First of all I have to thank Kurogami.com that sent me a piece of each worbla so I could compare them. If you follow me on Facebook or if you are around the net you have probably already stumbled upon this infographic with my thoughts for the different types of Worbla that you can find right now in the market, but as I happened to do a complete review of all the materials I will show you here the results as well

Antes que nada he de dar las gracias a Kurogami.com que me envió una muestra de cada worbla para que pudiera compararlos. Si me seguís en Facebook o si estais por las redes del cosplay probablemente ya os habéis cruzado con esta infografía con mis opinionens de los diferentes tipos de worbla que hay en el mercado y como usarlos, pero como además hice una prueba con todos ellos os dejo aquí los resultados

Here you have a sample of all the materials, from left to right you have Worbla’s Finest Art, Worbla’s Black Art, Worbla’s Meshed Art and Worbla’s Transpa Art. In order to do the trials below I used a heatgun to activate the materials and shape them

Aquí tenéis una muestra de todos los materiales, de izquierda a derecha tenéis Worbla’s Finest Art, Worbla’s Black Art, Worbla’s Meshed Art and Worbla’s Transpa Art. Para hacer las pruebas que expongo abajo usé una pistola de calor para activar el material y darle forma

Appearance /Apariencia

The front and the back in each worbla are different  (except for the transparent one) in the classical and the black one the shiniest part has more glue, but you can actually use both sides without much difference. The meshed art is different tho and has a kind of mesh made with natural fibers. Transpa Art isn’t sticky at all (you will need superglue to attach parts together), Black Art’s glue is not very effective, Finest Art is pretty good and Meshed Art is stupidly strong.

La parte delantera y la trasera de cada worbla es diferente (exceptuando el transparente) en el clásico y el negro la parte brillante se supone que es la del pegamento pero en realidad puedes usar ambas caras sin mucha diferencia. El Meshed Art es diferente y tiene una especie de malla hecha con fibras naturales en una de sus caras. El Transpa Art no es nada pegajoso (necesitaréis Superglue para unir partes), el Black Art no tiene un pegamento potente tampoco y se desprende con facilidad, el Finest Art se pega bastante bien y el Meshed Art es estúpidamente fuerte.

Shaping / Formado

I have to say that Meshed Art surprised me because it turned out to be really flexible and maleable, on the contrary, Transpa Art was a pain in the ass and I barely was able to stretch it. Here I have to say that this worked very well over a dome but if you stretch the material horizontally Meshed Art doesn’t stretch much but Transpa Art does stretch a lot, it doesn’t make it any easier to work with it tho. Also, if you overstretch the Finest Art (for example a breast plate) holes tend to appear but they don’t with the others, which also keep their surfaces pretty smooth

Tengo que decir que el Meshed Art me surprendió porque resultó ser bastante flexible y maleable, por el contrario el Transpa Art fue in fastidio y apenas conseguí darle forma. Aquí tengo que decir que hice la prueba sobre una superficie redondeada pero si estiráis el worbla a lo largo el Meshed Art no cede demasiado y el Transpa Art se alarga un montón, pero esto no hace que sea más fácil de manejar. Además, si estiráis demasiado el Finest Art (por ejemplo en un pectoral) suelen aparecer agujeros pero esto no pasa con los otros, que además mantienen su superficie bastante lisa

Resistance / Resistencia

Being a bit extreme and completely bending it I found out that Black Art is not very strong and it may break easily but the others resisted pretty well, specially Meshed Art. 

Siendo un poco extrema y doblando los worblas completamente encuentras que el Black Art no es muy fuerte y se puede romper con facilidad, los otros resistieron bastante bien, especialmente el Meshed Art. 

Maleability / Maleabilidad

You can shape all your worblas, even Meshed Art, but Transpa Art is just extremely difficult to shape and put together. On the contrary, again Meshed Art turned out to be very easy to use although the net can be visible at some points. The winner here no doubts is Black Art

Podéis utilizar los restos de worbla para modelar, incluso los de Meshed Art, pero el Transpa Art es muy difícil de dar forma y de juntar. Por el contrario, de nuevo el Meshed Art resulto ser muy fácil de usar aunque la trama quede visible en algunas partes. El ganador sin duda el Black Art

Detailing / Detallado

I didn’t really know how to call this, but basically it is how much detail you can get from this worbla, my example is not the best but I can tell you that Black Worbla got more details and Transpa Art was pretty awful

No sabía bien como llamar a esto pero es es la cantidad de detalle que puedes llegar a conseguir de este worbla, mi ejemplo no es el mejor pero os puedo decir que el Black Worbla recogió más detalles y el Transpa Art fue bastante desastroso

Rugosity / Rugosidad

Transpa Art doesn’t need to be primed but the other worblas do,  I used several coats of vinyl latex and then a layer of spray paint, Finest Art needed more coats than Black and Meshed Art to get a smooth surface.

El Transpa Art no necesita ser imprimado pero los otros sí, usé diferentes capas de látex vinílico y luego una de pintura en spray, el Finest Art necesitó más capas que el Black y el Meshed para que la superficie quedara lisa.

Transparency / Transparencia

Obviously the only transparent one is the Transpa Art but here I add a little trick to difuse your light if you plan to add LEDs, you can actually sand this worbla, which is a good thing to get better results with your sparkling projects.

Obviamente el único worbla transparente es el Transpa Art, aquí os dejo un pequeño truco para que la luz se difumine si queréis añadir LEDs, este worbla se puede lijar, lo que es bueno a la hora de tener mejores resultados con vuestros proyectos brillantes.

Manipulation / Manipulación

Last but not least I will add that the easiest worbla to manipulate is the Black Art, followed by the Finest Art as Transpa Art gets really hot really fast and Meshed Art is so sticky that it is difficult to work with it if you aren’t careful, Black Art gets hot as well but not as much. 

Por último pero no por eso menos añadiré que el worbla más fácil de manipular es el Black Art, seguido del Finest Art ya que el Transpa Art se calienta muchísimo y no se deja modelar y el Meshed Art es tan pegajoso que es difícil trabajar con él si no tienes cuidado, el Black Art también se calienta bastante pero es mucho más agradecido al modelarlo.

To sum up / Para resumir

Here you have a chart with my ratings, overall the most versatile worbla is the Finest Art, if you need extra strength you can use the Meshed Art, the Black Art is very good for details and filigrees but just not strong enough nor adherent for big surfaces and Transpa Art has an advantage of being transparent but it is very difficult to manipulate, it doesn’t mean it is bad just needs more time. I hope you like it and remember you can get all your cosplay supplies and much more from Kurogami.com which were the ones that made possible this review ^o^

Aquí tenéis una tabla comparativa con mis valoraciones, si necesitáis fuerza extra usad el Meshed Art, el Black Art es bueno para los detalles y filigranas pero no lo suficientemente fuerte para grandes superficies y el Transpa Art tiene la ventaja de ser transparente y es una forma fácil de hacer joyas, su desventaja es que es difícil de manipular pero no significa que sea malo, sólo que necesita más tiempo. Espero que os guste y os recuerdo que podéis comprar todos estos materiales y más en Kurogami.com que fueron los que hicieron posible este review ^o^

Also, if you want to be up to date with my progress and my new projects don’t forget to visit my Facebook page 

Además, si queréis estar al día con mis progresos y nuevos proyectos no olvidéis visitar mi página de Facebook

www.facebook.com/aliceincosplayland

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First steps

The first thing I did was gathering some reference pictures, not only from the film and photoshoots but also from expositions, here is one I first noticed that the fabric of the boots and bra wasn’t green (yeah, I always thought it was green). After some research, the main materials I used for my cosplay were : Craft foam, 5mm foam, slit leather, silk lining, classic worbla and black worbla.

I worked out the measurements on an average S/M size woman, saying the hips were around 90cm as well as chest. For the later I used a bra of that size as reference. Then I drafted my first sketches.

The bottom part

This part was the most time consuming one. It has many many little details here and there. The core of the piece is 5 mm foam. Then I sandwiched it with classic worbla and added all the details rolling heated scraps of black worbla. Also, the balls were done with polystyrene half balls which I covered with worbla too.

The bra

This part is maybe the most complicated to do. First I taped my bra with paper tape and drew the thing on it. Remember you only need to draw half because the pattern is symmetrical. I cut the pieces of the bra, dividing it on 4 main pieces, although some of them are cut in halves. I shaped it with my heatgun. Again I used 5 mm foam as a core.

This is how it looked after covering the foam with black worbla and using the heatgun over and over and over again in order to shape it properly, always trying it on the mannequin for an acurate fit. I reinforced the center with normal worbla, which is slightly stronger than the black one and carved the details with a blunt knife. The fabric was glued with contact adhesive.

Hair accesories

We have the hairpins that go to the sides and the one that covers the end of the braid, both come in two parts. They are pretty straight forward.

I used normal craft foam as a core, drew the pattern, cut it, and sandwiched it with classic worbla. For the round parts i did the same with more foam and black worbla and added smaller details with a very fine leather cord. Also, to make the surface uneven, like in the original costume, I added some details with 3D paint. Here you can see the difference, all the pieces have this little detail. I shaped slightly the edges and attached a clip to the back with more worbla.

This part follows the same process, just adding the detail with rolled black worbla this time. To hold the braid inside I put some extra 5mm foam so the braid was tighter on the inside. The foam is springy so it holds it secure and you can remove it if needed.

Hair extensions

I had to do the hairstyle using several hair extensions. The base was one of those cheating doughnuts to make the bun. I placed the hair around the bun and I glued the excess at the bottom. I also used tons of hairspray to keep it there. Later, I covered the bottom with felt to secure it and I put a couple of clips at the back. It still needs bobby pins to attach it properly and safely. Finally, I glued a very long braid (or effectively two) around the bun.

Bracelets

I totally forgot to take pictures of the snake like bracelet, but it was basically a long stripe of 5mm foam with rounded edges covered again in black worbla. The wrist one is basically more of the same process, foam core, sandwich, rolled details.

Boots

Oh yes, this was hell. Wearing the shoes that I was going to use I taped my leg with paper tape and drew the shape as I wanted it. Later on I cut it on split leather getting a pattern like the one above. You need a bit of trial and error to do this and I recommend you to try first on scrap fabric.

Then I used contact glue to attach the leather to the shoe. Make sure you have enough space to introduce your feet later on.

The embellishment was done in two parts. I carved the 5mm foam to shape it as I wanted plus a strip that would go around my leg. Then, I added extra details with more black worbla. I had to drill holes on the embellishment and the leather with a rotatory tool in order to sew it later. The bottom part is attached with cord and not sewn.

Painting process

And last but not least I painted the it all with a brass colour using my airbrush. Then, I added shadows to the recess with watered black paint to give it more depth.

And this is the cosplay worn by Sara H. Pictures taken by Jose Luis Lago and make up by Lorena Cortés. The sandy beaches of my city were a perfect background for it.

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There are several varieties of naginatas. Maybe the most common is the one with a very long pole resembling a hallberd. There exists another option with a much shorter pole which is easier to handle but still great in size. Naginata for fighting men and warrior monks were called ō-naginata. The kind used by women was called ko-naginata and was less heavy.

Starting with a draft

Naginatas are big. Mine was about 1.3 meters long. This is a comparison side by side with a katana. For my project I needed something very sturdy so I opted to make my naginata from a single piece. Looking back, I maybe could have tried to make it into two pieces as it is actually difficult to transport. Use paper to get an idea of how big you want your weapon. Make sure you get all the proportions right before you cut your foam.

Using foam as the core

Similar to my katana tutorial, I used 5mm plastazote foam to make the core of my weapon. The handle was cut in two parts and glued to the blade with contact cement. Remember to leave a long enough tail to get some grip for your glue. Foam is a very easy material to use and you can sand it with ease. After I sanded the edge and the handle, I added extra details with 2mm foam and glued them with contact cement as well.

Worbla to make it sturdy

On itself, foam is a very flimsy material. That is why you need some kind of coverage to make it sturdy. I chose to use Black Worbla, which is a thermoplastic. If you don’t know this material check my worbla guide. It is easy to heat with a heatgun. Cover your naginata with the heated material. Press the sides together and cut the excess. You can fix the joints with some more heat and a flat tool. Be careful as this materials gets hot very quickly and you could burn yourself. Adding a wooden pole to the core is also a good idea but you will need to cut a space on your foam to make it fit without bulking up.

Add details

When you are satisfied with the base of your naginata you can add fancy details. As I said, Worbla is very maleable, if you heat it you can create ridges with a flat surface and all kind of carvings. Also, you can press it together to create a kind of clay that will get hard once it cools down. That is how I created the embellishments of my tsuba or guard of my naginata.

Final weapon

Finally, after you seal your worbla, you can use acrylic paints to paint your weapon and add any other detail like beads, tassels, a piece of fabric or jingle bells. Don’t forget to add highlights and shadows for a more realistic finish and don’t skip the varnish either as it will protect your weapon later on.

If you want a larger pole for your naginata you can use a PVC pipe as a handle instead. You may not need to cover your blade with worbla if your blade is shorter but remember that it will make your blade flimsier an wobbly. You still need to prime it and paint it tho. Using pipe joints is also a good idea if you want your weapon to be collapsible.

I hope you found this tutorial for a naginata for cosplay useful. If you feel like it, remember you can support me on Ko-fi, there are no subscriptions and you will help me create more cosplays and more tutorials to share with you! Also, if you are looking for patterns and cosplay related downloadables make sure to check my collection!

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Drafting the pattern

For the first part you will need: 10mm semirigid foam, a cutter, a rotatory tool, a marker and sandpaper

I happen to have a bokken so it was pretty easy just to copy the form for my pattern. As this is not something you find at home I wrote down its measures for you. My katana was 101cm long, with a maximum width of 4cm at the base and 3cm at the tip and slightly curved at the end. The original tsuba (or guard) was 8cm but it wasn’t good enough for my design so I modified it.

I grided my paper and started drafting my pattern. I liked it, but it wasn’t long enough so I had a little trick, you see the red dots? that’s where I cut my pattern and added an extra centimeter so it was now 18cm long.

First steps for the foam katana

Now cut the pieces in your 10mm foam. A good trick is to pin your pattern down and draw the shape with a marker. Use a cutter and a ruler to cut it out. I also used a soldering iron to do the holes in the guard but it is not necessary for this project.

As I happened to have 5mm foam at home I decided to glue it to the handle with contact glue on both sides of the sword. This will make your handle thicker. You can also glue two parts of 10mm foam to make your handle and then attach them to the blade. Make sure it is a strong hold or it may break.

Carving your foam katana

Now the fun part, draw how deep you want to sharpen your weapon, a good trick is to hold your finger against the foam to make straight lines with even width (my daddy told me this trick)

And now is the time to use the power tool! You have to sand your edges until you are happy, take your time to make it right. Also, remember to take breaks if the surface is too big, the tool doesn’t work as well if it is overheated. If you want to make it even, use sandpaper to finish it, it will make any bump disappear.

Covering your foam with worbla

Unfortunately, using just foam is not enough to keep your katana straight. In order to solve this you need to use a thermoplastic cover like foam. This will keep your weapon straight.

Using a heatgun, cover your katana with black worbla or a similar thermoplastic. Use a flat stick or other tools to flatten the sides and cut the excess. Remember that worbla becomes really hot. Make sure all the foam is covered and reheat again if necessary. You can add extra details using several layers of foam and covering them with worbla and also rolling the foam to create ridges.

Final result

Finally, this is how the katana looked when I finished. I will show you how to seal your worbla with glue and how to paint it in another tutorial.

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