Hello!
Here we have the Build Log for Phantom Assassin. I started making her with the intention of wearing her at a DOTA2 event in Stockholm, but didn't finish in time due to sickness and my sewing machine being a complete douche to work with. This costume doesn't have that many parts, so it's nice to show you the work that "isn't seen".
I'm not a huge fan of DOTA2 (or any MOBA for that matter) so Phantom Assassin was a reasonable choice with the Manifold Paradox set.
The way I went about this was to make a bodysuit in a fabric similar to how the final Sport Lycra would behave, and draw the design on it while wearing the mock-up suit.
Leg design
Front body design
Left arm design
After having drawn roughly the design I wanted to have, I took photos of each piece of the suit from the straightest angle I could possibly manage. This is because I can't really scan each of the pieces although that of course would have made a more accurate transfer to work on it digitally.
When everything was photographed in a way I was happy with, I started the digital work. I drew using my wacom tablet, starting out with tracing the design from the photos and then moving on to the colours.
Working on cleaning up all edges and sharpening the design
Adding gradients and then moving on to additional colours and glow
The finished file, ready to print! To get the scale correct I had the ruler (?) on in Photoshop and measured all the real-life parts of the suit and how wide the fabric would be that I printed the design on. I didn't bother to draw a design for the back as I couldn't see one on the model I viewed, and also it would be covered by the cape anyways so no need for that.
After the fabric had arrived, the "fun" began. Assembling the parts themselves wasn't particularly hard, however my sewing machine did NOT agree with stretch seams so I had to order a new pressing-foot specifically to get an even feed. If you like making bodysuits or working with super stretchy fabrics like 4-way stretch lycra I strongly recommend purchasing an Overlock sewing machine (I'm considering getting one myself at some point).
Pinning the arm together, and pinning the body together to test the fit
The finished bodysuit! I have a zipper going in the back for opening/closing.
The next part is the helmet! It's also the last part I have any photos of.
Helmet all assembled and ready for ponytail, priming and painting
The helmet, as well as the shoulderpieces and swords are made with EVA foam. For the top dome of the helmet I used triangle shapes to create the dome, and then kept building from that dome base.
Wrapping it up with the good ol' bullet points of stuff I don't have photos for:
* The swords have PVC pipe cores, flattened where the blades are glued ontop of them with no splits so the round parts that come out become the handles
* The swords are sanded with dremel to the best of my ability, hence some uneven-ness
* The swords are primed with woodglue and painted with acrylics, the handles wrapped in leather and tiny "claws" attached as pommels.
* The shoulders are made with EVA foam, primed with woodglue and painted. The cape is made with faux leather and glued into the shoulders
* The shoulder base is one single piece of EVA foam with additional foam bits glued on, and has straps going from front to back to be tied together underneath the cape
* The front swirly piece of the shoulders also serve as fastening with velcro attachments
* The ponytail on the helmet is made from hair trimmed from one long black wig
* The daggers on the hips are made from one layer EVA foam with safety pins attaching them to the bodysuit
* The shoes are painted with a turqouise paint to match the bodysuit
I think that's it as far as Phantom Assassin goes. It was a fun costume to make and i'm excited to try out more different types of designs to draw myself and then print on fabric. As it's still one of my more recent costumes I have no plans of remaking it, but I'd like to wear it some more as it's pretty simple to get in and out of.
As usual, feel free to ask any questions and head over to the dedicated page for this cosplay to see all the sweet photos!