Total noob here, need a hand with pep measurement methods/scaling in pep designer 3

[Blingy]

Hello all, I've lurked for awhile on here and am extremely impressed by how helpful everyone is this forum... It's great to see! I have one question....

I've started an iron man suit for my 5 year old.... The chest plate etc are pretty straight forward but I'm having difficulty with the helmet.

Can anyone suggest the best method for measuring the head and setting the scale size for pep designer 3? I've seen some folks say wrap a tape measure around your head and divide by 2 which gives you the depth and width? Any suggestions?

Thank you in advance and please include details!!!! .... I'm just a baby at this!

 

[Juicebox]

Re: Total noob here, need a hand with pep measurement methods/scaling in pep designer

A lot of good scaling videos on YouTube. Also google search scaling helmet. Everyone is gonna tell you on here its a hit or miss process. Some build 3 or 4 helmets befor they get the right size. Use the search on here for the helmet tester file. It's pretty helpful also. Hope that helps.

 

[Beer_Money_Props]

Re: Total noob here, need a hand with pep measurement methods/scaling in pep designer

Wrap a 1" piece of paper around the kiddo's head. Tape it so it fits just loosely around his/her ears. Remove the band and measure across the widest interior point in millimeters. Go into Pepakura and use the measurement tool in the 2D window (right click on the 2D side once you've got it unfolded, select measure distance between points on the 3D side) to measure across a point close to the center of the ear pods. You want the measurement to be about 20 millimeters larger than the size of the kids head PLUS the width of whatever media you're going to be using to build it.

For example, if you're using 10mm thick foam floor mats, add an extra 10mm for each side (Left and right), and add an extra 20mm for overall sizing adjustments. So if your kids head is 200mm wide across the ears, you want that measurement from Iron Mans ear pods to be 240mm. outside edge to outside edge. If you're doing it in paper and resin (and let me go on record as just saying that's a bad idea for a lot of reasons,) you'll want to add 5mm to both sides, plus the 20mm for sizing adjustments, for a total of 230mm across the outside edges.

You'll have to play with the scaling to get that number, unfortunately there is no easy way to do that part. It's really all guess and check then guess again. Wash, rinse, repeat....etc...

Once you have that part right, you'll want to make sure you have the height scaled properly. Measure from the kids chin to the top of his head with a tape measure (this doesn't have to be an exact science, so don't spend too much time or effort on it). Then go into Pepakura and find the same measurement from Iron Mans chin to the crown of the helmet. That should get you into the ball park. Since it's for a child, perfect scale shouldn't matter since they will more than likely grow out of the suit before Christmas.

 

[Looch]

Re: Total noob here, need a hand with pep measurement methods/scaling in pep designer

I built myself a set of calipers. Basically, a meter stick with a fixed strip at a 90 degree angle at one end, and a sliding one at the other. That seems to work for me, give it a try!

 

[Blingy]

Re: Total noob here, need a hand with pep measurement methods/scaling in pep designer

Thanks bayouwolf! Makes sense to do it that way... My question though is attempting to change the seperate measurement values will ultimately affect the others... Is there a way to change them separately? I'm guessing I'm going to have to make it much wider so long as it fits my boy length wise?

 

[Beer_Money_Props]

Re: Total noob here, need a hand with pep measurement methods/scaling in pep designer

Thanks bayouwolf! Makes sense to do it that way... My question though is attempting to change the seperate measurement values will ultimately affect the others... Is there a way to change them separately? I'm guessing I'm going to have to make it much wider so long as it fits my boy length wise?

There is, but being that you aren't overly confident with the program, and it's for a kid (don't take that as disparaging, I just mean that the kiddo is going to love it regardless of whether it's screen accurate or a red-and-gold hot mess as long as it looks something like IM) so I wouldn't get too overly attached to what you're doing. Honestly, the only real way to learn is to just jump in and build it. Worst case it's a little big, but that just means they can wear it again a few times before they grow out of it.

In this case, as long as it fits over his or her head and they won't be uncomfortable wearing it, then a little over sized is probably better anyway. That's why I usually give it an extra 20mm just for fudge factor. You may find it ends up being a little tall for their head, but that can be overcome with some well placed squishy foam or poly-fill on the inside.

Scaling for a child is really difficult because their proportions are all out of whack since they are still growing everywhere. Most off the shelf little kids Halloween costumes have small adult sized masks included because of that. Scale it around the biggest part of their head, and then cross check against the chin to crown measurement. So long as it's slightly oversized, you'll be fine. Good luck!

 

[Blingy]

Re: Total noob here, need a hand with pep measurement methods/scaling in pep designer

K serious question.... Once you've got a scale figured out for the chest piece let's say....do you use that scale then for pretty much everything? I ask as I did my kids chest piece based on the width under his arm from one point of the model to the other. On the back piece I used the same principle for where the back plate would connect to the chest piece however the missile pods etc look huge! Completely disproportionate to the front piece.... Ugh I have 12 days to complete this!!!!!!!

 

[laellee]

Re: Total noob here, need a hand with pep measurement methods/scaling in pep designer

Your front and back pieces should be the same scale, otherwise they will not fit together properly (the way they were modeled). As Bayouwolf said, scaling for children is extra tricky, as these suits were generally modeled for adult proportions.
Which suit are you building? If possible, you would want your scalings to be grouped together, but not all the same.

A good way to approach it is this:

Chest and Back - same scale

Abdomen and cod - same scale, preferably same or smaller than the chest & back scale so they can fit together. Best case scenario, the entire torso is the same scale. When in doubt, find your fitting abs/cod scale, then match the chest/back to that scale. It's better to have a fitting ab/cod with a possibly larger chest/back than vice versa

Biceps and forearms - same scale, use point to point tool to estimate scale to fit your child

Thighs, shins, hip pods- same scale, to match length of your child's legs.

Neck wrap, helmet, shoulder bells, boots, gloves - scale to whatever fits well. The bells should be at least the same scale as biceps; neck wrap scale can usually match chest scale.

Let me know which model you are using, I may be able to save you some time on scaling parts.

 

[Blingy]

Re: Total noob here, need a hand with pep measurement methods/scaling in pep designer

Thanks laellee! I've used the same scale for the back and chest using point to point measuring for the chests widest points and just scaled the back using the same method as they both obviously attach to one another. The back seems big but then again like you said kids proportions are nutty.

I'm using darksides501's model. If you're offering to help with scaling I'd be incredibly appreciative... Most of the setbacks were sizing issues. Then restarting and trying again so if you've got the experience I'll take it! PM me!

 

[Blingy]

Re: Total noob here, need a hand with pep measurement methods/scaling in pep designer

Oops, forgot to mention they are the mk7 files. Thanks in advance for all the help!

 

[laellee]

Re: Total noob here, need a hand with pep measurement methods/scaling in pep designer

Oops, forgot to mention they are the mk7 files. Thanks in advance for all the help!

OK, which Mark 7 lol? Whose model are you using, Darkside's or one of the other ones on here? Let me know and I'll send you something over this afternoon.

 

[Blingy]

Re: Total noob here, need a hand with pep measurement methods/scaling in pep designer

It is darksides... Although I'm missing the neck cover portion of it and also it seems like the upper portion of the chest plate where the mini missile pods are located and sit on is missing...

 

[laellee]

Re: Total noob here, need a hand with pep measurement methods/scaling in pep designer

OK, give me maybe an hour.

 

[Blingy]

Re: Total noob here, need a hand with pep measurement methods/scaling in pep designer

Cool thanks, let's chat there. I'm at work so it won't be until a few more that I'm able to start working on it again!