Tilheyra's FEM7 Build

[Tilheyra[TK]]

All armor pieces have been painted!!! I painted the forearms, biceps, shoulders, kneecaps, shoulder straps, and smaller pieces!

 

 

 

 

The boots were the only thing I did not get to today, so I plan to paint those tomorrow. I will be using fabric spray paint, rather than the paint shown in the photos above.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Coming along well

[Tilheyra[TK]]

I was able to go back to the park and paint my boots today! I'd say it is a good start, but I am not quite satisfied yet. I am very happy the paint is adhering to the sides of the soles, but I expected the paint to cover the fabric better than it did. I should have figured this would happen with faux suede. 

 

I talked over these results with a friend that is more familiar with fabric painting, and she recommended I use white shoe polish to provide better coverage and smooth out the suede. I am not trying to preserve the suede, as I care more that the boots are a consistent shade of white, so this seems like a good way to proceed.

 

The suede and tan color on these boots was a comprise anyway. I could not find a pair of white women's boots in my price range that was both large enough for my feet (10.5 in men's, but 12 in women's) and did not appear like it was meant to be worn by a drag queen (I'd buy those boots if I wanted to be a drag queen, but it's not the look I am going for, even though I am technically dressing in drag with this build). As such, I bought the boots I bought, and they are quite comfortable too!

 

We'll see how the shoe polish works.

 

 

 

[Tilheyra[TK]]

Progress continued on my build yesterday! I was able to determine where the thigh armor best sits, so I took the measurements for the strapping that will connect the thigh armor to the front torso armor. I did the same for the shoulder armor. The straps themselves will be glued to the thigh and shoulder armor, with the connection to the shoulder strapping and front torso armor via snaps. The other pieces of the leg and arm armor will be worked out once I get the thigh armor and shoulder armor where I want them. The positioning of the bottom armor still needs work, and the thermal detonator will soon be glued into its holder as well!

 

I also devised the best way to insert the spacers between the front and rear torso armor (it requires the use of the mirror)! 

 

 

I also devoted some attention to my belt. I have already discussed my painted-over Nerf gun, and I show the Nerf gun in the holster below (my attention to detail with weapons means I am pained by the holster not covering the trigger of the Nerf gun, but I will have to ignore that for now), but I also purchased a pouch that will hold my phone, wallet, and a compact for makeup touch-ups. There is a pouch armor piece that is currently being glued to this pouch. Both the pouch and holster have straps to connect them to the belt. The two halves of the belt will be held together via black elastic straps, and one of the snaps for the elastic can be seen on the inside of the belt. 

 

 

I am getting so close to completion!!!

[Tilheyra[TK]]

Lots of gluing the past couple of days. The strapping has now been glued to the top of the thigh armor, and the adjoining snaps have been glue to the lower inside of the front torso armor. Snaps have been glued to the lower inside of the rear torso armor, and the straps have been glued to the bottom armor (this is a much more secure hold than the velcro I had been using). Straps have been glued to the top of the shoulder armor, and these will snap onto the shoulder straps. Also, the thermal detonator has now been glued into place!

 

 

 

 

 

The forearms, biceps, and shoulder armor are currently being glued together. I fit everything on my arms the other day and measured the space between each of the pieces, and this was then translated into the needed lengths for the strapping. I placed the straps where I thought it was most logical, but I may want to change this following how well things work at the upcoming convention. 

 

 

My efforts this evening will be to measure the spacing between the lower leg armor and the thigh armor, as well as where to put the kneecap armor. I'll then get those straps glued!

 

I hope to do a test of the full costume this weekend! The con is August 25 to 27, so I am keeping pace to get everything set to go!

[Sly11[Admin]]

Wow great progress so far Brian

[Tilheyra[TK]]

The armor is not quite complete yet, because I still need to attach the lower leg and kneecap armor to the strapping, but I am at the point where I can do an almost full test fitting! I just did so, and I am absolutely amazed at how great my armor looks on me!!!

 

Here's another bathroom mirror selfie to show how far I have progressed (and you all get a partial face reveal as an added bonus). Just remember, the full costume is not complete until I also put on my makeup and wig!

 

 

The arm strapping has just a bit more slack in it than planned, but fortunately, that does not adversely affect how the arm armor sits on me! The belt was difficult to properly fit, and the accessories did not help things. Nevertheless, I was able to get the belt to sit in a decent position. Another problem with the belt is some paint transfer has occurred from the black belt on to the white armor. I'll have to correct this before the con, and it appears the clear coat on the belt was not as sufficient as I thought (I probably missed spots, resulting in the paint transfer).

 

Seeing myself in the armor I have worked so hard on is absolutely fantastic!

 

Now, on to attaching the remaining pieces to the strapping.

[Tilheyra[TK]]

I have been wondering if there is a way to deal with the more noticeable scuffs without resorting to another session with spray paint. As I mentioned above, I have some paint transfer of black paint onto the white armor. I am wondering if there are techniques to do touch-ups of certain spots.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

It doesn't list weathering as an option in the CRL however if you can provide references of weathering present I'm sure your GML would take that into account. As always if you are unsure have a chat with your GML about adding scuffs/weathering.

 

There are so many ways to do weathering depending on the look you are after, I find with scuffs to use a dry brush and waterbased acrylic paints, can rub off easily if you apply too much but does dry nicely.

[Nairy[Staff]]

On 8/17/2023 at 4:30 AM, Tilheyra said:

The armor is not quite complete yet, because I still need to attach the lower leg and kneecap armor to the strapping, but I am at the point where I can do an almost full test fitting! I just did so, and I am absolutely amazed at how great my armor looks on me!!!

 

Here's another bathroom mirror selfie to show how far I have progressed (and you all get a partial face reveal as an added bonus). Just remember, the full costume is not complete until I also put on my makeup and wig!

 

 

The arm strapping has just a bit more slack in it than planned, but fortunately, that does not adversely affect how the arm armor sits on me! The belt was difficult to properly fit, and the accessories did not help things. Nevertheless, I was able to get the belt to sit in a decent position. Another problem with the belt is some paint transfer has occurred from the black belt on to the white armor. I'll have to correct this before the con, and it appears the clear coat on the belt was not as sufficient as I thought (I probably missed spots, resulting in the paint transfer).

 

Seeing myself in the armor I have worked so hard on is absolutely fantastic!

 

Now, on to attaching the remaining pieces to the strapping.

It looks awesome! Can't wait for the final result Brian! 

[Tilheyra[TK]]

10 hours ago, gmrhodes13 said:

It doesn't list weathering as an option in the CRL however if you can provide references of weathering present I'm sure your GML would take that into account. As always if you are unsure have a chat with your GML about adding scuffs/weathering.

 

There are so many ways to do weathering depending on the look you are after, I find with scuffs to use a dry brush and waterbased acrylic paints, can rub off easily if you apply too much but does dry nicely.

 

My previous post was not as clear as I should have written it (although, I may be misunderstanding your post). This is for my non-approvable FEM7 armor.

 

I am wanting to hide the black-ish scuffs that have appeared from my black painted belt rubbing against my white armor. I am wondering if there is a recommended technique to cover over the scuffs with some sort of white paint or other substance for the purpose of returning the white appearance to the spot. I have thought of tapping the spot with the tip of a brush with white paint, or using white nail polish, or even using whiteout. I was wondering if folks have any tips for this. 

 

I am going to put a layer of Mod Podge over all edges of my belt to prevent further paint transfer.

 

Maybe I am too focused on every single scuff that has appeared. Then again, I spent a lot of time painting my armor, so I want it to last as long as it can before I have to apply another coat or two of spray paint.

 

Here's a photo of a scuff/paint transfer to give you all an idea of what I want to hide:

 

[Tilheyra[TK]]

1 hour ago, Nairy said:

It looks awesome! Can't wait for the final result Brian! 

 

Thank you!!! I am really excited to try the full costume this weekend (maybe this evening)!

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

1 hour ago, Tilheyra said:

I am wanting to hide the black-ish scuffs that have appeared from my black painted belt rubbing against my white armor. I am wondering if there is a recommended technique to cover over the scuffs with some sort of white paint or other substance for the purpose of returning the white appearance to the spot. I have thought of tapping the spot with the tip of a brush with white paint, or using white nail polish, or even using whiteout. I was wondering if folks have any tips for this. 

 

 

If it was me, I would try with an automotive  polishing compound .  

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

9 hours ago, Tilheyra said:

 

Sorry forgot you aren't going for approval. Dry brush would be the way to go, think of how a blaster mark would look if it grazed the armor, here's a nice video on the technique  

 

[Tilheyra[TK]]

For The Empire!!!

 

 

It was only after I changed out of my armor that I realized I forgot to wear my gloves...

 

Oh well, the proper photo shoot will be at Indy PopCon next weekend!

[Tilheyra[TK]]

Indy PopCon was phenomenal! I had so much fun cosplaying as a femtrooper, and I received so many compliments and excited looks from so many different people! I also took advantage of a photoshoot (with Bengal San Photography; gotta give credit where it is due)! Here are some of the best photos from the photoshoot:

 

 

 

 

One of my big concerns heading into the con was whether the strapping on my leg and arm armor would hold up against days worth of movement. Sure enough, all of the strapping held up without concern! Naturally, however, one of the straps holding my front torso armor to my chest armor disconnected during the photoshoot, and as I found nothing broken afterward, I think it was because I did not secure it properly (once I reconnected it, it held for the 6.5 more hours I was out and about). Not smearing my makeup ended up being my chief concern throughout the day, so I'll pat myself on the back for my armor-making capabilities!

 

Two issues that need rectifying came to light during the con. First, I developed armor bite on the outside of my knees from the bottom edge of the thigh armor. By the end of the day yesterday (Saturday), I was certainly feeling it, and despite the armor bite not breaking through the leggings I was wearing, the rubbing marked my skin. I'll need to further trim and sand this problem area. Second, my shoulder strap armor would not stay put! This problem can be seen in the photos above. Although the snaps I used to keep the shoulder strap armor secured to the shoulder straps works very well, the shoulder strap armor would rotate as I moved. I think I'll correct this by gluing the shoulder strap armor to the chest armor and allow it to float over my shoulders and over the top of my back armor.

 

But back to the fun, I wore my armor for about 2.5 hours on Friday evening. I attended the drag show at the con and got used to walking around the convention center during this less busy time of the con. The next day (Saturday), I was out and about for 3 hours in the morning to do the photoshoot, briefly scope out the vendor hall, and talk with others in cosplay. After a break, I was back out for, surprisingly, 6.5 hours! This included a couple of panels, more perusing the vendor hall, watching the cosplay contest, and attend that evening's drag show! Needless to say, spending most of the day on my feet hit me late in the evening, so I slept well once I returned to my hotel room! I knew going into this that sitting is not really the greatest skill of a stormtrooper (just like how my marksmanship mysteriously degrades when I wear my armor), but the fact that I could not sit was very apparent throughout the day. It's a good thing my boots were decently comfy!

 

All in all, I had a fantastic time! I got many, many compliments and excited looks from others throughout the con, and I get to see myself looking so badass in my photos from the photoshoot!

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Looking good, great to hear you had an amazing time 

 

Many can't sit but a few of us can depending on armor and gaps, you should still be able to sit on a corner of a table or arm of chair. 

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

Great to read you had a great time !. The first trooping let you see how the armor behaves and make the necessary adjustments .

 

Congrats and looking forward for your advances. Keep it up. 

[Nairy[Staff]]

Amazing! Good work Trooper!!! 

[Tilheyra[TK]]

Even with my shock trooper build, I have been thinking of other improvements I want to make to my FEM7 armor. I don't have a timeline to work on these yet, especially because I am in the midst of my shock trooper build, but I think this is the best place to post these ideas (especially because others can chime in with ideas well)!

 

In my post about my experience about PopCon, I came up with these improvements I still need to address:

 

Armor Bite: The bottom edge of my thigh armor kept rubbing on the outer sides of my knees, and hours and hours of this occurring certainly made me feel it by the end of the con. I need to trim the bottom edges to alleviate this problem. Also, now that I know much more about return edges, I may just completely trim away the return edges on this section of the armor, especially given that the bottoms of the thighs are much less visible than other areas where return edges maintain the look of the armor.

 

Shoulder Strap: The shoulder strap armor did not want to stay put at all, as can be seen in the photos I posted from my photoshoot. I think I should glue the front of the shoulder strap armor to the appropriate place of chest armor, as is the case with the approvable armors. I also need to remake the elastic straps in this area, as the snaps used to connect the arm armor strapping have pulled almost fully through the elastic due to the tension from moving my arms armor.

 

I have also thought of other issues to address, as well as new additions to the costume:

 

Helmet: I didn't think a helmet would be that essential, especially because most photos I have seen of folks wearing FEM7 armor show them without helmets, I did get feedback at the con (from people who really like my armor) that a helmet would really add to the "amazingness" of the costume. On top of the amazingness factor, the practical benefit is I could wear the helmet if I do not want to worry so much about makeup (or if I am attending a smaller con where I don't have a hotel room to use to apply my makeup).

 

Fortunately, Imperial Surplus sells a helmet that was designed to go with the kit...but I really like the Legacy Fem helmet more (even though the FEM7 kit is clearly inspired by First Order armor). I wonder if I could make the Legacy Fem helmet work with the FEM7 armor and not look out of place...

 

Interior Cover Strips: Now that I know more about the stress put on the glued seams/joints of lower leg armor, due to needing the armor to open up and allow me to put my lower leg through, I will be adding interior cover strips to the appropriate joints. I haven't had issues with the joint now, but continual wear over time will take its toll.

 

Paint: I had much more paint transfer than I ever thought I would...or wanted... The black paint from the belt made super visible marks on the white armor, so I want to find some way to prevent the black paint from transferring to the white armor (maybe some heavy duty clear coat?). Also, I am going to repaint the armor to cover over the paint transfer. I think I will go for a glossier finish for the armor as well.

 

Alright, I should end this as this post is much longer than I thought it would be. Even though I have completed the build, I really want to keep making improvements to this armor! I don't really have a timeline for these improvements as the shock trooper build is taking priority right now, but I am excited about doing more with my FEM7 armor!

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

Your solution to the different issues   sounds good  . good luck