Finished Result

I'm totally famous now:
WoW Insider's Costume Gallery Article
Yahoo Games Gallery (front page!) 
youtube video link  -  i'm 7:20 in....following the proposal.  HOW THE HECK DO YOU FOLLOW A MARRIAGE PROPOSAL -_-

And here are some highlight pics:

This kid was totally awesome - she actually plays (and is horde!)

almost...done...

that is all...back to work -_-

no sleep for me!

Sick, exhausted, cut open thumb, still not done

Sorry no real update. I'm just writing this from my phone on the way to work (I'm there from 9 an to 10pm tonight). I went to bed at 4:20am. I don't think I've gotten more than 4 hrs sleep a night the last week. I may die today. Oh ya, I also picked up a cold.

But ya, anyways.. After pulling an all nighter tonight I'll be done I'm sure.

Remind me to never do this again.

My staff has fibre optics. Cool, eh?

/panic

Short explanations since I have to get back to work, but here are some update pics:

Accent Buttons for robe (need paint):

Also, in staff news.... had a panic yesterday because we realized that my staff dimensions are too big to be a carry-on and also the luggage needed to transport them count as oversized (which is like 175 bucks).  It's not that the staff takes up a lot of volume, but it's just long and wide =(

However, as of today a note is on my file at the airport saying I have permission to take my staff with me on the plane. haha!  huzzah!  I just hope there are no complications at my connection in Minneapolis.  If they tell me I can't bring it on the plane, I'll seriously break down and cry.  I hope the person gets guilted by tears.


p.s. i'm having a love affair with hot glue.  that stuff is the best!!!!!!!! i had no idea!!!!

Messy Update

I had the opportunity to play with paper mache again.  This is the frustrating part about the staff though - it's like every step I need to do takes an overnight or a day to dry before I can do anything else =(

Here's me paper mache-ing it up.  Yes, I know. I should be a hand model or something >.>

The finished product looks pretty goopy, but I did that intentionally to get it fairly hard when dried (get your mind out of the gutter, Seche). 

I sanded the roughness off when the paper mache was dried as well as added some paper clay for details I was unable to carve:

When this all was all dried, I painted the surface with gesso (canvas primer) in order to give a good surface to paint on.  I might need to do a couple layers of this, and then sand before painting.

I also worked on the fabric sashes for the shoulders tonight.  Stuff like this takes bloody long.  One sash honestly took me a couple hours to do.....I'll finish the second tomorrow.  It takes so long because each piece like this is 2 pieces of fabric attached to interfacing, and then the edging sewn on, and all the stupid detail work to hold on each gold piece.  What possessed me to do it like this is beyond me since it takes sooooooo long even with my foot all the way down on my sewing machine.  =(  Thankfully though, this is the last piece I have like this.

And here's what it looks like on the shoulder.  Note, I still have to do the bottom gem part that hangs on each -_-

Also, I pretty much need to be done by Monday night.  I leave Thursday morning and work from 9am to 10:30pm on Wednesday.  Tuesday evening I'm hoping will be packing of the costume and makeup trials.

To-do list

Here's my list of stuff I still have to do, assuming all goes according to plan (ie my ears and tusks show up and I manage to squeeze everything in).  I'll cross them off as I do them:

Robe:
- belt buckle
- finish sewing bodice pieces together
- velcro/snaps/etc for pieces that come off and on
- details - buttons, cording
- hems

Shoulders
- fabric sashes & lights
- touch up paint (black outlining, any white specks filled in)
- glaze
- finish carving inside and line it
- attachment method to robe

Helmet
- finish sewing base
- permanently attach the wires
- grey accent pieces and buttons
- lighting
- attach ears

Shoes
- make troll feet

Gloves
- troll fingers
- gloves

Staff
- paper mache
- paint priming layer
- paint
- glaze
- icicles and gems
- lighting portion (???)

Other
- practice painting my face to be a troll




Oh man...I'm gonna die.

Staff Carving

I've spent the last couple nights carving my staff (last night on the bottom, tonight on the top).

Here are some progress pics!

As you can see, a lot gets hacked off (albeit the top does have more to it than the bottom though) =P

And makes a ton of mess!

But after all that, here's the bottom half:

And the top half:

The next step will be to cover both with paper mache to make it hard, and fill in any detail work I wasn't able to carve with paperclay.  Then I'll cover the whole thing with gesso (canvas priming paint) and then sand it to make the surface paintable.

So ya....still tons of work ahead, but I think it'll look good!

As for my helmet....I'm not happy with how it's working... we'll see if I'll /showhelm or not.  Also, my tusks and ears haven't shown up so that's determining if I need to make the rest of my troll parts or not =(


In other news, I'm missing 4.0.1 stuff because of my costume =(

Staff beginnings

I spent much of today working on my staff.  I decided to go with Archus, partially because it won the poll, but also because that's the one I wanted to make, even if it does seem the most complicated >.>

I printed out some life-sized copies:

Then I made cardboard shapes to make the basic shape of the staff to go around the wooden rod I have. 

 I have to do the staff in two parts so I can detach them for travel purposes.  Sadly, I don't think they'll let me just carry it onto the plane =P

Bottom:

Top:

From there, I covered it in expanding foam so it can become three dimensional and I'll carve it from there, using the cardboard inside as a guide.

At this point, I ran out of expanding foam and it's Thanksgiving in Canada so stores closed early =(

I'll keep working on my bodice/corset for tonight.

Bodice Work

I'm continuing the trend of taking 3 technique attempts on a part of my costume before being satisfied.  I've been working on the bodice area (chest, torso, and back area) and trying to get it right.  If you notice in the female model of this robe, the chest piece kind of hugs/cups the boobs so trying to recreate that is proving tricky.

At first, I thought I'd build a corset of sorts.  Since I have no clue how to do that, I tried using one of my bras to sew the pieces onto.  That way, I'd just attach it over my robe and it was already fitted around my boobs. 

 However, the amount of layers on it was getting ridiculous.  It was fine for the maroon part, but when I starting trying to attach the purple fabric over the bra cups it was just getting messy looking.  After 2 layers of fabric, and 2 bras (the one I was wearing under the robe, and now this one), the shape just kind of got lost.

So, I've attempted to solve this problem by scrapping the top bra idea and building my own wire system to hug the robe fabric itself to my shape:

Yes, I know this is an awkward boob shot.  Oh well, I've gotten over it, please do as well =P  Also, I know it's super grainy, but my apartment has terrible lighting and my cheap point and shoot camera has an awful flash and it looks terribly overexposed if I use the flash >.<

So the idea behind this wire frame (it hooks behind each arm and then will be tied together) is that the other pieces will be sewn to it.  Around the wire will have that greyish fabric and then the maroon stomach piece will be sewn to the edge of that.

Also, trolls have a much longer torso than I do I've realized so trying to compress the corset piece is kind of sad =(

Oh, here's my belt progress (still needs the buckle):

I had a nightmare last night that I didn't get my costume done =(
I'm starting to panic.....

I'm famous!

My friend, Richard (aka Hampus in game), recently did an interview with me about my costuming process and WoW experiences.

Check it out! -> Look in the Air - Interview with Moldycheese

Also, check out his other posts!  He blogs about all kinds of fun, nerdy stuff!  =)

Awesome title for awesome picture

Order Statuses (Stati?)

My costume makeup has now arrived (light blue, teal, and a darker blue and white for accents), but I'm getting worried about my tusks and ears =(

I ordered the prosthetics before the makeup (from different sources), but my credit card hasn't even been billed for them yet....and they're coming from Germany.  I emailed them this morning and they replied saying they had been sent and I should get them within 10 days.  I'm really hoping that's actual days, and not business days.  Business days takes me to the 20th, and my plane leaves the morning of the 21st.

If they don't arrive, I'm not sure what to do =(

/fingerscrossed

Less than 3 weeks! oO

Sadly I didn't seem to get too much done this week.  It was my goal to get my robe and helmet done before October.....ya... >.>

I do think I've got my helmet technique down. It's just a matter of sewing it all together (and then the detailing...oh the details...).  First, I did it with my cheap fabric that I made my trial robe out of.  I actually cut up the robe to do it =P

I lay a large piece of fabric over my frame and just kind of tucked and pinned it in place.  From my trial, I've decided it'll be more efficient to make the collar part and the top of the head part out of separate pieces.  There was far too much fabric waste with this method.

All of that hanging fabric you see beneath the high collar will be trimmed and sewn in place.  No fear ;P



I've also been sewing all the parts of the robe together - the sleeve flames, bottom of the robe flames, hanging panels, etc. 

^ This isn't finished.  The trim is just pinned in place.  Underneath the diamond, that section will be the grey colour.

Tomorrow, my day off, will be devoted to the helmet, belt, and perhaps the chest piece if I can get that far.  Everything takes so long =(

Robe update pic

Sorry for the poor picture quality yet again.....

Soon I'll post some pics with it on I think.  =)  The shoulders are there so you can see how it looks together.

The belt and bodice area still haven't been done, obviously.

Details, details, details...

You're probably wondering why I posted a picture of a random snowman figurine on my costume blog.  Well, I have a point to that (bear with me).  I painted this a few years ago during Christmas break.  My sister-in-law and myself each got one of these to paint over the holidays.  Mine was smaller and generally had less stuff to paint (hers was a cartooney Christmas tree with a bunch of ornaments on it, presents under it, and children beside it).  Despite mine being less complicated, for whatever reason, it took me over a week to do, and she was done hers in about 2 days.  Don't get me wrong, hers looked great, but I seem to be obsessed with details in crafting projects.  I'm too meticulous for my own good sometimes.  Every coloured area is multi-toned (with shades I mixed myself of course...no sense buying more paint than needed), my snow has blueish shadowing, there are reflective dots in the eyes, etc.

It was then pointed out to me "lovingly" that although when you look closely at mine verses a similar store-bought (ie mass produced) ornament you can see the different in quality, from a distance there really isn't much difference >.<

I seem to be doing the same with my costume.  I've been working on the "hanging down" parts (the marroon thing with the gold diamonds on the bottom) and I've made the task take about 3 times longer than it could if I wasn't so anal.  In the game there is a thin greyish edging around all of these parts, so although it would be infinitely easier just to make the parts maroon (1 or 2 seams depending how I went about it) and take creative liberties, I can't bring myself to take the easy way out =(  So now, each small hanging down part takes 2 marroon pieces and 2 grey pieces (cut on the bias so it can curve a bit when needed) which adds up to 4 seams.  So, double (or more) sewing and cutting.....WHAT IS MY PROBLEM?!?!?!?!?!?

Here's the result though, after scrapping the first trial because it was 1/2 an inch too thin >.>

The hanging parts are now completed, with the exception of the large central diamond.  I'm now working on the sleeve accents, which are similar to the sides of the bottom of the robe (which too will be stuffed, huzzah).

I declined an ICC10 for my deathknight because of costuming!!!  I think I've found the cure to WoW addiction, at least for myself =P

Ears and Tusks

Blizzcon is less than a month away so I realized I really have to get on the ball with anything I need to order online.  So, I've ordered these teeth/tusks from Maskworld in Germany (they said it'll take 2 weeks to get here):

I realize these are technically orc teeth, but the tusks on the troll teeth were way too large for me.  Moldy has little tusks =P

These are the ears I want, but they're out of stock:

I got a reply email from them about these and they said they probably won't have more stock until end of October =(  I guess I'll either buy blood elf or night elf ears and figure out how to paint them, or I'll make some of my own (how hard can it be, right? lol).  They don't have to actually go on my ears, they just need to attach to my helmet and be light enough to not droop =P


I also need to figure out my makeup situation.  I've read on cosplay forums and stuff that Kryolan is the company to go with.  The last thing I'd want would be for my makeup to smudge off onto my costume or fade off by the end of the day.  I'm hoping to find somewhere in the city that just sells it, ideally with knowledgeable staff I can direct questions to as well.

Costume Contest Acceptance Letter!

 lol @ '09 subject.  copy/paste fail blizzard!

Now I have to get my butt in gear even more!

Third try's a charm =D

So, after attempting the trim on the panels 2 different ways, and then pulling it all apart, I like how my third attempt has worked and am satisfied.  I can now move on to the other accent parts - huzzah!

For your viewing pleasure:

In WoW news, Brewfest has begun!  Hopefully my third year trying to get the brewfest kodo on Moldycheese (or any character for that matter, but I'd prefer it on the priesty) is also a charm!  /crossesfingers

Slow progress is slow

I promise I'm still working hard on my costume!  It's just I'm at a point where everything is taking a gazillion years to do, or so it seems.  My goal was to have the detailing of the skirt portion of my robe done by this weekend....doesn't look like that's going to happen, but here's what I've got so far:

These are the panels that go on the front and back of the robe.  It's fairly ridiculous how much thread I'm going through, but if you look close enough (around the flames) you'll quickly figure out why.  Thank goodness for buy one get one free thread sale at Fabricland currently!  I've gone though 3 yellow spools and I'm starting my 3rd gray spool now too.

The trim of these panels has been giving me some difficulty though.  I mentioned in the last post that my homemade bias taping wasn't working, so I'm experimenting with different techniques to get to edging right.  I've done so much seam ripping and undoing and redoing it's getting ridiculous =(  Being a perfectionist has its downfalls =/

The above picture is sort of what it'll look like.  When I sew on the back panel (because I'd never want unfinished edges or a facing!  /sigh@creating more work for myself) I'll take in the edging a bit more.  In this above picture I stuffed it slightly...I'm not sure if I should on this part.  I think I'm getting addicted to poofy parts of this costume and am taking liberties.  3D is cool, amirite?  >.>

You can kind of see here how it's coming together.  The white pieces are just my patterning.  The long portions will be maroon, and the diamondy pieces will be the yellow-gold colour.  Note: the edging on the top panel isn't sewn in place; I just kind of tucked it in for this picture.  Also, the bottom side pieces aren't sewn in yet either - they're just put in place for the photo.

I'm gone for the weekend until Sunday evening - which is my ICC25 raid so no sew time then.  Monday's my day off so crossing fingers for an uber productive day.  All of those panels need to also be done for the back of the robe, and each piece is taking several hours sadly -_-

p.s. sorry for ongoing poor photo quality.  I've just been using my old little point and shoot camera.  I'll get better quality photos for the finished product though.

lol helmet lol

I have helmet development pictures and wanted to share.  It's like a spider on my head haha

oooooh 3D!!!! I'm high-tech, yo

I've begun the detailing on my robe.  Since the last pictures I posted, I've taken it in quite a bit so it actually fits around my waist and hips and doesn't make me look 30 pounds heavier =P  I also took off a good couple feet of fabric around the circumference of the skirt part so the detailing won't get lost in the folds.  I think it's now more true to the actual priest robe.

I'm starting with the accents on the bottom sides of the robe.  To give you a reminder, here's my robe pictures again:

In the third picture you can see the clearest.  To get better models to copy, I've been using WoW Model Viewer though, but I'm too lazy to post screenshots I've been using.  I started by patterning out the shapes with paper, like what I've already done with the front panels.

My first piece sewing on was quite the learning experience.  I learned a lot about what my sewing machine can and cannot do in terms of satin stitching and length of stitches.  I used an entire spool of thread getting this piece on -_- but future pieces went smoother, thank goodness.  Oh, this piece by itself also reminds me of something I'd see in Star Trek, although I can't exactly place it...

I stuffed each of the pieces to give it a three dimensional type look.  I know it's not dead obvious from the game models that these parts protrude, but with all the shading it the gold, I think it's implied.  Plus.... it's way cooler >.>

It's not attached yet, but ya...that gives an idea of how it'll look.  The reason it's not attached is because I'm trying to make my own bias taping (because I didn't like any of the colours available) for all the edging details in the robe and I'm having a bloody hard time with that.  This is the supposed process to make the bias tape in question, but the fabric I have doesn't like to stay pressed with this small of an amount =(

That's already after pressing...it doesn't want to stay flat, and it kind of needs to.  I'm going to have to explore different options and do a bit of troubleshooting (story of my life with this costume).


Sorry updates are getting more sporadic.  Work started back this past week and I've been having trouble finding time to work on the costume, much less post updates.  As it is, I'm gone Sun-Tues and then Fri-Sun next week for work too, so my next update will either be mid week, or not until after next weekend. =(

Another helmet attempt

I wasn't satisfied with either paper mache or the metal or the paper techniques for the helmet =/ 

For my third, and hopefully final attempt, I'm using a bicycle helmet as the base and will shape wires (from hangers) over the curve, down a bit, then up again to form the shape of the popped collar.  Then I'll form fabric around the whole thing, sewing around the wire (like boning in a corset or a dress).

Yay for 20 dollar helmets from Canadian Tire that I can decimate =)

I then took my trusty wood file thing to this.  Sadly, my Walmart meat carver that I used quite a bit on my shoulders is losing some of its oomph. =(  I tried to smooth out the curves and give it a bit more of a round shape.  Here's the progress thus far:

The nice thing about using a helmet as my base, is this particular one has that brace thing at the back of my head so it'll stay on my head even if a do a /bow on stage or something ;)