Modesty's Costume Closet

 One of these days I'll return to writing about Kitsune costumes, but this is what you get with me. Moments of planning and sticking to a routine, then a few weeks of chaos where I write what I feel like writing! Today I'm starting yet another series of blog posts. This one is going to be about my 3D printing prop journey. I will plan and write more practical and advice-style posts later. (Sometimes I plan things like a proper writer. Most the time it's off the cuff though.)  Anyway, 3D printing has been THE method for me to create costume props ever since I decided to invest in one. In the past I have tried to recreate props out of EVA foam or clay or other things.  Swords I think have been the thing I commonly print as props so I'm going to focus in on that. Lets get into it! The First Blade Now the first prop sword that I seriously considered making was Prince Lotor's sword from Voltron: Legendary Defender. I was going to follow the steps I had in my making props

Prop making has always been kind of a challenge for me. The skills, tools, or materials are just a step or ten out of my comfort zone. So, what does one do if they want to add a prop to the costume? Here are some of my suggestions.  Purchase the Prop Commercially  Store bought Sword  The character or costume may be popular enough where the iconic prop is available commercially. They can come in different price ranges too which will affect the quality or final look.  Hire a Prop Maker Maybe hire someone who knows what they're doing... If the character or costume is a bit more obscure or niche, you can hire an artist/craftsman/Prop Maker to recreate it for you. Commissioning a prop from someone might be an unfamiliar process and knowing how to find a competent artist in your area can be a challenge. But at least we have the internet these days.  Some independent prop makers may have an online store which is kind of like purchasing the prop commercially.  Modify a Toy or other Closely

 For Halloween 2021, my costume was the Armorer from Disney Star Wars The Mandalorian. I did not intend for it to be a very intensive pattern-making project. Many things are made from patterns by someone else. I was going for close accuracy but not detailed accuracy. It was close to perfect except for the portion that I did not have a pattern for, the apron. The belt had some struggles.  Some of the major take-aways: Hot glue weakens against my hot body. LOL.  Velcro isn't always the strongest or best way to close things up.  Don't cut shaggy fur with scissors, use a craft knife 3D printing is awesome The Original Plan My intention was not to make a 1 to 1 accurate remake of the show's costume. That was more work than I wanted to do. I did know that I was going to 3D Print a lot of this costume! So I purchased some STL files for the helmet, the chest piece, and the hammer. There were some free STL files for the belt doo-dads and the Grogu head. I also found pre-made pattern

One of the most iconic accessories for Kitsune characters (or skilled swordsmen) is the fox mask. To be fair, this likely is mostly associated with Japanese Kitsune, but they do not hold the monopoly on fox fairy creatures.  I don't think it'll fit right. LOL! Mask Considerations For your own costume, regardless of the culture of origin, the common features to consider are:  Mask Size  How much of your face will the mask cover? Will it go over your whole head like fursuit head?  Or is it meant to be more of a decoration that sits on your head or off your waist?  This will determine how much material you need to use and how to incorporate the mask into the costume. Full Face Mask   Half Face Mask Basic Mask Shape This may sound confusing but what I mean here is if the shape of the mask will resemble the features of a fox closely or take on a more human shape with fox features.  Leather Fox Masks from Etsy . Basically, will the mask have a snout or look more human? Eye Holes How