I created the armor using very simple materials such as white posterboard, fiberglass resin, white paint, epoxy resin, a lot of time during the evenings,and patience.The only advice I can give on creating your shapes and pieces is to try and think on each piece one at a time. Get yourself some photos of the uniform and start cutting out your armor pieces to look like the real thing. It sounds hard but it really isn't. Use your measurements to size it, and allow yourself a little extra for movement.I myself started first with the chest plate, which does nothing more than drape over your back and chest.I used smaller cut out pieces (FOR THE PECTORALS) which I cut and angled by creasing, folding, etc. and then glued them into place. After you create a piece of your armor, then you can take the fiberglass resin or epoxy resin and coat the piece and allow to harden.Then paint the piece glossy white.I have personally created all 18 pieces of armor for my costume.Sure it took a while, but it was fun doing it. The more you work at it the more your imagination and creativity will take over and it will become much easier. Pay attention to detail as it will greatly improve the quality of your work. After you cut out your individual armor piece shapes use the piece as a template( by just flipping it upside down and tracing around it) to create the identical piece for the other arm,thigh,shin, etc. You should then use two or three pieces of posterboard per shape to make it very rigid and durable. Once you have either glued, or stapled around the edges, or etc. the pieces together, then use the resin(epoxy or fiberglass)to add an extra hard shell to your armor pieces. I created wonderful detail using adhesive backed foam rubber weather and stripping by cutting it into various shapes( i.e. the raised ridge running down the length, front and back of each piece of armor) and layering it to create panels on the "girdle portion". Go ahead and give it a try, you can do it! Also use black leotards and a black turtle neck for the body glove portion. You will need to take Adhesive velcro and stick it on the inside of your armor pieces and use sewable velcro of equal size to sew to your body glove.I found this is the best way to attach the armor to you. Don't forget your black gloves either.You can use some type of laceless loafer for your shoes and paint them white.I got mine at Wal-Mart. You can also use a mail tube with end caps for your rear supply tube that is attached on back waist.Get you a wide belt of some sort for your ammo belt and spray it white. Make sure you can paint it ok as with all other of your materials.You can make your ammo clips out of stacks of glued together cardboard rectangles and then attach with velcro.Use your imagination you may have better ideas than me! REMEMBER VELCRO SOLD IN BULK AT WAL-MART IS YOUR BEST TOOL FOR ATTACHING ANYTHING ON A COSTUME!!! Another, even better material to use is thin sheet plastic. As of now it doesn't exactly matter what it's from or where you get it, just as long as its flexible and can be cut out. I myself used one of those “slip and slide” type exercise mats that you can get at most Dept. stores.
