First update! I converted my dining room into a studio, and it is super exciting. I went out also and bought a few basic art supplies a few days ago and sat down to figure out a few things. First and foremost, I needed to figure out how much leather was necessary. So I began to make a template, estimating sizes based on ratio. The cardboard template: [IMG]http://zombat.roosteredge.com/2011/drogo/girdletemplate.jpg[/IMG] Aand fitted on me. [IMG]http://zombat.roosteredge.com/2011/drogo/girldetempfront.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://zombat.roosteredge.com/2011/drogo/girdletempside.jpg[/IMG] Clearly I need to bulk up in the pecs a bit more, and start tanning - good thing that the weather is warmer!. Last night I spent about 4 hours cutting the template out of the Leather that I had bought during lunch, and experimented with attaching the pieces to the supporting belts. I've still got to punch all the holes out of it though, and that will be handled this weekend. Finally I also bought some basswood and laminated birch plywood to experiment with for developing the knives. Initially I had thought to construct it with wood, then coat with resin for a smooth finish, but I think at this point this will be a template for a resin cast - that way I can weight it evenly when I cast, as well as utilize clay/bondo/epoxy/polyurethane to make a super smooth surface. [IMG]http://zombat.roosteredge.com/2011/drogo/knifetemphand.jpg[/IMG] lhoward - Thanks! I'm totally psyched for it now Rose - Thanks! I like getting meticulous with projects sometimes. As I speak a fair amount of Na'vi I'm not too too worried about the difficulty of learning a bit of Dothraki. It would appear that there are very few people learning it to begin with so I won't have to worry about knowing any more than simple responses.

Foos: "Balls to the wall or not at all" :D



Annwyn: Thanks! I'm stoked too :D





Second Update!



Spent a good 5 hours marking out and cutting the leather. I ended up with *just* enough for the belt and his left arm's bracer. I've still got another belly half of thinner leather which I'll be using for lace and other parts. Wouldn't mind having extra, though :)



After I cut them all out I had to slot them for the 3 cross belts, which was a major pain, but after I put it all together, it was clearly worth it:



[IMG]http://zombat.roosteredge.com/2011/drogo/LeatherGirdleCut.jpg[/IMG]



(the tied off knots are simply placeholders)



I've still got to punch a LOT of holes for the connective lace, as well as the decorations. From there I also need to figure out how the belt is going to connect to itself - Initially I figured I'd do a corset-style lace up the back (which is I think how they do it in the show, though its hard to tell) but I'm thinking that maybe instead I'll have 3 belt buckles that will be either exposed or hidden. I need to give it some thought, as I want the belt to fit snugly against me. Anyway, spent another few hours beveling the edges of the leather, as well as bending it backwards against the smooth surface to add texture. I'll be ready to dye hopefully in the next week or two.



After that was taken care of I've been primarily working on the Arakh - the long curved sword, that we don't actually see him use, but I figure will be fun to have around. I started out by laminating two pieces of 1 1/2" strips of pinewood together, then cutting them accordingly into pieces to match the curve, and re-connecting them. From there I further cut the shape, and cut the bevel of the blade's edge with a knife and a large wood rasp. Then i started experimenting with Apoxie sculpt and filling spaces, before just adding a large amount to the hilt to make it fit the hand:



[IMG]http://zombat.roosteredge.com/2011/drogo/Arakh1.jpg[/IMG]



Apoxie Sculpt is the shit!! After it cures it has the feel of a soft soapstone when further carving into things. The wood rasp smoothes it nicely, and a wood scraper also evenly strips the material away. Its mind blowing stuff, really. Emboldened by the success of the first layer, this morning I added more overtop of the wood on one side, and began to shape the hilt a little further. Its rough currently, but a bit of rasping, sanding and scraping will quickly fix that. I'm looking forward to working tonight:



[IMG]http://zombat.roosteredge.com/2011/drogo/Arahk2.jpg[/IMG]



Furthermore, the blade is starting to feel bulky and heavy, which is exactly what I was hoping for. At this point, I'm wondering if I should even consider re-casting the entire thing in resin, or if I should just focus on working it to a good state with the apoxie sculpt. We'll see what happens when I get to the detail on the hilt ... it may be a job for NSP, in which case I'll definitely need to cast it.



I've also been carving out the wedding belt medallions, as well as experimenting with getting a metallic look that won't easily rub off. Photos of that will come later, as things progress.



More updates soon, I hope!