Ronan the Accuser (Changed) Part One

Guardians Of the Galaxy was an awesome movie. I saw it three times in less than a week. SO we decided, (in the middle of the movie), that we were going to cosplay some of the characters from it. I love Lee Pace, like a lot, so of course I have to cosplay bad guy Ronan the Accuser, blue skin and all.
One problem, though. His costume involves full coverage heavy armour and leather. And Comicon is in Phoenix. In the summer. Not gonna fly.

So instead, I started coming up with a more female-version, heat-friendly costume.

After extensive Google searches on how to create lightweight cosplay armour, that doesn't involve leather or Worbla or metal of any type, I decided to try using craft foam. Michaels sells sheets of plain craft foam, 12x18, for a dollar a piece.

So as the movie is still in theatres, there aren't really any pictures of Ronan other than the promotionals and posters he's on. Not very helpful when you need detailed pictures of armour and close ups and things like that. I basically ended up just going off of this picture, and winging what I couldn't see.

Yeah. Anyways.

The Breastplate

Since I'm making this as a female version, I didn't make the armour come up to my neck like his does. Instead, I cut the top in a sweetheart neckline, so it dips down.
One 12x18 foam sheet was big enough for the entire front. To make it even, I just folded it in half and cut it so it matched. I did the same thing on the bottom, cutting it into a point.

Like so.

Next is the complex detailing on the armour. I used a screwdriver to do the indents, but that's just because it's what I had. You can really even use a pencil to do this.

You may want to consider practicing on a scrap of foam first.

ONCE YOU MARK THE FOAM, IT CANNOT BE CHANGED. THE LINES ARE PERMANENT. THERE IS NO WAY TO GET THEM OUT IF YOU MESS UP.

I discovered this firsthand.

So, next I drew on the overlaps on the sides. I think these were originally leather.

Just like so.

Next is to draw the lines for the paneling covering underneath it. Make some of them partial, on the sides, so it looks like those indents you've already added look like they're overlapping it.

 There panels each have a line in the middle of some sort.

Then, I just added detailing based on what I could gather from that promotional picture. And made some of it up.

Easy enough. Took maybe fifteen minutes in all.

Last step is to heat it and form it to your body. Just turn on a stove burner, and hold it above it, just until it starts to get floppy and lose its shape. Then mold it to your body. Reheat and reshape as many times as needed to get it where you want it.

Coming up: Part Two, the shoulder armour.


~Michelle