Tiger & Bunny Suit (armored ver. WIP)

[Starlit Rose]

From what I've gathered from other people's helmets (like Iron Man, Gundam, etc.), for the eyes, people usually put a backing on the LED so you can't see it from the inside,and then cut slits under/around the "eyes" for you to look through. I plan to do that and add a sheer black fabric to the slit holes so no one can see in no matter what angle they look at it. To anyone else, it just looks black. You can definitely do this under the blue eyes for Barnaby, as you'll notice the small black just under the eyes.

As for the clear parts...Have you ever done vacuum forming before? That's the best way since you can get that round and flat shape with clear plastic. There is also plastic you can melt (it comes in pellets) but it's more like shaping clay and thus would be harder to get straight and smooth. If those aren't good options for you, it still looks good opaque! I've seen a couple of Barnaby suits (one was posted in this thread a while back, actually) with the solid pink parts and it still looks very nice. No shame in going that route if you have to.

 

[endo500]

Hey guys this is awesome I'm going to start a bunny as well for 2013!

also for inspiration you might want to look at pictures from NYCC 2012 this past weekend. There were a few cosplayers doing tiger and bunny. One even had the clear plastic pieces. I asked how she made it and she said that she just bought some clear plastic and bent it over the arm piece.

 

[Starlit Rose]

Hey guys this is awesome I'm going to start a bunny as well for 2013!

also for inspiration you might want to look at pictures from NYCC 2012 this past weekend. There were a few cosplayers doing tiger and bunny. One even had the clear plastic pieces. I asked how she made it and she said that she just bought some clear plastic and bent it over the arm piece.

Good luck on your suit build!

I'd like to find out more about what that person did, and would like to see photos. Any idea where we could find one? She might have been summarizing vacuum forming - that's essentially what you do; you heat up the plastic sheet, place the semi-melted sheet over a mold, then the vacuum suctions the plastic to the mold, and the plastic cools over it and solidifies into the shape. But if that's not what she did, I'd really like to find out what she did do. I don't know how you would simply "bend" plastic into a spherical shape.

 

[endo500]

Good luck on your suit build!

I'd like to find out more about what that person did, and would like to see photos. Any idea where we could find one? She might have been summarizing vacuum forming - that's essentially what you do; you heat up the plastic sheet, place the semi-melted sheet over a mold, then the vacuum suctions the plastic to the mold, and the plastic cools over it and solidifies into the shape. But if that's not what she did, I'd really like to find out what she did do. I don't know how you would simply "bend" plastic into a spherical shape.

Thanks. for the suppport.

you don't have to vacuum form to get it work if the sheets of plastic are thin enough (which i have seen most people using). All you would need to do is bend the plastic how you want it and secure it in the arm piece and it will stay rounded on its own. Also it might be possible but i have never seen clear plastic for the type must people use for Vacuum forming. Not to say it isn't possible i just haven't seen it.

I've been looking at pics online so once i see some of the costume i'll post the links in here.

 

[barnaby brooks]

Ya, I was thinking about vacuum molding. I thought it might be too complicated; I would have to build my own set up and it might be costly. I am trying to see if I can put tinfoil around the pepakura mold and then put fiberglass resin and add a pink die and some pink fiberglass cloth (which I can make ) and see what I can do. I guess if that doesn't get the results I want then I will do what the other guy did in the pic.

 

[barnaby brooks]

Sorry, that's all I was able to hear!




Thanks for the tips! I'm actually really curious to find out how much I'll need to adjust the scaling. Since I'm using a muscle suit and plan to wear a wig under my helmet (in addition to the tail bone-length hair that will be stuffed under it) I'm hoping it'll end up being close to what I need. I stand at juuust under 6 ft with my lovely tall hooker heels and the bodysuit "buffs" me up to a comparable size to my boyfriend (who is 6'2), so, fingers crossed on that. This is going to be a fun proportioning adventure.





Wow, you are wasting NO time, haha! Definitely post your progress here when you get it put together!

@Starlit Rose, by the way do the hooker hells come in a size 12 mens LOL:lol i want to get thous to add some height.:lol

 

[Starlit Rose]

Thanks. for the suppport.

you don't have to vacuum form to get it work if the sheets of plastic are thin enough (which i have seen most people using). All you would need to do is bend the plastic how you want it and secure it in the arm piece and it will stay rounded on its own. Also it might be possible but i have never seen clear plastic for the type must people use for Vacuum forming. Not to say it isn't possible i just haven't seen it.

I've been looking at pics online so once i see some of the costume i'll post the links in here.

Oh, they certainly sell clear acryllic sheets that people use for vacuum forming! All different thicknesses, too. Most demo videos I've seen use white plastic, but here's one where someone uses clear: Homemade vacuum forming a helmet - YouTube

Same stuff!

@Starlit Rose, by the way do the hooker hells come in a size 12 mens LOL:lol i want to get thous to add some height.:lol

Bahahaha you do not want these heels!! I am naturally about 5'4 and the heels are a terrifying 8 inches tall. (My boyfriend is 6'2 and since he's going to be my Kotetsu, I have to try and match him as best as I can! I wasn't joking when I said this is a fun proporting adventure.) If you are already 6ft you definitely do not need shoes like mine, hahaha. If you want a little added height, like a couple of inches, you shouldn't have too much trouble finding something. Size 12 though...might run into limited options there, but at least you don't need 8 inches (which is hard enough to find in any size at an affordable price). :lol Try looking around for mens gothic fashion boots.

 

[barnaby brooks]

hahahahaha I will see what I can do I am almost dune with the fiber glassing. I got a funny story about that. I was in my dads parking spot doing my fiberglassing in the garage and I was listing to some 60 folk music (hippy music) and my dad goes " great now I got a 17 year old hippy in my god dang spot what is this occupied my garage and wood stock combined lol:darnkids" My dad was a big hippy in his time and i am a hippy now so it all works out. but I'm almost done with all the parts time for some good old Bondo. and I'm going to look out for some big old hooker heels.:lol I love that terminology my sister used to call her heels that.

 

[barnaby brooks]

These are some pics of my friends progress, and of my experiment with the way I'm going to make the ears. The pink one I dyed the fiberglass cloth pinkish red the yellow was to see how clear it is and it is clear enough for me. so i will see how clear the pink one is. if not I might need to build a vacuum molding set up but you know got to do what i got to do, and hay i got the time to do it. @Starlit Rose OH, I got to ask you are going to anime Boston this year with your costume me and my friend don't want to be the only bunny and tiger there.

 

[Starlit Rose]

Hooray, big pictures! Wow, what you're doing with the fiberglass dying is very interesting. I've yet to work with fiberglass, so I had no idea you could do something like that. I'm really intrigued. I can't wait to see how it turns out. Wild Tiger's progress is looking great, too!

I myself really want to go the vacuum forming route. It's something I've never done before and if I can build a machine and figure out how to get good results, it could really come in handy for later projects, too. It'll cost a bit to make the machine, but if it works, it'll be worth it, and I'll get to use it a lot. That's a ways down the road yet though.

Awww, sorry, but I don't live in that part of the country! I'm in Indiana and am in the process of relocating to Texas, so I'll be moving even further away. lol I highly doubt you'll be the only T&B cosplayers there. It's popular enough that there is usually a good turnout of cosplayers. There are usually enough people planning to cosplay from it that there are planned meet-ups for T&B cosplayers. If you haven't already done so, check Anime Boston's forums to see if there's a T&B thread, and see what people are talking about for a meetup. (Or, if there isn't a thread yet, make one!)

 

[barnaby brooks]

well that's to bad theirs probably an anime Huston or something of that nature. But I,ll you the truth when I woke up this morning the results of the experiment didn't come out to be what I wanted from them I wanted something more transparent and I got a more opaque vibe from it. but it still has some curing to do and I cant bondo it because it would not be see through so I might scrap the idea and move on to making a vacuum forming which is some 2x4s, liquid nails, tool hanging bored and a shop vac which I have at home. so it cant be too bad to do. the hard part would probably sculpting the peace I need out I think Styrofoam. How far are you in the costume i know last time i saw you wore paper macheing the chest peace,and the shoes. do you think you are going to do the helmet in pepakura and fiberglass or the paper mache?

 

[endo500]

Awww, sorry, but I don't live in that part of the country! I'm in Indiana and am in the process of relocating to Texas, so I'll be moving even further away. lol I highly doubt you'll be the only T&B cosplayers there. It's popular enough that there is usually a good turnout of cosplayers. There are usually enough people planning to cosplay from it that there are planned meet-ups for T&B cosplayers. If you haven't already done so, check Anime Boston's forums to see if there's a T&B thread, and see what people are talking about for a meetup. (Or, if there isn't a thread yet, make one!)

Hey don't sell Texas short! there are plenty of cons there including the longest running anime con in America A-Kon! Which is moving to a bigger location this year because the con has gotten so big. Also there is San Japan in san antonio and another one labor day weekend (i forget the name). And those are just the ones I know from my home town. I know Austin has one and so does Houston. There will be T&B cosplayers there Plus I plan to come back and visit A-Kon this year with my T&B suit so you wont be alone! :cheers

 

[barnaby brooks]

Now i was not trying to rip on Texas. I was just saying that there are options and i was wondering where she was going to unveil here costume i was not trying to be mean or any thing. I'm from new Jersey so the biggest and the closest is at anime Boston. I went there with my friend when i was there for pax (penny arcade expo) with my D and D (dungeons and dragons) group. and we wanted to go there this year too.

 

[endo500]

Oh maybe my email sounded more aggressive than i meant it too be! I was just trying to say there are lot of options in Texas for her and too now worry. I didn't think you were trying to be mean.

Barnaby I live in NYC and i'm thinking about Anime Boston.too. What about Katsucon in Feb? I think I might try that one as well. Which one are you going to unveil your T&B costume?

 

[Starlit Rose]

well that's to bad theirs probably an anime Huston or something of that nature. But I,ll you the truth when I woke up this morning the results of the experiment didn't come out to be what I wanted from them I wanted something more transparent and I got a more opaque vibe from it. but it still has some curing to do and I cant bondo it because it would not be see through so I might scrap the idea and move on to making a vacuum forming which is some 2x4s, liquid nails, tool hanging bored and a shop vac which I have at home. so it cant be too bad to do. the hard part would probably sculpting the peace I need out I think Styrofoam. How far are you in the costume i know last time i saw you wore paper macheing the chest peace,and the shoes. do you think you are going to do the helmet in pepakura and fiberglass or the paper mache?

Ahh, that's a shame your experiment might not be turning out like you hoped. At least you should be able to put together a vacuum forming machine without too much trouble (or at least without having to buy too much for it). Indeed, sculpting the piece will take time, but just think of how sleek that vacuum formed piece is going to look in the end!

Haha my progress...Actually, I have not made any progress since the photos you saw. I've decided to scrap the papier mache torso armor in favor of pepakura. Since I'm moving, I have to get rid of a lot of stuff anyway, and since I have the option of pepakura, I can get a more accurate, cleaner result with that anyway. It means starting completely over on that piece, but it will look SO much better with pepakura, and I don't have to go through the trouble of trying to transport the papier mache piece. Sucks to have a lot of essentially wasted time, lol, but as long as my costume looks good in the end, I'll get over it. Even if I wasn't moving though, I'd want to start over with pepakura anyway. I only didn't consider doing that to begin with because I currently live in an apartment and can't work with fumey materials like fiberglass + resin. That will change with my new residence, though!

So in short, to answer your question, I am going to use pepakura + fiberglass/resin for the helmet, torso, and maybe parts of the feet (not sure about using pepakura for the feet since I have to customize a lot of it). I'll keep some of my foam parts since they work just fine as they are, but that papier mache torso piece has a date with the dumpster. For right now I'm on hold with ALL progress until I get to the new place, and probably for a while longer after that since I cannot responsibly justify buying materials until I get a new job, haha.

Hey don't sell Texas short! there are plenty of cons there including the longest running anime con in America A-Kon! Which is moving to a bigger location this year because the con has gotten so big. Also there is San Japan in san antonio and another one labor day weekend (i forget the name). And those are just the ones I know from my home town. I know Austin has one and so does Houston. There will be T&B cosplayers there Plus I plan to come back and visit A-Kon this year with my T&B suit so you wont be alone! :cheers

Whoa whoa who said I was discounting Texas?! :lol I am STOKED about the cosplay opportunities in Texas! There are so many cons, and there are enough cosplayers in the DFW area alone (where I'm moving to) that they often have get-togethers for working on costumes and helping each other out. Here in Indiana, my closest anime cons are a minimum of 3 hours away (with the exception of very dinky ones), and all of my Midwest cosplay friends live in Ohio and Wisconsin, so I only get to see them then. Not that cosplayers in Indiana don't exist, I'm just not friends with them, haha (all of my local cosplay friends...aren't local anymore!). The cons are decent enough, but I've been going to the same ones for almost a decade now, so I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to a change of scenery. That'd be awesome to meet you at A-Kon! I pray I will have my Barnaby suit done by then.

 

[endo500]

Ahh, that's a shame your experiment might not be turning out like you hoped. At least you should be able to put together a vacuum forming machine without too much trouble (or at least without having to buy too much for it). Indeed, sculpting the piece will take time, but just think of how sleek that vacuum formed piece is going to look in the end!

Haha my progress...Actually, I have not made any progress since the photos you saw. I've decided to scrap the papier mache torso armor in favor of pepakura. Since I'm moving, I have to get rid of a lot of stuff anyway, and since I have the option of pepakura, I can get a more accurate, cleaner result with that anyway. It means starting completely over on that piece, but it will look SO much better with pepakura, and I don't have to go through the trouble of trying to transport the papier mache piece. Sucks to have a lot of essentially wasted time, lol, but as long as my costume looks good in the end, I'll get over it. Even if I wasn't moving though, I'd want to start over with pepakura anyway. I only didn't consider doing that to begin with because I currently live in an apartment and can't work with fumey materials like fiberglass + resin. That will change with my new residence, though!

So in short, to answer your question, I am going to use pepakura + fiberglass/resin for the helmet, torso, and maybe parts of the feet (not sure about using pepakura for the feet since I have to customize a lot of it). I'll keep some of my foam parts since they work just fine as they are, but that papier mache torso piece has a date with the dumpster. For right now I'm on hold with ALL progress until I get to the new place, and probably for a while longer after that since I cannot responsibly justify buying materials until I get a new job, haha.



Whoa whoa who said I was discounting Texas?! :lol I am STOKED about the cosplay opportunities in Texas! There are so many cons, and there are enough cosplayers in the DFW area alone (where I'm moving to) that they often have get-togethers for working on costumes and helping each other out. Here in Indiana, my closest anime cons are a minimum of 3 hours away (with the exception of very dinky ones), and all of my Midwest cosplay friends live in Ohio and Wisconsin, so I only get to see them then. Not that cosplayers in Indiana don't exist, I'm just not friends with them, haha (all of my local cosplay friends...aren't local anymore!). The cons are decent enough, but I've been going to the same ones for almost a decade now, so I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to a change of scenery. That'd be awesome to meet you at A-Kon! I pray I will have my Barnaby suit done by then.

Haha that's awesome DFW is my home town. I'm hoping to go down to see my mom and get her to go to her first con. She is excited and plans to cosplay.

Yeah I'm trying to decide if I want to do a T&B costume this year or Berserk because of the new movie. Plus I want to enter some masquerades and I only worry T&B is a little old for the Masquerade tour. But since i saw the show i knew i wanted to do it.

Also I would suggest to anyone to get the S.H. Figuarts action figures for any character they plan to do. I just got the Bunny one and they are amazing! They are so detailed and really let you see all aspects of the costume. You can see the bunny one here on amazon Amazon.com: Bandai Barnaby Brooks Jr. "Tiger & Bunny" - S.H. Figuarts: Toys & Games

 

[Starlit Rose]

Haha that's awesome DFW is my home town. I'm hoping to go down to see my mom and get her to go to her first con. She is excited and plans to cosplay.

Yeah I'm trying to decide if I want to do a T&B costume this year or Berserk because of the new movie. Plus I want to enter some masquerades and I only worry T&B is a little old for the Masquerade tour. But since i saw the show i knew i wanted to do it.

Also I would suggest to anyone to get the S.H. Figuarts action figures for any character they plan to do. I just got the Bunny one and they are amazing! They are so detailed and really let you see all aspects of the costume. You can see the bunny one here on amazon Amazon.com: Bandai Barnaby Brooks Jr. "Tiger & Bunny" - S.H. Figuarts: Toys & Games

Your MOM is going to cosplay? Oh my goodness, that's awesome! Who is she planning to go as?

Why are you worried that T&B is old? It only came out in April last year! It's still very new. It JUST got its dub released, so if anything, we're probably about to see a new huge wave of fandom growth. Even if T&B was old, it's too awesome of a show to not cosplay from.

Yesss, the Figuarts are amazing! I have Barnaby too (no Wild Tiger yet, too poor, sob) and it's been a great reference. Be careful though! I actually just realized yesterday, when looking at the gifs that barnaby brooks quoted from me, that the area near the wrist (on the underside of the forearm), those...I don't know what you call them, but those pieces appear to stick out quite a bit, whereas on the figure, they look almost flat. I actually made mine too flat because I was primarily using the figure as a reference. Overall it's a wonderful reference obviously, but be sure to check for inconsistencies like that.

(Also, have you seen the newer Perfect Model series? Jaw-droppingly gorgeous, and they're twice the size of the Figuarts [and also a staggering $300+ a piece!] They light up and come with optional open-face helmets and several sets of hands. I think the proportions look a little nicer than the Figuarts, too. So much want.)

 

[endo500]

Your MOM is going to cosplay? Oh my goodness, that's awesome! Who is she planning to go as?

Why are you worried that T&B is old? It only came out in April last year! It's still very new. It JUST got its dub released, so if anything, we're probably about to see a new huge wave of fandom growth. Even if T&B was old, it's too awesome of a show to not cosplay from.

Yesss, the Figuarts are amazing! I have Barnaby too (no Wild Tiger yet, too poor, sob) and it's been a great reference. Be careful though! I actually just realized yesterday, when looking at the gifs that barnaby brooks quoted from me, that the area near the wrist (on the underside of the forearm), those...I don't know what you call them, but those pieces appear to stick out quite a bit, whereas on the figure, they look almost flat. I actually made mine too flat because I was primarily using the figure as a reference. Overall it's a wonderful reference obviously, but be sure to check for inconsistencies like that.

(Also, have you seen the newer Perfect Model series? Jaw-droppingly gorgeous, and they're twice the size of the Figuarts [and also a staggering $300+ a piece!] They light up and come with optional open-face helmets and several sets of hands. I think the proportions look a little nicer than the Figuarts, too. So much want.)

Haha she can't decide. She keeps changing her mind. She doesn't know a lot about anime so she might do one of the disney evil characters, but we'll see.

WHere did you get your dub release from? I only have only seen the sub ones for sale and they are super expensive.

Thanks for the tip about the consistency. I didn't know that and probably would have based most of my work on the toy as well.

And i would pay 500 dollars for one of those perfect model figures! This past weekend was New York Comic Con / Anime fest and they had them on display. They look even better in person. I dont know if they are for sale yet but I plan to eventually get once I finish my costume (to motivate me to get it done)

 

[Starlit Rose]

Haha she can't decide. She keeps changing her mind. She doesn't know a lot about anime so she might do one of the disney evil characters, but we'll see.

WHere did you get your dub release from? I only have only seen the sub ones for sale and they are super expensive.

Thanks for the tip about the consistency. I didn't know that and probably would have based most of my work on the toy as well.

And i would pay 500 dollars for one of those perfect model figures! This past weekend was New York Comic Con / Anime fest and they had them on display. They look even better in person. I dont know if they are for sale yet but I plan to eventually get once I finish my costume (to motivate me to get it done)

Sorry, I didn't mean the DVDs - They just started airing the dub, I believe, on Neon Alley or something like that. I don't think they're going to release the US DVDs until sometime next year.

Oh I bet those figures are worth every penny! I'd pay $300 for one too...if I could afford to. lol Sadly, that'll only happen if I win the lottery (and I don't play the lottery, so it'll never happen! lol). I'll just have to settle with the Figuarts, or perhaps the models that you build - those are as big as the Perfect Series. (I don't even collect figures! I own one other figure besides Barnaby, but T&B is making me want everything, argh!! My wallet weeps.)

 

[endo500]

Sorry, I didn't mean the DVDs - They just started airing the dub, I believe, on Neon Alley or something like that. I don't think they're going to release the US DVDs until sometime next year.

Oh I bet those figures are worth every penny! I'd pay $300 for one too...if I could afford to. lol Sadly, that'll only happen if I win the lottery (and I don't play the lottery, so it'll never happen! lol). I'll just have to settle with the Figuarts, or perhaps the models that you build - those are as big as the Perfect Series. (I don't even collect figures! I own one other figure besides Barnaby, but T&B is making me want everything, argh!! My wallet weeps.)

I was just about to recommend the models you build by Bandi. I have the wild tiger one. They are cool. Plus they force you to really learn the costume/character because you build each part of the costume and really learn how it works. I just want the Bunny one to come out. Also have you seen the SH Figuarts came out with the bikes for T&B they are pretty cool also!