BioShock was too scary for me to play, but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the fantastic character designs in the game. Big Daddy made an impression, and Instructables user mikoto made the costume for a convention. She sourced supplies from stuff she found in the garage and Home Depot. Some of the materials include insulation, cardboard, jersey sheets, and a beach ball. It sounds like a game show challenge: “Using these random materials, build an impressive Big Daddy” costume. Well, mikoto would win because the finished build looks amazing.
She began by making the internal skeleton:
I started by cutting the R-Matte (RM) board into 3 – 3 ft sections. I then took and cut it into the rough cut=away shape. Also from the remaining R-matte board make a shoulder portion, a 3Ft circle for the front access port of the dome and then 2- 10″ circles for the arms.
After I had the rough shape I cut 5″in wide pieces of cardboard to tape in-between the RM board.
As I placed the cardboard I tried to form the end shape of the body. your best bet is to cut you form down to a more permanent size at this point, so that there is only about a 2 -3″ depth at the most from the cardboard to the top edge so that you don’t go through as much expandable foam as I did.
Leave about a 2ft x 3ft opening on the bottom for access. You will need this for entering the Cosplay and it leaves and opening so the you can set it up on a stand and work easier.
After this item is taped securely and is sturdy enough. cut out the inside so that you can insert a stand or support . I used the electric knife to cut out the inside. . Cut out just enough for your stand to fit in. if you try to hollow it out it will be unstable and collapse in on itself, this would also make it impossible to work with as it will move too much when cutting and shaping.
Also make the arm area with the 5″ cardboard pieces to make about a 10″ circle that will be the arm hole. Then fill the hole so to stabilizes it from collapsing.
Read more at Instructables.