If you've been visiting my blog for a while, you'll know that I like to make homemade costumes. The parts involving fabric are interesting and all, but the stuff that really gets me going is building models of items out of a few simple and easily accessible materials.
I used this technique to create the gun for my
Sarah Connor costume (and ended up crafting something so realistic, I got a little freaked out carrying it around on Halloween). It's actually based on the rapid prototyping skills I learned while getting my degree in product design - with a little foam core, hot glue, and electrical tape, you can mock up just about anything :)
Anyway, I decided that I wanted to make a stylized model of the Mechalarum suit, both because it's fun and because I figure I might drum up some more interest in my novel by wandering around New York dressed in a strange manner (though I'm sure I won't be the strangest one out there).
If you're interested, here's a bit of a look into my construction process. It's a really fun thing to do. You'd be surprised at the kinds of things you can create with some imagination and a few simple materials! Feel free to ask me questions in the comments below.
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DD3wTnzl3v4/UVDElkix89I/AAAAAAAAAqc/6_ik0vCudcw/s1600/mechalarum-helmet2.jpg) |
The first two strips hot glued together. |
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3CSyGIo_bLY/UVDElp_vTRI/AAAAAAAAAqg/iYJzQp41yFY/s1600/mechalarum-helmet3.jpg) |
Scoring the strips of foam core. That's how you make the curves that are so important to this shape! |
![](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uNtVzcNVZOc/UVDElg5JZWI/AAAAAAAAAqY/In3kZn0Eo6Y/s1600/mechalarum-helmet4.jpg) |
Doesn't exactly look pretty at this moment, but you can see the form starting to take shape. |
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uo3P7644E5I/UVDEmLbb-NI/AAAAAAAAAqo/sm31xN4h4is/s1600/mechalarum-helmet6.jpg) |
Large open spaces are risky to cover with the tape, but I was getting tired at this point :) |
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2apqAKByvH4/UVDEl0k5j1I/AAAAAAAAArE/skjVe1uQzEA/s1600/mechalarum-helmet5.jpg) |
Four AM? Five AM? Who knows? Got to keep on truckin'. |
![](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kuE585_feRc/UVDEmJsoqtI/AAAAAAAAAqs/QbC2RQChEWI/s1600/mechalarum-helmet7.jpg) |
"Skinning" the helmet frame with electrical tape. |
![](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nyidI2KCPS0/UVDEmUU380I/AAAAAAAAAq0/0Rm7-cHgeRI/s1600/mechalarum-helmet8.jpg) |
Roommate was kind enough to take a pic of me when she got up in the morning! |
![](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DYeeo_7AbsU/UVDF0lYOWxI/AAAAAAAAArQ/83tY0_88TmY/s400/helmet-neardone.png) |
And look at that, almost done! Easy as pie, right? |
![](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Sv8VRX-dOB8/UVDJ8-xkV7I/AAAAAAAAArY/xNkxXK96TiM/s1600/mechalarum-helmet9.jpg) |
It's waiting... |
Haven't checked out
Mechalarum on Kickstarter yet? Please comment, like, share, and consider backing - we're getting down to the wire, and every little bit helps!