Evil Cheese's HL2 Rebel Cosplay

[Evil Cheese]

As I seem to be attending more gaming/anime cons these days these, I've been wanting to try cosplaying since it seems like fun. That being said, I'm a complete cosplay newb so I'm starting with something fairly simple. I want to try putting together a costume for one of those HL2 rebels you meet in the game. I'm definitely going to need some help/suggestions. I'll start by posting some reference pics.

Front:


Back:


Side:


Torso closeup:


Back closeup:


Lambda pad closeup:


Next I've made a list of all the components of the costume that I will need and what I plan on doing to obtain them.

• shirt - For the shirt I'm thinking of using a denim welder's shirt.
  
• jeans - I think I have a pair that will work, shouldn't be hard to obtain if I don't.
  
• boots - I already have a pair that will work for this.
  
• beanie - Easy enough to find a wooly beanie.
  
• vest - This is one the areas I need suggestions on. The best idea I've come up with so far is to buy a kayaking life jacket and sew some denim over it. - In progress, see below. Should be done by this weekend.
  
• thigh pads - I plan on making them myself following this tutorial. - I'll probably not make these.
  
• arm pad /w lambda - Same above + yellow spray paint.
  
• lower pack - military style butt pack. I know jack shit about military gear, but I'm guessing there's a belt loop on this thing so I can thread a belt through it. If anybody knows otherwise, please feel free to share. - Ordered Crow's suggestion, waiting for shipping.
  
• [s]middle pack - I haven't found anything I like for this yet so I'm open for suggestions. Edit: I will likely buy a musette pack, still need to order it.
  
• upper pack - Best I've found so far is a shotgun shell pouch. Edit: I'll probably make this one with some of the extra fabric I have.
  
• upper belt - Needs to support the above mentioned butt pack, but should be fairly easy to get one that works.
  
• lower belt - Again, should be fairly easy to find one.
  
• radio - I plan on borrowing some Motorola walkie-talkies that look something like this.[color=red] - I will be borrowing my dad's radio scanner
  
• fingerless gloves (optional) - Probably something wooly that looks like this.
  
• airsoft MP7 (optional) - This one is cheap and looks like it would fit my needs if I decide I want an extra prop.
  

So any suggestions from the veterans? Am I over my head or does this seem doable?

[Cloud_9ine]

For the pads, I might wanna suggest you use that material used in those children puzzle piece playmats (aka EVA foam) (http://playsportmat.com/images/big/33209b_big.jpg) so you can reproduce the texture pattern on it. I remember someone (possibly Harrison Krix?) using it for mass effect N7 armor texture. Sure at the time it was for carbon fiber style stuff, but I think this could work well too in giving you a good texture on the pads.

For the vest, I like the idea for coating an existing vest. What about a layer of black canvas instead, though? If you are feeling really crafty, try doing it all yourself filling it with floor mat foam (like this: http://tarrer.deviantart.com/gallery/32053948#/d482xx8) and coating in a black canvas material. Do it yourself gives you many options but for an in between try a more sparse vest and fill with foam and coat with the other material.

For packs, just keep looking, short of making them yourself, I got no clues.

Other than that, you got yer shit planned really well. Can't wait for some WIP pics.

[kaese]

Yay, welcome to the cosplay family. Glad to hear it's becoming cheesier.

For the middle pack, it looks like a small messenger bag to me. At least, that's how I wear my messenger bag. So I did a search on "olive messenger bag) on ebay and this was one of the first ones that showed up for me:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Military...3263wt_905
The one in Olive drag b-15 pilot (last one in the dropdown menu) can pass decently as the one in the ref. pic. Or you can go with something like the "olive drab european" which is slightly more green but more accurate. You can also buy one w/o straps and attach the straps yourself. Since ebay came up with so many results that look like what you are looking for, I'm sure you'll find something suitable soon enough. Unfortunately, most of the time when buying cosplay items you won't find something exactly like it. You'll need to make it yourself for something completely accurate.

For the vest, you can also buy a "puffy vest" instead of a lifevest and sew over that one instead. You'll probably need to cut off the bottom of it though and install a new zipper, but I think it will be cheaper than buying a life jacket and it weights a lot less. Or you can make your own and fill it with something, foam, polyfil...

Good luck!!

[CaffeinePowered]

because it had to be posted...

Half life: Full Life Consequences



Too early to post ideas, so Ill reserve this space for when I have some browsing time at work

Next I've made a list of all the components of the costume that I will need and what I plan on doing to obtain them.

• shirt - For the shirt I'm thinking of using a denim welder's shirt.

- Should work just fine

• jeans - I think I have a pair that will work, shouldn't be hard to obtain if I don't.

- Also good to do with this

• boots - I already have a pair that will work for this.

- Derp

• beanie - Easy enough to find a wooly beanie.

- Yea, not hard to get either...

• vest - This is one the areas I need suggestions on. The best idea I've come up with so far is to buy a kayaking life jacket and sew some denim over it.

- Ok, time to get creative, you can make this from scratch, I'd get some 0.25" thick quilt batting, sandwich in-between two pieces of denim and make a vest for yourself

• thigh pads - I plan on making them myself following this tutorial.

- Go for it, Ive tried this once, did not turn out well....

• arm pad /w lambda - Same above + yellow spray paint.

- I think this can work if you do it right

• lower pack - military style butt pack. I know jack shit about military gear, but I'm guessing there's a belt loop on this thing so I can thread a belt through it. If anybody knows otherwise, please feel free to share.
  
• middle pack - I haven't found anything I like for this yet so I'm open for suggestions.
  
• upper pack - Best I've found so far is a shotgun shell pouch.

- All of the packs, best bet is check military surplus, or you can buy canvas and make them yourself, they are pretty easy patterns.

• upper belt - Needs to support the above mentioned butt pack, but should be fairly easy to get one that works.
  
• lower belt - Again, should be fairly easy to find one.

- Thrift stores are your friend

• radio - I plan on borrowing some Motorola walkie-talkies that look something like this.

- Check ebay, you might be able to get a broken one on the cheap, then paint if you need to.

• fingerless gloves (optional) - Probably something wooly that looks like this.

- Should be fine

• airsoft MP7 (optional) - This one is cheap and looks like it would fit my needs if I decide I want an extra prop.

- As cool as this is, some cons won't allow it, even with an orange tip. Dragoncon for example, doesn't give a shit, ACEN they'd confiscate that prop faster than Versus hits right click save as for guro porn.


[/list]

[HeK]

because it had to be posted...

Half life: Full Life Consequences



Too early to post ideas, so Ill reserve this space for when I have some browsing time at work

I really wish someone got a video of the John Freeman at ACEN.

[Cloud_9ine]

Furries in a Blender - John Freeman 2009

Also for packs, try a place like American Science And Surplus, They have some of the more interesting military surplus stuff.

[A. Crow]

For the lower pack you're looking for a MOLLE Waist Pack, it's part of a rifleman's kit.  It has a belt on it, which no one ever uses as they secure it to the back of their FLC or assault pack.  your biggest problem is going to be finding one in black or tan instead of woodland, ACU or Multicam.  Check airsoft sites, i know plenty of contractors that buy their shit from airsoft sites, and it works just as well for half the price, usually.

Actually, this might be good, you never want to spend much on this shit if it's just for cosplay. 

I don't know WTF "thigh pads" are.  It looks they they just suck at rending Drop Holsters (which you can get a cheap one for about $15 and stick a squirt gun in for the con)  OR, those are MOLLE Drop Panels.

Mid bag actually looks like an old CLS bag  But random bags like that are easy to find, just don't pay much for them. 

As for the vest, you're looking for this, but black.  I'm really not sure what it's doing up on ebay, but that's a hell of a price for it, if it's still got the soft plates in it and it's not just the shell.  You should ask, because the soft plates are what gives it the bulkiness you're looking for. 

[Evil Cheese]

Thanks for the pointers guys, you've given me some good ideas.

For the lower pack you're looking for a MOLLE Waist Pack, it's part of a rifleman's kit.  It has a belt on it, which no one ever uses as they secure it to the back of their FLC or assault pack.  your biggest problem is going to be finding one in black or tan instead of woodland, ACU or Multicam.  Check airsoft sites, i know plenty of contractors that buy their shit from airsoft sites, and it works just as well for half the price, usually.

Actually, this might be good, you never want to spend much on this shit if it's just for cosplay. 

I don't know WTF "thigh pads" are.  It looks they they just suck at rending Drop Holsters (which you can get a cheap one for about $15 and stick a squirt gun in for the con)  OR, those are MOLLE Drop Panels.

Mid bag actually looks like an old CLS bag  But random bags like that are easy to find, just don't pay much for them. 

As for the vest, you're looking for this, but black.  I'm really not sure what it's doing up on ebay, but that's a hell of a price for it, if it's still got the soft plates in it and it's not just the shell.  You should ask, because the soft plates are what gives it the bulkiness you're looking for. 

The jacket and waist pack look great. What I think I'll do is get the flak jacket as is and maybe sew together a denim or canvas "skin" with velcro to put over it, as I'd hate to have anything permanently sewed onto it.

At first I thought the "thigh pads" were poorly rendered holsters as well, but if you look closely there's a weave texture under what appears to be a shiny surface. Very similar to the arm band with the lambda on it.




I have a hard time believing that the devs took the time to put seams and buttons on the shirt texture, but couldn't be bothered to render a proper holster. This leads me to believe they're intentionally some kind of protection pad or plate.

[Cloud_9ine]

I've been considering possibly doing something HL2 style like this. I could probably pull off a rebel chick if I try so hey, never know.

[Evil Cheese]

I've been considering possibly doing something HL2 style like this. I could probably pull off a rebel chick if I try so hey, never know.

That'd work. I think most of the BRBUers who are dressing up will likely be something Valve themed so you'd probably fit in well regardless.

[Cloud_9ine]

Yea mebe. Regardless I'm not starting until after break so I still got time to decide.

[Evil Cheese]

So over the past few weeks I've been trying to figure out/work on the vest part of the costume. Since I'm using my mother's sewing machine, I've only been able to work on it during the weekends when I have time to drive to her house. I've finally got some WIP pics to show for it all.

So the first idea I had was to buy the flak jacket that Crow recommended and sew some denim or canvas over it. It looks like this:


So my mother, who's experience and sewing machine I've been relying on, suggested it would be easier to just make the vest. So the next idea was to make a single vest out of denim with a sort of flap over the front that would buckle into the sides. Well after some more reviewing and planing we decided to split the vest into two pieces, a sort of fitted sleeveless jacket that will be worn underneath and a thicker stuffed vest that will be worn over the jacket and buckle on the sides. We also changed the pattern we were using from one that looked more like coat to one that was for a sleeveless fleece jacket.

We then created a prototype for the under-jacket with denim that I soaked in some bleach. It looked like this, which wasn't quite what I was looking for:


So next I decided to use black duck cloth instead which is a sort of canvass-like material. When I tried to bleach it to make it look a bit faded like I did with the denim, I used less bleach but I left it in too long and it turned orange. So I tried to dye it black again and it turned out like this:


While it's an interesting shade of brown (it's not light very well in the picture), it's not quite something I can use in the costume. So next I got some more duck cloth and used color remover to try and make it look more faded, which turned it green like this:


Luckily, to me this looks close enough to olive drab that I will use it to make the upper and middle bags (again sorry for the poor lighting). So I decided to quit trying to make it faded, got some more fabric, and decided to just wash it once and use it as is. Finally we got most of the under-jacket put together and it looks like this (even though it looks blue in the picture, it's actually black):



Now I need to finish the under-jacket, make the over-vest, make the bags, make the arm and leg pads, and buy the rest of the bits that I still need like the shirt and the belts. Oh and remember kids, use test strips before trying to change the color of fabric you're not familiar with so you don't ruin it all.

[Evil Cheese]

I've finally finished the under part of the vest. I think it came out pretty well for a first timer. If I was lazier this would probably be passable, but since I'm trying to be ambitious I'm also making another bit that goes over this one that will be a little bulkier and buckle on the sides.

[CaffeinePowered]

Very nice work so far  ;D

[Eightball]

Looks pretty darn good, matches the references nicely.

Now you only have a month left, let's see how it looks completed!

[Evil Cheese]

So my mussette pack came in yesterday but I'm afraid it might be too big. Hopefully once I get everything together it will work out.

[Evil Cheese]

This isn't the full costume as a few pieces are missing, but it's close enough to get the idea. Also, more color strangeness.

[Eightball]

Color strangeness? Not that I notice. And that lambda is literally perfect. Looks great!

[Evil Cheese]

Color strangeness?

I meant with the picture. For some reason the vest looks plumish in the picture, but it definitely looks black IRL.

[kaese]

It looks really really great!