Blizzconline 2021 cosplay contest submission
Cydaea (Diablo 3)
Photo Shoot
Progress Photos:
The Inspiration
With Cydaea being such a minor boss in Diablo 3 but such a beautiful character design, I wanted to redo her in one of the most elegant cosplay builds possible. I've seen others and attempted her years ago, but with all the new developments in cosplay materials and techniques, it was time to give this spider queen the crown she deserved.
Materials
5mm EVA Foam
2mm EVA Foam
Aluminum bar
LED light strips
Black Velvet
Gold sequin fabric
Spiderweb Lace
Lace
Corset closure
1.75 mm 3d printer filament
14 gauge wire
Rhinestones
PEX piping
Gold wire lights
Plastic mask
Aluminum carpet strip
Zinc plated bar
Battery packs
Motor and gear reduction
12 Volt Battery
16 gauge steel cable
Pullies
Kamui Cosplay Breastplate pattern
McCalls Ballgown pattern
Progress Photos:
The Headpiece
To make the headpiece I started out with cutting down a full plastic face mask and built on it with 5mm EVA foam. The body of it is freehand shaped EVA foam, with carved details, or eva foam clay details I used with a silicone mold. The mask was then plastidipped, using a foam sponge I was able to pull some of the drying plastidip on the main metal part, giving it the hammered patina look to make it look more like metal than foam. To add to the patina effect I dry brushed gold paint on exposed parts to make it look elegantly aged, but having the bright gold element for contrast.
Progress Photos:
Bodice and Collar
First off, I could not have done this without the guidance of the amazing Alex Drastal with his knowledge of EVA foam- this is the first piece I've built with it. I used Kamui Cosplay's breastplate template for the start, having to tweak it in size difference, I am a big girl. After making sure it fit right I added corset lacing (one destroyed corset) to the side as the closure. After reinforcing the inside seams with 2mm for peace of mind, I got to the detail pieces. I wanted her to have armor, but I also wanted to make it look like she could get done in battle and hit up a ball afterward, DUAL FUNCTIONALITY! So I added spiderweb details before adding the lights. The white and gold spike parts are light diffusing foam that I etched the spiderweb detail in with a soldering iron, coated in clear flexseal, and airbrushed with gold and brown. The breastplate is coated in a matte seal, and details dry brushed to make it look like old metal. The collar was interesting to make, I was able to find a spiderweb lace table cloth and cut panels out. I pressed 14 gauge steel wire between silk ribbon and hand sewn the panels and top lace in. It's connected to the armor in the back, and secured with good old fashioned hot melt.
Progress Photos:
Legs
Can't be a spider without a set of spider legs, but the weird thin about the whole design is that there are only six legs, I guess with my two human legs under the skirt that makes eight in total? We'll skip formalities for now and get right down to business. The structure is all free hand built. I wanted to make the legs look like actual legs and gave them the right curvature (this took a few tries), after making the two pieces (and one fun tiktok later) I glued the pieces together and added the extra details, 3d printed demon skulls and eva foam clay pieces. Paint, shade and gems finished these space consuming appendages.
Progress Photos:
Sleeves and Teeth
I wanted the sleeves to look as stunning as the skirting, with the use of 3d printed skulls, I was able to wrap them in velvet and attach them to the stretch velvet and gold sequin sleeves, its topped with foam roses and skewer sticks painted gold and adorned with topaz spiders.
The teeth were another story, using worbla pellets I was able to form Cydaea's hideous teeth.
Progress Photos:
Skirting
The skirting was the most expensive part of the cosplay, I loved the design of the ballgown and wanted something similar for Cydaea, luckily I was able to find 6 yards of a very similar fabric. The base is a black velvet that I surged the edges and double folded it for a nice even hem. With the gold fabric I only wanted the edges of the skirting to have the design so I chopped the fabric in half and sewn it to the velvet, letting it drape independently from the black base.
For some of the structure I used a hoopskirt and petticoat that I had previously used for Marie Antoinette and Queen Eleanor.
Progress Photos:
Understructures
Omg where do I begin with this monster that no one sees? It's made out of metal to hold up the legs, its powered by a high torque motor with a gear reduction that runs on a small 12 volt battery, the legs move by pullies and nearly took a chunk out of my leg- What we do for cosplay! The structure is made out of aluminum and zinc plated bar, zinc is going to be a lot stronger so that's what the hoops are made out of. Purchased at Home Depot like a champ because no 60 year old cashier is going to be none the wiser that a rivet gun, steel cable, aluminum bar and carpet strips are going to be used for cosplay. And God bless Axeman for having compact motors and batteries plus for having small 12 volts.