custom Tron Suit

[GEL Creations]

I'm making a custom tron suit and this is my first cosplay costume. So I was hoping for some helpful ideas and suggestions, I was told this was the place to go.

I was hoping for help with how to make the lighting strips and also the (I guess its called) padding. I want it to look pretty professional. So I need advice and maybe links to helpful tutorials.
What I know is I need probably Electroluminescent tape strips, how do I set it in? Anyone know where I can get some fake leather body suit kinda deal for a reasonable if not cheap price? Also that cell look pattern on some of the padding?

Here's a bit of the suit I've made:

I would gratefully appreciate any help at all. AT ALL.

 

[Rinzler]

looks more like a lot of EL Wire with some EL Tape on the arms, is that hair at back of head or part of helmet? A member on here Soulinertia was selling fabric with the hexagonal print that would be good for an undersuit (See member Annisse's Quorra costume it's great and she used print on her recent suit if I recall). Have a look at Twinight's Guard costume his use of plastidip over the eva foam has a great look and cheaper that altering an existing suit http://www.therpf.com/f24/tron-legacy-guard-concept-costume-wip-100233/.

 

[GEL Creations]

That's pretty awesome what he made there. Whats the difference between the lights however? Because I want the lines thick, not really like wire. More like bands.
That's actually not hair, its alien tentacle like things. lol.

 

[twinight]

That's pretty awesome what he made there. Whats the difference between the lights however? Because I want the lines thick, not really like wire. More like bands.
That's actually not hair, its alien tentacle like things. lol.

Cool concept drawing.
See my kid's costume in my signature. I'm using El tape for his.

 

[GEL Creations]

That's amazing! I envy your skills.
Would it be too much to ask for a list of some of the materials you used? How you got the glossy look to that padding as well? I have some old ice hockey equipment that I am gonna use for most this I think.
Or maybe just some suggestions of materials?

A friend and I are gonna be making these for ourselves and I have to draw up his as well, but as soon as I start I will definitely start posting pictures and such.

 

[twinight]

The glossy padding is 2mm thick shelf liner material by con-tact. No mod podge sealing and no plastidip painting required.
However it is very thin and isn't good for adding depth. I would use minicel L-200 foam for that. I glue it together with hot glue and use contact cement to glue it to fabric.

 

[Wicked]

I've been waiting for somebody to use carbon fiber vinyl for one of these. It seems such a natural fit.
DECALFX.com! CARBON3™ VINYL! Carbon Fiber Hyper Black Looks Realistic with WEAVES! Low cost, high quality vinyl film overlay sheets! Textured for hoods, custom interior dash trim moulding! 3M Di-Noc Dinoc wrap

 

[GEL Creations]

Awesome! Thank you, both of you.
So common place to find this stuff would be like hobby stores, home depot, or lowes?

 

[Rinzler]

Good to see you spotted his post Twinight, your work is awesome and you give great reference information for construction.
How are you planning on doing your helmet GEL?

 

[GEL Creations]

I was actually just thinking about this.
I think its going to be connected to the chin piece and slide up over the tentacles. As for a strap to keep both the chin piece and screen of helmet on I think I'll use the metal tubing as a strap and have it disappear under the tentacles.

I'm going to draw up a rough sketch here soon and post it, what I said above is a little confusing I think.
I'm going to try and buy a few things today when everything opens up.

 

[GEL Creations]

Ok so I just used the line art of my tron character to give a quick and hopefully simple explanation through an animation.

And I've decided to make the tentacles a part of the helmet. So that whole part goes on as one as a helmet.

 

[Rinzler]

Ahh I see now, the circuit design on face looks a little "busy" to me but that's just me , my original question was as to how you were going to craft the helmet and then harden it?

 

[GEL Creations]

Oh I was thinking of the design of the helmet at the time in my head so I mixed your question up.
I haven't actually gotten to the idea of that. I have no idea how or what to use. I keep looking everything up but can't find much.
Although I like the way Twinight made his child's helmet. I may use a method like that. Maybe use the refereed carbon vinyl decal over the helmet to give it the look of being hardened. I'm just not sure.

I may have to cut down on some of the lights on the mask though. I wouldn't know how to make this.

 

[Rinzler]

Twinights kids helmet is from a pepakura file from a character from Tron: Evolution game named Anon, I have just fibergalssed one myself and waiting on payday and free time to continue work on it. If you maybe modify a hardened pep helmet might be a good base to work from but I recommend doing at minimum 3 resinings to harden it enough to work with otherwise it'll be very flimsy and breakable. I'd use EL Wire on the mask for your design too if it was me.
Best advice would be to look at Twinights posts and look at the Daft Punk helmets being made (they are good reference material)

 

[GEL Creations]

Yeah, I play Evolution too, lol I'm not half bad either. I'm gabriellux there using a PS3.
Thanks for the advice for the helmet. I was wonder for the screen how to get it purple and make the spacing inbetween units of lights.

 

[Rinzler]

Are you making it completely transparent or opaque? if opaque do 2 layers, a base and an upper layer with channels cut in for EL Wire ten paint it purple (I assume you have eye slits planned if you going that route but it will limit your field of vision).

 

[GEL Creations]

Yeah thats what I was thinking, it would limit my vision. But opaque would be best I think. I can always open the mask when walking though.
Thanks though. That helps a lot. I'm excited to get this started, I'm new to this so it probably won't come out as great as I'm hoping lol.

 

[twinight]

Yeah thats what I was thinking, it would limit my vision. But opaque would be best I think. I can always open the mask when walking though.
Thanks though. That helps a lot. I'm excited to get this started, I'm new to this so it probably won't come out as great as I'm hoping lol.

I would make it transparent and add VHT tint spray to the back. Fade the spray so you have minimal tint around the eyes and darker as you go out to the edges. If done right you won't even notice that it's faded and you can see out of it.
You can do this. My sentry costume is the first I've ever made and my kid's is the second. Just plan it out and do your research before starting. Use the search engine for any material, glue, and method you are thinking of using. Assemble test pieces to test out methods so you minimize mistakes.

 

[GEL Creations]

OK I'm going to do the duct tape thing today I think. I'll post pictures if I'm able to finally do it.

 

[Rinzler]

Good luck! Will be following your progress, pay day for me in a couple days, going to buy some auto-filler for my helmet, still not confident enough to post pics of progress though.