Love this!! Can't wait to try this out on some of my cosplay ideas....it's always hard figuring out what to do with the practical stuff you need to carry when the cosplay doesn't allow for it accuracy wise. This will help so much!
Check out more of my complete builds, walkthroughs, and HD-Foam at www.SKSProps.com Also side note my Inquisitor Armor was flown to Norway and used in Linsdey Stirling's Dragon Age music video you should go check it out ua-cam.com/video/AuJnvC8voJY/v-deo.html
Yes. It’s a new video from SKS. I love how you make foam look so much like real leather. It’s amazing. Paint jobs are hands down some of the best I’ve ever seen. Love it
You did an amazing job on painting that making it look like actual leather! I've been wanting to get into foam armor for a couple of years now and I'm actually a leather worker but became vegan last year so this might be a wonderful outlet for doing leather work without the ethical concerns I now have Thanks for being awesome!
Thanks! And yeah if you get into foam so many of your techniques will transfer. A lot of my leather friends start off and make their patterns out of foam because of the similar thicknesses 👍
@@SKSProps so true.... I usually would use craft paper for my patterns but I could see that foam would be an interesting material substitute. I've actually been thinking about different ways to fasten foam... I think that using contact cement on foam dowels inserted through punched holes might act similar to a rivet which would be kind of cool.... It could have the advantage of being easier to separate and alter or repair later on... I'm used to using a lot of rivets in my work so I thought it would be cool to use them with foam as well
@@RyanPaton it's six months old, but if you use contact cement, you'd want to make sure it's wet and let it dry with the dowel inside, and I doubt it'd be removable, the bond is usually stronger than the foam
you could use some aluminum foil, crumble it up, open it, use a heat gun to heat the foam and then press the foam onto the alu foil, it will retain that texture and if done correctly, it will look exactly like leather, this method can be used in combination with normal foam, as if 2 different types of leather were used, one type for body and one for straps and braided section. It will really pop up when painted too, that foil will create a lot of different gaps that will be filled with dark paint.
Of Course I was one of the first ones to figure out this technique over 8 years ago. you can see me use it in multiple videos and builds throughout the years. especially my how to make foam look like leather video ua-cam.com/video/ZLhYJJI5Ems/v-deo.html
This looks amazing! My favorite way to make fake rivets is with paper fastener brads, then you can secure it a little bit on the other side as well since it pokes through :D
This idea was absolute genius though ngl. As a father being able to have my phone on me at a con with the only need to deglove a hand makes it more convenient compared to having to carry around a back pack that I'll have to dig into like a purse. This way I can use the bag for my con pass or tickets along with the endless souvenirs I picked up with the freedom of being able to answer if called upon by my daughter at any time. No more missed calls or forgotten texts while away. This is huge for me man.
You're welcome and yeah the braiding turned out great! Take into considerations not all foam products will give you the same results I tried several different ones. My foam being a higher density allows it to stretch more than most where I had some other brands snap
I can't believe how good the final product looks!! I don't think I'm going to need props anytime soon but it's so tempting to try making one just because!
What a great little project and helpful addition to a cosplay. You could probably make something similar for con badges. I love seeing these amazing costumes at cons every year, but then there's a bright color badge required. a little pouch with a window built in would be a great way to hide it for pictures. Have a great New Year, Steve!
Thanks Steve! Need to make some pouches for my current build and this makes it way less complicated than what I was going to originally try! Awesome tutorial!
Awesome, this'll go great with my Rising Of The Shield Hero cosplay, need to be able to hold my phone and stuff, and since this works with leather styling, this would go great for Izuku Midoriya's sleeves for his gamma suit, so glad I stumbled onto ur channel
At this point I’m exclusively distributed through Blick Art Materials which they can ship overseas but I’m sure it’s expensive. I hear poly props in the uk has ok foam not as good as mine but better than floor mats
You’re welcome. Blick can ship overseas but I’m afraid the costs would be high. For overseas foam check out poly props or Lumins workshop. Not quite as good as mine but better than floor mats
Great job on the pouch! Looks so awesome. Does the paint crack a bit when you open the pouch? Cracks in the paint on this leather pouch would actually look pretty cool as real leather cracks over time.
Thank! it can crack some if you want more coat the outside with mod podge and left it dry them bend the foam back against itself and it will crack. You can then take a darker wash and it will seep down into the cracks. That is the technique I used on the later parts for my inquisitor
This was a cool tutorial Steven! I've wanted to make these before but couldn't wrap my head around it at the time, I definitely can now so thanks for the tutorial! I also liked your format for the video and was wondering if you would have any tips for someone trying to start up their own cosplay tutorial UA-cam channel. E.g. how do you balance how much depth to explain something and be both timely/useful, and how do you balance being both entertaining and educational. Thanks again!
Thanks! and it really just boils down to you making a lot of videos and finding your rhythm. my early videos were...not good..but I feel that I'm getting better with every build being able to pick out the parts that will show the viewer just what I'm trying to convey.
This tutorial is JUST what I've been looking for, thank you! I'm trying to make a functional hip bag for my cosplay which I need to strong enough to hold 1-2 phones, 1-2 small bottles of water, a pack of business cards and maybe a small emergency make-up kit. Do you think this design could be replicated in a slightly larger style for this, and will the foam be strong enough to hold the weight of those items?
Steve. I’m looking to buy power tools for foamsmithing. I’m looking to buy a scroll saw, Band saw, and drill press. Any recommendation on which I should buy first. Just ordered more of your foam. I love this stuff.
definitely a bandsaw for foamsmithing I use my bandsaw waayyy more than the other two. You're prob going to need to buy a new blade I just bought a foam blade from mcmastercarr . haven't had a chance to try it yet but hopefully will soon.
HD-Foam is eva foam but of a higher quality so it cuts and sands smoother and is easier to manipulate. also because of its higher density the surface takes paint better and wont dull your blades near as fast
@@SKSProps okay so i watched the video, where would you say would be a good place to do it as there are only small ish rooms in the house i live if. would doing it outside be safe?
Hey brother so I have a challenge for you because I’ve called a few custom leather places and they pissed me off with their “movie magic” comments. He said “ your knuckles would have to drag the ground for your arms to be long enough to pull a sword from a back sheath” is there someway we can prove him wrong? I have a burning desire to wear my two swords on my back and have it be functional.
Dude... phone case is getting added to the Batman utility belt for sure.
Love this!! Can't wait to try this out on some of my cosplay ideas....it's always hard figuring out what to do with the practical stuff you need to carry when the cosplay doesn't allow for it accuracy wise. This will help so much!
Thanks and you’re welcome!
I love how you are able to convey such clear and detailed instruction and yet keep the videos short. Honestly, some of the best tutorials on youtube.
Thank You! It has definitely been a learning process but I am hopefully getting better each video!
I’ve been using this tutorial to make Valkyrie winged headpiece and they’ve turned out excellent!! Thank you!
Check out more of my complete builds, walkthroughs, and HD-Foam at www.SKSProps.com
Also side note my Inquisitor Armor was flown to Norway and used in Linsdey Stirling's Dragon Age music video you should go check it out ua-cam.com/video/AuJnvC8voJY/v-deo.html
I'm glad that you don't waste time trying to explain the background of the piece you are making. Most videos are just too much talk. Great idea
Thanks
Yes. It’s a new video from SKS. I love how you make foam look so much like real leather. It’s amazing. Paint jobs are hands down some of the best I’ve ever seen. Love it
Thanks Michael! It's all about the techniques and practicing hopefully my videos will inspire others to pick up a brush and try it for themselves 👍
You did an amazing job on painting that making it look like actual leather! I've been wanting to get into foam armor for a couple of years now and I'm actually a leather worker but became vegan last year so this might be a wonderful outlet for doing leather work without the ethical concerns I now have
Thanks for being awesome!
Thanks! And yeah if you get into foam so many of your techniques will transfer. A lot of my leather friends start off and make their patterns out of foam because of the similar thicknesses 👍
@@SKSProps so true.... I usually would use craft paper for my patterns but I could see that foam would be an interesting material substitute.
I've actually been thinking about different ways to fasten foam... I think that using contact cement on foam dowels inserted through punched holes might act similar to a rivet which would be kind of cool.... It could have the advantage of being easier to separate and alter or repair later on... I'm used to using a lot of rivets in my work so I thought it would be cool to use them with foam as well
@@RyanPaton it's six months old, but if you use contact cement, you'd want to make sure it's wet and let it dry with the dowel inside, and I doubt it'd be removable, the bond is usually stronger than the foam
Burnt sienna is such a life saver. I think that's the color I use the most in all my cosplays haha.
I know right isn't it the best!
Just love how much like leather this looks. You are a wizard sir!
Nah it’s just a bunch of silly tricks and nonsense 😉
you could use some aluminum foil, crumble it up, open it, use a heat gun to heat the foam and then press the foam onto the alu foil, it will retain that texture and if done correctly, it will look exactly like leather, this method can be used in combination with normal foam, as if 2 different types of leather were used, one type for body and one for straps and braided section. It will really pop up when painted too, that foil will create a lot of different gaps that will be filled with dark paint.
Of Course I was one of the first ones to figure out this technique over 8 years ago. you can see me use it in multiple videos and builds throughout the years. especially my how to make foam look like leather video ua-cam.com/video/ZLhYJJI5Ems/v-deo.html
This looks amazing! My favorite way to make fake rivets is with paper fastener brads, then you can secure it a little bit on the other side as well since it pokes through :D
Adding my own futuristic look to this idea for my power ranger belt.
This idea was absolute genius though ngl. As a father being able to have my phone on me at a con with the only need to deglove a hand makes it more convenient compared to having to carry around a back pack that I'll have to dig into like a purse. This way I can use the bag for my con pass or tickets along with the endless souvenirs I picked up with the freedom of being able to answer if called upon by my daughter at any time. No more missed calls or forgotten texts while away. This is huge for me man.
Also, thank you for such a detailed and helpful painting tutorial
Obsessed with the braiding on this! Definitely want to find a way to use this in my next build. Thanks for the great content :D
You're welcome and yeah the braiding turned out great! Take into considerations not all foam products will give you the same results I tried several different ones. My foam being a higher density allows it to stretch more than most where I had some other brands snap
This is your niche. Fantastic work!
Thanks! Never thought I’d be a foamsmith when I grew up but here we are 😊
Hold up hold up we're just gonna blow past that full Inquisition look? I LOVE IT
Thank you very much!
@@SKSProps love that game. I'm slowly putting together a Cassandra outfit and I'm very glad she's got pouches and pockets everywhere
I can't believe how good the final product looks!! I don't think I'm going to need props anytime soon but it's so tempting to try making one just because!
Thanks! Fun quick little project could definitely make a post apocalyptic one for everyday use 👍
@@SKSProps very true! It's all about applying the method to what you want to make I guess.
What a great little project and helpful addition to a cosplay. You could probably make something similar for con badges. I love seeing these amazing costumes at cons every year, but then there's a bright color badge required. a little pouch with a window built in would be a great way to hide it for pictures. Have a great New Year, Steve!
Thanks! and yeah that would be cool to make a badge keeper too 👍
Thank you for this video:) it can be modified for so many costumes!
You're welcome! and aren't those the best types of techniques!
Thanks Steve! Need to make some pouches for my current build and this makes it way less complicated than what I was going to originally try! Awesome tutorial!
You're welcome! I'm glad I could help!
Awesome, this'll go great with my Rising Of The Shield Hero cosplay, need to be able to hold my phone and stuff, and since this works with leather styling, this would go great for Izuku Midoriya's sleeves for his gamma suit, so glad I stumbled onto ur channel
u are the best man
Thanks! 👍
I might incorporate something like this into my Skyrim cosplay, thank you good sir
Fantastic! Glad I could help 👍
Wow that looks really convincing. Pretty close to the real ones I've got from Ren Faires.
Thank you very much!
So simple, so practical, so cool.
Thanks!
Serious mad skills!
Thank you very much!
Great video, Steve!
Thanks! Manda!
For cosplay? I'd use it to carry around my phone on a daily basis cuz it fits my fantasy traveler aesthetic.
🙌🙌
This is so impressive! Nice work
Thank you very much!
always love your paint job. looks damn beautiful!
Thank You!
I love it. So useful
Thank You very much!
Fantastic, I'm going to have to try this. Any plans to ship/distribute your brand of HD to the UK??
At this point I’m exclusively distributed through Blick Art Materials which they can ship overseas but I’m sure it’s expensive. I hear poly props in the uk has ok foam not as good as mine but better than floor mats
Very helpful, thank you. Do you ship to Austria?
You’re welcome. Blick can ship overseas but I’m afraid the costs would be high. For overseas foam check out poly props or Lumins workshop. Not quite as good as mine but better than floor mats
have you tried just making this in leather? other than had braided edges the work time would be close.
Great job on the pouch! Looks so awesome. Does the paint crack a bit when you open the pouch? Cracks in the paint on this leather pouch would actually look pretty cool as real leather cracks over time.
Thank! it can crack some if you want more coat the outside with mod podge and left it dry them bend the foam back against itself and it will crack. You can then take a darker wash and it will seep down into the cracks. That is the technique I used on the later parts for my inquisitor
@@SKSProps that’s a great method. Thanks!
This was a cool tutorial Steven! I've wanted to make these before but couldn't wrap my head around it at the time, I definitely can now so thanks for the tutorial! I also liked your format for the video and was wondering if you would have any tips for someone trying to start up their own cosplay tutorial UA-cam channel. E.g. how do you balance how much depth to explain something and be both timely/useful, and how do you balance being both entertaining and educational. Thanks again!
Thanks! and it really just boils down to you making a lot of videos and finding your rhythm. my early videos were...not good..but I feel that I'm getting better with every build being able to pick out the parts that will show the viewer just what I'm trying to convey.
This tutorial is JUST what I've been looking for, thank you! I'm trying to make a functional hip bag for my cosplay which I need to strong enough to hold 1-2 phones, 1-2 small bottles of water, a pack of business cards and maybe a small emergency make-up kit. Do you think this design could be replicated in a slightly larger style for this, and will the foam be strong enough to hold the weight of those items?
Yep I made a book for my tech priest in a similar manner to hold my wallet, cards, and flask
@@SKSProps Amazing, thanks for replying! I will get crafting! :D
Can you create a falcon costume
How did you keep the magnets in place? Just glue?
yep, specifically Bob Smith super glue
Steve. I’m looking to buy power tools for foamsmithing. I’m looking to buy a scroll saw, Band saw, and drill press. Any recommendation on which I should buy first. Just ordered more of your foam. I love this stuff.
definitely a bandsaw for foamsmithing I use my bandsaw waayyy more than the other two. You're prob going to need to buy a new blade I just bought a foam blade from mcmastercarr . haven't had a chance to try it yet but hopefully will soon.
smart
Thanks! 🙌
2 years latter and i was wondering if EVA foam would work as a substitute to HD-Foam?
HD-Foam is eva foam but of a higher quality so it cuts and sands smoother and is easier to manipulate. also because of its higher density the surface takes paint better and wont dull your blades near as fast
@@SKSProps ah i see, thank you very much
@@SKSProps also, what would you recommend as a substitute for the rotary tool Dremel?
@@dragonmasterdavi5556 watch the review video I did on the wen years ago
@@SKSProps okay so i watched the video, where would you say would be a good place to do it as there are only small ish rooms in the house i live if. would doing it outside be safe?
what's the longevity of this foam?
HD-Foam doesn’t have a shelf life. It’s also not like foam latex it doesn’t degrade
Hey brother so I have a challenge for you because I’ve called a few custom leather places and they pissed me off with their “movie magic” comments. He said “ your knuckles would have to drag the ground for your arms to be long enough to pull a sword from a back sheath” is there someway we can prove him wrong? I have a burning desire to wear my two swords on my back and have it be functional.
I watch a bunch of this guys videos on old armor and weapons
m.ua-cam.com/video/0EWi2DnDoaI/v-deo.html