Zannah's Armor

Separate from her weaponry, this topic is meant to track the design and implementation of Zannah's armor. This armor will be a variant of the Femm Mando design.

This thread isn't meant to serve the same purpose as the Zannah's Armory thread, but if it is bad form for there to be two separate threads in this fashion, they can be merged.

So far, I'm going to be working off of this sketch of her helmet design:


For the armor, I really think that Sintra (or similar PVC foamboard) is the way that I'm going to go with crafting the armor on the whole. As for the helmet, I need to go research the best techniques for crafting it, but please share any advice or pointers you may be willing to take the time to give.

Join in the fun as you see fit. Otherwise, enjoy watching the progress in our first attempt at crafting armor.

Well, I found some boots that I liked. Just have to find someplace to get some that look like this without spending too much.

Well, Dessel pointed me to this thread: http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/f23/new-batting-helmet-bucket-13420/

He thought that would be the best way to design my helmet for now. I'm also liking this material for the gauntlets: http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/f34/gauntlet-concept-20105/ Liked it ever since I saw Eagleskull's nice Tank Mando. Thinking I might strip the foam off the piece and fill the holes in, then add some pieces on top of it. I'm planning to have spikes on the gauntlets, and a concept should be up tonight or tomorrow.

Hit up your local army surplus store for boots. I'm sure they have something very similar to what you have pictured.

nice boots, lol

good luck!

Originally Posted by NovallTalon

Hit up your local army surplus store for boots. I'm sure they have something very similar to what you have pictured.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll have to look there when I'm in that area.

Indeed. The gauntlets look good.

Oh, you don't know what they look like? Well, now you do. I give you Zannah's sketch:


Pretty cool.

And yes, that is the helmet technique I think we'll be using. For a first helmet, anyway. It's pretty cool.

I'll be keeping my eyes open for such boots. Surplus stores are a good idea, thanks!

So, I have the chest armor, shoulder pieces, belt, and some random trophies to design. Plus the jumpsuit, gloves, etc. Should be...busy. Now, I just have to bug Dessel into working on the helmet.

We have an updated sketch of the helmet. Check it out:


The method for creating helmets linked to above sounds ever more appealing.

I still need to get the materials for most of the armor.

Today, though, I found the remains of a dead bird in our back yard. Thought I might stick a couple feathers or something on as a trophy with some bone beads...hmm...have to be killer birds somewhere.

Also carved a piece of shell into a knife shape...trophy thing as well, probably....hmm...don't know if it'll look ok, though.

The flightsuit looks good. Black, of course.

EWWWWWWWWWWWWW! I don't think I'd use the actual bird feathers, I think I'd get some faux ones before I used some possibly deseased bird's personal peices. I wouldn't take a chance if I where you of having that stuff in my house/on my costume.

Originally Posted by jodo

EWWWWWWWWWWWWW! I don't think I'd use the actual bird feathers, I think I'd get some faux ones before I used some possibly deseased bird's personal peices. I wouldn't take a chance if I where you of having that stuff in my house/on my costume.

Not everyone can be as hardcore as Zannah is, Jodo.

Hopefully we'll make some progress on her armor and weapons over the next couple of days. We'll be sure to keep everyone posted.

Originally Posted by jodo

EWWWWWWWWWWWWW! I don't think I'd use the actual bird feathers, I think I'd get some faux ones before I used some possibly deseased bird's personal peices. I wouldn't take a chance if I where you of having that stuff in my house/on my costume.

Trust me, the bird is deceased. I just grabbed some feathers without pieces attached and soaped them down throughly.

Also made a handle for that shell pseudo blade...tinfoil wrapped in hemp. Can't see the foil, at least.

this website has some cheap vietnam jungle boots

http://budk.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_JB

Originally Posted by hammerhawker

this website has some cheap vietnam jungle boots

http://budk.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_JB

Thanks for the suggestion...hmm...not seeing that in women's sizes, though.

My gauntets are all sanded/gouged. I'll try to post a pic later, but I can't paint them until I can get out to get the paint for the basecoat.

Originally Posted by Zannah

My gauntets are all sanded/gouged. I'll try to post a pic later, but I can't paint them until I can get out to get the paint for the basecoat.

You mean these gauntlets, cyare?



We're aiming to paint them today. Well, we're aiming to get the base coat, anyway.

We're going to have the rest of the work to do after that.

Does anyone happen to have a recommendation for what to use as a strap material? I really think I want to do dual-snaps on each strap. Since I'm not worried about need variable sizes, that seems to make sense. Still, we're not really sure what material would look best for this.

Thanks!

I would suggest using a heavy-weight elastic and just dye it to match the jumpsuit or dirty it up a bit. Elastic is so easy to work with to, and you can just attach your snaps right to it.

Here's the latest pic of Zannah's gauntlets. We've got the base coat, but now we have the spikes and decorations to apply... in addition to the gray piece as seen in the illustration above.



Oh, and we went with the elastic route. Decided to just loop the elastic and attach it directly to the gauntlets. Unfortunately, we ran out of it while working on my gauntlets.

Originally Posted by Dessel

You mean these gauntlets, cyare?



We're aiming to paint them today. Well, we're aiming to get the base coat, anyway.

We're going to have the rest of the work to do after that.

Does anyone happen to have a recommendation for what to use as a strap material? I really think I want to do dual-snaps on each strap. Since I'm not worried about need variable sizes, that seems to make sense. Still, we're not really sure what material would look best for this.

Thanks!

What is that stuff on them?

Originally Posted by The Clayster

What is that stuff on them?

Silver paint. I've been scraping off the outer layer of red to bring it out in the scratches.

There's an easier way to do that. =D

http://mercs.firespray.net/forum/index.php?topic=129.0

You can substitute Toothpaste or mustard for masking fluid.

Originally Posted by NovallTalon

There's an easier way to do that. =D

http://mercs.firespray.net/forum/index.php?topic=129.0

You can substitute Toothpaste or mustard for masking fluid.

Thank you. Though I don't really want to repaint them now.

No worries =D Just thought that would be helpful if you wanted to try it.

Originally Posted by Zannah

Silver paint. I've been scraping off the outer layer of red to bring it out in the scratches.

So you didn't sand or prime the gauntlets before painting?

Originally Posted by The Clayster

So you didn't sand or prime the gauntlets before painting?

Merely sanded, gouged, etc. Then put silver paint in the gouges, and started putting the red on.

This is what happens when I'm bored and try to come up with trophy item things...yes, that's a real tooth from something. Grossed out Dessel with it.

Thats pretty cool! looks like a deer tooth.

Originally Posted by NovallTalon

Thats pretty cool! looks like a deer tooth.

Thanks. It probably is a deer tooth, considering the amount of deer skulls hanging in our garage.

Here's a closer view of the gauntlets. I put a slight brown wash on them, and I can't do too much work on them until I get more elastic.


And here's the piece I'm putting on top of the gauntlets. The paint job needs to be finished, and I'm going to cut sections of it out so that the red shows through. This was cut from a ice cream bucket.

that's.. interesting, I like it

so instead of wookiee scalps your going with dead birds and deer..... cool looks good so far.

Originally Posted by younginfett

so instead of wookiee scalps your going with dead birds and deer..... cool looks good so far.

I don't remember deer being in the SW universe...hmm...I need to find some bigger pearls.

There are a type of deer on Endor called Swirl Prongs. They are huge!

Originally Posted by NovallTalon

There are a type of deer on Endor called Swirl Prongs. They are huge!

Interesting...I don't know if the tooth is big enough for that, though.

Just need to come up with some trophy animal to assign the tooth to. The knives, well...someone died when I took those.

And Dessel didn't like them tested on him. Though they're just decorations.

I was hoping to get some signs for the armor today, but couldn't, unfortunately.

I tried making up some rough kneepads today, out of boredom. Still having many beat-up pieces of armor.

Nice kneepad. Definitely looks like its seen better days; I guess that comes from using them.

The weathering on that is pretty good. Looks like mud or rust...nice job with that!

Originally Posted by NovallTalon

The weathering on that is pretty good. Looks like mud or rust...nice job with that!

Thanks. I just cut it out of an ice cream bucket, then painted it.

Of course, when I went to paint the other kneepad, the spray paint fritzed on me. But I did find the spikes for the gauntlets...maybe post those later. I'm still too short on elastic.

Here's a mock-up of my gauntlets.





Close-up of the damage on the base:


Kneepads-I put a slight black wash over that gnawed out piece on the left side.

I got some signs and a pair of gloves today. Also got the basic weathering done on my shoulder bells, and the detail painted on one of them. Still need to put the different washes and such on top of it.

I'll try to get some pictures up tomorrow night.

Shoulder bells:


The detail on one:


And some of my main armor:

Looking good. Looks like you had quite a fight =D

Originally Posted by NovallTalon

Looking good. Looks like you had quite a fight =D

Thanks.

I might like weathering a bit too much....

I like how you're building up on the soccer gear. I don't know about the screws and cotton strap though, perhaps if you used some extra plastic, or maybe even leather?

Originally Posted by GCNgamer128

I like how you're building up on the soccer gear. I don't know about the screws and cotton strap though, perhaps if you used some extra plastic, or maybe even leather?

Interesting idea...I'll look into it.

Wow. That's looking good.

My gloves:


Armor:


And more armor:

Wow, it's been way too long since I worked on this.

Incoming swarm of pictures.

My belt.




The gauntlets. I really need to find a way to ensure the spikes never break off...again.


Posing with some of the soft pieces.






Now, I did get a baseball helmet to start working on my bucket today. See how that goes. Having a bit of trouble with the chest armor.

Sweet Gypsy Mando

[QUOTE=Zannah;446227]



Posing with some of the soft pieces.