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Zelda Shoulder Armor Costume Tutorial

Shoulder Zelda Armor Costume pieces are a must in many cosplays and Halloween costumes. Craft foam can be an inexpensive way to pull together a pretty cosplay. This piece takes about two hours to complete and allows mobility for the user. The fasteners allow the armor to move with the user and hold it together with ease.

What you will need

The Base Pattern

Before I started, I needed to find some information online. So I hopped on Pinterest and started researching. The basic idea of most armor sets I found was the piece that rests on the shoulder and the part that goes on the forearm. I dumbed these down to the absolute basics, which left me with this almost D shape and a circle shape to go on the forearm. I drew these pieces on a piece of parchment paper and taped them to make sure my pattern was correct.

Drawing the Extra Bits

I then shaped the arm pieces to match the ones Zelda has, using the base pattern to help me get the size correct. I made two and attached this to the pattern to see if it would work. After minor adjustments, I made it fit correctly and moved on.

Making the Middle piece of the Zelda Armor Costume Piece

Next I freehanded the thing in the middle of the armor, and made two out of foam. These will connect the two parts of the armor on each shoulder and keep them secure.

Tracing

Trace all four pieces of the main armor on the foam. Make sure the paper does not move around on the foam and be careful not to be stupid and erase the pencil marks. It won’t work.

Cutting the Foam Armor Out

Carefully use scissors or an exacto to cut the foam pieces out of the foam. Be careful not to damage any surfaces with the Exacto, and make sure to cut all the way through the foam to avoid damage to the armor.

Attaching the Shoulder Pieces Together

Use the Fasteners to attach the two shoulder parts together. Push the end of the fastener through the two layers of foam and bend out the prongs to secure it on the armor.

Hot gluing

Hot glue the middle pieces to the armor by the ends to keep the armor in place. Hold and allow the glue to fully cool before moving. Make sure your hot glue gun is on a non flammable clean surface away from pets and small children.

Making the Zelda Armor Costume Stable

I attached small pieces of thin foam to the ends of the underside of the armor to secure the pieces together. This is to add a second layer of protection over the weak points.

Spray Painting

Spray painting your Zelda Armor Costume will add color and add a more realistic touch to the armor. Using a metallic paint will add a really cool shine and since the fasteners were used, you can spray paint it easier by taking the pieces apart.

Optional Details

You can also add details cutting thin foam and carefully hot gluing them on before spray painting. You can also use watered down black acrylic paint to add a tarnish.

Finish

And your Zelda cosplay armor base is complete. Happy  Crafting!

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