k0ala's BLU Engineer cosplay

[k0ala]

Holy crap I feel bad. I'm just making this up as I bumble along and it's not working well.
I don't know what I'm doing and I'm just trying to piece cardboard together on me to see.
It doesn't wrap around me too well, being cardboard.
I don't want to take pictures of any of this.
Every time I bother to drag it out it looks even stupider than when I put it in.

I want to do a good job but I'm not doing a good job

This is the only thing I'm doing with myself other than sit down at a computer.

[Vandamguy]

i get this feeling sometimes too when im trying new shit. i want to be perfect at it without having any experience. so i either a: dont try. or b: try, get frustrated, and stop.

as a solution for your current predicament i would suggest having someone with cosplay crafting experience come over (,possibly get ripped)  and get your project over the hump so you can see the end and get you motivated again.

[at0m]

I got over that hump by realizing if I had anyone do a significant part of the work, I wouldn't feel like I could take credit for the project. But I also realized that purchasing items didn't bother me much. So I Goodwill hunted a large portion of my Medic outfit, sourced a lot more of it online, and then just worked on details when I got them all home.

The backpack, now that's going to be another story when I redo it. Hoping to build a Quick Fix, but I've gotta work on my Fallout costume stuff before I go back to working on Medic.

[Elder]

next year the heavy... with working minigun

[k0ala]

Thanks for the support, bros.
October 17th:
Ordered the sleeve patches from NeitherSparky's shop on Etsy. Should have ordered them sooner if I really want to make this for Halloween. Whatever I mess up will be rebuilt in time for ACEN.
Went out to chill for a day in Morgan Hill, went to the salvation army and got a nice nearly new blue shirt.
It used to say "TEAM GLOBAL -- RESISTANCE IS FUTILE" across the yoke and above the breast pocket, but I figured Team Global wouldn't mind if I reappropriated this shirt in the name of Builders' League United.
So I'm cutting out the giant threadball that is machine stitched monogramming, and after a few washes, it'll be a blank shirt just in time for the patches to arrive.

My seamstress roommate has pledged her sewing time to me the week before Halloween. She arrives back in town on the 24th.
We will have 15+ pairs of jeans to color match and bodge together into overalls. I am insanely grateful.

[k0ala]

Two costume parties tonight. I've promised to show up as Engi for both.

Hardhat-- hardware store.
Goggles-- surplus store, modified with old eyeglass lenses taped inside, and auto tinting film for shade.
Shirt-- thrift store, sparky's patches sewn on.
Glove-- duct tape and thick varnish glove. Too orange.
Build tool-- need final assembly. keypad still says 123456789, instead of white white orange white white orange white black black.
Tool belt-- surplus store.
Blueprints pouch -- gasmask pouch from surplus store.
Wrench-- fail, duct tape and cardboard.
Overalls-- working on those now.
Knee pads-- surplus store grey "tactical knee pads" with yellow vinyl sticker on top.
Boots-- just scored a pair at target for $25.

Five hours till the first party. Fixin' to solve some practical problems. Pictures forthcoming.

[k0ala]

11/1:

Engineer Costume 1.0, completed!



Mirrored the build tool, cable, and blueprint pouch. Next time the tool belt arrangement will be more correct.

I'd meant to go to a few more local parties with this, but gravity sapped my motorcycle. D:
I parked it on a slope and it tipped over, and I picked it back up. After that, my weekend was dedicated to recovery.

[CaffeinePowered]

Pretty good so far, Ive generally found the way I work through things is to find an online guide, work it though, fuck up, then try again. Second or third time around, it starts coming out like it should

[k0ala]

To Do:

- Wrench
- Glove (Going to True Value for vinyl glove base and for yellow Plasti-Dip)
- Belt: Move cord to right side
- Belt: Swap build tool and blueprint pouch
- Pistol
- Shotgun
- Holster pockets in overalls for pistol & shotty
- Teddy Roosebelt plush for blueprint pouch

[k0ala]

3/17:
Got Plasti-Dip and a pair of PVC texturegrip gloves which will become my Engi glove. Tested the plasti-dip on the left glove and it sticks nicely.
Got several versions of the Photo Badge printed out.
Will work on getting a wrench and a glove made for ACEN.

[k0ala]

Trip to TAP Plastics Mountain View:









Next: Wrench. Then: Goggles.
Then: Packin' Up, Movin' Out!

[Luinbariel]

Maaaaan

I need some black plasti-dip for my lightsaber.

[k0ala]

Glove touched kneepads.
They tacked together and I ripped 10 square inches off the back of the glove.
lol, ripped
Kneepads are fine.
Just need to try to finish glove and goggles tonight.
No wrench  :'(

[k0ala]

Redaubed glove. It looks like a melted mess of Plasti-Dip, which it really is, perfect for insulating against high voltage support buildings. Wax paper is keeping the fingers from sticking together.

Goggles used to have a lot more bare metal showing. *Blorp.* Not anymore. Just some irregular black blobs at the temples and around the rims.

Pocket calculator pieces have been smooshed into the Construction PDA. Epoxy has been forced into the space between and pressed down. Can't paint due to lack of paint. Can't plastidip due to flush-fit holster which would peel off the plastidip the first time I put it away. Maybe I can get some paint markers and scribble on the calculator keys, because they still say 789456123.

Wrench... is the prototype 'boffer' wrench, the 1:1 duct tape model that I made in October and just now found again. Oh well! I did pretty good for my first cosplay ever. See you all this weekend!

[k0ala]

Well that was a wonderful time meeting you all. We took a lot of pictures and I allowed my Texas accent to show through.

The glove couldn't take the pressure and the coating cracked and peeled.

So now, I've been invited to wear the Engineer costume to SacAnime.
Yes, Sac. At least it's not Old Sac.

Wish List:

- Stock Wrench or Jag
- New glove
- Toolbox sturdy enough to sit on
- Dispenser
- Lv1 Sentry

Let's see if I can get more than one of these ready for September 1st.

[k0ala]

http://www.brbuninstalling.com/gallery/i...ala?page=3

[k0ala]

09:45 k0ala  I have a plastic gun
09:46 k0ala  it has back sights while the TF2 pistol model does not
09:46 k0ala  It's just a chunk of plastic but I am having feels about making it less accurate

[at0m]

09:45 k0ala  I have a plastic gun
09:46 k0ala  it has back sights while the TF2 pistol model does not
09:46 k0ala  It's just a chunk of plastic but I am having feels about making it less accurate

do it

[k0ala]

how much of this can I finish in time for friday? tune in tomorrow
where is my camera? damn dag nabbit

[HeK]

how much of this can I finish in time for friday? tune in tomorrow
where is my camera? damn dag nabbit

I basically built and painted my two rocket launchers in three days before Acen... YOU CAN DO IT!