Shin guards: Part I

I stopped by my local used sporting goods store last week, and found a pair of soccer shin guards for a very reasonable price.

During my initial research, it seemed that Deadpool was just as likely to be depicted with shin guards as without. I opted to include them and, since they really only need a coat of red, it hasn't added much more work to the overall build. In this case, it was just a matter of applying a primer coat and then a red topcoat. I will be updating with final photos once the paint dries.

Sidearms: Part II

I began the painting process by applying a base coat of gray spray primer. This provides a base onto which topcoats can adhere, as they are wont to do. I then applied a layer of matte black spray.

For the most part, this worked out quite well. One can still see traces of the Worbla where it was sanded through but, overall, the transition to black from Nerf blue and orange was successful.

With the base covered, I next began detail work with acrylics in red and white. I quickly learned that acrylic does not apply very well to spray paint topcoats. Brushstrokes are very apparent and require application of multiple layers on a single point to reduce transparency. Fortunately, this is the first gun, and on which I am learning best techniques. There is always room/time for revision as I discover which options work, and which ones don't.

After a few coats, the design started to come together.

With just the logo and barrel tips painted, it seemed a little bare to me. I decided to add a bit of "comic" flair and stenciled on some exclamations. The edges of the lettering are a bit rough, but I pretty much achieved what I was going for. For the second gun, I took a different approach. I opened up the casing and painted the trigger, buttplate, and barrels red, while keeping the main body black. After adding the logo, I ended up with this (next to first gun for comparison).

I like the red accents much more on the second version. I attempted to add "Pew Pew" to the side, but found that stencils did not adhere to the contours of the gun very well. As an alternative, I'm going to stop by my local scrapbooking store this week and get some white alphabet sticker. Hopefully, this will prove a viable solution.

With that done, this portion of the costume is just about wrapped up. I tested them in the holsters and they fit beautifully.

Sidearms: Part I

Of the various tools at his disposal, Deadpool sports two sidearms, held in holsters at his thighs. Depending on the source, these have been portrayed as either pistols or sub-machine guns.

For the sake of space management (especially since I'll be transporting them long-distance) I am opting for pistols.

 Costume weapons policies can be very strict when it comes to form and function of props, especially firearms. For PAX, the guidelines are thus:

- It cannot fire any sort of projectile. (Nerf guns are only allowed if they have been deactivated and can not fire.)

- It cannot be an airsoft weapon. (Yes, even if it’s deactivated.)

- It cannot look like a real firearm at “second glance.” (Yes, even if it’s a kid’s toy.)

- It cannot be sharp or pointy enough to cut or pierce someone with moderate pressure. This includes all real swords, daggers and knives. It also includes ceramic blades, needles, syringes and anything that can pierce such as a Little Sister syringe made of wood

So, Nerf guns are OK, but it can't shoot anything. It also needs to be easily unmistakable as a prop. With this in mind I started work. I already had a set of thigh holsters from a previous halloween costume, so I needed something that would fit into those. After a quick Walmart trip, I settled on two of these:

The Nerf Firestrike. It's compact, has a nifty red flashlight thing, and the design includes a nice flat circular area on the sides (more on this later). The general plan for these is to produce a pair of "weapons" that feature the color and styling of the Deadpool character, namely red and black with the signature logo:



I grabbed two and headed home. After unboxing, the first thing I needed to do was check if they could even fit in the holsters I already had.

Surprise! It doesn't fit...

It turns out that there is a bit of plastic on the lower front end meant for holding extra Nerf darts. Unfortunately, this sticks out a bit too much for the gun to fit all the way in the holster. To rectify the situation, I had to cut out this part, and patch it up before painting. Using a Dremel tool with a cutting bit, I carved out the excess plastic. I then applied a strip of Worbla, and covered it with Bondo Body Filler. This was then shaped and sanded using a combination of Dremel bits and sand paper.



Before sanding



After sanding

I also Bondo'd and sanded the round bit on the sides, as mentioned from before.

There was not much else I wanted to do for body work at this point, so I moved onto painting. More on this next time...



Project: Deadpool

PAX Prime 2013 is happening over Labor Day weekend and, having wanted to cosplay the con for some time now, I've decided to go as Deadpool. This site will serve to document my progress on development of the various pieces of the costume.