Noob question

[Jaraldinho]

Hello, I'm a costume noob and was hoping to get my costume started.
I have been poking around some of the forms and found interesting suits/topics...
I was wondering if there are specific guidelines for building suits?
I know that there are a lot of people who use the mr. I suit and start off of that, however is my idea allowed?
Here is my idea: Cut out foam muscles and hot glue to shirt, add some aqua resin and then liquid latex over the muscles...
Is this allowed? (I'm sorry for asking if it's allowed, this is due to the fact that most prop making sites I came from have very very specific rules and guidelines about building armor/props/costumes)
Thanks for your help,
-Jaraldinho

 

[ReverendScapegoat]

You're thinking of the 501st
( Sorry, Garrison... You do sometimes take yourselves too seriously ).

There's no "allowed/not allowed" here.
Do the best you can, and so long as you're willing to listen to constructive criticism if it's politely offered, you'll do fine!

 

[jaded]

/\ Agreed

 

[tommynator1024]

You're not supposed to rip off someone else's work, as in recasting original pieces you bought. Also, some people here go to great lengths to customize their suits to be noticeably different from movie suits, then it'd be customary to ask before you go and copy their design. It's just common sense.

Other than that, you're probably not allowed to be an ******* and tell other people what they're not allowed to do. There's lots of different ways to do something, and it has probably been done before. If someone posts a tutorial, it's to help others with a certain process, fuel ideas. This place here is not about showing off the end product but all about the way there.

Welcome to the Lair.

 

[Shipmate924]

Jerald,

Welcome, welcome, welcome!

You're going to discover that no one in this forum is going to pass judgement on your costume unless you ask for opinions or brutally, honest feedback. I started with foamies and a wicked modified Rubies mask. 1 year later and several thousands of dollars I went pro. Take your time, read the threads and do what works for your budget. A hot glue gun, foamies and a Dremel tool will take you far.

We're just glad you're here and like the previous post - be cordial and professional. We all want you to succeed. That's why we're here.

And one more thing: post your work. We want to see how you're coming along.

Take care

 

[Jaraldinho]

Thanks guys, You are much better than the other sites i've been on and I can't wait to get started...
Once again thanks for the help, and i'll post my progress when I start.
-Jaraldinho

 

[Elkman]

I was actually just looking at a couple other costuming sites and noting the kind of requirements they have and what it takes to be accepted there. If you're building a Halo suit at the 405th, a Stormtrooper suit at the 501st, or an Iron Man suit at siwdat.com, there are varying degrees of requirements. For example, if you want to be a Sandtrooper at the 501st, there's a very specific set of requirements. Your ears have to have four raised bumps, you have to have somewhere between 9 and 15 blue stripes on either side of your tubes, and those blue stripes can't be navy blue or black. Apparently, enough people have studied the Star Wars films in detail, and/or dug into Lucasfilm's resources and specifications, and counted how many stripes you need.

Compare that to the Predator canon from the five films: Other than the Classic Predator appearing in both the original Predator film and in Predators, we've never seen the same exact Predator twice. The biohelmet is the most obvious customization, since I think every Predator character has had a different one, but there are also different weapons, skin colors, and everything. And then in Predators, things really started looking different, with the new Super Predators that came out. Oh, and did I mention that the comics have even more variations on Predator characters?

That's one reason I'll probably never build a Star Wars costume: there's no opportunity for individuality or artistic freedom. Take a look at this Mandalorian:

DragonCon-09032010-039 by Elkman, on Flickr

She was in the costume contest at Dragon*Con. Looks like a real good work, right? Well, she was rejected from the Mandalorian society for having a costume that was too royal and ornate.

OK, enough of my soapboxing. There aren't any approved or disapproved construction methods that I can think of. In fact, if you come up with a new way to build something, and it looks good, let us all know how it turned out. You just might prove to be an inspiration to someone.

(Oh, and now that I think of it, I need to go check on my wristblades. I think I used an 18 inch radius on the final curve, but it should have been a 22 inch radius. Time to resculpt. )

 

[xdmray]

that one of the many great things about the lair. not only is variation allowed, it is encouraged.
your suit is exactly that- YOUR suit. do it how ever you want.

welcome to the Lair

 

[Lifeburn]

That's one reason I'll probably never build a Star Wars costume: there's no opportunity for individuality or artistic freedom. Take a look at this Mandalorian:

DragonCon-09032010-039 by Elkman, on Flickr

She was in the costume contest at Dragon*Con. Looks like a real good work, right? Well, she was rejected from the Mandalorian society for having a costume that was too royal and ornate.

Elkman, the Mando Mercs (even though we are custom mandos) still have pretty strict guidlines to follow when trying to get official. And I'm pretty sure that if she applied and got denied then there was a legitimate reason. Organizations like the 501st, Mando Mercs, Rebel Legion, and the others that you mentions have these guidelines to keep their official members in high quality suits. Without these rules you would see cardboard stormtroopers in the 501st. But, The Hunters Lair has some of the highest quality costumes around and they have no rules. So it works for some and doesn't for others.

Sorry to threadjack there, Jeraldinho if you can make a good looking suit out of whatever your budget allows then by all means go for it.

 

[MasterAnubis]

Well lifeburn, I think that was part of the point...
If you’re not up to snuff and spend the money on the parts they want, then you can't play the game. I realize it's easier to make Mando armor then ST armor but you'll still need to buy/acquire/build accurate parts that meet their specs. What's the deal with not allowing someone to be a full member unless they have a spec'd suit too? Really sounds like some elitist saying that they don't want to be around people that have imagination. We have cardboard Preds, why not cardboard Troopers? Disallowing people because of the level of the suit is where the fun is lost.

Jaraldinho,
Thanks for bringing this up. Too often people get discouraged when they realize what this stuff costs. Other times people use it as a challenge to get something great for a small(and sometimes no) budget. Personally, I like seeing the innovativeness that comes from found objects plus some imagination. Where would we be without imagination?

 

[gromitbassist]

I built the Revenge of the Sith Darth Vader suit. That was tons of research for the right builders of the armor and leather goods. Some super strict standards in the Legion/Garrison.

 

[tommynator1024]

Let me say this.... they're full of ****.

If they want to play girl scouts with rules and cookies you need to sell to apply for membershit, let them. I like the diversity here a lot more.

 

[Jaraldinho]

Thanks guys, I was referring to the 501st which was not my cup of tea, and the 405th... but hey, we all have to have guidelines (just not as strict )

I like how this site is very friendly and let's you express creativity, well got to go start my costume (i'll post pics as I progress)
Thanks agian,
-Jaraldinho