[Cosplay Help?] Germania

[seraphoftales.livejournal.com]

Terribly sorry for spamming the comm, but I need an honest opinion. I'm trying to create a Germania cosplay. However, I don't really know what material I should use for the torso-armor thing he's got going on. It's armor right? Or is it leather? The color varies from picture to picture so I can never tell.


For reference here's a picture





 

Has anyone around here ever cosplayed Germania?
 

Comments

[8bit-oj.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...in my inexpert opinion, I'd guess that it was leather. I have no idea how you'd replicate it, though. Sorry!

[seraphoftales.livejournal.com]

I thought so too XD

[marquis25.livejournal.com]

*Historical fashion nerd madly dashes to books and frantically flips through them only to find nothing...*
...Okay that was disappointing.

Judging by the shine on the chest plate and hands and the way the chest plate is worn, I'd guess that they're metal. It looks to me like on his arms he has vambraces, shin-guards for arms, (http://www.whiteroseapparel.com/ridged-vambrace.jpg) and gauntlets with leather gloves underneath (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Gantelets.jpg). The chest plate appears to be a layered metal chest plate, but I'm not sure how you'd make that... Maybe find a close costume chest plate in a store and paint it? Sorry I couldn't be of actual help.

[seraphoftales.livejournal.com]

-hooray for historical fashion nerds~-

If it was metal, I was just gonna cut out plastic strips, then set them side by side, overlaying them... you know?

But then I looked at the color and I thought, I dont think I've ever seen metal with that coloring. It's kinda dull. And green....

[marquis25.livejournal.com]

The top one looks a dull bronze color, and considering the time period I believe this would be appropriate. I'm not sure though, this is a definite gap in my knowledge.

I did a bit more poking around and I found something that might be interesting. http://www.myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?p=92002 Interestingly enough it rusts green.

[seraphoftales.livejournal.com]

Hetalia's uniforms at times baffle me. I've always wondered where Himaruya gets his uniforms from.

That link. Is totally amazing. *-*

You're officially my hero!

[marquis25.livejournal.com]

Shop for breastplates: http://elads.biz/leatherarmorbreastplate.html
Tutorial for lamellar breastplate: http://board.belegarth.com/viewtopic.php?t=23409

[seraphoftales.livejournal.com]

OH WOW. That would look so cool!

You are just a wealth of information!

I think I got a picture of what I pan to do now. You've been a great help!

[marquis25.livejournal.com]

Glad I could help!

[seraphoftales.livejournal.com]

OH sorry, and I forgot to say:

Thank you for such informative help though!

[nekogirl-beth16.livejournal.com]

Historically speaking it would be armour- but leather. Metalworking wasn't prevalent among the Germanic tribes of that time-period, so metal is highly unlikely. My guess is leather.

[vilemuse.livejournal.com]

I THINK it's leather. I'd use craft foam armour. Here ( http://www.entropyhouse.com/penwiper/costumes/helmsdeep.html ) is a good over all tutorial, although it focus on metal. Also this site ( http://amethyst-angel.com/armormaking.html ) covers a lot. To see fake leather in particular, try looking for the leather tutorial or Eomer's costume gallery here. ( http://www.jedielfqueen.com/ )


Good luck!