BatMan+Cyborg=...

Hello everyone! I am not sure how many of you follow the Batman comic, but the new Dark Knights: Metal series has introduced seven evil Batmen from other realities (multiverses). Each one is a composite of Batman with another DC character. One of these Batmen is a composite of Batman and Cyborg (well, not exactly, but he is a product of Cyborg's technology). This character is known as Murder Machine-I've attached a photo here so you can see what it looks like.

This is the character I am planning to cosplay next.

Although I have experience with LED strips and electronics for costumes-I built a Tron costume whose disc and suit changed colors according to data sent from an app on running on my mobile phone-material is not my forte (I'm quite bad at it I'd say), and I have no experience with armor or 3D printing. To top it off, this character is brand new, so I'm trailblazing too.

The one thing I have noticed is that the character bears a passing resemblance to Iron Man (chest emblem, hand lasers), so I think I *might* be able to use an Iron Man 3D model as a starting point for this new costume, being careful to include paths for the LEDs and their covers as I transform it into the Murder Machine model. I could then size the model to fit me and have it printed. The cowl should not be too bad; I should just be able to modify an existing cowl model in the same fashion.

With that said, I have a few questions:

1) What do you think of my proposed approach above?
2) Could/Should this be made of aluminum if printed?
3) Any tips or suggestions on how to achieve the texture color? Any particular paints suggested?

Thank you! Sorry for my cluelessness!

Lasombra said:

Hello everyone! I am not sure how many of you follow the Batman comic, but the new Dark Knights: Metal series has introduced seven evil Batmen from other realities (multiverses). Each one is a composite of Batman with another DC character. One of these Batmen is a composite of Batman and Cyborg (well, not exactly, but he is a product of Cyborg's technology). This character is known as Murder Machine-I've attached a photo here so you can see what it looks like.

This is the character I am planning to cosplay next.

Although I have experience with LED strips and electronics for costumes-I built a Tron costume whose disc and suit changed colors according to data sent from an app on running on my mobile phone-material is not my forte (I'm quite bad at it I'd say), and I have no experience with armor or 3D printing. To top it off, this character is brand new, so I'm trailblazing too.

The one thing I have noticed is that the character bears a passing resemblance to Iron Man (chest emblem, hand lasers), so I think I *might* be able to use an Iron Man 3D model as a starting point for this new costume, being careful to include paths for the LEDs and their covers as I transform it into the Murder Machine model. I could then size the model to fit me and have it printed. The cowl should not be too bad; I should just be able to modify an existing cowl model in the same fashion.

With that said, I have a few questions:

1) What do you think of my proposed approach above?
2) Could/Should this be made of aluminum if printed?
3) Any tips or suggestions on how to achieve the texture color? Any particular paints suggested?

Thank you! Sorry for my cluelessness!

View attachment 771090

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1) I think re-purposing an existing Iron Man pattern, with slight modifications, is definitely the way to go.

2) If you are going to 3D print this whole thing... well, first, I'd like to ask what you do for a living that you have the means to do that, and in a more expensive material like aluminum, no less! But more on topic: I think printing this in aluminum will be unnecessary. You can easily get a metallic finish with airbrush paints, without having to make the thing actual metal.

3) This is where I would suggest perhaps building this out of EVA foam. It breathes just as poorly as plastic or metal, so you'll still be warm, but it is much lighter so the overall tax on your body will be lessened. Also, it is very easy to carve patterns into EVA foam, and far more difficult to do that into metal and plastic, so you'll be able to achieve those many brush lines in the provided picture (if that is what you are going for). To get the desired finish, I would use Pasti-Dip to seal the foam (after you've carved all of your patterns), then a gloss rattle can spray paint OR leather paint with a gloss finish. The rattle can will give you more of that almost-reflective gleam, but will be more prone to creasing or cracking on any pieces that are moving a lot; the leather paint will flex beautifully without creasing or cracking, but even with a gloss finish you won't get the same sheen that metal has. If you want an example of the leather paint, check out my Winter Soldier arm build (link in my sig).

I hope that helps! This looks like a great project, all the more because it has hardly ever been done before.

I concur the EVA foam might be the easiest option - the are programs like Armoursmith Designer and Pepakura Designer that will allow you to convert 3d OBJ files into patterns. If you are wanting a glossy finish on your EVA foam there is a product called Flexi Paint (search for their FB page or web site). As its name suggests this paint is incredibly flexible and doesn't seem to crease or crack. I have attached a pic of my Lego Batman costume - while the head is 3d printed in ABS plastic and finished with high gloss paint, the body, arms and legs are made fron EVA foam and finished in black Flexi Paint.

By way of comparison I have also attached a pic of my DOJ Armoured Batman suit - this suit was fully 3d printed in ABS plastic and finished in a Rustoleum rattle can ( Flat Soft Iron).

Hope this helps