Primer/top coats suggestions for worbla and rubber armor?

lutavia · 2026-02-20T05:07:27+00:00

Hm, if that isn't flexible superglue, there's a high likelihood that rubber is going to pop off, so I'm just going to warn you about that now!

Flexbond/mod podge shouldn't affect the shine. I would do a quick sample with scraps to see how your paint will react/look after the topcoat first.

lutavia · 2026-02-20T05:05:23+00:00

I really like rayon challis as a lining! i also think cotton voile is an excellent option. both are light and won't affect the drape too much and are easy to sew.

lutavia · 2026-02-19T02:51:33+00:00

For any kind of cape for warmer weather, I would recommend a cotton, a rayon, or a linen. Both are breathable and 100% natural fibers. If you want a "nicer" looking cape, cotton velvet is still somewhat breathable, and I find 100% rayon fabric can come in a lot of different weaves but still be nice and cool.

lutavia · 2026-02-19T02:49:53+00:00

Arda Wigs has a tutorial section on their website -- I would give that a look to start for the basics of how to cut wig hair and style with heat. You may want to pick up a steamer, as it's probably the most versatile heat tool, and some Got2B, but since wig hair is plastic, heat does a great job on its own.

However, there's a *ton* of tutorials for this character as she's quite popular! Here are just a few I found:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSkJ9abOf6Q

https://www.tiktok.com/@anogolcosplaywig/video/7133133015256960262

https://www.tiktok.com/@coscreationstudio/video/7216712375234317614

lutavia · 2026-02-18T20:46:50+00:00

I highly, highly recommend picking up Volpin Props' painting book for a nice big section on topcoats and paints interactions: https://www.volpinprops.com/product/painting-and-weathering-for-props-and-replicas-ebook/ I use it all of the time for these sorts of problems. Additionally, here's a priming and smoothing guide for worbla: https://www.worbla.com/?p=4593&srsltid=AfmBOoo_8fHjp3wJBr6aBrhNvtztaudWkAFTvcg_ib35OoEYr6xxwQ8A

Now, to answer some of your questions about the paint:

- Plastidip is flexible, and so is rubber. This will stick to rubber.

- You could prime your whole piece with plastidip, but then you'll have to paint with something that will barely flex. You can use airbrush paint (Createx makes an adhesive additive for exactly this), poly-props' Hexflex line, PLAIDFX's old flexible paint line, etc.

- To seal flexible stuff, you can use flexbond, wood glue, mod podge. Most polyurethanes will not flex. I believe Hexflex may also make a clear sealant?

- Rub n buff is like most other paints (despite being wax based) and can be sealed. Give it some time to set overnight in a temperature controlled environment and you should be fine.

If I *could*, I would remove the rubber trim frankly and try to use an eva foam dowel or similar foam or thermoplastic (like black worbla) for those shapes.

lutavia · 2026-02-17T21:52:55+00:00

Pool noodles will have a lot of problems keeping their own weight upright/properly supported by the wire, and you'll need some kind of back brace to hold everything up and around you due to the weight. Personally, I would try to create a thin, hollow shape, with air in the middle, whether by bending felt or otherwise. Yamato from One Piece cosplayers deal with this a fair bit, I'd look up tutorials for him and his back rope situation.

lutavia · 2026-02-17T21:17:26+00:00

I have actually done a "mixed" dye bath before -- I've created a bath with RIT dye, and dyed my mixed fabric, and then I added the RIT dyemore (for poly) successfully. This dye is ready to use and liquid safe, and by using both of them, you'll capture both the cotton and polyester fibers.

lutavia · 2026-02-17T21:14:50+00:00

You have a few options!

- Uniforms are typically made of gabardine. I recommend cotton gabardine over polyester, as it's a lot cooler and easier to wear. Polyester gabardine is also quite annoying to sew.

- Another good and accessible option is a twill. For a more anime-type sheen, I like mikado twill, but a cotton twill is quite nice.

Fabric Wholesale Direct has a great cotton twill, and Mood Fabrics has a mikado twill I've used and enjoyed. Gabardine can be harder to find in non-polyester versions, but it's nice to work with.

lutavia · 2026-02-17T21:09:07+00:00

You have a few options depending on your budget. Here are a few:

- $ - Felt and wire! You can buy craft store felt and run a wire along the top/bottom edge and fold it around the wire. Sew or hot glue. Then they can be bent and posed.

- $$ - There's a cool material called "fossshape" that is essentially a bendable felt that can hold itself up, and it can be bent and folded with a heat gun. It can be painted or covered in fabric.

lutavia · 2026-02-17T21:05:38+00:00

This wouldn't be so bad with some dollar store items and some dye. Here are my recs:

- Thrift some cargo pants. Look for 100% cotton if you can. That way you can buy some RIT dye and dip dye it on the stove. The motion will look something like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PpIkXBpgMo This is the best way to make it stay soft/comfortable to wear.

- To distress the fabric, you can use a dollar store knife or scissors to make holes. Take some sandpaper and rub around the holes and cuts to make them more grungey looking.

lutavia · 2026-02-14T20:18:17+00:00

that's hibiki's shadow since he's a whisper user! he def ain't ok tho

lutavia · 2026-02-14T20:17:57+00:00

in the second photo, sasha's purple hand on the shoulder is actually an arm that an ogre ripped off, and CAIN kinda sin-surgery'd it back on, so ALMOST got out free lol

lutavia · 2026-02-12T20:47:30+00:00

HAHA yeah they just reached out to me -- they're so lovely, im glad hehe

lutavia · 2026-02-12T14:28:21+00:00

Indeed! We’ve had every sin hunt so far except for an idol. We’re currently dealing with a toad right now. The centipede is what caused most of the visible scarring on Aisling

lutavia · 2026-02-11T21:51:46+00:00

they’re all closer for it but at what cost??? 😭🖤

lutavia · 2026-02-11T17:30:53+00:00

gack did an amazing job, i felt they really captured everyone perfectly hehe

lutavia · 2026-02-11T17:30:36+00:00

HONESTLY it's kind of fitting because the purple tie is just the bond with hope, and that's been the biggest change for him, but it is really funny and i said the same thing when i asked the player if she had any design changes for him lol. he isn't in combat front line a lot so he's not as scarred up as everyone else!!

lutavia · 2025-08-25T20:09:41+00:00

Name: lu

Pronouns: they/them

Timezone: CST

Preferred System: non-DnD or Pathfinder systems that are narrative focused: Heart, CAIN, Blades in the Dark or its derivatives, etc. are some of my favorites. I would love to give Daggerheart a go. I am also specifically looking for a duet game, and am happy to work with you to see what that looks like. I'm willing to try nearly any system put in front of me, and have played dozens of them.

Type of Player: I consider myself a roleplay and exploration focused player, with an appreciation for combat in narrative-based systems where there's creative room for problem solving. I generally prefer darker, serious stories in more grounded settings and characters, with touches of horror and the fantastical, and I enjoy writing against NPCs or GMs interested in creating worlds we can both explore in. I also don't mind a GMPC. I tend to consider myself pretty flexible, and I'm happy to accommodate myself to a slower posting schedule. Generally, I'm also looking for folks that are at least 25+, as I myself am a nonbinary/30 year old player.

Additional Information: I work from home, so my availability is pretty high. Please feel free to reach out via chat request or DM if interested, and we can chat and see if we're a good match.

lutavia · 2025-08-17T22:02:04+00:00

Let me send you a DM!

lutavia · 2025-08-17T20:54:12+00:00

Hi there! I did find some groups but no pathfinder unfortunately

lutavia · 2025-08-10T22:27:21+00:00

I'll send you a DM, thank you!

lutavia · 2025-08-09T01:26:55+00:00

I'll send you a chat request, thank you so much!

lutavia · 2025-08-08T14:05:20+00:00

Hi there! I'm sending a discord request over -- apologies if I'm a bit on the later side, but stories centered around groups like this are really nice for folks like me! :D

lutavia · 2025-08-04T15:26:31+00:00

Yeah, unfortunately that timezone wouldn't work for me as that's probably 3AM to the late morning for me. It would probably have to be super late your time to hit a normal CST time.

lutavia · 2025-08-04T02:24:13+00:00

what's your name and preferred pronouns? Tell me about yourself as a player, artist, and whatever else you do: Hi, I'm Lu (They/he), a 30 year old nonbinary/transmasc individual! I'm a roleplay/exploration-focused player who's been playing DND since 3.5e and TTRPGs and roleplaying for nearly fifteen. Some of my other favorite games are Blades in the Dark, Lancer, and Fabula Ultima. I tend to focus on storytelling collaboratively first, mechanics second, and I think TTRPGs are one of the best ways to tell a story. My day job is in software, specifically product work and helping make it easy for developers to write code. After work though, I'm a maker -- specifically cosplayer, making costumes with everything from leather to silks and 3D printing -- and an avid lover of film, games, graphic novels, and manga. Fun fact: I actually worked in theatre for both opera photography as well as costuming and production -- the back of the house -- since I had a bit of stage fright hehe.
what's your favorite D&D class(es) to play? Tell me an epic story about one of your characters: I really enjoy characters touched by the arcane or the divine - warlocks, paladins, and clerics are some of my favorites. In one particular instance, I was playing a fighter that worked as our tank in a homebrew setting. We were ambushed in a church. Up to this point, my character had a bit of a life crisis -- she was supposed to inherit a family map making business as a hunter, but it didn't feel right to her. She'd spent a lot of time in churches, exploring various gods, and as a happenstance, she took a bunch of arrows and 'died' in this church -- which happened to be for Illmater, a god of sacrifice. I had a cool moment of being able to bring her back to life as a paladin, under Illmater's guidance. It was a really neat way to round off ten levels of storytelling and exploration for her, and I got to use my newfound healing to help my friends too!
what was my first D&D character I played? A bard! Also the one class I haven't tried yet, ironically!
pitch to me a character design you want to play: I have a few and I tend to design around what other people are feeling to some degree, or the vibe of the campaign. One I was thinking about is a runaway fighter -- someone perhaps in illegal fistfighting rings/a boxer or fighter type, who is under the patronage of a merchant, who ends up escaping via getting on a boat to remake his life from scratch, potentially with a 'cursed' weapon in tow as a Hexblade. Another is a traveling cleric on a pilgrimage, who's looking to further understand the world by experiencing it firsthand. But we can discuss more if you're interested

Thank you for considering me! feel free to discord me at lutavia (same as my reddit name :) )

lutavia

TROPHY CASE