Me and my friend have spent hours upon hours to make a chest plate patterns for me, and honestly I'm tired of trying again and again.
My problems are:
The duct tape patterns do not seem symmetrical not mater how carefully we do it
When I place them at EVA foam to later cut them, I try my best to "fix" the edges that are asymmetrical by marking it on the foam
The bottom part of both the front and back pattern always has a curve when I lay it flat, meanwhile I though it was normal, when I cut the foam the plate had the curve on the bottom.
For example in the ribs/armpits area, the "curve" their is like a polygon so I instead draw a curve as it is supposed to be.
Even if I have 100% perfect patterns, how do I even cut the foam to it remains perfect? I tried to just draw a line around the pattern and it didn't work.
I do not expect any kind of help, I think these are very minor and specific things that I need someone to actually show me. Although I have watched countless videos and wasted a lot of money in foam and duct tape I never managed to make a chestplate. It's the only thing that holds me back from finishing my cosplays since I already have made everything else.
I always see a ton of people make near perfect cosplays, even people that are completely new and I can't understand how so many new people to this hobby do it while I have been trying here and there for years and only wasted a crap ton of money.
I will appreciate any help, thank you
The pattern is not symmetrical? Why are you doing both sides differently? Make only one side and then flip over the pattern. That's it, that's the opposite side, symmetrical.
I don't get what you mean with the bottom parts. Maybe change the pattern you cut in the duct tape? Different armors need different cuts. Get "kamui cosplay" patterns and learn doing something already tested by someone else, and then try to make yours when you have learned.
Also, use a heat gun to force it to bend to your will.
You mention problems with symmetry, have you tried just doing one side of your chest and then flipping that pattern over for the other side? That way one side will be a mirror image of the other, so it should be symmetrical.
Doesnt need to be symmetrical, you only need one side and to flip it. There is some give.
Curved parts are not doable in a single piece and armour is fundamentally curved , once you cannot lay it flat you want to cut pattern in smaller pieces. Worth checking others peoples templates to see how it´s usually divided.
out of curiosity is this your first time making foam armour or just first time making your own templates?
Both, I never managed to make a foam chest plate, and I want to use my body patterns ,I thought that's the right way
You sound like me. I always start with the hardest thing first. It may be helpful to start by getting a free chest plate pattern from someone like SKS props and looking at how it goes together. Kamui is nice and all but they're expensive.
I didn't think it would be this difficult since I want to make the most bare basic chest plate but I guess it is way harder if everyone says it, thanks for the tips
as everyone else has said, you technically only need half the pattern. tear your tape strips into thinner pieces to get a more form fitting model. trace out your major panels so you know where to make the first cuts to reduce the overall size of the pattern, then make strategic cuts to flatten the pattern pieces. trace that into foam, then flip the pattern over so it's mirrored and do the same. when assembling, use slightly bevelled edges on the cuts to help really get that curve in (you don't need a full 45° angle, but slight angles will be helpful), then use a heat gun to gently work it into a smoother shape. not intending to over explain, but I do want to cover all the bases: use contact cement when attaching seams to one another. when attaching the two mirrored sides, hold them together with ductape first to see if the fit is correct. if it is too large, slice some thin slivers off the inside seam of both panels to maintain symmetry and then attach with contact cement. if it's too small, add a sliver in the middle to widen it.
Kamui cosplay has an excellent tutorial for pattern making methods, and Evil Ted has a ton of foam smithing tutorials as well. I can't remember and have not looked recently, but I'm sure he has pattern making tutorials. both of them are very informative and easy to follow.