Cosplay is all the rage these days, and you can’t do it without armor. This article will show you how to make your own armor for anime conventions, Halloween parties, or even just for fun. You’ll learn how to choose materials, design your suit (or suit of armor) and more. Therefore, without further ado, let’s get right into it.
Steps on How to Make Armor for Cosplay
Step One: Get Your Materials
Materials needed for cosplay armor vary depending on the costume you want to make, but here are some common materials that you can use.
Cardboard or Chip Board
Make sure it’s sturdy so it won’t fall apart. Cardboard is quite easy to cut and work with, so it’s a great choice for beginners. Please note if you use cardboard, you will have to either paint or cover it, so it doesn’t look so bland.
Plastic Canvas
It can be found at any craft store and is great for making accessories, helmets or knee pads. Just make sure you have a plastic cutter with you before heading out to the craft store! Plastic canvas is more durable than cardboard, so it’s perfect for cosplay armor.
Worbla
Worbla is a thermoplastic that you can easily mold to your will. It’s one of the more expensive materials on this list, but cosplayers swear by it for armor.
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Styrene
This is another type of plastic that has high impact resistance and can be glued with regular super glue. Styrene isn’t too tough to work with, but it can be hard on the hands.
Craft Foam
You can find craft foam at any craft store, and it is great for making armor because it’s lightweight. However, the downside to this type of material is that it’s not very durable, so you have to reinforce your pieces with something like Worbla or a similar thermoplastic.
Toilet Paper Rolls
Of course, this isn’t the best material to use for costume armor, but it’s cheap and easy to work with. It also makes a great practice run before using better materials.
Additionally, you can add elbow and knee pads to add a “cool” effect. Cut the tubes into smaller segments and tape them together. You can use hot glue or duct tape to attach it to your body. Just remember that you have to flow in your movements when wearing this sort of armor, so they don’t fall apart easily.
Elastic string
String used for sewing machines has multiple purposes when it comes to cosplay. It’s great for attaching chest plates since you can easily maneuver around. Of course, elastic string depends on your budget, so choose accordingly.
Since different types of costumes can be made with different types of materials, you have to experiment with what works best for your armor pieces. Now that you have your materials, it’s time to start making your base.
Step Two: Make Your Base
Before you even start coming up with your armor design, it’s important that you have a base to work from. Making a base will help you figure out your measurements so it’ll be easier to cut and construct the armor.
Cardboard is great for making bases because it’s sturdy enough for armor, and you can easily use a pencil or marker to draw your design on the cardboard. If you’ve used toilet paper rolls, feel free to recycle them into your base. You can also write down measurements and stick papers onto the cardboard to help you get your desired look.
Step Three: Designing the Pieces That You Want to Make
It’s important to take a look at the character’s version of armor before you start designing your own pieces. Sometimes, anime characters’ costumes make little sense from a logical point of view.
Although it might be tempting to change the design from how it originally looks, try not to veer away too much from the original design because this might confuse other cosplayers who are also trying to do the same character.
Make a list of everything you need for your armor pieces and sketch them out before you start working with materials to ensure that they will work well when crafted. It’s also important to take your time designing your pieces. Otherwise, it might turn out poorly because you rushed through it.
Step Four: Get Crafting
Once you have your design all figured out, the next step is to get crafting! Using a plastic cutter or knife, start cutting out the armor pieces according to your design. Remember that if you are using materials like Worbla or styrene, don’t forget to reinforce any loose pieces with more of the same material.
After all the pieces are cut out, you can start gluing them together with a hot glue gun. It’s always better to use a stronger adhesive on any loose pieces, so they don’t fall apart while you’re wearing the costume.
If you have some extra time on your hands, why not try going one step further and start painting? If you’re new to painting, you can start with some cheap pieces of plastic like an old action figure.
After the paint is dry, get crafting again by adding more details on your armor with another material or stitching on pieces of cloth to give it that extra touch.
Step Five: Completing Your Armor Set
Once everything has dried and hardened up, it’s time to put on your costume and see everything in its completed glory! Go ahead and try some poses that reflect the character’s personality.
In Conclusion
If you’re a beginner, why not take pictures of yourself wearing your armor so you can send them off for photoshoots? You’ll have something to show for later when people ask how long it took you to make your armor.
Before you know it, people are going to be asking where they can buy some of your cosplay armor. You can even turn this hobby into a business if you really want to. Who knows, maybe one day you can become the next Tony Stark? Happy crafting!
Note: In case you’re looking for someone to collaborate with, you can check out SnowDragon on Instagram and get in touch with him.