Skyrim: Khajiit in Nordic Carved Armor

[Sedulous Studios]

I'm continuing work on hairing the mask. I'm building up layer upon layer of hair, working from bottom to top (based on the hair direction, so I actually work from the tip of the ears down, etc). It's going well. I'm pigmenting the silicone to kind of match the hair color as I go. Only problem is the silicone cures a bit quickly, which is fine when I'm only doing one color but when I need to lay both black and white hair down it's a little tough. Since this is the Dragon Skin Fast that could probably be helped by getting some of the slower curing Dragon Skin. But I'm not sure I want to buy a whole kit. I guess it depends on how many more of these things I'm going to do. I only have enough Dragon Skin left for *maybe* one more mask, so I'm planning to buy another gallon kit at some point here. Maybe I'll buy a trial kit of the slower stuff to use when hairing.

 

[cadu1990]

I painted it with the Rust-Oleum Forged Hammered spray paint in Antique Pewter. Then I brushed black acrylic into the recesses (fairly dry brush here). Once that was dry, I dry brushed a light layer of Rub 'n Buff in Silver leaf over the highlights (very dry brush here, with 1" cheap chip brush).

I'm afraid I don't know what Rub n' Buff is...

What does it do?

 

[Sedulous Studios]

It's a wax based metallic finish. Gives some very nice results, though it will rub off with handling some.

 

[Sedulous Studios]

A little more hair work done. It's so soft and fluffy! I don't want to trim it, but I also don't want to be a bobblehead khajiit so I know I'll have to. I just love the way the different colors look. I'll be airbrushing more color/shading in, but am using black and white hair to start with.

I think I need to pick up a pair of thinning shears so I can keep the same very soft feathered ends that happened naturally.

 

[Sedulous Studios]

Aargh, I've made so much progress but I haven't posted (too busy making things)! Here's the nearly-finished piece:

I have to finish the tail still--I made one, but it needs to be painted and have an attachment system made. I'm also planning to do a digitigrade version, because it will be cool.

Also, I REALLY have to put a fan in the mask. It's hot but also suffocatingly stuffy in there. Good thing for this convention was that when I took it off I could just do this:

 

[firesprite]

You, madam, are amazing. I love the Kajiit from Skyrim and frequently play them, but I never would've considered doing a costume. Absolutely incredible job!

 

[joshvanrad]

That is awesome. I could totally see how that thing would be crazy hot in there. How is the rest of the suit? Pretty warm all around?

 

[Alpha Proto]

A great mask to go with a great costume.
Were you able to add mouth articulation?
I am just crazy about articulated masks.

 

[Sedulous Studios]

The mouth does open with my mouth, I have to exaggerate my motions some, but it works. The rest of the armor is actually not too bad. So far I've worn it on three ~80 degree days and wasn't too uncomfortable (well, not due to heat) when I didn't have the mask on. Interestingly, even though my modifications were slight, it didn't bother my shoulder this last time I wore it.

When I get some of the better shots I'll show a close-up of the mask. The white cat eye lenses worked so well I think I will cancel my sclera lens order. You can't really see my eyes in most photos anyhow, and I don't think it's really going to be worth $180 to have one yellow eye, cool as that would be. I can build my next armor for that, and I think I will! I want to make the leather armor next, all "real" materials. I want to be able to roll down a hill or whatever with nothing breaking on it. I also want to be able to sit on the ground--I can sit on a chair in the Nordic Carved just fine, but sometimes I want something I really don't have to worry about breaking. The only thing currently broken on the Nordic is one of the front connections for the shoulder pieces--not bad, considering!