DS Does Cosplay - Gothic Doctor Doom

[Dark Silver]

So for NOLA ComiCon I've decided I want to do a cosplay - but I wanted to do it right.

Also decided I want to make it look good, something semi-complicated and something I could put my own spin on - so obviously I had to chose one of the most iconic Marvel Villains there is, Doctor Doom.

So how will I put my own spin on it? I'm making a Gothic Armored Doctor Doom.

The armor itself will be crafted out of EVA Foam (ranging from 2mm thick to 1/4" thick), with the "Doom Mask" being a plaster constructed I'll probably bondo over for extra strength.

I'm working on the armor parts right now, so I figured I'd put up some images for progress.

Feel free to make comments or suggestions on ways to improve on the design.



This is a picture of the primary molded Greaves - not fully done with details yet, but this is the basic shape. I still have to add the "kneecaps" and the extra armor detailing I plan to make it look a bit more layered and intricate.

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These two are pictures of the Shoulder Pauldrons - definitely a bit more gothic looking, I need to add some detailing/battle damage to the thicker part to look like it's taken some blows - though I may just add some normal detailing into it to give it some intricacy. Open to suggestions on that. The "dragon wing" goes to the back.

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Pauldron - Assembled back.jpg (2.93 MiB) Viewed 8357 times

[Josh]

I think the project is cool, can't wait to see more.

[Dark Silver]

Progress upon the Cosplay - this weekend I did work on the Doom Mask

It's basically a plaster face mask that I've built up and then detailed into.

Once it's dry, it'll be treated with a bondo/fiberglass resin coating to smooth it out and add some strength, and then will be painted to match the suit (using a Nickle Metallic colored matte paint over a glossy black base coat).

Below are pictures of the process!


Creating the Base Mask!


Base mask all set and ready for detailing.


Adding some details....


Starting to look familiar....


Just needs a few more details, then it'll be ready for resin coating next weekend!

[Josh]

I have to say that you've never looked better.

May I suggest this for a more regular fashion statement?

[frigidmagi]

How are you gonna do the bolts?

[Dark Silver]

Frigid -
Small wooden buttons that'll get glued onto the smoothed mask before I seal and paint it. I'm probably going to redo this mask from the beginning, due to learning some stuff while doing this one (first time making a mask with plaster gauze).

[Josh]

Given Doom's mysticism and the fact you're going offbeat (and working with plaster) had you considered trying to integrate some script into the product somewhere along the way?

All you need is a stick with a straight edge and you can practice on modeling clay first.



That's Akkadian, and it'd be a nice little touch if you could find a place for it.

[Dark Silver]

I'm actually going to redo the mask start tomorrow....I'm unhappy with how some of the mask looks.

That's not a bad idea there Josh, I'll look into adding some mystical symbols into the armor itself (probably on the bracers and greaves and pauldrons) before I finish with their fabrication

[Dark Silver]

So, been a bit since I posted updates....

Well, here we go Updates.

First off - Updates to the Leg Armor


Added some "plating" for effect, plus the "Doom Mask" knee caps.

Cause I thought it would look cool with a more gothic-feeling Doom.

Formed the Bracer today so here's a picture of it with the completely formed Pauldron.



To do:

*Add "Accent" markings (mystical mumbo jumbo writings) on Bracers and Pauldrons with Heat Knife
*Seal armor pieces with Plastidip
*Paint armor and "age" it properly so it doesn't look brand new.
*Make Quilted-style Tunic and awesome Cape
*Completely redo Mask so it's not lopsided and as heavy

Still, a month to go before ComiCon.....need to make more progress on this quicker...

[General Havoc]

This looks really awesome DS.

[Dark Silver]

Thanks Havoc,

I'm starting to wonder if the big Doom-Mask knees aren't a bit...over the top.

[Dark Silver]

FINALLY!!

With three weeks till ComiCon, I was beginning to wonder if one of my days off would be good enough weather to let me get to the painting process...

And well, lo and behold, today was!

Primed out the Doom Armor


Added some Nickle Metal Paint....a several thin layers for durability



After it dried, I added in some Black Overspray to give it a "aged" effect - just a teeny one, like the armor was dirty and has been used.



This weekend should see me doing the Mask/Helmet (AGAIN - hopefully right this time) and Sunday my sister is going to help me sew the tunic and cloak. The gloves should be coming in the mail for me to paint up this week also - so by next week I should have a near complete GOTHIC DOOM.

[frigidmagi]

The paint job is looking good.

[Dark Silver]

Doom now has a Cloak


I think it is very Doom-ey


Update to the Doom-Mask
Plaster has become to much of a bitch to work with - fuck plaster.
I decided instead to go with Papercraft, or Pepakura.

Basically I take a design printed on card stock - fold and glue it all together. I then take this cardstock base, and hit it with Fiberglass Hardening Resin, and then Fiberglass, and then Car Body Filler (aka Bondo), smooth it down, and paint it out.

So I prototyped out how the Mask MIGHT look (a combination of two different Pepakura models I found on the interwebs), and came out with this.



I'm currently doing the "finished product" version - I am going to get my oldest Nephew to fiberglass the mask for me, and do the bondo filling (because he knows how to do body work on cars, he's better at this than I would be). I'm going to have him just do the bondo enough to smooth out the polygonal look, after which I will do the sanding smooth, attaching the detailing pieces which I will make out of EVA foam, then paint them to match the Armor

If all goes well - I have 14 days before NOLA ComiCon, and of those, I have a total of 5 free and open days to work on it. (6 if I count my night shift days and work on it during them).

This is coming down to the wire....

[Dark Silver]

I've always shown pieces as they are coming together, or getting along in progress.....have never shown what they all look like together.

So I figured I'd show everyone what it looks like right now, minus tunic and mask

[LadyTevar]

I'd say screw the Bondo, the polygonic look is so SteamPunk

[Dark Silver]

With less than 4 days left....I finally finished the Doom Mask.


the Base mold for the Mask - a basic "Low Polygon" mask that has been reinforced with Fiberglass Resin and Car body Filly (Bondo)


The "Jaw" of the Mask, made out of two layers of EVA foam (3mm base black, 2mm grey cover)


Lower Jaw foam added and glued onto the base mask


Full Jaw Armor added to the mask


Added in the "Eye Outline" pieces and some secondary detailing to the jaw/mouthline


Added the "Eyebrows" and Forehead bits, coated pretty much all the rest of the armor in 2mm Grey EVA Foam for smoothing and detailing. The mask if now ready for Paint.


The mask going through the primer layer of painting.


There is only Doom.

[Josh]

Sweet.

That's all I got to say, really. Very impressed.

[Dark Silver]

The big day came...and has passed.

It was a pretty good day - I spent a good bit of time walking through the Con, being stopped for pictures by a lot of people. So much so that I didn't have much time to take very many pictures of my own.

The mask apparently was the best part - I got compliments on it from some of the professional Cosplayers there, as well as more than a few of the Comic Artists.

Here's the "official" picture I took for the Online Cosplay Contest held by the Convention

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And here's a picture of me with the wonderful and highly talented (not to mention gorgeous) Ivy Doomkitty (Cosplaying as Power Girl).

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Also, Time Lords should really be more careful with their Technology...

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I had a few issues with the costume....

I didn't get to test fit the costume properly before the con, I didn't get it fully completed until the night before, and thus some issues came up with it DURING the con when I couldn't make repairs.... The biggest was the shoulder armor beneath the cape kept coming loose and wanting to fall off my arms, which means I had limited arm movement less they disappear.

Also the left leg pauldron seperated from the shinguard piece that I used for connecting it...making it flop around depending on how I moved my leg.

Also the Tunic was too short (and wrongly styled) for the look I was going for.....I will have to redo the Tunic entirely for the next time I wear this get up (going for a more "Quilted Armor" style on it next time).

I need to add armor for my upper legs. A longer Tunic would have fixed that issue, but still.

The vambraces were OK, but I could do better on them.....

While the costume still looked cool and I got some praise from a lot of people....I know I can do it better.



Also I got a idea for a new version of this character (a Mash-up Really) thanks to the members of the 501st Legion (Vaders Fist) - Darth Doom.

It has a nice ring to it I may have to look into designing....

[Josh]

Even Victor Von Doom ignores the 'pull to open' right there on the door. Poor TARDIS.

[frigidmagi]

Still, looking sharp man.