Need some Advice....First attempt at Alternative method for a Raphael TMNT Costume!

[xtremevette]

So I have been reading and reading and reading on how to create a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Costume. I don't have the time, money, or ambition to do the traditional clay, mold, silicone route. I don't have thousands of dollars to spend on buying an outfit either. This is just more or less a quest I have decided to do for a Halloween costume to hand out candy and greet trick or treaters. No contests, no judging, other then my own crazy idea of what is acceptable. Iam pretty fussy. I have always wanted to do it. I know Iam creative enough. So I am gonna list what my brainstorming has led me to and if anybody can throw in pointers I would appreciate it. If anybody has done something like Iam spec'ing out and it has failed miserably please feel free to warn me. I have also put in red a couple questions/concerns.

RAPHAEL TMNT MOVIE COSTUME: I am going for a hybrid look of the 90's movie and the present 2014 movie.

Iam using this as my primary inspiration/look: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU72U-poZbE

This is what I have in mind:

MATERIALS:
WALMART or MICHAELS/JOANS STORE: Spiderman Muscle mens polyester suit for base body. $30
Styrofoam head mold (buy size bigger then my head) for Mask to be placed onto. $10
Red flannel fabric, brown faux leather fabric, and brown faux leather belting/strapping. $20-$30
Hot Glue Gun and sticks. $10
Foam $10
Inexpensive cheap mens mittens $10

HOME DEPOT: Great Stuff 16oz for $4.00/3 cans $12
ONLINE: Black Casting Latex 1 Gallon from Monster Makers $46.00+shipping
HAVE ALREADY: Createx airbrush paints and acrylic paints

PROCESS FOR CREATING SUIT:
MASK: Coat styrofoam mold with vaseline so spiderman mask latex combo won't stick to it. Place spiderman mask over head mold. Glue/Add foam for nose and nostrils, snout. Mold into a head. Trim excesses off. Make small holes for ears and make holes eyes. Mold teeth separate and glue into place. Once happy with it, coat entire thing with latex. Several layers will be needed. Make bigger then needed to compensate for 3-10% latex shrinkage.

FEET: Create from old nike shoes and using Home Depot Great Stuff. Once happy with it, coat entire thing with latex. Several layers will be needed. Leave soles uncoated.SHELL: Make front and rear shell from Cardboard, Foam and Home Depot Great Stuff. No latex, Paint.

HANDS: Find cheap pair of mittens with little inside padding. Gut out any insulation best as possible. Cut mitten in half for fingers. Sew the split together to make 2 channels for fingers. Add foam to hide seams and coat with foam. Cover with latex. Should make a 3 finger hand/glove.

UPPER and LOWER BODY: Foam, Great Stuff and Latex over spiderman body suit. Stuff the suit with foam type stuffing. Add Great stuff and foam for muscles. Sculpt and trim. Once happy, coat with latex. Should I first wrap suit with cheesecloth for better adhesion of the latex to the muscle suit? I read a recommendation to do this somewhere. Take into consideration latex will shrink 3-10%. Cut suit in half. Half for upper torso and half for lower torso. ***May have to cut further the arms and legs into separate pieces too. IE: arms would consist of only forearms while upper torso would stop just before the elbow. Legs would be up to just below the knee. Lower body torso would stop just before the knee. No suit or latex at the elbow or knee regions for maximum flexibility. This will be hidden by elbow and kneepads anyways. Thoughts? Is this overkill as the latex and suit will stretch no problem or should I separate into pieces?

ELBOW PAD AND KNEEPADS: make from faux leather wrap, red flannel material and foam.

MASK/BANDANA: create from red flannel material.

BELT AND SAIS HOLDER: create from faux leather belting/strapping.SAIS: metal leather wrapped Sais I already own.Painting will be done with Createx airbrush paints. Will be brushed, smeared and airbrushed.

Thanks guys for any help!!!!
Jeff

 

[xtremevette]

Re: Need some Advice....First attempt at Alternative method for a Raphael TMNT Costum

bump....see a lot of views...no comments. Come on guys and gals, don't be bashful. Constructive criticism encouraged. Surely someone has made a costume using some of these methods?

 

[Ant85]

Re: Need some Advice....First attempt at Alternative method for a Raphael TMNT Costum

Have you used Great Stuff before? In my experience is fairly stiff/firm, so it may not work for some parts of your suit such as the hands. Maybee consider getting some large foam blocks or couch foam to carve parts out of. Should be fairly cheap, but so far I'm liking your cost effective ideas to make a Raph costume.

 

[xtremevette]

Re: Need some Advice....First attempt at Alternative method for a Raphael TMNT Costum

Have you used Great Stuff before? In my experience is fairly stiff/firm, so it may not work for some parts of your suit such as the hands. Maybee consider getting some large foam blocks or couch foam to carve parts out of. Should be fairly cheap, but so far I'm liking your cost effective ideas to make a Raph costume.

Thanks and yep I have used the great stuff and fully agree with you. I probably will only use it very sparingly when I run into jams. Your right it is pretty stiff stuff. I went to Walmart today to look over the other parts and I think the foam and stuffings that they have will work good along with coating them with the latex. I'll be sure to post up progress. I got the spider man suit in today. They messed up and sent me an extra large when I ordered a large, but from looking at it, I think this might be a blessing in disguise as it looks like they run small. Figure with the latex on it, it will probably shrink the suit somewhat.

 

[TVsRobLowe]

Re: Need some Advice....First attempt at Alternative method for a Raphael TMNT Costum

Have you done anything like this before? The process you're describing sounds like a nightmare, and your method for the mask may not work. Instead of building on top of the styrofoam head and the Spider-Man mask, why not build a separate helmet piece that you can be sure will fit your head?

Looking forward to updates.

 

[Doom420]

Re: Need some Advice....First attempt at Alternative method for a Raphael TMNT Costum

I my self saw that same video and have ben inspired I do plan on the clay cast method for the head and went with the mr incredible suit for the body I did one head it wus my first thing ever sculpted I used regular earth clay it kept cracking I got pissed and finished it off lol and ordered some monster clay well saying all that ur not alone in this one love to see the progress and im going to make a thread to show mine ....love were your headed lets do this

 

[TheKlotz]

Re: Need some Advice....First attempt at Alternative method for a Raphael TMNT Costum

Hey, I am using the same video as inspiration. I know you posted this a while back so how is it coming? I have been documenting my process on my youtube page. I am also doing things as cheap as possible. I am using mostly foam and cloth. The cloth is an old green sheet I had with a hole in it and the foam is from a fold up foam chair I never used that had a rip in it.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfecjXj8oDnjuWUAXKe_82k9lOebXqD3P

 

[xtremevette]

Re: Need some Advice....First attempt at Alternative method for a Raphael TMNT Costum

Hi and sorry getting back a little late. It didn't go very well at all. I think it was just because I rushed it trying to do it within a 3 week turnaround plus my expectations are well...a bit high lol. I think Iam being hard on myself. Truth being said, it really isn't that bad. My biggest failure was the head...it didn't come out well at all...looks more like some kinda green alien dude and fits super super tight. Hurts to put on. The costume itself isn't that bad, but the area where I used great stuff for the front chest part I used way too much and especially the shoulders/deltoid areas. I was going for a very muscular look and it did come out that way but flexibility wise the suit has very limited range of motion. The arms and legs show no muscle definition at all because well I didn't add anything under the latex to give that appearance. I thought that with my good airbrushing skills I would be able to sort of simulate or fake that but yeah...didn't work. The shell came out very well but weights quite a bit. I used the foam exercise mats as a base and then used the great stuff and trimmed that. I followed up by spray painting it. Looks awesome but the backpack type handles I made are too thin and I had to roll duct tape around them to make them stronger for fear of them breaking from the weight. Again wearing it gives limited range of motion. So now Iam torn between just biting the bullet and paying $260 for an already built head from the propshop and then trying to save up to purchase the remaining parts of the suit in unfinished form or trying to make more of a stab at fixing my pieces. My fear is that I will spend more time and money and still be unsatisfied. Its a tough call. I know what Iam capable of and its really hit or totally miss for me. Sometimes I astound myself and am like holy crap I made that!? While others times (like in this case) iam like...yeah that looks like crap. I know I can do better, but without the proper instruction, tools and money I'll never do it.

Blank Incomplete and unfinished costume. I need:
1 Upper Torso Piece
1 Front & 1 Rear Shell
1 Upper Legs Thigh Part
1 Left Hand & 1 Right Hand (from forearm to the elbow)
1 Left Foot & 1 Right Foot (from lower leg calf area to knee cap)


@TheKlotz I must say yours definitely came out better then mine from your videos. Awesome work!