Okay, so I haven't been great about going through the stuff I learned or even posting pictures of the Eiger costume.  But now I am working on my next project for Nebraskon - genderswapped Wilhelm I'm calling Wilhelmina!  I have only started the process a bit, so I figure this is a good time for me to actually document what I am currently doing.  So, with that in mind, let's start with my game plan!



     As I learned from the Eiger project, really any project, it is good to start early and get a sense of what you are doing.  I made a pinterest board with reference images and inspiration here.  I will likely print out the reference with the various angles when I start getting to the armor pieces and clothes, but for now, I'm still, with a few exceptions, in the planning stages.

     For my outfit, I'm envisioning something that is a rather feminine cuts and clothing with a bit of sexy.  Leggings in the place of pants and the simplicity jacket shown on the board (pattern 2056).  I like the way this jacked looks and hangs and I think it will make for an interesting take on the Wilhelm jacket.  Of course, all of the clothing will be detailed with the trademark Borderlands shading lines.  The leggings will be made with a fabric with good stretch, though I may just buy some really.  For the jacket, I anticipate using a lightweight wool blend for the main brown portion using yellow and white pleather for the Hyperion color portion.  I intend to try using some EVA foam around the seams of the pleather piece to give the edges the raised metal look that the reference seems to imply.  Under the jacket, I may or may not use a tanktop . . . it kind of depends on if girls have grown enough to do some tricks to create some level of cleavage.  If the breasts I hope are on their way are big enough to simulate some good cleavage, I will likely just use some pushup bras and padding to create a decent show at the jacket opening.  If I don't have that ability, I will probably just wear a bra with some enhancers under a brown tank. I have not started on any of these things yet as I am hoping the hormones I am taking will do their thing and I'll have some curves come september/october . . . so making it now would be counter productive.

     For the armor pieces (the thigh piece on the right leg, the shin and calf armor, and the boot pieces) and the detail pieces (buckles, waist piece, and the like) I am waffling between using Sintra or Worbla.  Given my mostly negative experience using EVA foam for the armor pieces (except of the breastplate) I would like to use one of these other materials.  I haven't landed on either material or a combination of both.  I am researching and checking costs and just trying to make sure I don't make the mistakes in materials that I made with Eiger.  I will need to finish this soon, though, so I have more than enough time to experiment and actually get it done.  I am planning to make a decision and start working sometime in April.

For the accessories, gun, and drones I am planning to use a variety of materials and techniques with various details and electronics to finish the product.  I have started working on these already because I don't have to worry about fitting a changing body or worrying over the type of material I will be using.
     For the gun, I had originally planned on creating the launcher seen in the reference pics.  However, though it would be a lot of fun to make this, I decided to opt for something smaller and easier to carry and manipulate.  I will probably make one at some point anyway because I really liked my plan of construction.  To replace the launcher, I decided I wanted to opt for a gun and my favorite guns in the games have always been Moxxi's Good Touch and Bad Touch.  So, that means a Maliwan SMG.  These definitely are not a simple shape, at least for someone of my skill, so I did some scrounging on the internet and got lucky with this entry on Thingiverse of a Maliwan Hellfire.  I had already been working on upgrading my 3d printer, so I decided this would be a great way to test it out.  I have printed all the pieces out, joined them together, and the gun is ready for sanding and painting.  I am really excited about this and I will make a post detailing it and my experience with 3d printing props thus far.
     For the drones I will be doing a mix of 3d printing and laser cutting layers of foam to create the shapes.  The drones are pretty large in comparison to Wilhelm, so I am going to make some sacrifices on size in order to make it easier to get around the con.  Saint, the smaller of the two, will have 12-14 inch width with a 10 inch length and 8 inch height.  Wolf will be about twice this size.  Given the size of Saint, I decided I would continue using my 3d printer and sliced up the game model into easily printable pieces which will then be put together with glue and magnets.  I have already started printing Saint and I will show some pics in the 3d printing post.  As for Wolf, she's too big to 3d print in any practical or affordable manner.  So I will instead be slicing the model lengthwise (for the most part) into 1/8 inch layers and cutting them out in foam board using the laser cutter at the Do Space.  I believe I will be using a more solid piece of material (Sintra) in the middle and thin cuts of the model as well as reasonable guage metal floral wire for more support.  For the details on Wolf, I will use the 3d printer.  My plan for these drones is to construct a harness with clear acrylic arms on which I can mount them.  Hopefully this will give the vague illusion that they are flying/hovering.
     For the eyepiece I currently plan on doing a 3d scan of my eye area to get a reasonable representation of the ocular area.  Once I have this, I will use it to model a negative surface to fit onto the face which will be built into a short column to create the body of the eyepiece.  I will then print it in a the Ninjaflex flexible filament.  This should result in an accurate, custom fit, and flexible prop that can fit comfortably over my eye area.  I plan on using a circle cut piece of acrylic to use as the lens which will be back-lit by a diffused green LED.
     I plan on using craftfoam to create pouches or actually make them with some brown canvas so they are usable.  Failing this, I will find some to buy that are an approximate match and then simply modify it.  As for the straps used to attach these and similar aspects of the costume, I will be using various sizes of nylon straps and elastic.

     I hope to include some electronic details such as LEDs.  I am also considering working a raspberry pi with a touch screen into the display port on the side of the SMG.  This could be potentially very difficult, but I do think it is doable.  It would be great to have a way to both control LEDs embedded in the gun and have an animated display that is depicted in the SMG reference material.

     So, that's my plan so far.  I am really excited about this projects as I feel it is a step up from Eiger in some skill areas with a decent amount of aspects that are already well within my wheelhouse.  I think I will be able to complete it a decent amount ahead of time to make sure it is as great as I can make it and even have time to do another costume for general con enjoyment.  I will be posting updates and in progress posts throughout the process.  So, if anyone actually reads this blog, you will see it; but, more importantly, for myself to look back upon.