sryates's avatar
Yeah I know the feeling, I design costumes myself though I don't post most of my work and I always have issues figuring out the "how to make a person fit" in it issue.
ShinjusWorkshop's avatar
I think my biggest problem is attaching systems... how to make all the armor/whatever parts stay will attached to the rest of the body/costume... that can be a problem if it's not done well...
sryates's avatar
Master Lee (makes Iron Man Armor suits professionally) Uses rivets and plastic, from my research into older styles this is actually very common place, as long as your medium is leather or harder you can use this method to create good movement in armor what kind of rivets you use is up to you but a rivet kit isn't that expensive and a good long term investment. Quit and easy way to attach things as long as you have holes with foam though you might just glue it to a inner spandex suit while attached to a duct tape dummy. That way you get the movement you want without the fuss. But foam isn't the best long term medium but if you don't plan on using the costume for too long it's a good way to go, just doesn't last sadly. If you can manage to tool it leather would be better for long term gives you great options for workability it's tough to cut but when painted it really can pull off a good metal look without having to use sheet metal and forming.
ShinjusWorkshop's avatar
Oh, I know about rivets, I dream of them for quite a while but.... I'm having a hard time finding rivets in Romania... I know it seems unbelievable, but trust me, this is how things work here... I buy more than 50% of the materials I need from outside Romania, just because I can't find them here...
JazionKeera's avatar
Figured I'd jump in here, have you considered using paper fasteners? We use them on foam to help fasten pieces together and keep a range of motion, you can put washers at the back so that the foam doesn't get damaged as well. They're pretty easy to find in stationery shops, though rivets are still pretty hard to beat.
ShinjusWorkshop's avatar
Speaking of those, actually I just found some to buy and i'll try them out. I have a problem both with rivets or paper fasteners... they are visible on the outside :| sometimes the costume is made so I must not have any attaching systems visible on the outside... then I must rely on glue only. And glue does not seem that reliable to me...
JazionKeera's avatar
I see, I use them as detailing a lot of the time. Glue holds together pretty well for me, using shoe glue for my foam armours and I've never had an issue with the glue not sticking.
sryates's avatar
Ahh, well you can try leather suppliers they sell rivets usually several types, you might be able to order them I really can't say what kinds of products you could get in Romania as here in the US I can walk down the street to the local hardware store or the leather supply and get them for fairly reasonable prices. So I'm not sure what to tell you other than google/shopping probably has it. Without rivets you could always try something like "Dome Cap Nuts" and bolts using the rounded side in and the other side cut down. Might be easier to come by but I don't know.
ShinjusWorkshop's avatar
Thanks for the tips, i might try to find those... also... no leather supplies here :P It took me forever to find a guy who sells leather (only leather). Yeah, it really sucks here to find materials, it's always a struggle!