The fantastic ThermoCosplay used Worbla’s Kobracast Art for her amazing Yojimbo costume, and shared a complete breakdown with us on her process from armor to sewing to painting and details! It’s such a hugs writeup we broke it down into two parts!
This page covers
1: Pauldrons
2: Sword
3: Breast Plate and Shirt
4: Hat
5: Painting
Parts 6-10 can be found here.
Take a look at how she created her fantastic cosplay below!
I have always enjoyed Final Fantasy X. The characters, the story, the ART…it is all so inspiring. When Sunset Dragon Designs released a female drawing for Yojimbo I HAD to create it. I knew I wanted to make some modifications so I used Sunset Dragon’s Art AND some Concept Art from Square Product Development.
I started this build in October of 2018 and finished (or THOUGHT I finished it) in March of 2019. I made A LOT of modifications to it between March 2019 and May 2019 (I will discuss why). There are still some changes I want to make (wearing this for 10 hours taught me some things) but it is an overall success in my book.
Estimated Cost for making this outfit = $400
Final Budget = $400
So enough about me, let’s get to it!
Supplies:
Here are some things you will need to make this costume…
TOOLS
- Fabric Scissors
- Cutting Shears / STRONG Scissors (for everything else)
- Exacto Knife and blades
- Utility Knife and Blades OR Sharpener
- Sewing Machine
- Seam Ripper
- Cutting Mat OR Safe Cutting Surface
- Paint Brushes
- Respirator (graded for particulates and paint)
- Goggles
- Gloves (I like Mechanic’s Gloves with neoprene coating)
- Well Ventilated Area
- Sewing Pins OR Clips
- Hand sewing needle(s)
- Painter’s Tape (for masking and patterns)
- Saran Wrap (for patterns)
- Markers, Pens, etc. Some sort of drawing implement
- Dremel or rotary tool
- Sand paper (low grit) OR Sanding stone
- A Heat Gun
- A Hot Glue Gun
- A Ruler and/or Yard Stick
MATERIALS
- Fabric (I used nearly 15 yards of fabric for this costume)
- Contact Cement
- Gorilla Glue Super Glue Gel (quick set in 10 seconds)
- Gorilla Glue High Temp Hot Glue Sticks
- Wood Glue
- KwikSeal (yes, the plumbing sealant)
- Plasti Dip
- Spray Paint
- Acrylic Paints (mid to high grade)
- Paint Brushes
- 2 MM, 4 MM and 6 MM EVA Foam
- 1 2×4 of MDF or Balsa Wood (or an equivalent)
- Sintra (3 mm)
- Worbla’s KobraCast Art
- A cheap plastic circle serving tray (for the hat)
- Hair Clips (6 or more)
- 2 6 packs of Neodymium Magnets
- Double Sided Velcro
- Iron On Gold Vinyl
- Tulip Aerosol Fabric Paint (Gold Glitter, Gold, Red, Purple)
- Americana Fabric Paint Textile Medium (so you can make your own fabric paint)
- A pair of opaque blue tights
- A pair of red platform sandals
- Foam Clay
- Black Flat Nylon Belt Webbing (at least 1/2 a yard)
- Wide Gold Vinyl Trim (3-6 yards)
- Red Bias Tape (2 Double Fold Wide Packages)
- Narrow Gold Vinyl Trim (1-3 yards)
- 1 yard of purple ribbon
- A wavy green lace front wig
- Etc.
Additional materials may appear in each section as I review the methods for creating this outfit.
Step 1: Pauldrons
For those visual learners in the crowd I have included a video that summarizes this process above. Below you will find the written version…
SUPPLIES/TOOLS
- EVA Foam (2 mm and 6 mm)
- Worbla’s KobraCast Art (sponsored by CosplaySupplies)
- Foam-Mo Foam Clay
- KwikSeal
- Wood Glue
- Plasti-Dip
- Cutting Shears
- Ruler
- Respirator
- Heat Gun
- Marker
- Paints (we’ll chat about that in section 5)
I start by cutting out strips of EVA foam so I can build up the shape of the pauldrons. Yojimbo’s pauldrons have a mix of soft and hard surface modeling so I had to find a method of balancing that by layering my strips in angles. I laid out the strip design in foam first (using painter’s tape as a stabilizer). Once I had the shape I wanted I took one strip of foam at a time, wrapped it in Worbla’s KobraCast Art (using a heat gun on a low setting to heat the material so it was malleable) then held it in the curve I wanted until it cooled.
Worbla’s KobraCast Art adheres to itself so, when warm, you can stick parts to one another. This made assembling the pauldrons a lot faster and easier than expected. I will warn that this thermoplastic has a MUCH LOWER heat activation than typical Worbla’s Original Art. Be sure to test a few bits out. Thankfully it is just as reusable as the Original Art so if you mess up, just heat the piece up, roll it out, flatten it and let it cool.
To fill in gaps/holes I used Foam-Mo Air Dry Foam Clay. It will be a bit squishy after it dries but it is much faster then trying to use Bondo, Wood Filler or Caulking.
Once I had both pauldrons assembled wanted to smooth out the surface. Worbla’s KobraCast Art, when stretched, creates this mesh texture. It also stretches REALLY far so there were a few bumps where I had knicked it or accidentally stuck it to something and stretched it out. To solve this problem I watered down KwikSeal in a paint palette then painted on a thin coat of the silicone sealant. I allowed this product to dry for 12 hours before applying two thin coats of wood glue. Allow your wood glue to dry overnight (8 hours) before proceeding with Plasti-Dip.
You DO NOT have to Plasti-Dip. I like doing this as it creates a clean painting surface for me. It also helps me add shadows.
And that’s it. We’ll discuss painting the pauldrons in Section 5 but I will say I used one coat of Metallic Gold Spray Paint and a WHOLE LOT of Metallic Gold Acrylic, Black and Red Paints.
Step 2: Sword
SUPPLIES/TOOLS
- Dremel or Rotary Tool
- Sand Paper or Sanding Stone
- Marker or Drawing Implement
- Ruler or Yard Stick
- 4 MM and 6 MM EVA Foam
- Foam-Mo Foam Clay
- Contact Cement
- Worbla’s KobraCast Art (sold by www.cosplaysupplies.com)
- 2x2x4 made of lightweight wood or other composite material
- Masking Tape
- Heat Gun
- Wood Glue
- Plasti Dip
- Acrylic Paints (discussed in section 5)
- 2 or 3 mm Sintra
- Respirator / Goggles / Gloves
For starters, I measured my height from below my chin to my feet. This gave me the proper length of the sword (since Yojimbo’s sword is about as high as his chin). Next I cut out 1 piece of sintra that matched the height and width of my 2x2x4 piece of composite wood. I used the Sintra to add more height to the top portion of the wood composite (double or triple your Sintra for strength). The Sintra is secured to the wood with Contact Cement (I used two long pieces to overlap with the Sintra Handle and Composite Wood Blade for stability).
Now that I had the length correct I created a flat oval disc from foam and cut a slit into. This slid up to where I wanted my handle and sword to join. This would be where I created the guard on the sword. Once I was certain all adhesives were cured, I drew a curve onto the bottom of the sword for the blade and used a dremel to sand down the sides (NOTE: check with your local events to determine how “sharp” an edge may be). My edges were created to look dulled so they are considered con safe in my state. To remove the excess wood composite at the bottom, I used a cutting bit on my dremel (see this in the attached video).
Next I used a sanding stone to smooth out all rough edges and add a bit more definition to the handle. Please wear safety gear (respirator, gloves and goggles) when sanding, cutting and using power tools.
For the guard I used Foam-Mo and built up the shape. Next I use Painter’s Tape to create a pattern which I transferred onto 4 MM foam. Finally, I wrapped the foam around the Foam-Mo and secured it with contact cement.
For the detail on the handle I followed these steps…
- Wrap the handle in 4 mm foam (for padding)
- Cut a BUNCH of scallops or half circles out from Worbla’s KobrCast Art the match the width of the handle and are about 2-3 inches high at the arch.
- Use a heat gun to warm up a scallop/half circle and stretch it around the handle
- Repeat this step in a series of staggered patterns until you have the entire handle wrapped in Worbla’s KobraCast Art
- Apply the pommel design with foam or Worbla’s KobraCast Art
- When all items are created on the sword apply one thin coat of wood glue to the entire prop. Allow it to dry 3-4 hours before applying 1-2 coats of Plasti-Dip. Then you can paint the sword with acrylics, spray paint or airbrush paints.
Step 3: Breast Plate and Shirt
SUPPLIES / TOOLS
- Worbla’s KobraCast Art (sponsored by CosplaySupplies)
- Painter’s Tape
- Saran Wrap
- Breast Form and/or Mannequin and/or Yourself
- Marker or Drawing Implement
- 4 Way Stretch Gold Spandex
- Sewing Machine & Hot Glue Gun (high temp)
- Gorilla Glue Hot Glue
- Acrylic Paints
- Fabric Paint Textile Medium
This was A LOT of fun to make. To get the shape correct you MUST have something with breasts on it (or a chest for the male persuasion). I am not overly busty and the female version of Yojimbo is VERY busty. So to pull this off I purchased a Breast Plate from BoobsForBoys on Etsy. The Breast Plate is made for men so I had to pull out a little bit of expanding foam from the back (this allowed my own breasts to sit behind the plate without warping its shape). I attached the breast plate to a sports bra for comfort and used makeup to have it match my skin tone.
You can avoid this complication if you ARE busty OR if you don’t plan on making large breast armor. Using Saran Wrap and Painter’s tape, you can create your own shape. I placed my breast plate on my dress form then wrapped it gently in Saran Wrap. Next, I tore off strips of Painter’s Tape and slowly applied it in layers on the breast plate until both breasts were fully covered. If you have done this correctly the breast shape should still exist (DO NOT wrap the tape around as it compresses breast/skin and will shrink your measurements).
I drew on my Breast plate pattern with a marker then carefully cut out the back side of the saran wrap so I could gently pull off the full pattern without losing its shape. Next I cut out the pattern, transferred it to Worbla’s KobraCast Art, cut the pattern out on the thermoplastic and FINALLY taped it to my breast plate for adjustment.
Once I was happy with the shape I pinned the thermoplastic to the back side of some 4 way stretch gold fabric and sewed along the outside of the Worbla’s KobraCast Art (do NOT sew on the thermoplastic). Once you have a thread barrier created, cut off the excess spandex. Next, get your hot glue gun and carefully wrap the spandex around the edge of the thermoplastic (gluing as you go). Since Worbla’s KobraCast Art IS heat activated you may have some warping occur. DON’T WORRY, this will cool and be hidden under the spandex.
When I finished covering my Worbla’s KobraCast Art in spandex I let it cool as I quickly sewed a tank top. If you don’t know how to do this, just use any old tank top, lay it out on your fabric of choice, and trace the pattern. Stretch stitch the sides and you’re done! OR you can buy a tank top and not be all extra like me (seriously, buying a tank top is absolutely ok).
With my tank top ready I pinned the breast plate to it then added stitches along the underside. Finally, I used MORE Gorilla Glue Hot Glue to secure it to the shirt. Now that it was secure I was able to cut away the center of the shirt to create a boob window (the armor acts as a stabilizer).
The final steps are as follows…
- Grab your Fabric Textile Paint Medium
- Grab your acrylic paints
- Mix your acrylic paint 1:1 with the medium
- Congrats! You just made fabric paint!
- Now paint your booby armor!
- Allow it to dry for 24-48 hours
- Heat seal it with a heat gun (6-12 inches away)
- You’re done!
The textile paint medium allows you to turn acrylic paint into fabric paint. This means your clothing is MACHINE WASHABLE. Now, I would suggest avoiding washing thermoplastic but if you must please wash on cold and air dry. You can also clean cosplays that are delicate with a mixture of 1 part Vodka, 1 part Water and 1 part fabric softener. This disinfects and freshens your cosplay.
Step 4: Hat
SUPPLIES / TOOLS
- Dollar store serving tray (oval or circle)
- 2 MM and 4 MM EVA Foam
- Cutting Shears or Utility Knife
- Gorilla Glue Super Glue Gel
- Hot Glue Gun (high temp)
- Gorilla Glue Hot Glue
- Marker or Drawing Implement
- Painter’s Tape
- Hair Clips
- Bun Clip
- Rare Earth Magnets
- Metal Washer
- Plasti-Dip
- Acrylic Paints
- Heat Gun
- Respirator
- Wig
- Rubberban with plastic case
This is actually VERY simple to create. So here we go…
- Take your dinner plate and trim off any excess material so the oval/circle only has a very small “brim”
- Wrap your plate in 2 MM EVA foam (use a heat gun to help mold it and wear safety equipment)
- Cut out 2 circles (4 inch diameter and 2 inch diameter)
- Cut out a BUNCH of strips (how many depends on you – mine were 2 inches wide by 12 inches long and I had 12 of them) in 4 MM foam
- Place the 4 inch diameter circle in the center and glue it down with super glue gel OR hot glue
- Place the strips around the circle evenly (I used painter’s tape to figure out the placement of mine before gluing them down)
- Glue down your strips (make sure they wrap over the brim so you can see them on top and in front)
- Place the 2 inch diameter circle on top of the center circle
- Cut out 12 1.5 diameter circles (I used a sewing thread bobbin)
- Glue your small circles onto the front brim of each strip (one per strip)
- Use your Heat Gun to Seal the foam
Wig / Clips / Securement
- Take your wig and give it a high bun (I used a bun clip to create this)
- Add your hair clip to the bun and glue on 2 rare earth magnets to the clip
- Take your metal washer and glue OR sew it onto the front of your wig (right at the hair line)
- Place the hat on top of the head at an angle and use a marker to mark where you need to glue magnets onto the hat
- Use the marks and glue 2 magnets to each section.
That’s it! Next is painting. Be sure to do the following…
- Cover your magnets in painter’s tape
- Plasti-Dip the hat so your paint has a smooth surface to paint on
- Use Spray Paint and/or acrylic paint to create your design
- Version #1 of my hat only had red and gold paint. I added purple and blues to it later which punched up the color and effect.
Step 5: Painting
The video pretty much covers it all but here are the supplies and steps just in case you don’t have time to watch :)
SUPPLIES / TOOLS
- Acrylic Paints (in a variety of colors)
- Plasti-Dip
- Wood Glue
- KwikSeal
- Paint Brushes
- Respirator
- Goggles
- Gloves
- Paint Palette
- Water Cup
Painting Pauldrons
- Seal with one coat of wood glue (use paint brush)
- Seal with one THIN coat of KwikSeal (wear respirator and gloves, use paint brush)
- Seal with one more coat of wood glue
- Apply one coat of Black Plasti-Dip (wear respirator and goggles)
- Paint gold using Metallic Folk Art
- Shade with reds, coppers and black (dry brush method)
- Seal with High Gloss Mod Podge OR Plasti-Dip
NOTE: In hot climates the Plasti-Dip Glossifier FAILS spectacularly. Use Mod Podge if your average temperature is over 80 degrees Fahrenheit
Painting Sword
- Apply 1-2 coats of wood glue
- Apply 1-2 coats of black Plasti-Dip
- Paint using Acrylics and/or spray paint
- Seal with Mod Podge High Gloss Spray Sealant
Painting Hat
- Apply 1-2 coats of Plasti-Dip
- Paint using acrylics and/or spray paint
- Seal with Matte Mod Podge Spray Sealant
Fabric Painting
- Mix acrylic paint 1 part to 1 part with Fabric Textile Paint Medium
- Paint Fabric
- Allow fabric to dry for 24-48 hours
- Heat seal with Heat Gun (6-12 inches away – quick once over)
NOTE: 3/4 of the way through the video is a recording breaking down HOW I painted the pauldrons.