Sub-Zero Costume/Cosplay WIP (for Halloween)

Ronster

Member
Greetings! :)

I'm new here to the RPF, so play nice! :p
Hahaa

So this Halloween I've taken up the challenge of creating a costume of my all-time favorite MK character, Sub-Zero.
Since he has so many different incarnations, but I'm really digging his newest set-up, featured in the latest Mortal Kombat ("9").
Problem is, there hasn't been any releases of any stills yet, and most of what I'm basing the design off of have been mostly off-screen pics. (If you have any good high-res pics of the MK9 Subby, please post 'em!)

One of the best pictures I've found is this one:
MortalKombat9OfficalTrailer___HD-19.jpg


Because a lot of the images are very unclear, there's gonna be quite a bit of "artist's interpretation" on this project... :p

So since I'm living in a dorm here at school, I don't have access to a lot of the things I have at home, so I really gotta plan it out to make the best use of my time. I don't have a sewing machine, so most of the fabric/clothing will have to wait until I go home for the weekend.

But there are a few things I can start here at school:

  • Bracers
  • Belt
  • Shins
Things I have/bought/waiting to receive:

  • Sub-Zero mask
mask.jpg

(Not my face, so I didn't want to show)

  • Kung Fu Jacket
C394L01.jpg

Simple Kung Fu jacket. The sleeves will be removed and this will be worn underneath the blue vest/jacket/gi/thing.

  • Black Tabi socks (to be worn with blue sandals)
  • Black martial arts pants (which I already have)
  • Black balaclava

Over the past weekend I started making some of the things I could make while still here at school.

To begin with, I started with the forearm bracers.
I decided to try out philldwill's "faux-leather" method (as first illustated here: YouTube - Making Altair's bracer and belt.). Let me just say that this method is awesome! It's simple and easy and provides excellent results!

First thing's first, I cut the bracer design out of Friendly Foam/Foamies:
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I cut these bottom pieces out of 2mm foam, then cut another layer out of 3mm foam, which I laminated on top with super glue:
2010-10-09224751.jpg


I found this really cool looking blue texture while shopping for supplies at Hobby Lobby. My GF tells me it's for knitting or something like that... but how much of the stuff we buy for cotumes and props are really used the what they were intended...? :lol
2010-10-09231153.jpg


I thought it could look cool on the bracer, so I cut a strip and sandwhiched it on the bracer between two smaller strips of 2mm foam.
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Then I took a ball-point pen, and drew out some designs on the foam.
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Hopefully the designs will look like leather stamping when all is said and done.
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Now ready for the next step! I take my handy-dandy Plasti-Dip:
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...put on a couple coats and let dry.
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As you can see, the impressions made with the ball-point pen were transferred through the plasti-dip.
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Not as much as I would've hoped, but still impressive (see what I did there? :p) none the less. You can also see that the texture really looks a lot like leather! But since it's plasti-dip, it has a very rubbery feel to it. Way cool!!

I then took some spray adhesive and glued some old t-shirt fabric to the back of the bracers for durability.
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I then snipped the edges and began inserting my grommets.
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Just be careful not to put them too close to the edge...!
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Oh well, easy fix. :rolleyes

I then grabbed some old shoe laces, laced 'em up, and tried 'em on!
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Here's what they would look like with the blue textured piece inserted:
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I'm still not sure whether I like it or not.
Well, yeah sure, I like it, but ultimately I'm going to paint the bracers like they've been iced over or frosted, much like my mask pictured above. If I add the blue in, you might not be able to see it under all the "ice". Unless I go with my other idea and only frost it about halfway up the bracer, and fade it out more towards the top, then you might be able to see the black and the blue.

Here are the completed bracers (besides possible paint job):
2010-10-11112515.jpg


What do you think? Keep it black? Add the blue? Paint job or not? Halp! :p

Thanks guys!
 
Inspiring! I like the way you're going about the bracers so far. look forward to seeing your progress!

(personally I'd go without the blue, because it doesn't match the reference, but that's just the way I like to do things. I would go with the frost though, it sounds really cool)
 
Nice build so far. I'm going to have to keep an eye on your project to see how you paint your items. My subzero mask is still covered in just grey primer.
 
Been down...but not out!

Last week was "hell week" for me. Had 5 exams...
So not much work was done.

But with Halloween this weekend, it's getting to be crunch time!

I really liked the gauntlets I made, but I felt they were a bit too thin.
So I set them aside, and decided to use them for my Ren Faire costume instead.
I recently got some of the Harbor Freight foam, floor mats and decided to give them a try. They're easy to cut, and easy to heat form. If you're thinking about getting some, I'd recommend it.
So I started cutting and heat-bending:
2010-10-23175304.jpg


After everything was cut and bent into shape, I gave the pieces a quick coat of the same plasti-dip I used on the previous gauntlets. This gave the foam a nice, leather-like, black surface, which could be easily painted. I found that the rubber accepted the acrylic paint better than the bare foam did. It kept the colors nice and vibrant, whereas the strait-up foam tended to absorb a lot of the paint, dulling the colors.

2010-10-25145457.jpg


First layer of paint:
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Second:
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Third and final layer:
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"Icing" on the cake eh? :lol

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So what do you think of the ice paint job? Does it work well or should I have just gone with a solid blue or black or something?

Once again, sorry for the delay... :)
 
thats actually pretty cool. the thing with a lot of the MK characters, especially the ninjas, is they change every damn time they make a new game title or comic or cartoon or movie. i say stick with what you've done, make some hand guards with the blue ice paintwork on them, and rock the hell out of them. those braces look damn cool.
 
About 75% done with the blue gi/vest/thingy:
2010-10-25222142.jpg

(Bad pic, sorry)
Bottom "tail" isn't done yet.

Made from some blue scrubs from Goodwill.
2010-10-11112622.jpg

Which almost perfectly matches my Azure Blue Mach 1! :lol
2010-10-09154815.jpg
 
Agreed with the above statements regarding the paint job. Sub Zero is one of my favorite characters too so it is nice to see a custome take shape. Great job so far considering the tools, and space, you have to work with.
 
Hey guys! Thanks for all the great comments!
Because of the Halloween rush... I wasn't able to take many progress pictures...
But I do have some sweet pics of whole thing!

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dsc1.jpg

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Whatcha think?? :p
 
Looks pretty good overall but I'd recommend tweaking the balaclava or making a new one so that the top comes down further and at the same time bring the mask up so that less of your nose is showing. Doing that will help give you a more menacing look much like the screencap you posted at the beginning. Aside from that nitpick you did a bang up job.
 
Thanks guys! I had a lot of fun building this costume and I hope it really shows!

Looks pretty good overall but I'd recommend tweaking the balaclava or making a new one so that the top comes down further and at the same time bring the mask up so that less of your nose is showing...
I totally agree. The balaclava wasn't mine--since I couldn't order one in time for Halloween, I borrowed my dad's. If (and when) I buy my own, it will definitely be more menacing! :)
As far as the mask goes, it's actually a little big for my face, so it naturally tends to slide down. I may need to cut the elastic band in the back and just tie it tighter...
 
Nice work.

Also, the new Subzero is actually the old one. (the first subzero, who later became noob) Long Story short, Raiden sends a message to himself back in time, and it kind of starts over.
 
Also, the new Subzero is actually the old one. (the first subzero, who later became noob) Long Story short, Raiden sends a message to himself back in time, and it kind of starts over.
That's what I hear... it's supposed to span over just the first three right?
 
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