I read about a PM method a few years ago that I have never tried.

This person needed a curved base for PM. They said they softened regular corrugated cardboard by rolling it in tight rolls, both with and against the grain. This softened the cardboard so it was more like leather. Then they cut Vs into it, removed the inside of the V, and taped the two cut ends together (not overlapping). Then they PM'd over it.

At the time, I wondered if you could get the same effect if you soaked a sheet of cardboard with water, then drained it and let it sit until just damp, then molded and formed it to your idea. The only problem with this is, how to fasten it? What on earth would stick to damp cardboard?

Your chicken wire might do, but those cut ends tend to be difficult to work with. If your perimeters are clear, you could probably cover them with tape, but I usually just fight the wire.

To hold the armor on your body, maybe wide elastic would fit, or Velcro.

Sue

I think I have figured it out.  I am going to mold the chicken wire to my body first to get the rough shape I need.  Then I am going to use strips of damp cardboard around the edges.  Next I am going to layer more cardboard over the top to get more definition in the shape.  The chest piece is going to be the toughest but i think that if i mold it just right I will be able to use velcro to tighten the sides to fit my body better.  I will just use wire to attach the shoulders to the chest piece.  If this message works I will post a link with the pictures of my final product. Thank you all for the ideas.

i use chicken wire to make historical-style armor. it works well so far, BUT you must be very meticulous and draw out a design before you start. if you want flexibility you can do this by attaching pieces of the armor with string (that looks tacky though, something like leather bucklers would look cooler) and thereby keeping it strong, but flexible. SYMMETRY is VERY important. i've been making a greek hoplite-style helmet today actually, and i have a design for a chest-armor piece which is almost fail proof. a lot of it is trial and error, though, so just try it and be detail-oriented. draw it out before you do it that will help a lot.
oh for bracers.. remember that its the TOP of your arm and the part that faces outside (from your pinky down to your elbow) that actually "needs protection" you can make a paper-mache part for that and sow it to leather straps or cloth and it will still also look quite cool.
to get rid of "spiky" parts of the chicken wire, either bend it inward so its harmless or triple-quadruple reinforce those parts with paper mache.
your chest piece should be made out of multiple parts, or you can't even bend forward to pick something up at all or even lean forward. i know cuz i made a chest piece out of solid paper mache once.. it provided very limited movement.

remember..you want armor that's flexible for you and cool looking. the combo is a hard one, but worth the work!

I'm very much impressed with the artistic creation and people within that artistry.Well done.

Last edited by carlyse_09 (2012-10-23 05:54:42)

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