Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Evolution Of The Green Lantern Uniform

Since the early days of the comic, the Green Lantern costume has experienced some radical modifications leading into the current day movie adaptation of the story. It's these differences that have really helped to take the action hero from being a comic book character to being a super hero that any of us can relate to in a modern way. Alan Scott who was the initial Lantern from the comics had one of the more intriguing costumes of the Lanterns.

His costume was back then one of the more basic of the suits that would be known all throughout the world. A puffy red top with the green lantern emblem placed in the middle of a yellow circle made up the top half while black pants and black boots made up the lower half. There were also the gloves that had a black appearance to them, as did the mask and finally the cape. The cape was a black cape with a lining that was lime colored. This led to a lot of fans confused completely about the green lantern name, as most of the costume was black with a lot of red in it.

Hal Jordan was the next person to fill the role of the popular character; this led a lot of fans to be introduced to the more recognizable appearance of the lantern. The pants were black with a green and black top giving a more defined appearance. There were some other noticeable differences, which made the new version a lot more appealing.

The gloves being black to match the rest of the black on the costume allowed fans to see the character as more of a super hero and less than that of a cartoon character. This was one of the biggest concerns that the comic book community had and expressed. It would not be until Guy Gardner that the suit would see more changes.

Guy Gardner would be selected as the next individual to fill in the suit. This led to many noticeable changes that were apparent in the overall appearance of the uniform. One of the most notable of these was the fact that the suit had a more futuristic appearance to it and presented a more appealing image to fans of the comic.

Kyle Rayner would become the incarnation of the super hero that we know today. This is the image that is portrayed in the movie from this year. The green and black appearance has spread all over the costume and is one of the more appealing versions that have been created to date.

As the years have passed these changes have allowed the character to go from a cartoon character in comics to a full-fledged super hero. Many of the fans of the comics will agree that the early version was a god attempt, but the latest version is quite honestly one of the best around.

Taking all of this into consideration, this will leave a fan of the comic having a lot to digest. This on the whole is one of the reasons why the movie has been a success in the fact that the latest version has been more widely accepted than the previous versions.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Build Your Own Sucker Punch Babydoll Costume

The design of a costume for a movie is rarely accidental. Sometimes it is merely practical. For example the main reason that Indiana Jones wore his trademark fedora was so that it would be harder for the viewing public to tell the difference between Harrison Ford and the stuntmen. Equally it is often a visual representation of the character. The Babydoll Sucker Punch costume is a good example of this.

Babydoll is one of the main characters from the Zack Synder movie Sucker Punch. Like a lot of his movies it has a distinct visual style. This is certainly the case with this character and it is one that will certainly draw a lot of attention.

There are numerous changes in the movie, reflecting the fact that the main characters are trapped in an asylum. The movie takes place in various planes of reality, something often reflected in the visuals. The costumes are no exception to this and seem to represent the duality of the characters.

First of all there are the pigtails. They are often a symbol of a childish character. The effect with Baby Doll is similar to Britney Spears in the Hit Me Baby One More Time video, where there is an uncomfortable clash between what appears to be innocent and somehow subversive at the same time. It is up to you whether you wish to dye them blond for the sake of authenticity or simply have the hairstyle as a close approximation.

This is then equally matched with the navy Japanese style schoolgirl uniform. These are often available via internet auction sites and other online stores. They frequently appear in Japanese anime and again there is this somewhat awkward relationship between the innocent and the adult.

Fortunately with this costume the thigh high stockings remove any potential ambiguity and firmly show that this is designed for adults. From the earliest film noirs right these have been a symbol of the femme fatale. More recently musicals such as Moulin Rouge and Chicago have coincided with a revival in the idea of the burlesque, something that forms the backdrop of the fantasy world of the main character. In the context of the movie it seems to suggest someone who is becoming more confident in themselves and is not afraid to show it.

Finally there is a crucial detail that will mark out your costume as being authentic. Babydoll in the movie has a bandaged right hand. This is a relatively simple part and bandages are cheap and readily available. However it is worth looking online for images if you are looking to accurately capture her look.

That being said your Sucker Punch Babydoll costume does not necessarily have to be 100% accurate. It is also worth watching the movie as there are a number of different costumes that she wears throughout the movie. It is also worth doing an image search in a search engine in order to get some inspiration to make it your own.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Excellent Suggestions For Creating A Thor Movie Halloween Costume

If you are looking for a Halloween costume idea, you could choose a Thor costume. The film has a number of exciting characters to choose from. It also has a wide range of truly awesome costumes that will be good for parties, school events and competitions.

Thor

Of course, the principal character is Thor himself. He wears a suit of armor with his signature red cloak and also his hammer. The red cloak can be made from any piece of fabric but it should not be too bflighty, nor too heavy to weigh down the wearer. You can choose to die some cloth or buy the appropriate colour. The hammer is easily made from a block of polystyrene attached to a kitchen towel tube. It should then be painted appropriately.

Thor's armor can be made from cardboard. Cut out the shapes and stick them together with some strong glue and some twine. Cardboard boxes of the type used for large appliance packaging will be the most suitable. Once you have achieved the desirable armor design, you can paint the finished product with a thick latex based paint which you will mix from black and white to get a dark grey. Paint normally used for railings will suffice.

Heimdall

Heimdall is the fearsome but loyal gate keeper in the movie. His costume is among the most spectacular of all. He wears a great horned Viking mask. The mask along with the armor he wears appears to be of solid gold. You can try to achieve a similar effect by combining the use of polystyrene with cardboard and wood. Metallic car paint is what you will need to produce the golden finish.

Frost Giants of Jotunheim

The key characteristics of the Frost Giants in the film are the faces. They are created to depict the frozen wastelands from which they originate. Their faces are contoured and textured and you could try to achieve this in a choice of two ways. First might be with the use of heavy makeup. Thick layers of grey and white stage paint should do the trick. You could also use stage paste applied to the skin and then cover with patches of white tissue paper to achieve a frozen scaly effect. The red eyes can be approximated with some small round spectacles with semi transparent plastic lenses which you can make yourself.

If you want to use your Frost Giant costume more than once then you can apply the effects to a mask rather than directly to the skin. Try using papier mache which can be moulded to get the contoured texture you will need to look authentic. After you have achieved this, paint the finished mask in a greyish or white paint.

The Destroyer

The more adventurous designer may want to attempt recreating the Destroyer. However this is not a task for the feint hearted and will require hours of painstaking work. However, the finished results should be quite spectacular. For the best outcome pieces of old leather stitched together are highly recommended. Look for scraps at recycling plants or leather repair shops. You will need a cardboard or plywood box for the head with the eye section cut away and filled with colored plastic.

Warrior Princess - Sif

If you are looking for a female Thor movie Halloween costume to make then one of the best choices is probably that of Sif. In the movie her costume is mainly robes which are easy enough to recreate with yards of cloth. You can make the armored shoulder pads she wears out of cuts of stiff paper or cardboard and then color them with paint.

The Best Kids Halloween Costumes

Halloween is just around the corner and now is the time to start thinking about Halloween costumes for kids. It does not have to cost very much for you to put together an outfit for your child, all you need is some imagination.

For girls you could try a variety of different outfits as you could even make fairy outfits into a scary fairy for the night! If your sewing and making skills aren't up to much then start with something simple.

To make a really easy ghosts costume for either a boy or girl, cut down a sheet so they don't trip over it, make a hole in the centre for heads to go through and let them loose on the face paint!

To change this simple outfit into a more sophisticated get up for older children, you will be able to buy things such as Dracula's teeth, witch's hats and broomsticks, and bats wings from local shops and stores for very little money.

Entire outfits can sometimes be bought for very little money from large food stores, but these tend to sell quite quickly so be sure to be fast when looking to buy one to avoid your little one being disappointed.

Boys like anything that is gory and horrific, so use an abundance of gory face paints and fake blood capsules, and break them on their old clothes. Cut up unused items of their clothes and rub a bit of dirt in. You can buy plastic sheet capes for a minimal amount of money, which can be used again and again.

Letting older children paint their own face with a little bit of guidance from you would add to the fun and excitement for them. In many toy shops you can buy additional small items like pretend spiders, cobwebs and fake blood to make kids costumes more realistic.

The author David Lawson writes about ideas and recommendations about kids Halloween costumes and other Halloween topics at Shop Compare Costumes. Check out his Halloween costume price comparison web site for more about cheap costumes.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Captain America Costume - How To Make Your Own

Even with decommissioning by Marvel comics the legend of Captain America endures. For centuries human beings have been fans of comics and Captain America was a hero by vocation. Product sales have sky rocketed with every comic fan purchasing a part that represents the ideal personality in marvel comics. Forthcoming comics are interesting but none has arrived at the level of Captain America. As a result of this drive to own a piece of the legendary super hero the following is the easiest course of action to create a Captain America costume on your own.

The Shirt
Because of the two color schemes the shirt remains a two part job. Find a blue long sleeve shirt among your older clothes. You'll need a pair of scissors for this following task. Put on the shirt to verify its size. Mark the length only a couple inches under your rib cage. After that cut off cloth under that. This will establish a space for the red and white striped section of the costume.

Pick out a white colored t-shirt that is moderately slim fitting to your body. A plain white under shirt can be used well here. Don it beneath the customized blue shirt. Before you grab a ruler to take some measurements, check out the look in your mirror. At this point cut out some red strips of cotton material approximately 3 inches wide and one foot long. These strips of red ought to be the corresponding length as the uncovered white part over the waist, with a little left to stretch beneath the blue shirt.

Glue or tape the red-colored-colored strips towards the white-colored shirt to represent the red-colored-colored color stripes concerning the national flag. The white-colored stripes needs to be roughly 2 inch thick giving one last flag impression flag. Eliminate two red-colored-colored stripes and stick them within the white-colored sleeves. A sizable star concerning the blue top should finish the shirt design. Double check for mistakes in sewing.
The Pants and Footwear
Any pair of blue pants that fit relatively snugly can be put to use for this section. You could opt for sweat pants, blue jeans, or blue cargo pants. You're going to be tucking the ends of them in your boots in any case. You can use high-top brownish boots to complete the style. If you want more of the comic-book look as opposed to the movie, you will have to fashion a couple of red boot covers out of plastic or red cloth.

The Helmet
Captain America is known for donning either a helmet or mask with the letter "A" on the forehead area. You can fashion a realistic alternative out of either a blue ski mask or knit cap. Just tape or glue a white "A" on the front and you have the look.

Shield
Use a plastic snow disc to make an improvised shield. You can spray paint the red, white and blue bands on the front of the shield. Bear in mind the middle of the shield is a white five-sided star within a blue circle. If a snow disc isn't available you can use a normal bucket lid as an alternative. Ensure the lids are clean for the paint job. You can utilize surplus door handles or pieces of rope mounted to the back of the shield in order to carry it.

Test the out fit for clearer results. Compliment the costume look getting a red-colored-colored group of extended socks as well as the helmet. This is the entire look of captain America to suit your needs. Purchase wall papers and comics to determine. Accomplish this inside the full attire to incorporate thrill for the fun.
David Lawson has been writing about Captain America Costume and other costume ideas since 2007. Be sure to check out his cheap halloween costumes search engine.