Fabric half cowl/mask help

BoosterGoldstar

BoosterGoldstar

Active Member
Hi. I am working on designing a Booster gold costume that isn't spandex and I am currently stuck on how to make his cowl.
This is the look I am aiming for.
http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/3/37441/841745-boog_cv23.jpg
My main issue is what material to sure. I was originally thinking of using a neoprene face mask, cutting it to the shape of opening I am looking for, and sewing a covering over it to get it the proper color. But I realized that this could get very warm after wearing it for a while. So now, I am looking at going for a scratch build with a zipper at the back to hold it tight. I have also read in the past to use a plastic mask from a costume shop to keep the forehead fabric rigid.
http://admin.houseofadorn.com/media/catalog/product/p/l/plastic_1.jpg
It will need to fit over my goggles.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31xL+PUoQOL._SX466_.jpg

What type of material do you all suggest? I appreciate any help.
 
Last edited:
Hey,
Neoprene is definitely not the way to go, way too hot. Also, the plastic mask is useful for most other costumes, but it doesn't help for this-there is no area around the eye/nose. I would suggest using a slightly stiffer fabric with a strong interface, possibly iron-on. Granted, the hood won't be stretchy, but as long as you make it correctly, and with a zipper in the back, you won't be disappointed. Fabric-wise, nowadays costumes are leaning slightly away from the classic spandex and going for more of the utilitarian look, ie; leathers, canvases, etc-basically fabrics that are more sturdy, that sort of thing.
Anyway, good luck, and ask questions whenever you need to.
 
I've seen some Gambit cowls done very similarly to this before, may want to take a look at something like that. Otherwise I think making a shell (pep, foam etc.) and then gluing some fabric to it could help you to achieve the flexible neck with a face area that keeps its form.

I've wanted to do something like this for a Batcowl in the past but always get stuck in a similar way.
 
I found this thread searching google for Gambit Cowl, not exactly what you're looking for but the head sculpt gave me an idea of the kind of shape you could go for with Worbla or something similar. Going by your reference you could probably even simplify the shape even more and just basically be left with a headband and some extensions that go down onto the face, leaving the ears to be covered by the fabric of the cowl and your hearing unimpeded. Something hard like worbla would be a secure base for gluing your fabric to and with thick enough fabric would probably be pretty seamless.

http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=231917
 
harrisonp said:
I found this thread searching google for Gambit Cowl, not exactly what you're looking for but the head sculpt gave me an idea of the kind of shape you could go for with Worbla or something similar. Going by your reference you could probably even simplify the shape even more and just basically be left with a headband and some extensions that go down onto the face, leaving the ears to be covered by the fabric of the cowl and your hearing unimpeded. Something hard like worbla would be a secure base for gluing your fabric to and with thick enough fabric would probably be pretty seamless.

http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=231917
Click to expand...

The problem with that option for me is that I have glasses which are then incorporated into my goggles.having a hard mask would make that difficult/uncomfortable
 
BoosterGoldstar said:
unfortunately not
Click to expand...

Is the bubble lens super important or could you remix the look a bit just using the glasses kind of like Smallville did? Obviously you'd have the cowl still but glasses instead of the lense. I completely understand if that is not the direction you'd like to go though, just a thought.
 
The problem with these comic cowls is you will never get the defined look with fabric alone. For you to get that perfect superhero fit, you'd really need to have a lifecast made and sculpt it off that core. That would allow you to place and design around the glasses as well.

If the definition doesn't matter to you, you can just use fabric like this cowl here.. (Found on google, credit to whoever took the photo.)
IMG_0323JPG.jpg
 
My plan is to have the goggles go over the fabric mask at my forehead, hence my plan to use a plastic Halloween eye mask to hold the fabric close to the contours of my brow.
 
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