Photos of this costume are available for print purchase here: windofthestars.storenvy.com
I fixed up my Leina costume to do a shoot in Tahoe. This is the first image and I'm so happy with it! Glad I took the time to fix the issues I had with this costume.
UPDATED CONSTRUCTION:
I went back and re-finished the breast plate and gauntlet pieces. When I first created this armor I was rushed and didn't finish it properly. It got a couple coats of filling primer then finish paint. The result was a flat piece looking piece of armor with lots of unwanted texture. When working with Worbla, you really need to put a lot of prep work into it to create a smooth surface. Leina's armor is pretty smooth, so I coated the breast plate and gauntlets in several coats of gesso. Sanded it all with 220 sand paper and then repainted the silver. I went back weathered all the pieces with black acrylic, using a dry brush and wipe technique, to help make the armor pop and add some dimension. I was much happier with the results. I also opted to sew the dance tights to the bikini bottoms as the waist band for the tights created unattractive pinching at the waist.
Construction Notes:
All the armor is made worbla backed in craft foam. I used fillable primer before painting all the armor. I intentionally left the texture of the worbla to give the armor some dimension and texture. I do want to go back and weather it as it looks a little flat with just the silver paint. I used metallic spandex under the armor to give the illusion of full armor in some places. The pieces stay on with Velcro or are glued in place. The chest plate stays on with the two straps and a clear strap around my neck. The straps are all leather and took quite a bit of staring at art work to figure out! The top part is a harness that sits on my shoulders and then misc. straps sit on that. They are all detailed with brass rivets. The wig was from EpicCosplay Wigs. I added extensions to the front to do her braids. I then chopped off what I didn’t need and sealed the end with clear caulking. A clear rubber band keeps the ribs in place. The bangs were then cut and the back sprayed and lightly spiked.
