Sylvanas on Tour

Fanart version of Sylvanas from World of Warcraft.
Original drawing by: https://twitter.com/raspbearyart

I saw this fanart on twitter and I just had to make it, even though I don’t like Sylvanas (this was before she burned down Teldrassil)

I wanted to make this as a quick, small project, so I bought a jacket and used as a base. I also wanted to have the guitar actually work, so I used a real electric guitar and modded it – it’s fully functioning!

I’ll go through my work process here – hopefully it helps you in a similar cosplay

The first thing I made was the “bra”. I know lots of people do stuff with big plastic balls etc, but for reasons I don’t – I don’t feel I get good support, nor have I found any balls the right side, nor is my chest round like a foot ball. So instead, I bought a cheap H&M bra and used as the base for my chest plate.

I cut off the straps with enough length to spare to make loops. Later I’m adding transparent straps instead.

3mm EVA foam, cosplayflex and filler on bra – the original closure is staying as it was, the foam will get some velcro. It’ll be two separate closures – one for structure, one for aesthetics.

Looots of sanding in progress…

I added the rest of the details (runes and border) with 2mm craft foam. Then I used wood glue as primer on everything (and an unfinished project sneaked into this photo).

Spray painted it black. Everything just looks so much better once it gets painted!
I airbrushed the rest of it using Createx airbrush colour.
The finished chest piece. I used a resin gem I had for the gem.
I couldn’t find a good pattern for the jacket, so I went 2nd hand shopping for one to take apart and use as a pattern, but in the end, I found one that actually worked without me taking it apart.
This is how it looked before I started.
I extended the sleeve with some pleather and then a folded up fabric sleeve. I also added a studded collar and a hood.
I made some craft foam pieces that I partially airbrushed, partially covered in pleather. These are for the shoulder pieces.
I sculpted some skulls to use as molds. The left one is for the shoulders, the right one is for the belt. I shaped Worbla’s meshed art over them (it holds up it’s own shape a bit better, because there’s a layer of mesh fabric inside it).
The finished skulls from Worbla’s meshed art, painted with acrylics.
And together with the “hat” – all done!

I really hate body paint. And I also dislike the very solid colour of normal bodysuit. So I bought some white 4-way stretch mesh fabric and dyed it blue’ish purple – it took a few tries to get the colour right. I used some ancient fabric colours my mom had in the attic. Probably as old as I am…

In the end, it worked out great! I made it like a bathing suit with long sleeves, and then bought a pair of pantyhose in a similar colour. This photo isn’t photoshopped – the bad paint and the thinness of the fabric meant that it actually looks like painted skin, since you still see my bodyshape under the suit. Here you also see the stuff I bought for the cosplay: White shorts I’ll dye (from H&M), black and white gloves (eBay), bracelet and necklace (also eBay)

I bought proper dye for the shorts – Dylon brand in the colour Violet.

Close enough in colour to the chest plate. Notice how it doesn’t dye synthetic fibres (threads)

I bought this guitar used for cheap and took it apart for painting. It was kinda nerve wrecking, since I didn’t wanna ruin it and I know nothing about guitars.

I started off by sanding it down as much as I could, so the paint would better stick to it.

Then I spray painted it with Motip purple metallic auto spray paint.

And the neck got a warm white coloured spray paint (the bits that shouldn’t be coloured are covered with tape)

I mostly put it together after spray painting. Looks pretty good already, but needs more details!

I used foamboard to get the shape of the top right. One layer on each side (purple) and then the white borders on top.

I made a piece that fits the contour on the guitar where the rib cage will go. I stitched through the Worbla’s meshed art to get the velcro to stay in place (I also glued it at the sides)

Then I got started on the “rib cage” part of it. I used thick steel wire and covered the wire with polymorph beads.

Finished before painting

Last few details were made with Worbla.

And here’s the finished guitar!

Last thing I needed to do was make the ears. I used 5mm EVA foam and shaped it with my wannabe-dremel. I made them to sit behind my ears, but it didn’t work that well, and I ended up adding hair pins and pinning them into my hair (I’m wearing a hood, so you don’t see the attachment)

Airbrushed them and made some earrings. And that was the last step!