Comic-Con International isn't just a nerd gatheringjudging from all the excellent cosplay, it's also maker central. We tracked down the 10 most excellent DIY costumes at the convention and found out how they were made.

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. How we test gear.

David Lee Comic-Con International isn't just a nerd gathering—judging from all the excellent cosplay, it's also maker central. We tracked down the 10 most excellent DIY costumes at the convention and found out how they were made. View Gallery 10 Photos David Lee 1 of 10 Blue Iron Man Name: Andrew

From: San Diego



This unconventional Iron Man's armor is made out of a paper base layered with resin and fiberglass. The suit's helmet has servos and a microcontroller that raise the face mask; Andrew controls it with a switch in his hand. David Lee 2 of 10 Chewbacca Name: Sam

From: San Diego



To create this Wookiee costume, Sam wove eight different types of synthetic wig hair into a marine-mesh suit. (And to become as tall as Chewie, he stood on drywall stilts.) David Lee 3 of 10 Mega Man Name: Brett

From: Orange County, Calif.



To bring this classic video-game character to life, Brett built the armor using resin, bondo, and fiberglass. David Lee 4 of 10 Predator Name: Will

From: Victorville, Calif.



Will crafted his suit's head and other parts using a four-part casting process, beginning as clay and finishing as latex. He then airbrushed the paint on the latex parts. David Lee 5 of 10 Voltron Name: Lex

From: Los Angeles



Using the Voltron toy as reference, Lex's dad cut and shaped EVA foam and then glued the pieces together to create the suit. David Lee 6 of 10 Cobra B.A.T. (Battle Android Trooper) Name: Lionel

From: Milpitas, Calif.



All of the materials for Lionel's costume came from a military surplus store. He created the details using foam, glue, and some LEDs. David Lee 7 of 10 Transformers Names: Amber and Caitlyn

From: Texas



These crafty DIYers made their costumes from foam, fabric, and metallic four-way stretch spandex. The resulting costumes were easy to pack and forgiving of abuse, they said. David Lee 8 of 10 Antlered Owl Name: Erika

From: Yucaipa, Calif.



Features: Who says you have to attend Comic-Con dressed as a particular character? Erika sculpted a clay mold and used silicone for the head and antlers of her unique costume. David Lee 9 of 10 Audrey II Name: Daniel

From: New Mexico



Daniel created Little Shop of Horrors' bloodthirsty plant by layering cheesecloth over styrofoam, painting it, and plopping it into a plastic pot. A fake arm holds the pot, while his real arm slips inside to puppet the plant. David Lee 10 of 10 Master Chief Name: Mike

From: Redlands, Calif.



To become Halo's star, Mike started with MikeRedlands, Calif.To become Halo's star, Mike started with pepakura —designs people have created and uploaded online that you can print and fold to create a basic shape. He covered the paper with resin and auto bondo to get nice edges, then spray-painted the whole shebang. Next How 8 Sci-Fi Gadgets Are Becoming Reality Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io