Rhino Cosplay WIP

[SuperJake]

I finally have the time to post the progress of my cosplay Rhino (real name: Aleksei Sytsevich) suit on line. I have been working on this thing for quite tome time in preparation for the 2015 Planet Comicon Kansas City Convention. My Best friend and hetero life mate is working on a Hulk outfit as well. With only weeks to go it is time I get some feedback.
The first set of pictures that I am including are my Costume from PCC 2014, not to be confused with my new cosplay. I got such an awesome response from fans at the con, that I decided to go all in. So far I have well over 48 hours of R&D on this project. But if it turns out the way I am hoping, it will all be worth it.

Tags: Rhino, Cosplay, Planet, Comicon, foam, muscle, suit, Lycra, muscle, suit, Spiderman, spider, man, spider-man, villain,

 

[SuperJake]

So, I started with making the helmet. This time around I wanted something bigger than just my head. Bulkier, larger, rhinoier (I made that word up), almost Juggernaut-esk. So I used couch foam similar to that of my first Costume. I glued chunks of 2" foam together with hot glue and cut it to shape with and electric meat cutter (yes, like the one Clark Griswold used in Christmas Vacation). I cut and cut until I got the rough shape I needed.

 

[SuperJake]

I continued shaping and added horns. I was going for a Rhino action figure / lifelike approach, not the Spider-Man 2 movie that made Rhino look like a Dinobot.




I drew up some sketches about were to go from here and did tons of research, Rhino, rhino skin, and cosplay muscle ideas. There is just not much out there to suffice. So I had to be creative and come up with my own and in some cases altered techniques.

 

[Stronglikebear]

Man, the Rhino is one of those characters with a design so simple that it becomes really difficult to cosplay. I'm really excited to see how this turns out!

 

[Iggy]

I like where this is going. I would suggest defining the muscles with shading. If you have an airbrush it could do wonders for bringing out the foam muscles underneath. Great start!

 

[George]

This character hasn't been build enough in a decent manner.Good luck on yours,enjoy the process and make it count:thumbsup looking forward to the end result.

 

[Iracel]

I am excited for this. Spiderman villans are in short supply.

 

[laellee]

Even your first one looks pretty great! I think if you can build out the foam musculature really well, anything you pull over it will look pretty amazing no matter what. Ditto with what Iggy said too, airbrushing the finish will step it up even more without having to get into the whole latex/rubber realm. Subscribed!

 

[George]

Maybe this can be of use to you:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xHLy4wJCxwM
Check out the guy's channel for more videos

 

[SuperJake]

Maybe this can be of use to you:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xHLy4wJCxwM
Check out the guy's channel for more videos

Yeah. That video is awesome. I posted it though, so I'm bias. Lol. Posting more pics of process soon.

 

[George]

:lol I should have seen the link between "Holiday Jacob" and "SuperJake"...My bad!
I like the concept of applying a latex skin over foam to connect the pieces.How do you cover the gaps before the latex treatment?
With a zentai suit? Or some kind of foil/plastic wrap?

 

[SuperJake]

First thing is first.

I began shaping muscles out of 2 inch couch foam and layering them on a grey Lycra suit that I had over a duct tape dummy of myself. This one piece suit is similar to the one that I put over my muscles from my first Rhino Cosplay I did. I had so much trouble finding inspiration online. But alas, I found it on Deviant Art http://mongrelman.deviantart.com/gallery/46036482/costumes?offset=168. I have to give props to this guy because we talked for a bit about his unique look into muscular costumes and how he achieved it. I took his idea and added my own ideas, keeping the suit flexible and cost effective (the spray foam Idea did not work at all for me due to humidity)

 

[SuperJake]

I fit and movement tested the suit and moved onto the legs.


My dummy was a bit twisted.

 

[SuperJake]

I then fit and movement tested the body suit. Remember, this is just a muscular under suit and will all be covered in material.

 

[SuperJake]

Now for the painting/skinning.

I could not figure out how to cost effectively apply a painted skin similar to liquid latex. There is no information online accept for latex foam or liquid latex. The Liquid latex I would need for this suit would be expensive and honestly I do not even know if it would work. I did some research on the net and found on a chemical composition website that Latex caulking, like the kind bought at Lowes or Home Depot for about $3 a tube could be thinned and used to paint. Since this thinner concoction is latex and acrylic based, it would be flexible, durable, and for all intensive purposes weather resistant.
To thin the Dap caulking I used ammonia (yes like cleaner) since this is what breaks down latex. The odor is very strong, so if you do this make sure you are in a ventilated area and be very SAFE. I added black acrylic paint to the mix to make grey. My thought was that this would not only seal the suit, but it would give it texture as well.
Helmet first:


I then painted the horn to look more like a rhino


I looks tough and is heavy due to how porous the foam was. Yet, after it dried is very flexible and holds its shape quite well without cracking.

PS. I did this a few months back and it has yet to crack or fall apart at all. Score!

 

[George]

Amazing work so far,and funny to find out that after seeing you and your WIP on youtube,you turn out to be a forum member.
Looking forward to updates!

 

[FirstPick]

This looks fantastic. Big fan of the Rhino.

 

[Iggy]

This is amazing. Are you posting months worth of work, or is this being done right now? So far, this looks great!!! If you are covering the body in fabric, I would suggest stitching between the muscles to really pronounce them versus just letting the muscles barely show through. If you are skinning it with a latex then it will look like your muscles but won't breathe as well. A good example of skinning with fabric is flexdesigns muscle suits.

Looking forward to the progress. Subbed.

 

[George]

Any updates on your suit,Aleksei ? :cool

 

[DeJaan13]

I feel like rhino is one of those characters that aren't cosplayed a much.