Post by TK2388 on Apr 6, 2009 20:53:56 GMT
As many of you know I recently started on my Rorschach costume from the Watchmen graphic novel/ film.
The graphic novel version looks like this:
and the movie version this:
My aim is to get this to a state where I am happy with it and if its UKG clearable so much the better.
Here is a run down of my progress so far.
I started off by scouring the charity shops for a mans trench coat. No mean feat considering it took 3 months to find one , plenty of womens but mens? Near impossible it seems.
Whilst awaiting the coat I did a bit of research on the hat and every where i went it was Trilby this" and "trilby" that so 1 was ordered......but I will come back to that later.
For the mask I went with what seemed the easiest option as well as the most practical, one layer of black tight material ( one leg) and 2 layers of white (again, the legs).
Try going into every womans shop on the island and asking for wight tights! Rarer than rocking horse shit and you do get some funny looks!!!
Anyway, I coupled the lot with a white scarf for a quick trial fitting:
Meh, a start , but a hell of a lot to do.
Next stop, dye the coat and shorten the length to above knee height. Several times in the washer with multiple packs of dye and the coat looked a lot better then when I started. Due to a lack of belt when I bought the coat (DOH!) I had to fashion one up from the material left over from the shortening of the coat.
Using India ink I painted the inkblott patern onto the top layer of the mask. Whilst this dried I dyed a cheap pair of pinstripped trousers purple and used brown leather paint to colour a pair of black chelsea boots. The end result was this:
It was this version I wore to see the film. good enough to get me in for free but nowhere near good enough for my liking. The mask needed a complete overhaul and the coat was still not dark enough.
Begining to have major doubts about the Trilby too.
Sod it!! More research indicates they used a stingy brim Fedora for the film not a Trilby. Off to ebay I go and 4 days later:
Ok, so its not a stingy brim but that can soon be sorted:
A quick reshape later and its better:
Was still not sure if I had trimmed off enough, but thought I would check with Darren from the UKG whos own Ror is pretty damn good.
Another couple of packs of dye to the coat and a new pattern on the mask and the difference is noticable , but it still needs work:
Then came mem and a good long chat with Darren and a good long look at his Ror. Several things became immedeatly apparrent,
1, the coat needed griming up
2, the hat needed another 1/4 " off alround the brim
3, the coat needed to be made to look like it was waxed (see point 1)
4, the mask needed a complete redo, the tights method may be ok for a stop gap or for a fancy dress costume but not for the quality I'm after.
Hat after trim and reshape:
So here is where I am at now. The coat has 2 tins of wax on it now and is due a 3rd shortly. The hat is trimmed and reshaped, but will get revisited re shape and hat band.
Close up of the jacket weathering:
Today I purchased this fabric to start on the mask in the style it was made for the film:
Updates to come shortly ...I hope.
The graphic novel version looks like this:
and the movie version this:
My aim is to get this to a state where I am happy with it and if its UKG clearable so much the better.
Here is a run down of my progress so far.
I started off by scouring the charity shops for a mans trench coat. No mean feat considering it took 3 months to find one , plenty of womens but mens? Near impossible it seems.
Whilst awaiting the coat I did a bit of research on the hat and every where i went it was Trilby this" and "trilby" that so 1 was ordered......but I will come back to that later.
For the mask I went with what seemed the easiest option as well as the most practical, one layer of black tight material ( one leg) and 2 layers of white (again, the legs).
Try going into every womans shop on the island and asking for wight tights! Rarer than rocking horse shit and you do get some funny looks!!!
Anyway, I coupled the lot with a white scarf for a quick trial fitting:
Meh, a start , but a hell of a lot to do.
Next stop, dye the coat and shorten the length to above knee height. Several times in the washer with multiple packs of dye and the coat looked a lot better then when I started. Due to a lack of belt when I bought the coat (DOH!) I had to fashion one up from the material left over from the shortening of the coat.
Using India ink I painted the inkblott patern onto the top layer of the mask. Whilst this dried I dyed a cheap pair of pinstripped trousers purple and used brown leather paint to colour a pair of black chelsea boots. The end result was this:
It was this version I wore to see the film. good enough to get me in for free but nowhere near good enough for my liking. The mask needed a complete overhaul and the coat was still not dark enough.
Begining to have major doubts about the Trilby too.
Sod it!! More research indicates they used a stingy brim Fedora for the film not a Trilby. Off to ebay I go and 4 days later:
Ok, so its not a stingy brim but that can soon be sorted:
A quick reshape later and its better:
Was still not sure if I had trimmed off enough, but thought I would check with Darren from the UKG whos own Ror is pretty damn good.
Another couple of packs of dye to the coat and a new pattern on the mask and the difference is noticable , but it still needs work:
Then came mem and a good long chat with Darren and a good long look at his Ror. Several things became immedeatly apparrent,
1, the coat needed griming up
2, the hat needed another 1/4 " off alround the brim
3, the coat needed to be made to look like it was waxed (see point 1)
4, the mask needed a complete redo, the tights method may be ok for a stop gap or for a fancy dress costume but not for the quality I'm after.
Hat after trim and reshape:
So here is where I am at now. The coat has 2 tins of wax on it now and is due a 3rd shortly. The hat is trimmed and reshaped, but will get revisited re shape and hat band.
Close up of the jacket weathering:
Today I purchased this fabric to start on the mask in the style it was made for the film:
Updates to come shortly ...I hope.