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Monday, October 19, 2015

My Collection of Halloween Costumes


Halloween is one of my favorite times of year. It provides an excuse to build something really cool related to my Halloween costume. I like making things and learning new skills.

Halloween costumes through the years.


Here are images and thoughts on my costumes in years past. It's hard to call one my favorite, usually the next one is my favorite. While I can't reveal this years costume as it isn't done, I will give you a preview.
This is the first time I made a mold and cast something. I will definitely be doing more molds and casts.
Preview for 2015 - Daggers, lots of daggers. The top dagger is the original,
each successive cast is underneath.


Last year, 2014, I was a Ghostbuster. I love Ghostbusters, it was the 30th anniversary, and this costume was a lot of fun. I didn't quite finish the pack, though most people don't realize. This was the first prop I built that had lights and sound. A lot of research went into this, which is a step I really like. I wish I had gotten some better images of me in costume, but I didn't finish the costume either. Maybe one day. I stayed up to the early morning hours every day in October! The pack is mostly MDF with a lot of PVC. Since last year, I started adding tubing and the various connection, but it's still not done.
I also built two ghost traps. It's really cool to see a complicated prop go from an image on paper to something you can hold.
2014 - Ghostbuster

In 2013  I was a Templar Knight. The chain mail took a few months to make, something I won't do again. I used fencing wire and a jig. It's over 12,000 rings total. The helmet was a polystyrene 'For Sale' sign. It was my first time working with plastic. I had a lot of fun trying weathering for the first time. I should have done a bit of dry brushing as well... hindsight. I used craft foam for the bracers and sewed the tunic from scratch. My inspiration was a knight in the video game Assassin's Creed, but I don't remember how I selected that. In searching for chain mail tutorials I found instructables.com (click to see my profile and 'ibles) and then therpf.com, which has pushed me to create bigger and better costumes every year.
2013 - Templar Knight
In 2012 I was Two-Face. I didn't originally intend to be the anti-hero, but that's how it worked out. Originally it was going to be an original costume on the theme of the duality of man... yeah. This was my first time trying to sew anything, and I got lucky that it came out as well as it did. The dynamite was a prop I had made previously. It was also my first time with make up. It didn't come out too bad.
2012 - Two Face

In 2011 I put in very little effort and just pulled together what I had lying around. I was a detective. I almost didn't even dress up that year.
2011 - Detective
In 2010 I was Shaun from Shaun of the Dead. Technically the cricket bat was my first prop from scrap OSB. I really like the movie and I like costumes that are slightly scary. I used clothes I had on hand, added fake blood, made a name tag and then began looking for the Winchester.
2010 - Shaun of the Dead

In 2009 I was a punk. This was probably more an excuse to try out a real mohawk. I only had the mohawk for one day. The gloves are 'Darth Vader'.

2009 - Punk

In 2008 I was a hobo. This had been a yearly costume that took little effort. Every year, some person would always calls me Lieutenant Dan. It happened every single year.
2008 - Hobo
  You'll have to wait for this years costume. Pictures coming soon!

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