Brianpettit
Well-Known Member
I know there is another thread about spacesuits right now but this one is specifically about my 2010 Halloween costume idea. I'm big into pretty much Mid Century everything. One thing I really dig is the pre-1960's idea of space and science fiction. Soooo... why not do a Mid Century spaceman costume for Halloween. I say Mid Century because I can't really pin point it down to one era. I like alot of the 50's stuff but the pre-50's Buck Rogers stuff is also neat to me.
Here is the deal:
I need it to be cheap. I pretty much may only get one Halloween out of it so I'm not going to be spending hundreds of dollars. BUT... It ain't going to be duct tape and aluminum foil.
I have been collecting reference material for awhile. Science fiction book art, movie stills from the era, and even early NASA suits photographs. I think I have a decent concept of what it should/could look like. Remember this will be like those crappy space suits that you see in those 1950's space movies so it won't be a advanced modern suit. Here are a bunch of suits from Tomorrowland when Disney opened...
Tomorrowland Spaceman: My Dream Job | Lounge a while at Jeff-Hopkins.com
You get the idea of what passed for a spaceman in those days.
I will be adding some more visual interest than the plain silver suit that was very popular during that time period. I plan to add some LED lights to make it a little more detailed.
I drew a couple of REALLY quick sketches to illustrate what I'm thinking...
Like I said I don't want that all one color silver suit so I was thinking of modifying a set of white coveralls to look the part. I will be adding silver material to the suit. Something like Silver Lame to give it that real dated Gemini Missions look. I think some red would help give it some interest. This first sketch is really based on me finding a clear dome to construct a helmet. That is a HUGE if. Most of the domes I have found are too expensive for this project. I am hopeful. It would be a nice addition to this costume. I would build a plastic or fiberglass helmet/neck seal/shoulders/rocket pack. The chest box and pack would be lit up by battery operated christmas LED lights. I would be making the gloves out of the silver material I find. I'm not sure about the boots. Either covering boots I currently have with the material OR making a silver spat/leggings to cover shorter boots...
The second sketch is going with the fact that I can't find a decent dome. I have a 70's motorcycle helmet shell that I was thinking I would modify to almost look like Buck Rogers (the REAL Buck Rogers) style helmet. Pretty much the same look though...
Given that this will be something that I will be working on VERY SLOWLY I won't have it done tomorrow. I'm thinking about this now so I have plenty of time to get it done before Halloween. Maybe I'll find some great parts by then. We will see.
I'm still kicking around ideas. This is only the planning stages. If anyone has any suggestions I'm all ears.
Brian
Here is the deal:
I need it to be cheap. I pretty much may only get one Halloween out of it so I'm not going to be spending hundreds of dollars. BUT... It ain't going to be duct tape and aluminum foil.
I have been collecting reference material for awhile. Science fiction book art, movie stills from the era, and even early NASA suits photographs. I think I have a decent concept of what it should/could look like. Remember this will be like those crappy space suits that you see in those 1950's space movies so it won't be a advanced modern suit. Here are a bunch of suits from Tomorrowland when Disney opened...
Tomorrowland Spaceman: My Dream Job | Lounge a while at Jeff-Hopkins.com
You get the idea of what passed for a spaceman in those days.
I will be adding some more visual interest than the plain silver suit that was very popular during that time period. I plan to add some LED lights to make it a little more detailed.
I drew a couple of REALLY quick sketches to illustrate what I'm thinking...
Like I said I don't want that all one color silver suit so I was thinking of modifying a set of white coveralls to look the part. I will be adding silver material to the suit. Something like Silver Lame to give it that real dated Gemini Missions look. I think some red would help give it some interest. This first sketch is really based on me finding a clear dome to construct a helmet. That is a HUGE if. Most of the domes I have found are too expensive for this project. I am hopeful. It would be a nice addition to this costume. I would build a plastic or fiberglass helmet/neck seal/shoulders/rocket pack. The chest box and pack would be lit up by battery operated christmas LED lights. I would be making the gloves out of the silver material I find. I'm not sure about the boots. Either covering boots I currently have with the material OR making a silver spat/leggings to cover shorter boots...
The second sketch is going with the fact that I can't find a decent dome. I have a 70's motorcycle helmet shell that I was thinking I would modify to almost look like Buck Rogers (the REAL Buck Rogers) style helmet. Pretty much the same look though...
Given that this will be something that I will be working on VERY SLOWLY I won't have it done tomorrow. I'm thinking about this now so I have plenty of time to get it done before Halloween. Maybe I'll find some great parts by then. We will see.
I'm still kicking around ideas. This is only the planning stages. If anyone has any suggestions I'm all ears.
Brian