Tron Legacy Costume

[thormungandr]

Clu's circuitry is definately yellow. Even in the original Tron

 

[coofunkcurly]

Thanks! If someone can provide me with some great reference photos I can try and get a sample made.

 

[mdb]

and confirmed with a seller on Ebay that liquid latex can be used on lycra/spandex to rubberize the material. Do an Ebay search for Liquid Latex metallic Pearl and there you go. There is only one seller on there that has this and claims to be the only seller that has this product without ammonia. Be sure you get liquid latex WITHOUT ammonia, you don't want that stuff which is on your suit absorbing into your skin. I have yet to test if this metallic peral with give the light color in the Siren suit that irredecent look, but I this is a start. Will report back my findings later.

I've already done this myself the main issue with doing it at home is getting the consistancy right.

I suspect it will require a really big spray gun- which I have access too, just not sure how happy my brother would be with latex in it..... And of course a really nice flat surface (vertical for the gun is best) and the right pressure and viscocity to make sure the latex cures as opposed to dripping and leaving trails...

Oh yeah and making sure no hands go near it.. when I soaked my lycra I found the latex curing on my hands and thus leaving little lumps all over. it worked for my purposes but really not for this. Good thing was I didn't need to sew any seams as the latex bound it all together nicely.

I'll have some photos of my end product but it is a wee way off sharing as I am still wrangling with the rest of the costume.... suddenly there is a dearth of silver (brass) self cover button bases in this city and I need a whole lot of them....

Anyway, liquid latex is easy to colour and pearlising is a matter of either being very good at mixing a powder into latex (I'm not.. but I was in a rush- next time I'd mix with water and slowly mix in latex*) Pearlex would be my first choice, I love their duo tones for one.. sigh... or finding a nice pearlised paint.
Artist acylic paint is excellent I have been using a mix of white for opacity and acrylic inks to get nice flesh tones for my Asari headpieces. I even managed a nice semi translucent that I have to try and reproduce Two layers of that with opaque behind it gives a really nice effect.

I was really debating between the PVC and making my own fabric. Casting a few *cough* asari headpieces (before the mold dies... which will be soon ) isn't leaving my room so stinky.....

Also I don't have enough fabric to share with the other women wanting to be sirens if I get my lovely soft fabric and coat it I will... hmmmmmm.........

DANG!!! great find indeed on those boots. Old fashion making a comeback.

No I have no idea how I came across the page... probably looking for hussar armour...

I have a very naughty plan to document a siren costume for an SCA project. As an example of why you need to choose sources carefully and not use the "if they had it they would have used it" argument too often I've been able to "document" the shoes, a bodysuit (for a man though) and an Identity disc so far....

I'm hoping the shoes I ordered fit, trying to translate NZ to US sizes is not as easy as the conversion charts would suggest....

but I agree, I really don't see how the Siren costume could have possibly been that uncomfortable? Maybe the actress and model just can't handle that much "pain". I can understand that it was hard for them to move and all. [/quiote]

I suspect it's a lot to do with translating what was said For example corsets aren't really painful. Uncomfortable yes, and we won't get indelicate but there is a decided effect on the digestive system that no one discusses.... but it makes better copy to use the word pain

The closest thing to mind is the metal bikini in Return of the Jedi. In itself not uncomfortable but Carrie had to sit just so and stand just so for it to sit the way it did with no marks on her skin. When you have to breath like that... yeah, not easy

Although I'm operating under the assumption of the latex coating not going all the way through the fabric which would make it more on par with sheet latex, Now adding the lack of a wicking layer that the fabric would have made, the stickiness of the latex in trying to get the things on and the sudden decrease in breathability... yeah. That's a wee bitty uncomfortable I'm sure..

*I did a test run to see if I could cast my Slave Leia pieces in latex and grabbed the first pigment powder I could.. aside from pigment bubbles it worked quite nicely.

 

[Compass72]

hello all
i didnt want to start a new thread just for a question soooo

i just got my el wire and inverter in the mail and its awesome but it makes a high pitched beep when the lights are on. is this normal, user error or a diddley dud?

Usually a sign that the inverter is too powerful for the amount of EL wire you're running through it. I have the same thing when I'm testing pieces of EL sheet. Once I hook up more pieces to the inverter, that high pitched sound goes away.

 

[Cosmic Ash]

i was kinda thinking that but its only a two double a inverter for 7 feet of 2.6 mm but ive come to terms with it when i got 20 feet of it with an 8 AA supply. but if you linked more to it and it levels out the power BOOM SHAKA LAKA im getting some more haha

 

[actordiver]

I want to go with custom El Tape that is being worked out for me at the moment. It is going to cost me me hundreds of dollars but worth it to me in the long run of wearing this costume. .

Light tape is awesome..but be aware you will still have "hiccups" every so often.

 

[actordiver]

Your costume looks fantastic! And you've got a really good face for Quorra (Truth be told, I think your wig looks fine.) I really love the thickness of your lights. Wait...that's EL wire?! It looks thick like EL tape! Where did you get it?



Thanks for the earlier compliments on my look, I appreciate it! I've decided on doing both, but with a twist. With Quorra I plan to go as accurate as I possibly can (so I'll be watching you and all your successes & failures Annisse! ). With the siren I'm wanting to do more of a performance costume, something that I can dance in. I do hooping and I'd like to do some LED hoop performances in the Siren costume. So for me mobility will be key.

"light hooping" in a siren costume = RIDICULOUSLY AWESOME!!!!!!!

can't wait to see those pictures!!!! Now I'm REALLY bummed you dont live in LA.

 

[thormungandr]

Hey actordiver where did you buy your lighttape from? thats the shade of green I want for mine. the place i usually buy from the tape kinda is a bluish green

 

[TheLadyNerd]

Any ideas on how to make a mobile Siren costume? MBD, I know you mentioned you could almost do the splits (should you have chosen to) in a 4-way stretch PVC suit. Would that work for a siren? I'm having a conflict over materials. I think PVC looks too shiny, but the zentai suits look to have the wrong texture as well. I'm not sure what kind of fabric would give me the mobility I'm looking for yet for me to be able to hoop in.

Ideas???

(MBD - You're from New Zealand? It's a real shame I didn't get to meet you while I was living there. I only found your costuming site a couple months ago. I'll have to remember to say hi if I can get my bum back. )

"light hooping" in a siren costume = RIDICULOUSLY AWESOME!!!!!!!

can't wait to see those pictures!!!! Now I'm REALLY bummed you dont live in LA.

Sorry Actor. :/ I'll do my best with pictures (and with luck, video!) :cool

 

[Exobyte]

Hey actordiver where did you buy your lighttape from? thats the shade of green I want for mine. the place i usually buy from the tape kinda is a bluish green

I too would like to know this. I've not been pleased hearing about the fragility of the wire and I'm hoping to be able to dance in mine. And I too want green...

 

[tim]

I too would like to know this. I've not been pleased hearing about the fragility of the wire and I'm hoping to be able to dance in mine. And I too want green...

Glowhut.com was mentioned earlier in the thread, but until I buy some EL tape from them, I can't speak to quality.

 

[mdb]

Any ideas on how to make a mobile Siren costume? MBD, I know you mentioned you could almost do the splits (should you have chosen to) in a 4-way stretch PVC suit. Would that work for a siren? I'm having a conflict over materials. I think PVC looks too shiny, but the zentai suits look to have the wrong texture as well. I'm not sure what kind of fabric would give me the mobility I'm looking for yet for me to be able to hoop in.

The pvc I have is matte I have used MJ Trends shiny PVC for a few projects and while it doesn't inititially feel as stretchy it does with body heat soften up to be also very flexible. A lot has to do with the cut of the bodysuit- looking at the seams on the Siren suits they are suit to give good movement. It doesn't feel like it at first, I know I was worried about popping seams in all my bodysuits initially
The sirens have no armscye (the sleeve merges into at least four body panels), which means they already avoid one of the pitfalls in bodysuit construction- armscyes need to be very high and small, quite the opposite of where it sits in most commercial patterns. I haven't seen a Siren with her arm raised so I can't be sure but there may be a little gusset under the arm to help too. Otherwise some creative shaping will work
A low and deep armscye means you cannot lift your arms without the body stretching with it.

To create the pattern I recommend starting with a basic bodysuit pattern and draw where all the new seams go. Then do another draft and work out where some shapes need to be altered and then cut the actual fabric For PVC I use a mechanical stretch (woven plain fabric but with lycra for stretch) as it has about the same amount of stretch compared to regular lylon lycra.
I suspect for the latex coated lycra route that it's better to use a heavy nylon lyrcra as it is stretchier.

For hooping the latex coated fabric is going to give the best grip, but the matte pvc could work too. Just remember to omit that battery pack at the back of the waist Well I assume it is a battery pack, it's used on screen but not in the double
I may be able to wrangle one of y PVC bodysuits and hoop to see what the grip is like in shiny PVC My hoop has a velvet ribbon for grip which may be a disadvantage for this....

(MBD - You're from New Zealand? It's a real shame I didn't get to meet you while I was living there. I only found your costuming site a couple months ago. I'll have to remember to say hi if I can get my bum back. )

Aw poot, yeah it's a pity Armageddon has grown a lot in the last few years though which is making many more opportunities to costume If you do get back this way again definitely let me know I'm pretty sure we could organise a meet as there are quite a few costuming geeks in Aucks

 

[Exobyte]

@TheLadyNerd: I'm assuming from your post you're looking for a pre-made suit? If you know someone who can construct one there's a multitude of spandex textures and finishes to choose from. spandexworld.com offers free samples so you can see how it'll feel/look as well, but again, you'd need skill to construct the suit from scratch in that case.

Hope that helps ...somehow.

 

[TheLadyNerd]

The pvc I have is matte I have used MJ Trends shiny PVC for a few projects and while it doesn't inititially feel as stretchy it does with body heat soften up to be also very flexible. A lot has to do with the cut of the bodysuit- looking at the seams on the Siren suits they are suit to give good movement. It doesn't feel like it at first, I know I was worried about popping seams in all my bodysuits initially
The sirens have no armscye (the sleeve merges into at least four body panels), which means they already avoid one of the pitfalls in bodysuit construction- armscyes need to be very high and small, quite the opposite of where it sits in most commercial patterns. I haven't seen a Siren with her arm raised so I can't be sure but there may be a little gusset under the arm to help too. Otherwise some creative shaping will work
A low and deep armscye means you cannot lift your arms without the body stretching with it.

To create the pattern I recommend starting with a basic bodysuit pattern and draw where all the new seams go. Then do another draft and work out where some shapes need to be altered and then cut the actual fabric For PVC I use a mechanical stretch (woven plain fabric but with lycra for stretch) as it has about the same amount of stretch compared to regular lylon lycra.
I suspect for the latex coated lycra route that it's better to use a heavy nylon lyrcra as it is stretchier.

For hooping the latex coated fabric is going to give the best grip, but the matte pvc could work too. Just remember to omit that battery pack at the back of the waist Well I assume it is a battery pack, it's used on screen but not in the double
I may be able to wrangle one of y PVC bodysuits and hoop to see what the grip is like in shiny PVC My hoop has a velvet ribbon for grip which may be a disadvantage for this....

Aw poot, yeah it's a pity Armageddon has grown a lot in the last few years though which is making many more opportunities to costume If you do get back this way again definitely let me know I'm pretty sure we could organise a meet as there are quite a few costuming geeks in Aucks

Haha, I think I will forgo the battery pack. I was thinking of going with reflective tape (for any interested photographers), since I'll be lit mainly by my LED hoop. Oh why thank you, I would very much like to hear how your hooping experiment goes.

Oh and you're in Auckland! I lived there for pretty much all of 2008, even went to Armageddon. Perhaps I passed right by you and didn't even know it.

 

[TheLadyNerd]

@TheLadyNerd: I'm assuming from your post you're looking for a pre-made suit? If you know someone who can construct one there's a multitude of spandex textures and finishes to choose from. spandexworld.com offers free samples so you can see how it'll feel/look as well, but again, you'd need skill to construct the suit from scratch in that case.

Hope that helps ...somehow.

Thanks Exobyte, that is helpful! The bane of my existence is that I can design costumes til the cows come home, but the skill of threading the needle (or machine) is not in my fingers (no matter how many classes I take! :angry). So I am reliant on others for my costumes. I'm hoping, however, with this one to make it with friends. I have a couple of friends who do sew and we're all planning a group Zuse + Sirens cosplay. So all the sewing information will not go to waste.

Anybody have any thoughts on the sirens' shoes? It looks to be more of a wedge pump than a wedge boot. So far I've only been scowering Ebay, but I haven't found anything that's closed-toed.

 

[Exobyte]

No problem LN. I'm in the same boat as you on the suit. (I've ordered the samples and once they arrive I'm sitting down with my seamster to decide what works best and such.)

As for boots, would it be too difficult to modify a pair of basic white pumps (unless that's the big search) with a strip of foam cut and expertly glued? Even if the shaping followed the underside of the shank and altered the appearance of the stilleto to be a flat peg instead of tapered, my only concern would be how it held up to rough wear and such. I don't think regular walking would hurt it since that part wouldn't get hit in the step anyhow.

 

[protokev DMD]

Well ive joined the fray as it were. Found out Tuesday that a few of my classmates were throwing a GV Blacklight party (only funny for those of you that are dentist). So I decided to do a rush job with glow in the dark fabric paint. I was going to do foamie armor and even made some templates but after the chest and abdomen i ran out of black foamies (no time for plastidip) unfortunately so did Michaels

So no armor, the paint is hastily applied and shoddy in areas...but every journey needs a first step. And i have learned some things to do and not to do with foamies along the way.

Paints still drying otherwise id post pics, just so i can later do a comparison once i do it right.

 

[nannar]

Greetings Programs. According to AIN"T IT COOL NEWS- TRON 3 will soon be green lighted. After all the profits from merchandise and the Movie. About 300 Million including foreign gross. It's A Go. So keep working on those costumes. The DIGITAL DOMAIN link is back up. Go to YOUTUBE and type DIGITAL DOMAIN TRON, and there's some great shots of CLU's Robe & a few props. Enjoy

 

[thormungandr]

I too would like to know this. I've not been pleased hearing about the fragility of the wire and I'm hoping to be able to dance in mine. And I too want green...

going through earlier posts apparently he got it from lighttape.com. though its reeeeaaally expensive. no thanks haha ill stick with glowhut. as for the quality, i bought some white tape a while ago its not too shabby. heres a low resolution picture haha

 

[Ultimatum]

This is an awesome tutorial, the first time I've seen someone use LED instead of EL:
LED-lit Tron v2.0 suit