Momo
New Member
Hi peeps. Ever since I was a kid I remember choosing the Alien doll over Barbie. I started to do make these cosplay costumes each time I wanted to make something even more spectacular...well the best I could make on a budget. After going on a Predator film bender I decided to make my own costume, so after doing some research I found Machiko. I fell in love instantly and drew up numerous designs of my own. I seriously wished I came across this site while I was making it, my life and my outfit would have been 100 times easier. It wasn’t until a new friend of mine told me that I should join this Hunters Lair and show my creation I saw I didn’t have to struggle on alone lol.
The suit took about six months to make and it was a real tight budget I was on, hence why it took 24 hours to fall apart I enjoyed the whole process and wearing it to a comic con I felt like a celebrity. Now I have learnt from my mistakes and I defiantly want to have a go at making one again but this time go completely Predator.
My main and only mistake was not making the armour out of a sturdier material. I used foam camping mats, which were grate and light to work with but they fell apart and wrinkled through all the bumping and tugging people do to you when you wear something this epic.
If your not interested in the boring making of just scroll down and look at the pics.
My armour was made up of foam, I used camping mats which at the time seemed like a cool idea but now I wish I used EVA foam or the PVC foam you can get. Rather simple but time consuming. I followed this tutorial on making foam armour which I used as an outline to make my own, difference is I sprayed primered it, then spray painted it, then used a mixture of Green, Black and Silver Acrylic paint to weather. A warning though same Spray primers and pains eat the foam and crack and flake when flexed, just try it out on a sample piece first to see how it reacts. Craft Foam Armour Tutorial
The wig was just a brown wig that I added hair extensions and platted and Silver card strips for the dread beads.
Under the Armour I had a fence net body stocking, a pair of green hot pants made from lycra, A pair of leather knickers, made from brown leatherette.
I cut the leatherette into strips and made the belt thing added a few metal curtain hoops for looks with Velcro to fasten it together. I used paper fasteners poked through the leather on both the knickers and belts to look like studs.
I had fish net arm warmers and leg holdups which I made hols and ladder. Thigh high green sock which I added leatherette to the tops for detail. I also cut up a pair of wet look brown leggings which I used over the socks.
The boots were made in the same way as the armour just used a pair of donor shoes underneath. I had to make the Led part of the boot in two separate parts with elastic to hold them in pace (A bit like shin pads) so they wouldn’t crease or tear when I walked.
Helmet was a fibre glass mould which I had to cut down, sand and painted, using D rings as fasteners to the helmet. I used Velcro and elastic to hold it on my head. Other details I added to the mask was the scratches for the iconic Machico helmet and mirrored sunglasses lenses for the eyes, which in my opinion looked better than the mesh that was provided with it.
Trophy belt was my fav part. I threaded different shades of wooden beads, small shells plus the occasional skull bead on some string. I was stuck for ages on how to make the skulls, so once again I used my initiative and threaded chicken leg bones which I bleached and a rabbit skull in the middle of them to make this creepy looking belt lol.
Weapons were a pain. I brought some predator gloves which were absolutely rubbish they were all floppy so I made a cardboard splint to go inside the gloves to keep the boxy shape I wanted. I also cut out some blades out of light MDF type wood which I threaded into one of the gloves.
I made the sword out of wood. The cover wads leatherette and using those key/wallet chains I attached it to my belt so the cover would hang by my knees.
I wanted the spear to be adjustable. I did want it to extend at a touch of a button but unfortunately my skills aren’t that grate. I instead used two adjustable mop handles that I stuck together and decorated with the leatherette (again) and good old fashioned paper mache. This meant the spear could extend and contract and lock in place all you had to do is twist and pull, way hay!
Like I said it’s a budget costume and my first try, but now I’ve got a taste for it I want to do more lol.
The suit took about six months to make and it was a real tight budget I was on, hence why it took 24 hours to fall apart I enjoyed the whole process and wearing it to a comic con I felt like a celebrity. Now I have learnt from my mistakes and I defiantly want to have a go at making one again but this time go completely Predator.
My main and only mistake was not making the armour out of a sturdier material. I used foam camping mats, which were grate and light to work with but they fell apart and wrinkled through all the bumping and tugging people do to you when you wear something this epic.
If your not interested in the boring making of just scroll down and look at the pics.
My armour was made up of foam, I used camping mats which at the time seemed like a cool idea but now I wish I used EVA foam or the PVC foam you can get. Rather simple but time consuming. I followed this tutorial on making foam armour which I used as an outline to make my own, difference is I sprayed primered it, then spray painted it, then used a mixture of Green, Black and Silver Acrylic paint to weather. A warning though same Spray primers and pains eat the foam and crack and flake when flexed, just try it out on a sample piece first to see how it reacts. Craft Foam Armour Tutorial
The wig was just a brown wig that I added hair extensions and platted and Silver card strips for the dread beads.
Under the Armour I had a fence net body stocking, a pair of green hot pants made from lycra, A pair of leather knickers, made from brown leatherette.
I cut the leatherette into strips and made the belt thing added a few metal curtain hoops for looks with Velcro to fasten it together. I used paper fasteners poked through the leather on both the knickers and belts to look like studs.
I had fish net arm warmers and leg holdups which I made hols and ladder. Thigh high green sock which I added leatherette to the tops for detail. I also cut up a pair of wet look brown leggings which I used over the socks.
The boots were made in the same way as the armour just used a pair of donor shoes underneath. I had to make the Led part of the boot in two separate parts with elastic to hold them in pace (A bit like shin pads) so they wouldn’t crease or tear when I walked.
Helmet was a fibre glass mould which I had to cut down, sand and painted, using D rings as fasteners to the helmet. I used Velcro and elastic to hold it on my head. Other details I added to the mask was the scratches for the iconic Machico helmet and mirrored sunglasses lenses for the eyes, which in my opinion looked better than the mesh that was provided with it.
Trophy belt was my fav part. I threaded different shades of wooden beads, small shells plus the occasional skull bead on some string. I was stuck for ages on how to make the skulls, so once again I used my initiative and threaded chicken leg bones which I bleached and a rabbit skull in the middle of them to make this creepy looking belt lol.
Weapons were a pain. I brought some predator gloves which were absolutely rubbish they were all floppy so I made a cardboard splint to go inside the gloves to keep the boxy shape I wanted. I also cut out some blades out of light MDF type wood which I threaded into one of the gloves.
I made the sword out of wood. The cover wads leatherette and using those key/wallet chains I attached it to my belt so the cover would hang by my knees.
I wanted the spear to be adjustable. I did want it to extend at a touch of a button but unfortunately my skills aren’t that grate. I instead used two adjustable mop handles that I stuck together and decorated with the leatherette (again) and good old fashioned paper mache. This meant the spear could extend and contract and lock in place all you had to do is twist and pull, way hay!
Like I said it’s a budget costume and my first try, but now I’ve got a taste for it I want to do more lol.