Tron Legacy Costume

[jyhash]

Oh my Lord. NICE! Where did you find it?

When I was searching for Flynn's Motorcycle Jacket Screen shots for Apollo, I came across them in a one off Google Image Search. They're from a Website called Andropapers, which I'm guessing is a repository for Android Phone Wallpapers. They look pretty accurate though, so they'd be nice for creating patterning for EL lighting.

Also, to answer your questions about boots, I repurposed a pair of Star Trek 2009 boots from DKNY for my costume. I've heard though that a Motocross and Diver's Boots work well too.

 

[Tifetup]

Check out the guy's suit at the bottom of the page!!!
http://www.fashioningtech.com/profiles/blogs/tron-quorra-costume?xg_source=activity

 

[Jedibaritone]

Incidentally, since I'm also "Jedi Elvis", I'm calling dibs on working a black Elvis jumpsuit in this style and calling myself "EL-vis". Just sayin'.

 

[HooDooMan1]

Ok - so I'm starting my shopping list. What did you guys do for shoes? First thing I found was this:

NRS Boundary Paddling Shoes at REI.com

Thoughts?

If money is no object, you could try using these Puma boots.

Puma Motorcycle Boots - RevZilla

I think a modified version of the Puma 1000's were used in the VFX concept footage. They may have also used a modified version of one of the other models in the actual film, but I can't say for sure.

Unfortunately, ALL of them are WAAAY out of my price range.

 

[oxVICIOUSxo]

Okay guys I made this mock set up to better explain the process I used.

1. Draw the Pattern onto a transparency, notice the doted is the part that will be cut and the solid line is the actual part that will light up.
2.The part facing down will be the one that you will diffuse in the end with masking tape. The part facing up will have the el wire taped to it.
3. close up of the wire being taped to the transparency, also notice that I placed the wire right on the outside of the solid line, I did tis so that when you diffuse it, it will not show up as a hot spot.
4.Cut the transparency.
5.Poster board line up.
6.Tape the poster board to the transparency, the poster board will pretty much sandwich the EL wire to the transparency.
7.My Index finger is pointing at the part where you will tape with maskin tape, to diffuse the light from the EL WIRE.

Well thats is it, I hope this is a better explanation.

has any one tried this with a white vinyl pleather instead of the poster board? seems like it would give a better range of motion. maybe a little more reflective, staring at a yard of it i got for mine and the idea hit me.

 

[jyhash]

has any one tried this with a white vinyl pleather instead of the poster board? seems like it would give a better range of motion. maybe a little more reflective, staring at a yard of it i got for mine and the idea hit me.

I think Annisse did something similar using latex, and it worked rather well. The one thing I'd be careful about with the range of motion argument is that constant bending of the EL Wire runs the risk of breaking the filament and shorting out the entire suit's lighting if daisy chained. If you do go that route, I read on here that people were connecting up disparate elements of EL wire with Speaker Wire at high motion traffic joints so as not to run the risk of breaking the filament. Unfortunately if you want fill range of motion like in the TRON costumes themselves you'll have to look into getting some ELastolite (but even after contacting them, they haven't contacted any of us back), and even that was said by the actors to be very fragile.

Just make sure you're careful about where you place the EL and you should be safe.

 

[NickG716]

After marathoning through this thread, I have to say I have a MUCH better idea on what to do for my Sam costume for next Halloween. Lighting wise I'll be going the diffused EL wire route that Eddie and Annisse used. My only concern is finding a foam that will be able to stay flush against my base layer (under armor) while still being durable, and hopefully a little flexible.

Big thanks to those that contributed! Hopefully mine will look as good once finished.

 

[Rook 3]

Has anyone tried using the Lighttape brand products from Lighttape.com?

I'm tempted to get a sample, but at $40 for 2 feet of it with inverter...

 

[Ares5000]

Hey I just got a press release from ALSA Corp about ALSA Lume. Apparently its glow paint that comes out glowing & doesn't need sun or light to activate! ALSA Lume and other paints were used on the Tron set says the release. Check it out: AlsaLume - Glow Stick In A Spray Can!

I used their spray chrome on my Daft Punk helmet & used a few of their other paints that are really good. I'll deff be ordering a few of these Lume cans as soon as they are available!

 

[Jedibaritone]

Hey I just got a press release from ALSA Corp about ALSA Lume. Apparently its glow paint that comes out glowing & doesn't need sun or light to activate! ALSA Lume and other paints were used on the Tron set says the release. Check it out: AlsaLume - Glow Stick In A Spray Can!

I used their spray chrome on my Daft Punk helmet & used a few of their other paints that are really good. I'll deff be ordering a few of these Lume cans as soon as they are available!

Interesting, but I'm guessing it won't glow very well in the light, obviously. Maybe used in conjunction with something... ? But definitely possibilities.

 

[Jhemma]

I just came on here to ask if anyone had seen the AlsaLume yet. Besides it not being very bright in the light, it also only lasts a few hours. But their newsletter claims it was actually used in the movie. Thoughts?

 

[Lancer]

How easy is 3m reflective tape to sow onto clothing. does it need a lot of force to get through the tape or is quite easy? also, once punctured does it tear easily? if so, do I need to come in from the tape border a bit because of this?

am I better off wonder webbing this into place first and then sewing it?

 

[kaiwalkerz]

This Glow in the Dark Paint was developed years ago by MPK CO. (Glopaint.com)., awarded by NASA, and was called Litrosphere.

It claimed it didn't had to be light charged, but somehow never reached the mass-production.

I ordered a Super Bright Glow paint from MPK, but it is regular Glow, not enough. Much more brighter is Glowinc by far.

I asked MPK CO. for a sample of Litrosphere and never had an aswer, nor a sample. I think it contained Tritium and was considered toxic, but I'm not sure of this point, I might be wrong.
This technology has about 4 years and it can't be found anywhere, neither in their website.


ALSA is a great company, and might have find the right path, since tritium has been replaced by some other element non-toxic, can't remember now which one.
I will ask them and post any update.

 

[games001]

Interesting, but I'm guessing it won't glow very well in the light, obviously. Maybe used in conjunction with something... ? But definitely possibilities.

Am I mistaken, or is this stuff going to simply be a spray chemical that will glow brightly for a while when first released from the can, then grow dimmer and dimmer until it dies out? A one-shot spray chem as it were. I can't see it being used more than once if that is the case and they say it's not activated, just comes out glowing. :unsure

 

[kaiwalkerz]

Hi again,

I'd like to share something with you guys, my costume is not done yet for a reason.
I'm not satisfied until I know almost everything about something I want to do before I do it.
Don't get me wrong, your costumes really rock and I don't know if I could replicate them.
But I always look a step beyond and I'm never satisfied.

I'm looking for some other new things and though I don't like to show anything since I'm not done yet, there must be someone out there more clever than me that might help.

In the picture, a PVC flexible strip with a single led pointed at. A first step that I'm investigating this days.
In real life, the led shows half bright, the strips remains the same.

 

[Lancer]

In the picture, a PVC flexible strip with a single led pointed at. A first step that I'm investigating this days.
In real life, the led shows half bright, the strips remains the same.

I think I see what you're getting at. glow the LED down the strip to make it 'glow'

the only issue is, will this cope with curving strip? will it only light as far as the bend of the material allows? or does the light from the LED go the length of the strip, rather like fibre optic?

 

[kaiwalkerz]

I think I see what you're getting at. glow the LED down the strip to make it 'glow'

the only issue is, will this cope with curving strip? will it only light as far as the bend of the material allows? or does the light from the LED go the length of the strip, rather like fibre optic?

It lights the strip no matter how, even if it bends, always when Led is pointed correctly at the end of the strip.
But it gets kinda dimmer about 30-40 cm. But Leds can be placed on each end.
I have to try better quality PVC to conduct the light better, and more than one single Led, and paint one side in white.
I'm not extremely satisfied, but it will be investigated.

By now this is been used in Tron caps and some dog laces.

 

[macross22]

quick shop from an iphone pic so don't worry, they'll only get better :cool

WOW....you all look amazing!!! well done everyone!

 

[actordiver]

Hi guys -

I know I'm late jumping on this thread, but better late than never, right? Now that i've seent he movie, I'm inspired to make my own costume, so now it's time to start wading through the posts for the best methods... /sigh - it's like making my Mando armor all over again...

ANYWAY, I found this on eBay - is this the EL tape everyone's been talking about, or is this something else?

Aircraft Instrument Panel Light 5 feet, EL tape strip - eBay (item 380237231483 end time Dec-22-10 11:16:27 PST)

$35 for a 5 foot strip (1/2 and inch wide). Good or no?

This is exactly what I used on my shin guards and helmet. Inexpensive and comes with an inverter, cool right?... well yes and no. Problem 1, once you cut it you can't reconnect it (*more about this later) problem 2 powering a 12v inverter with something other than a huge 12v 8aa battery pack.

ok so problem 1, I did manage to figure out a way to cut and reconnect. Silver Epoxy ($35 for a tiny amount. It works but it is VERY VERY difficult to deal with) First you have to separate the laminate (see pictures below and PG17 of thread and #852 of thread pg35) being extremely careful to keep both the positive and negative phosphorus in tact (MANY hours and frustration) then you have to scratch off part of the possitive side cause if the silver epoxy touches both you wont get it glowing. Then you have to seal it and keep it secure so it wont detach (remember you're wearing it) so I used hot glue as a sealer then electrical tape, then gaff tape, then heat shrink tubing (don't melt it too much or you have to start COMPLETELY OVER (the silver epoxy will separate) Needless to say it took a lot of will power not to chuck this stuff in the garbage at 1'oclock in the morning.

ok Problem 2. The inverter. This one was a bit easier to deal with. this is a buck booster: DC to DC power module (buck booster) Input 3.5V~9V Output 12V 1A

and it converts a 9v battery to 12v and its small. I created some little boxes to hold the inverter, and booster, and 9v all together. I glued them to the side of my shin guards and back of the helmet. Worked well. Just make sure you have a toggle switch to the battery and booster and you wire it correctly. Otherwise you'll blow the booster and possibly cause a fire.

Hope that helps.
PS don't try and use the buck booster to power full light tape with a larger inverter..it doesn't work and overloads the 9v battery.

Has anyone tried using the Lighttape brand products from Lighttape.com?

I'm tempted to get a sample, but at $40 for 2 feet of it with inverter...

Yes. I used light tape on my jacket. Awesome people over there. Very helpful! However, it's not cheap. You have to add up all the square inches you are using and get the correct inverter or 2 inverters (I went with one inverter that was $100 by itself) but this stuff is MUCH MUCH easier to work with.

 

[blackfeathers]

Hi again,

I'd like to share something with you guys, my costume is not done yet for a reason.
I'm not satisfied until I know almost everything about something I want to do before I do it.
Don't get me wrong, your costumes really rock and I don't know if I could replicate them.
But I always look a step beyond and I'm never satisfied.

I'm looking for some other new things and though I don't like to show anything since I'm not done yet, there must be someone out there more clever than me that might help.

In the picture, a PVC flexible strip with a single led pointed at. A first step that I'm investigating this days.
In real life, the led shows half bright, the strips remains the same.

without knowing the full effect of what you plan on doing, i assume you're figuring our a way for the led to light up the pvc?

have you tried sanding the pvc to a scuff-frost finish to see if a brighter or more uniform effect can be produced? or would the sanding take away from a clean and clear look?

in the past i've sanded acrylic to a frost finish to get a more luminuous glow -especially to get an edge lighting effect. it works well to contrast it with a clear flat surface to give an outline. polishing it clear has an opposite effect but makes it look more glossy or glass-y.