Voltron Armor Tutorial: Part Three! Calf/Shin Guards
Part three of my Voltron Paladin Armor tutorial is finally here! This part of the series will cover the shin/calf guards.
Disclaimer: I do not pattern anything out. I just measure and then use reference pictures to sketch out the design.
FOLLOW ALL SAFETY RULES! (AKA use filter mask and work in a well ventilated area, cut away from yourself, use safety gloves and glasses, etc)
Materials: 5mm craft foam, 2mm craft foam, Glossy Mod Podge (or another sealant), white Plasti-dip ( or another foam primer), heat gun, box knife (or craft knife), white and paladin color (red for Keith, etc) acrylic paint, hot glue gun and sticks, contact cement, Velcro, white zippers, plastic sheet protectors, light blue tissue paper, battery operated LED lights, marker, ruler, paint brushes, scissors, sewing measuring tape, and masking tape.
Time to Complete: 4-6 hours
Steps:
1.) Basic Measurements: This piece requires four measurements, the length of shin/calf, the circumference of the ankle, and the circumference of knee, and the width of the back of the knee.
2.) Basic Shape: The shape as a whole is very basic, the top is straight until it gets to the bottom where it will cut inwards to narrow it. The top of this piece is more complicated. The front has a “V” shape design that should cover the front of the shin, the back has a square cut out so the knee can bend (which will be divided in half).
3.) Cut out the design with a sharp box knife or craft knife. Using the heat gun, heat seal the pieces.
4.) Cut out a small piece of Velcro. Glue it to the middle of the back of the piece using contact cement or hot glue (Warning: hot glue by itself can melt in hot weather).
5.) Prime the piece with 3-5 layers of Plasti-dip or your choice of foam primer. Once that is dried, paint the entire piece white.
6.) Colored details: the top part of the shin piece is lined with the paladin’s color. Using the 2mm foam, cut out strips about 1/2-1 inch wide in the shape of the “V.”
7.) Heat seal, prime and paint these pieces with the paladin’s color (My armor is for Keith, so they are red). Glue them to the calf pieces, being careful with lining them up. Paint the top of the foam, where the details meet the big piece.
8.) Seal the entire piece with 3-5 layers of Mod Podge or your choice of sealant.
9.) Carefully, warm up the back of the piece with the heat gun and bend it to the shape of your calf.
10.) Closing: Like most pieces of this armor, they have the ability to be slipped on. Yet, if you want to make the process easier, you can add a closing to the back (I did this because it is hard to bend to put shoes on when all of the armor is on. So, I need to be able to pull these pieces over my shoes). After trying many different types of closings, I finally decided to use zippers. Get zippers that are the length of your calves (measure your calf, don’t just hold it up like I did. Mine was not long enough so I had to add a flap). Using hot glue or contact cement (or both), glue one side of the zipper to the inside of the piece. Unzip the zipper and glue it to the other side.
11.) Ankle Circles: (You will need four of these, two for each leg) The easiest ways of creating the little circle pieces that are on the bottom is to do the line method. Cut out a line about 1/4-1/2 of an inch wide and long enough to make a circle. Heat seal it and bend it into a circle. Glue the ends together. Copy the circle shape onto the 2mm foam. Cut the middle of it out, leaving about 1/4 inch rim (***Don’t glue on yet!)
12.) Light filters: Before gluing the top on, copy the circle shape onto the plastic sheet protectors and tissue paper. Sandwich the tissue paper in between the sheet protectors. Glue them to the circle piece and then glue on the top piece. Seal the sides with hot glue.
13.) Carefully, heat seal the piece. Cover the light filter with tape. Prime and then paint the piece white. Seal them with Mod Podge Glue them to the leg piece, leaving a small part of them overhanging the piece. (This will allow you to insert the LED lights.) (Note: Make sure the circle pieces are glued down firmly or light will shine through the cracks.)
14.) Cut out a strip of 2mm foam that is about 1/2-1 inch wide and long enough to wrap around the ankle. Heat seal, prime, paint, and seal the strips. Glue them down, cutting them when they reach the ankle circles.
15.) Threading LEDs: Wind half of the LED string into a circle. Insert it into one of the ankle circles.Thread the wire along the bottom to the other half, and insert the remaining lights. Thread the rest of the wire up to the top, where the battery pack will be located. Glue a small piece of Velcro to the battery pack and then to the foam. From here, you can leave the wire free hanging, or you can glue or tape it down (Make sure your switch is facing up, unlike mine).
AND you’re done!!
Sorry it took so long to get this one posted. “Hell” week and Finals week of college kicked my butt and then my internet connection quit working for a bit.
