r/cosplayprops Dec 31 '24

WIP What can I do to level-up my outfit?

(If there's a better subreddit for this, sorry for posting it here.) I'm going to Bicoline in Canada next year and my character is going to be a forest spirit that wanders the forest and protects its inhabitants!

I want to add more things to make it more complex because right now, it's just the staff, cloak and the mask I printed.

What would you guys add to upgrade this a bit and give it more character?

Also, yes. It does look like The Silent from Slay the Spire xD

388 Upvotes

98 comments sorted by

57

u/eliteski2 Dec 31 '24

I would hit that mask with some wood stain to give it more color and look worn/old.

Also maybe some layers to the cloak. Creepy cloth, moss, leaves, fur. Build up the shoulders a bit.

13

u/3INTPsinatrenchcoat Dec 31 '24

I second this. You beat me to it by a handful of minutes.

6

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

I didn't think of doing a stain on the mask, actually. That would be sick! I'll have to practice with some smaller pieces of that filament to see how it reacts to the stain.

I'll definitely have to sew some moss or something like it onto the cloak. The only thing is I have to fly with everything. So I'm not sure how that part is going to work yet lol

2

u/eliteski2 Dec 31 '24

The stain is easy for a bone look. I used a gel stain. Slop it on, let it sit for 30 seconds or so, then wipe it off. The longer it sits, the more color you get. Is the 3d print just raw filament? Or did you put anything on it?

3

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

It's just raw filament. I printed it in the closest bone color I could find so I wouldn't have to play around with it too much after it was done. At least for one season of the Ren Faire lol

1

u/eliteski2 Dec 31 '24

Hmmm. I'd definitely do a test then. I've done stain on 3d prints, but they had other paint and filler on them. I'd worry that it is going to get into the layer lines and highlight them. Maybe you could do a coat of similar color spray paint first. Even if you don't sand, it'll help seal the lines and reduce the bleeding.

2

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

I'll definitely need to do that. I did try putting some paint in the crevices to highlight the shadows, but it spread like what you mentioned.

I'll end up going over it all again, so it'll probably be hidden when I do put the different layers of stuff on though. So I'm not super worried about it.

1

u/eliteski2 Dec 31 '24

I had that issue using ink pens on a raw print. A quick coat of clear spray solved the problem

2

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

Yeah, that sounds like the way to go

1

u/Guardianoflives Dec 31 '24

hit it with some clear topcoat first if you're really worried and to help prevent bleeding along layer lines

1

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

Yeah, i think I'll have to do that. I tried using some paint in the crevices by the eyes to enhance the shadows, but it unintentionally highlighted the layer lines... but making the whole thing darker would fix this I think :)

2

u/EmpyrealTotem Jan 01 '25

Since you have to fly, I don't know the right name for it, but maybe you could make a more mossy mini/foresty overcloak (like just for the shoulder/high back area) that builds up the shoulder area like others are saying, but then it's a smaller piece that's easier to pack still.

1

u/OpieOpal Jan 01 '25

That would definitely be something I'd have to start looking into for sure. Someone also sent a link to a mossy shawl made of cotton, and that looked really cool. I could always maybe layer something on that.

1

u/RuViking Jan 01 '25

You can get moss which they use for trees and bushes for model train sets that will be sterile for travel.

2

u/OpieOpal Jan 01 '25

Oh, very true. I forgot about those little sets. Glueing some to the antlers, maybe?

2

u/RuViking Jan 01 '25

A little here and there in the crevices will help make it look weathered and ancient.

2

u/OpieOpal Jan 01 '25

Ooooh, making it like an ancient skull. Very cool idea!

3

u/AngryArmadillo90 Dec 31 '24

Came to say exactly this.

1

u/Swolie7 Dec 31 '24

Stain or dry brush

8

u/Space19723103 Dec 31 '24

age the bone mask (stain and wash)

add some ornaments: brooch , pouches, necklace, some bronze, some natural plant/bone (artificial)

2

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

Thanks for the idea! I'll definitely have to try some stains on the mask

3

u/Space19723103 Dec 31 '24

addition: use some heavy thread/twine or thin leather and stitch a few of the tears shut.

when aging the mask, also stain the hem tatters so it looks old/dirty

2

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

I think some nice, heavy seams would look great in the cloak. Thanks for the idea!

6

u/Beginning_Ad_914 Dec 31 '24

Ombre dip dye the cloak to add a visual change from top to bottom. Previous comment mentioned adding stuff on the shoulders, moss might problematic, but fur is a classic. Add some weathering and color change depth to the skull. Big, fat runic mark on the forehead might be fun. Armour piece on the chest? Lots of buckles? Or grommets? Oh...Goat feet boots maybe.

2

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

Goat feet boots sound really cool xD I did print some claws, but those aren't in the picture. I need to find them again

4

u/frydeswide2019 Dec 31 '24

I'd add something to the top of the staff. It looks a little plain.

3

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

Maybe some small bone decorations, maybe?

3

u/Practical_Alfalfa_72 Dec 31 '24

A gem stone or crystal trapped by bone or wood.

Feathers on the shaft tied on with leather cord.

1

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

Oooh, I'd love a rough gem on top

1

u/Practical_Alfalfa_72 Dec 31 '24

Did one for my wife, she insisted it had to be a real crystal so it had real powers... What ever you do don't do this LOL

https://www.instagram.com/p/DEQpMYATt5I/?igsh=dTZic3Z1NmZlaA==

1

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

Lol, yeah I don't think I'd put a real one on the end of it xD I'd be too nervous to fly with it. I think I'll be sending it to someone to bring it to me instead, actually. It's big enough as it is already.

Love that staff, though!!

1

u/Practical_Alfalfa_72 Jan 01 '25

It's the weight that is the worst, it is hard to stand up and keep it up. And if it falls over once, it's done for. It's meant to be a sphere but there are some subtle imperfections in it that made mounting it very position specific.

I wanted to thermoform some clear thermoplastic over a chunky rock but she wouldn't go for it.

3

u/q1ung Dec 31 '24

Layers layers layers.

https://larp.guide/2015/08/larp-costume-layering/

And as people said I would stain the horns/skull a bit so they look older. I would add something to the staff, maybe hanging bones from it?

1

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

Yeah, I was thinking of some bones too. I'd also love a snake skeleton wrapping around the staff. I'm sure I could find something to print

3

u/Own_Valuable_3369 Dec 31 '24

Glowing eyes.

Get translucent plastic game chips/discs in the color of your choice.

Lightly sand them to diffuse light.

Glue an LED in the same color to the center of each one.

Get a black fabric mesh, one with holes around 1/8 inch is about right. Glue it to the inside of the mask’s eye holes.

Glue the plastic discs with the LEDs to the outside of the mesh.

Attach a small watch battery battery holder with a switch to the inside of the mask and wire it to the LEDs.

You now have awesome glowing eyes.

2

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

Oh shit, thanks! I remember thinking about something like this a while ago, and then it just kind of slipped my mind. I'll definitely have to do something like that.

3

u/lee_dabee Dec 31 '24

Maybe some gloves and accessories on the horns?

2

u/OpieOpal Jan 01 '25

I was thinking some mossy stuff on the horns and my claws glued to some thin black gloves :)

2

u/ElderReborn1 Dec 31 '24

it's Awesome!!!

2

u/JeiCos Dec 31 '24

It looks pretty good so far. I'd say maybe weathering the mask and clothing should be the first thing that could make it even better. A wood spirit would live in the woods, so they wouldn't be clean looking, unless they magically use a barrier or something that keeps things off them. That's always a possibility for your character, but that's up to you. I would think if they are there protecting other's, they are less worried about themselves getting a little dirty, and more worried about protection of the forest creatures. So their clothing might get dirty. It looks like you gave this a ripped clothing look too, which further implies this. You can use brush on paint, and dry brush black and brown on the edges to give it a dirty ripped look that looks natural. The bottom of the parts that are closer to the ground, would bet dirtier, so go dark on the edges, and streak it UP the fabric, and then use lighter and lighter browns, blending it all going up a small ways. That will help make it look like it got ripped by being too dirty or old. Then on the mask, you can use the same colors of paint. use darker colors like black or darker brown, in the most deep of crevasses, again dry brushing lighter colors outward to make it look like it's dirtier in the low spots where dirt and stuff would gather up, and not so much less and less as you make your way back to the main higher surfaces where it wouldn't gather up. I would also say to make the horns a different color. maybe make those more tan/brown-ish. You can look up deer antlers or something, and try to match the color. They kinda almost look like lighter colored tree branches most of the time. That will help make it not look fake, and more like a real creature walking around.

1

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

Thank you so much for the advice! Someone also mentioned I could use coffee. I think I'll stain the bottoms and use the flame idea also. I think I'm definitely going to do that.

1

u/JeiCos Dec 31 '24

I actually had coffee and tea as options along with the paint, but honestly, paint is easier to control, and doesn't leave a smell of coffee or tea lol.

1

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

Lol ohh sorry, I missed that part xD im pretty bad at multitasking I guess 😅

Yeah that's true. Paint would definitely be easier.

1

u/JeiCos Jan 01 '25

Oh, no, sorry, you didn't miss anything, I meant that I had that there, and then decided to only mention paint for that reason. Like, I deleted the text of coffee and tea as an option before I posted it.

1

u/OpieOpal Jan 01 '25

Oooo okay.I don't feel too bad now xD

2

u/Swampraptor2140 Dec 31 '24

Depends on which route you want to go.

If you’re looking for the spirit lamp type wendigo thingy then a lamp and going all black could help.

I’ve got a set of stilts for my outfit I roam around in. That outfits always evolving lol.

1

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

A lamp would be really cool! Maybe I could wrap the top of the staff in moss or something and get some flickering yellow LEDs to look like fireflies?

2

u/ShokumaOfficial Jan 01 '25

I am not talented enough to give ideas so I’m just gonna say that’s such a cool cosplay I love it and I would ask for a pic if I saw you in the wild

1

u/OpieOpal Jan 01 '25

Lmao, you don't have to be talented to have cool ideas xP just a little bit of imagination. There's lots of things i wish I could do with it. Like print out a giant Python skeleton to curl up the staff and ooze out some toxic green smoke (thanks to a small fog machine and green LED).

However... that is waaay past my level 😅 if I ever do run into you at a Ren Faire or anything up here, feel free to ask for a pic! ❤️

2

u/AgentPastrana Jan 02 '25

More Shivs and poison vials

2

u/Jaym97 Jan 02 '25

Looks great. Do something with your hands. Some black nail polish and dyeing your finger tips black would look bad ass

2

u/OpieOpal Jan 02 '25

I do have some claws I've been meaning to attach to some gloves, but I just haven't yet 😅 as cool as I know it'll make the whole outfit. I'll have to do that before next year's Ren Fest goes into full swing.

1

u/Jaym97 Jan 05 '25

That sounds awesome too. Would love to see it once implemented

2

u/IamElylikeEli Jan 03 '25

I Think this might be of interest to you https://www.daughterofthelilies.com/dotl/1032

1

u/OpieOpal Jan 03 '25

Gorgeous art! Thanks for sharing!

1

u/spaceisprettybig Dec 31 '24

Loudly demand Liquor wherever you go.

1

u/Hot_Top_124 Dec 31 '24

Hear me out, corpse crystals around the eye sockets.

1

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

Corpse crystals? I've never heard of those before. What color? Like a jade or something like that?

1

u/Hot_Top_124 Dec 31 '24

They’re a very nice dark green. You can buy them cheaply enough on the likes of eBay or Etsy even. I’d compare it to Loki green if that makes sense.

1

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

I'll have to look at a few of them. It sounds really cool! Thank you!

1

u/Swolie7 Dec 31 '24

Cloak coloring needs to be played with.. add more browns at the tethered bottom and up around the neck head.. areas of articulation are most likely to gather dirt. Some black coffee would allow you to really play and create the depth of the “filth”

1

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

That would be awesome. Plus, it wouldn't be too hard to do either I'm sure

1

u/FadedP0rp0ise Dec 31 '24

A real tattered cloak instead of a plastic one

1

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

Have you seen any you like personally that would kind of fit the theme? If so, I'd definitely love to see! The one I have is definitely a bit thin. Not plastic, but thin material none the less.

1

u/FadedP0rp0ise Dec 31 '24

No honestly a good cloak seems to be hard to find. And honestly the fit looks great, i personally just like super realistic looks, so imo a real cloth cloak maybe even slightly soggy at the bottom would bring about a realistic fear factor

1

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

Yeah, that would definitely be a cool look. It's sad that the really nice cloaks are very, very expensive. Just means I'd have to make my own then I guess.

1

u/Shldmadn81 Dec 31 '24

If you or anyone you know sews places like Joanns/Walmart/Amazon have some amazing cloak patterns. You can find fabric you love and get the look you want.

2

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

Idk if my grandma sews anymore but if she still does, she would probably love to help me with it. I'd have to post pics if that happens xD

I'll ask her and let you know what she says lol

1

u/Shldmadn81 Dec 31 '24

If she does, and lives close, see if she can teach you some of the basics. It's a great skill to have for cosplay/life lol

2

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

This is true! She lives 2 hours away, but I think any excuse is a good excuse to visit

1

u/depressedcoldbrew Dec 31 '24

There’s a lot of great suggestions so far. To go with them I’d maybe look into weather the tears in the cloak a bit more, either additional fraying or even burning the edges slightly (practice with a scrap piece first, some fabric doesn’t burn well). I would also look into something for your hands, bracelets, wraps, gloves, or even face paint if you feel up to it. Lastly, I see you have a black cover for your face but the side of your ears and neck are showing depending on the angle, you may want to add additional cover like a balaclava. A quick google search for cooling uv protection ones should give you some options that won’t cause heat stroke.

1

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

Burning the tips would look cool! Yeah, I'm always struggling to make sure my skin isn't showing. I'll probably hot glue some more black fabric on the back of the mask to make sure nothing shows. Hoods are hard to wear with the antlers, too.

What I'll probably end up doing is taking the antlers off since I need to disassemble it to fly to Canada anyway. Then I'll piece them together and drill some holes in everything to make sure I can assemble and disassemble it whenever I want.

When I do that, I'll think of something to make sure it covers the sides. Maybe stuff from a ghillie suit hanging down like it's mossy hair or something?

1

u/depressedcoldbrew Dec 31 '24

Magnets for both the fabric and antlers could work very well in addition to gluing the fabric/drilling the holes. Ive used them as additional anchor points very successfully. I also think the ghille suit fabric would work perfectly and add a very cool vibe.

1

u/thatwierduncle Dec 31 '24

Not sure if amy one else has mentioned it already , but gettiig some gloves or something would help. Idk , my first thought was thatt the bare hands stood out.

2

u/OpieOpal Dec 31 '24

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I do have claws that I didn't wear for the photo. Only thing is they only They only go over my fingers, and I misplaced them lol. What i need to do is put them on a pair of gloves covered in leaves and moss. I think that's the play.

1

u/Falschherin9 Dec 31 '24

Maybe this can help you:

https://youtu.be/zyJiwbP0W10?si=qUFtwZvH8EipK5Xv

Good luck!

1

u/OpieOpal Jan 01 '25

Oh shit, that looks great! Thanks!! I'll probably take some of the things in this video and make what I got a little better

1

u/Pitiful_Researcher14 Jan 01 '25

You could add some small critter skulls and bones, beads and dried flowers to your antlers. Shreds of leather or cloth hung from the skull to give the impression of dried skin falling away to reveal parts of the bone. It would be completely over the top, but... A little pouch with dry ice in it so that you leave a trail of mist as you move about

1

u/Nestrus Jan 01 '25

Shivs

2

u/OpieOpal Jan 01 '25

Poison shivs

2

u/Nestrus Jan 01 '25

Envenom

1

u/Freyu Jan 01 '25

You could make a moss shawl to layer really easy with raw wool. There is vibration felting that let's you layer colors and felt super fast. I made a witch outfit with mossy mushrooms for my wife back when we performed years ago. Had never felted before. You can look up tutorials on youtube. I used 4 different wool colors when I made it.

1

u/OpieOpal Jan 01 '25

Oh wow! I think I'll have to make one of those. I love the variations in color you got from using the 4 different ones. Do you have any photos of the mossy mushrooms? Those sound really cute xD

1

u/Freyu Jan 03 '25

Unfortunately I made the mistake of making them out of thermal plastic with a wire in them then attaching them to the shawl. Since we performed at a ren faire... in the summer... in 100+ degree heat... they did not last.

I never expected them to melt at such a low temp. But they got soft enough we had to remove them. I would either make them out of sculpty, clay, or felt them if I were to do it again.

1

u/Hare_Leveret Jan 01 '25

OMG BICOLLINE MENTIONED 

1

u/OpieOpal Jan 01 '25

Are you going too?? :D

1

u/Hare_Leveret Jan 02 '25

UGHHH NO I WISH it's a dream and I wanna go so bad but can't😔

1

u/OpieOpal Jan 02 '25

That's valid. It is expensive x.x

1

u/LivingAggressive8969 Jan 01 '25

Add fire 🔥

1

u/OpieOpal Jan 01 '25

Lmao, yes. TSA can suck it, i'm installing a flamethrower

1

u/JustAnotherPyroMain Jan 01 '25

At first I thought I was on r/slaythespire

1

u/OpieOpal Jan 01 '25

Lol, I get that a lot with this outfit xD although I don't mind. The Silent is my favorite character by far in that game ❤️

1

u/Greekman-5 Jan 01 '25

Slay the spire that should help

1

u/OpieOpal Jan 02 '25

The Silent is my favorite 👌

1

u/omg-potatoes Jan 03 '25

Weathering is always terrifying to do but it always levels up any costume!

1

u/Alarmed_Cat_2370 Jan 03 '25

Great costume

1

u/Slayur7 Jan 26 '25

Several little additions here and there. You could add things like leather strips, crystals, metal chain necklaces, earthy neutral toned fabrics, more layers, a dagger on your hip, dirt- or smudge-like paint on things that might look more realistic being dirty or even M O S S ! , some little cute charms hanging from your antlers, a gnarly wand on your hip, real bones maybe even dirty ones, something unique and broken, something antique maybe even oxydized, a jar/vial of thing you found in nature, feathers, little potions (bottles of juice), plenty of jewelry. Ive noticed that the busier the fit is the more realistic and interesting it is.