Doctor Who Weeping Angel Costume Tutorial

Okay. This post is for all those awesome Doctor Who fans who need any help with making a Weeping Angel costume. This project was not easy and was very time consuming. That said, it was totally worth it in the end! 

I tried to keep the cost of the materials to a minimum (which both did and didn't work, haha) and I also looked for materials that didn't weigh very much, since I didn't want the wings to weigh a ton.

So here we go!

The Wings

Materials:

- Butcher paper

- Large piece of flat, corrugated cardboard (my dad works in a cardboard factory, so I was able to get this super easy and for free)

- Craft foam (I bought several sheets of both 3 mm and 5 mm thick from Hobby Lobby)

- Foam core board

- Acrylic paint

- Tacky glue (just what I had and it worked! I didn't want to weigh it down with lots of hot glue)

- Paint & foam brushes

- Thick wire (my dad dismantled a tomato wire cage and it worked beautifully)

- Small zip ties (you can get these at a dollar store)

- 2 lashing straps (I got them at Walmart for about $2 each)

I started with the wings because they seemed like they would be the hardest. And they were. It took me about a couple hours a day for three weeks to make them.

I first started by referencing the wonderful source material of Doctor Who. I pretty much watched any and all episodes involving the Weeping Angels and screenshot a lot of images. Since I decided to start with the back of the wings (the feather pattern is simpler), this was my best reference:

I grabbed a large piece of butcher paper (we have a whole roll of it at home) and sketched out the basic shape and design of the wings. I kept checking the proportions to make sure that they weren't too big or too small. Then I cut it out to use as a stencil.

Feet for size reference...

Next I traced it onto the cardboard and cut it out.
I purposely left the wings attached to the middle because I had NO clue what sort of attachment I was going to use to hold on the wings.

I flipped over the stencil and cut out the other side. I should've paid more attention to the symmetry of the wings to the fold down the center of the cardboard, because it ended up being slightly lopsided. However, it ended up not being a big deal.

Next came making the feathers! Most of the feathers were used with the 3 mm foam because it was much easier to work with than the 5 mm. I cut out the feathers and laid them out on the cardboard wings to make sure everything fit/looked good. Then I used a box cutter to put lines down the foam and cut notches to make the feathers look more real.

I glued the feathers on with Tacky Glue, starting with the inside feathers and overlapping towards the outside.

None of the craft foam I could find in stores was big enough to create the top part of the wings. I ended up getting some foam core board, which was perfect! I reused the stencil from earlier to match the curvature at the top.  I cut out a basic shape then laid it on the feathers. Then I used a pencil to mark where I needed to cut/shape it more.

Once I glued on all the feathers and the top piece of foam core, I just left it to dry overnight. Then I painted it with the medium color of gray I got. I didn't take pictures of the painting process, but I used the dark paint to create shadows and the lighter paint to create highlights, especially on the edges and tips of the feathers. I used really erratic brush strokes to make it seem more... natural? It ended up looking fabulous.

The gluing is done!
Once it dried I painted the base coat of paint.

So I forgot to mention, but since the foam core was lying on top of piled up foam feathers, I glued a strip of foam onto the cardboard so that it laid down more naturally. If you look at the picture, you can see the cardboard base, the strip of foam and then the foam core (the wings are upside down).

Once the back of the wings were complete, I flipped them over and did the front! The feather pattern was different, but it was no big deal. I used foam core for the top piece on the front of the wings, too.

By the way, I painted the cardboard before gluing on the wings just so no white would show through.

When the painting was all said and done, I hit a road block. I had no idea how to attach the wings to the straps so that I could actually wear them. I needed some support in the wings but I didn't want tons of wire, because then they would be too heavy.

We took an old tomato cage and my dad clipped off the straight wires. We used two wires-- one shaped to the top curves of the wings and the other went just straight through. I honestly should've done this WAY before this point, but hey, we're all dumb sometimes.

Using a knife, we separated the layers of the wings and fit the wires inside (see, this should have been done earlier). My dad used a drill to put holes through the wings so that we could attach the wires with zip ties. The reason we did this is because zip ties are really strong and they would for sure hold the wires in place.

One of the wires went through the front portion of the wings, the other through the back portion. My dad and I figured this would help strengthen it even more.

Fun fun! Stuffing wires into the foam was a wee bit
annoying. 

When my dad drilled the holes I fit the zip ties around the wires. It was a bit tricky, but it worked!

I definitely should've done this earlier, because now my once-beautiful wings looked not-so-great. However, the angels have yet another layer on the front of the wings, so I was planning on covering the zip ties with more foam core!

I apologize right now. I didn't take pictures of the next couple steps, so I will try to explain the best I can.

If you didn't notice, I had an excess of cardboard in the middle. We folded it down and it so that the center of the wings would have even more strength. Here's a sort of diagram thingy to show how we folded it.

At this point we already had the wires running through the wings. This was
just the best picture I had to use. 

We flipped over the wings to the back and drilled holes to attach the lashing straps. It was important that we didn't tie the zip ties too tight, or else the straps wouldn't be able to move. We also made sure the zip ties went around the wire for extra strength.

After we attached the lashing straps, I glued a piece of fabric that loosely hung on the back panel. This was to hide the straps and to help blend in with the dress.

The Dress

Materials:

- King or queen-sized gray sheet
- A pattern with the top close to the Weeping Angel's dress
- Fabric medium (Hobby Lobby, about $6)
- Acrylic paint
- A mom who can sew


If you know me, you know I can't sew. Creating clothing is NOT my forte. So, this ended up being my mom's project. We just went to a fabric store and found a pattern with the neckline that the Angels have on their dresses. I also looked for a pattern with sleeves, because I wanted to stay modest and not show my shoulders.

My mom says the dress was super easy to show. She used the pattern for the top and used the rest of the fabric for the body of the dress. My mom sewed some darts around the waist to create the illusion of folds. She also made a belt out of the same fabric and elastic and velcrow. This was so I could gather up the dress however I wanted around the waist.

On the back of the dress my mom sewed in a panel of hanging fabric to drape over the wings to hide them even more.

Here's where I come in:

I painted the dress! I used the same process for painting as on the wings.  All I did was use the same colors of fabric paint from the wings and just mixed it with fabric medium (this way it's softer and essentially becomes fabric paint). The bottle of fabric  medium cost around $6.00, but a little goes a LONG way.

Literally the only photo I took of the process...
sorry.

The Gloves

Materials:

- Pair of tights (I got thick tights, about $6 at Walmart)

- Acrylic paint & fabric medium

- Stone effect spray paint ($10, Hobby Lobby)

- Fake nails (dollar store!)

- Clear nail polish

I didn't take pictures AT ALL this time around. However, I pretty much did step-by-step of what this lovely woman did for her gloves. Seriously, her way is perfect.

Pretty much just cut out the crotch, turn the tights inside out, put the tights on your arm, place pins where your fingers are, and cut and sew. Use the clear nail polish for any runs that show up to stop them from going too far.

I had a bit of trouble with sewing (surprise, surprise), so I had to improvise and sew the thumbs as a separate piece, then attach them to the gloves. I flipped them inside out, glued the fake nails on with superglue and painted the gloves.

I personally wouldn't paint the gloves with acrylic and fabric medium. It made the gloves less stretchy, and I didn't like that. After I painted them, I decided to spray them with some stone effect spray paint. I would much rather have done that in the first place.

If you're wondering...

The wig. 

I didn't make one. I ran out of time and patience, but my hair is long and my sister can do hair. Sooooo she just did my hair and we sprayed it with gray hair spray.

And as for the face, I bought some wonderful face makeup (Starblend face makeup, $11-$13 each, Amazon.com). Seriously, it wasn't cheap, but it was PERFECT. 

I bought one in grey and one in white for blending and
highlighting.

Finally...!

Young Adulthood (Cue Dramatic Music)

Just a heads up: this was going to be like, three different posts, but I decided against it.

Young Adulthood.

Since most of my audience fits into this category, you understand the struggle. I won't rant on forever about it. Restrain yourself, Sarah!

Young adulthood is such an awkward point in life. It's like, "Oh hey, you're going to be constantly poor, confused about where your life is going, unsure of what's going on right now in your life, and whenever you make a plan it's going to get trampled into oblivion." Along with many, many other things (such as dating, which I don't even care to mention).

And I definitely didn't expect myself to be living back at my parents' house and working where I do. I am quite content with my life currently, but not with the near future of my life. I feel like I came home and put my life on pause. Which is no bueno.

And it's full of crises like this (cue dramatic music):


"Ugh."

"Yes?"

"What am I doing with myself?"

"Do you mean right now? Because you're sitting on the couch watching Sherlock again."

"No, I mean... should I live at home until next fall or move up to Logan in January? Because if I live at home I can save up enough money to travel and buy more camera gear. But then I'd be living at home for over a year..."

"No rent is possibly the greatest thing ever."

"Yes, but the longer I live at home the less I want to go back to school."

"Why?! You love school! Especially USU!"

"Why? Because even if I go to school and finally get a freaking degree what will it do to help? I mean, I'm getting an art degree. An art degree. People who graduate in useful fields can barely find jobs after college, let alone an artist."

"But by then you'll have enough skills to start a career in photography."

"Yes, but I don't even actually know what I want to do with photography. I've always dreamed of working for National Geographic, but let's face it-- that's pretty intense. I don't have a career plan at all. I am hoping that the Lord will help me figure out what I should do with my photo career, but I get all freaked out when I realize I truly don't have any sort of career plan."


(At this point I really did have a nice little freak out. I imagined myself finally graduating from college and being right back to where I am now and working slightly-above-minimum-wage jobs for the rest of my life.)


"Okay, chill. Just figure out a career plan when you go back to school."

"But what IS the point of school? Because I have a full three years left, and by the time I graduate, I will have lots more debt. And will it even be worth it??"

"Will it?"

"Ugh, I don't know."

"What would you do if you didn't ever go back to school?"

"Honestly, I'd probably just keep doing what I am doing."

"So why not finish school?"

"Because going back to school after three years sound crazy tough. I totally think I can do it, I just am not sure it's worth it."

"Well is it?"

And then I honestly spent the next couple days debating with myself whether or not school was worth it. But don't worry, I decided it was. I have always loved school and there's just no way in hell I am not going to graduate college. Especially after already completing three years.

*Deep Thinking*
"'Well, that Will Turner. He's a fine man, too.'
'That is too bold.''Beggin' your pardon, miss. It was not my place.'"


"Wait, did I just quote Pirates of the Caribbean again??"

"Sorry about that..."


And even though I super toned down what my mental state was like this week, it was honestly the perfect week for this to happen. Because this weekend I went up to Logan. And I remembered all the reasons I love school and living in Logan. And I remembered what it's like to be away from home and surrounded by great friends and awesome people (not that I don't have great friends here). And being around those people changed my mind about giving up.

Now let's see when I am going to move back up to Logan...

Gosh, I love Katy.

Both Jenna and I didn't know that the other was doing this.

sorrynotsorry

Once in a while I'll think about my blog and, with a twinge of guilt, how I haven't blogged in a while.

Sorry to disappoint, but there's not much to say. If you're wondering what's going on in my life, I can pretty much sum it up in three bullet points:

• Work
• Sleep
• The empty time between sleeping and work

That's it. But it's all good, because I like my job (even though there are some days that are quite tough) and I love my coworkers. I see my coworkers more than I see my family, and I live at home. It's been nice though, because I am just saving up money for a camera and all that jawn.

I've been trying to read more. I've never been a big reader, but I'm attempting to change that. If you have suggestions for great books, PLEASE let me know. 

I... er.... uh... went to Logan last weekend? It was an awesome weekend, and it was the first time I've really done something super exciting since I've gotten home. 

The debate over a Halloween costume continues in my mind. I really want to be a Weeping Angel from Doctor Who, but the amount of work that goes into the costume will be insane. Luckily I don't really have anything else going on in my life. We'll see what happens...

This! I want to be this!

See? Not much going on right now.

#sorrynotsorry

Things Change

There are lots of things that are on my mind lately, and I seem to be doing a terrible job at keeping you at least a little up-to-date in my life.

I had plans. I was going to come back and go back to my old job until I moved to Logan and went to USU in the fall. And there were other plans, too, but I won't bore you. Needless to say, things change.

I wasn't able to go back to my old job because they were overstaffed. And I needed a job bad. Return missionaries are super poor; more so than college students sometimes. I didn't even have gas money to get around-- I had to keep getting money from my parents. But after being home for five weeks, I finally got a job. Then my schedule was filled and I needed time to find an apartment.

I finally found the time to get up to Logan to get an apartment. The stress of getting an apartment was almost overwhelming because I didn't have the money. But I got up to Logan, and I was excited to be back. I saw USU campus and couldn't help but be happy. And when I saw the art building I almost felt a leap of nervous excitement.

But then things kind of fell apart. I went up for a specific apartment, and it got sold earlier that day. Granted, I didn't go well-prepared in case this happened, but it felt like everything went down the toilet at that point. I just didn't (and still don't) have the money for even a deposit, let alone a semester's rent. My mom tried to find other apartments, but I was in a terribly sour mood and after searching through even more classifieds, I just didn't want to try anymore. I left Logan the next day, apartmentless and more stressed than before.

That night I had the thought cross my mind to not go back to school in the fall. I mean, I didn't really have the financial means to return to school, and I just barely started a job that needed me because they're so short-staffed. My first reaction to this thought was anger. I was angry because I just wanted to go to school. I love learning. I love the college life. I love everything about it.

The next few days consisted of me struggling to figure my situation out. I prayed and studied my scriptures, weighed my options, and searched for direction. I finally made up my mind that I wasn't going back to school. The decision wasn't easy; I mean, at the rate that I'm going in school, I'm going to graduate when I'm 27-28. In art.

Aye yaye yaye.

However, Heavenly Father has better plans than we do. His plans are perfect, so when I trusted that I really wasn't supposed to go to school right away, I had a lot more hope. And not going to school provided me time to save up money and buy a nice camera all on my own-- something I've desperately wanted to accomplish since I was 14.

There was a flip side: I would have to live at home to save up for rent and a camera. I don't like living at home. This is the fourth time I've had to move back home after being out on my own. For whatever reason, I always feel like my growth is stunted when I'm living at home. And with my new hours at work, I pretty much lost my social life.

Could I really do that for a whole year? I doubted it.

Then on Sunday I was doing some menial chore I can't remember and pondering. The thought that crossed my mind was something I hadn't considered: You could move to Logan spring semester and work. It was the first time in two weeks that I wasn't confused about my situation. And it felt so good.

Now I'm excited. I totally wish I could move to Logan right now, but as soon as I save up, I'm going for it.

Things change. But always for the better.

Five Years.

Guess what? It's my blog's

Five Year Anniversary!


Also, it's Bastille day.
Normally I wouldn't mention Bastille day, but with my new found deep love for the band Bastille, I just wanted to share some things that are completely irrelevant to Bastille day:

Just look at this guy (Dan Smith)!
How can you not love him??

There are tons more songs, so you should just go to YouTube and watch them all (I recommend Icarus, Bad Blood, Pompeii, and Flaws).


Anyway, back to the anniversary deal. It's funny that I've kept up my blog for five years because it originally started out as an assignment for class. I had to go to a fiddle group and write about my weekly experience on a blog. Then when I didn't need to do that anymore I decided to scrap it and start over. And look at the mess I've made since...

I was looking on my computer for a picture of me since I've gotten home, but I actually don't have any. So, looks like you're gonna have to deal with no more pictures for another day.


Good news!

I got a job! It's at a place in Provo that works with people with disabilities. It's definitely a job field I've never come close to crossing paths with, so it will be interesting working there. I had training today and there was just so much to learn. Good thing I've got another couple days of training.

Also, I'm super tired right now because I couldn't sleep last night. You see, my parent's house doesn't have A/C-- they have a swamp cooler. I love swamp coolers, but ours is only upstairs. Normally living in the basement is nice and cool, but since the weather's been around 90-100 the past couple weeks, it just makes everything hot. At least we don't have humidity-- that's the real killer. Anyway, my room is like a roasting box all the time now.


So, question (pregunta)...

In all my years of blogging, what have been some of your favorite moments?


That is all.

I'm Back.

Hello.

Do people use blogs still, or is everyone on that blasted Instagram?

This is my first post since I've gotten home from my mission. It's been nearly a month since I got home and over a month since I left the mission field. (If you were unaware, I traveled with my mom, grandpa, and sister throughout Pennsylvania, Jersey, upstate NY, and even Boston.)

A lot of people have asked how I've been adjusting back to non-missionary life. My response? "It's easier than I thought it would be." I attribute the ease of adjusting back to the fact that I was stateside and speaking English for the past 18 months. Of course there are certain aspects I didn't jump into right off the bat, for instance, I only watched maybe two 20-minute episodes of t.v. the first week I was back.

I thought I was going to come back to a job, but with my timing and the company being overstaffed, I wasn't able to go back. I did love working there and would've loved to have gone back, but I totally understand. I have been looking for jobs, but I have this internal guilt of getting a job because school starts at the end of August.

Oh yeah, I'm going back up to USU in the fall. I love school.

The money issue could be discussed/panicked about for quite some time, but I'm trying to be positive. Let's just say a return missionary/art student is probably the poorest of the bunch.

To add to the poor situation, my mission camera broke the week before I got home and my big camera is on its last leg. So I'm kind of camera-less. Which is odd. But I trust that when I really need a camera the Lord will help me out on that one.

So what have I been up to?
Hanging out, watching movies/tv, applying for jobs, working out, swimming, sleeping...

So, not much.

I've had my share of downs since I've gotten back. I've had days where I don't want to talk to anyone. Days where I've doubted whether I can be a photographer or not. Days when I want a job, and days when I don't. Days when I don't want to go to the temple and days when I do. Days when I really don't want to read my scriptures. Or even pray. It's up and down, but for the most part, things have been great. And I really do mean that. I've just had to stick to the things I learned over the past 18 months (and longer) and to keep going.

So, really, I'm back. And I'm doing great.

Also, I'm sunburned.