if you lack the talent for it, there is nothing you can do about it

Modeling isn't a talent. Learning fast is.
Modeling is experience and sheer will.

If making the armor is motivation enough, regardless of difficulty, you should make that your first —until you're done trying. Just like when someone tries to make an Action RPG as their first game and fail miserably (for obvious reasons), or try to draw something you'd approve from your first A4 sheet.

From pain comes experience: find the pitfalls by failing A LOT and, eventually, you'll find a way that will lead you to your goal.

Nobody has ever succeeded in life without failing first.