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Make: Props and Costume Armor: Create Realistic Science Fiction & Fantasy Weapons, Armor, and Accessories
Have you been trying to think of a way to conquer your local comic convention through cosplay? Do you gaze with envious eyes upon the fan-made suits of armored awesomeness strolling around every year on Halloween? Do you have a spot on your wall, bookshelf, or desk that desperately needs to be filled with a screen-accurate replica of your favorite science-fiction or fantasy weapon? If so, look no further. We've got just the book for you!
In this book, master prop maker Shawn Thorsson uses his unique blend of humor and insight to turn years of painful experience into detailed explanations. He'll show you many of the tools, methods, and processes that you can use to create professional-looking science fiction and fantasy props and armor. The ultimate collision of creative imagination and practical maker skills, making props and costume armor involves sculpting, molding, casting, 3D printing, CNC fabrication, painting, and countless other techniques and technologies.
In this book, you'll
In this book, master prop maker Shawn Thorsson uses his unique blend of humor and insight to turn years of painful experience into detailed explanations. He'll show you many of the tools, methods, and processes that you can use to create professional-looking science fiction and fantasy props and armor. The ultimate collision of creative imagination and practical maker skills, making props and costume armor involves sculpting, molding, casting, 3D printing, CNC fabrication, painting, and countless other techniques and technologies.
In this book, you'll
296 pages, Paperback
First published February 25, 2016
35 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 20, 2017
Are you ever called upon to make stage armor? Perhaps you just have an interest in learning more about the subject, or perhaps you want to dress up like Iron Man at some point in the future. Regardless, get your hands on a copy of the new title from Maker Media, Make: Props and Costume Armor by Shawn Thorsson. It's a must-own reference manual on a whole host of materials, methods, and techniques for creating such things.
The book is written in an accessible, knowledgable way that demystifies a complex and often daunting area of costume production--the full color photographs are often helpful but occasionally hilarious (like the shot of an unfortunate housefly which got stuck in mold medium). Thorsson has aimed the book at primarily a cosplay readership, but the practical concerns of the cosplayer are the same as those of the theatrical costume artist: cost, time, quality, weight, mobility, etc. And, while i've purchased self-published books on these sorts of topics written by cosplay authors, the probably from a professional's perspective with a self-published text is the potential lack of vetting of the methods/media described within for accurate industrial health and safety practices. This book has clearly been edited by an IHS professional for proper practice and PPE recommendations.
Thorsson divides his book into five sections: Prototypes and One-Offs, Molding and Casting, Vacuum Forming, Painting and Weathering, and Bringing It All Together. He covers everything from the tools and materials you'll need for various processes, through several how-to sections, up to and including movement tips for wearers of costume armor. In fact, I have to give big ups to this book for actually tackling the question of how to assemble armor in such a way that the wearer can conveniently answer the call of nature. The topics and illustrative projects range from the very simple to the extremely complex, so whatever your skill level and experience coming to the book, there's something new to see.
I'm particularly gratified to note that the book contains sections on the application of digital technologies--from using Pepakura software to create faceted printable PDF patterns, to 3D printing and CNC carving of armor and prop shapes. This is an area of production which is only going to increase in importance--we've been 3D printing costume elements at PlayMakers Repertory Company for over two years at this point, and we had a show with ten Pepakura-style masks in it last season.
My one tiny quibble pertains to the section on straps, specifically leather strap construction methods to which Thorsson only makes passing reference. Due to my time spent working at a high-end custom leather shop, i'm a bit of a strap snob, as one might surmise by my La Bricoleuse blog post on the various means of making strong but beautiful leather strapwork. But this is such a minimal grouse about the book that it makes no impact on my wholehearted, unreserved recommendation of this title. At only $30 for a copy, it feels like a steal.
This review initially written for La Bricoleuse costume crafts artisanship blog.
The book is written in an accessible, knowledgable way that demystifies a complex and often daunting area of costume production--the full color photographs are often helpful but occasionally hilarious (like the shot of an unfortunate housefly which got stuck in mold medium). Thorsson has aimed the book at primarily a cosplay readership, but the practical concerns of the cosplayer are the same as those of the theatrical costume artist: cost, time, quality, weight, mobility, etc. And, while i've purchased self-published books on these sorts of topics written by cosplay authors, the probably from a professional's perspective with a self-published text is the potential lack of vetting of the methods/media described within for accurate industrial health and safety practices. This book has clearly been edited by an IHS professional for proper practice and PPE recommendations.
Thorsson divides his book into five sections: Prototypes and One-Offs, Molding and Casting, Vacuum Forming, Painting and Weathering, and Bringing It All Together. He covers everything from the tools and materials you'll need for various processes, through several how-to sections, up to and including movement tips for wearers of costume armor. In fact, I have to give big ups to this book for actually tackling the question of how to assemble armor in such a way that the wearer can conveniently answer the call of nature. The topics and illustrative projects range from the very simple to the extremely complex, so whatever your skill level and experience coming to the book, there's something new to see.
I'm particularly gratified to note that the book contains sections on the application of digital technologies--from using Pepakura software to create faceted printable PDF patterns, to 3D printing and CNC carving of armor and prop shapes. This is an area of production which is only going to increase in importance--we've been 3D printing costume elements at PlayMakers Repertory Company for over two years at this point, and we had a show with ten Pepakura-style masks in it last season.
My one tiny quibble pertains to the section on straps, specifically leather strap construction methods to which Thorsson only makes passing reference. Due to my time spent working at a high-end custom leather shop, i'm a bit of a strap snob, as one might surmise by my La Bricoleuse blog post on the various means of making strong but beautiful leather strapwork. But this is such a minimal grouse about the book that it makes no impact on my wholehearted, unreserved recommendation of this title. At only $30 for a copy, it feels like a steal.
This review initially written for La Bricoleuse costume crafts artisanship blog.
September 8, 2017
One of the best books on Cosplay and costumes I've ever seen. It's funny, extremely informative and even has great tips for after the costume is made. It goes over several different prop and costume making materials and techniques, and makes is clear how you can apply that to other items you may be making. It's meant for beginners, but doesn't assume that they're stupid. I loved this book!
October 17, 2018
Gonna preface this by saying: at least part of the rating I gave this book was not its fault. I was looking for information on how to make and customize *doll* armour, and this book is mostly about how to make and customize *human* armour. The scales, materials, and methods are often very different. So this book was not very helpful for *me*, personally, and that tarnished my enjoyment of it a little bit.
But the main reason I gave this book three stars is that the *tone* and *style* it's written in is pretty much... you know That Guy in your old tabletop group who would constantly hit on every single female member in increasingly groady ways until they left? This book just... it may not have been *written* by That Guy, but it assumes *you* are That Guy, or at least something close. There's a squinch of blue humour that's hit-or-miss for me, but the section that really cemented that was the section on how to make fitted boobplate ... that assumes you're a dude... and makes a couple uncomfortable jokes at the expense of the woman you're fitting it on.
Like... look, in this day and age? There's at least a 50/50 chance that someone who wants to learn how to make a fitted boobplate is a *woman*. I don't know what the gender balance is in the cosplay ~community~, but most of the really dedicated cosplayers I know are women. And it's an unfortunate fact that a lot of Cool Strong Female Characters also wear boobplate. So if you want to cosplay some of Wondy's more modern designs, or She-Ra, or any number of other things... yeahhhhh.
That being said, I couldn't give this less than three stars, because some of the technique advice was really useful even at the scale I'm working at. Would not read this again, but don't entirely regret my time with it.
But the main reason I gave this book three stars is that the *tone* and *style* it's written in is pretty much... you know That Guy in your old tabletop group who would constantly hit on every single female member in increasingly groady ways until they left? This book just... it may not have been *written* by That Guy, but it assumes *you* are That Guy, or at least something close. There's a squinch of blue humour that's hit-or-miss for me, but the section that really cemented that was the section on how to make fitted boobplate ... that assumes you're a dude... and makes a couple uncomfortable jokes at the expense of the woman you're fitting it on.
Like... look, in this day and age? There's at least a 50/50 chance that someone who wants to learn how to make a fitted boobplate is a *woman*. I don't know what the gender balance is in the cosplay ~community~, but most of the really dedicated cosplayers I know are women. And it's an unfortunate fact that a lot of Cool Strong Female Characters also wear boobplate. So if you want to cosplay some of Wondy's more modern designs, or She-Ra, or any number of other things... yeahhhhh.
That being said, I couldn't give this less than three stars, because some of the technique advice was really useful even at the scale I'm working at. Would not read this again, but don't entirely regret my time with it.
January 30, 2018
This is a beautifully laid out book with great pictures and a fun attitude. It’s aimed at people getting into armor and prop making and is honestly a superb resource as it teaches you to layer and how to build up to things. Though for the first project to be wood seems a bit hardcore and I wish they would have started with a more accessible media like foam instead of making that the third section. The safety warnings and well done step by step pictures are great though.
The section on pepakura is also accessible but would benefit from a slightly easier starting project to put between the cube and the helmet and also offering other finishing techniques than just fiberglass resin and bondo. The section on foam suffers a similar problem in that there’s one way they really push, contact cement and hot glue are both presented as adhesives but hot glue is only talked of in a negative manner when in reality it has it’s uses.
The sections on casting and creating molds, painting, weathering and vacuforming are particularly well done though in the case of vacuforming it should have a big disclaimer to never use an oven which you actually cook food in.
9/10: An incredibly good book on props and armor, the only reason it loses a point is for a major safety issue (never cook your plastic in a food oven!) and that it doesn’t mention thermoplastics however the thermoplastics part can be it’s own book so that might be part of why it was left out. This is definitely a good part of a core collection for any cosplay library.
The section on pepakura is also accessible but would benefit from a slightly easier starting project to put between the cube and the helmet and also offering other finishing techniques than just fiberglass resin and bondo. The section on foam suffers a similar problem in that there’s one way they really push, contact cement and hot glue are both presented as adhesives but hot glue is only talked of in a negative manner when in reality it has it’s uses.
The sections on casting and creating molds, painting, weathering and vacuforming are particularly well done though in the case of vacuforming it should have a big disclaimer to never use an oven which you actually cook food in.
9/10: An incredibly good book on props and armor, the only reason it loses a point is for a major safety issue (never cook your plastic in a food oven!) and that it doesn’t mention thermoplastics however the thermoplastics part can be it’s own book so that might be part of why it was left out. This is definitely a good part of a core collection for any cosplay library.
August 1, 2022
Some good learning information here on different materials and how that all works together. Images and processes explained were highlights.
It was more into 3D design and silicone stuff than I might have liked; personally, I was interested in foam details and what adheres or how that's used, but I guess each maker to their own. There were some ideas for noobies, but not enough as an entry point. The book contained more technical acumen in terms of skills, like 3D printing.
The narrative voice was sarcastic throughout, so if you're into that could be fun.
It was more into 3D design and silicone stuff than I might have liked; personally, I was interested in foam details and what adheres or how that's used, but I guess each maker to their own. There were some ideas for noobies, but not enough as an entry point. The book contained more technical acumen in terms of skills, like 3D printing.
The narrative voice was sarcastic throughout, so if you're into that could be fun.
April 13, 2018
Absolutely full of ways to make armour and props for cosplaying your favourite character from book, film, movie or video game. And how to make them at home. Full of lots of very helpful photographs and humour as well make this book a must have for your reference library.
June 19, 2017
Read our review at https://bookthreat.com/2017/06/15/you...
August 11, 2025
Wow! Would love to have the time to make some of these. Some incredible costume projects in here. Maybe I can convince my fellow costume makers to have a project day so we can share our skills. =)
April 4, 2017
I really wanted to like this book. I love the way the instructions are written, full of jokes and such. I get the impression that the author would be great to hang out with. And the end result of all the projects is gorgeous. But the book is presented as being suitable for beginners, but the very first "starting simple" project requires a pretty serious woodshop setup including multiple power tools, and the author assumes you know how to use that equipment... This is just not a book I could get much practical use out of, much as I want to.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews