Deathstroke

DEATHSTROKE THE TERMINATOR!!!

This is a base instructable about how to make Deathstroke costume for cosplay. I have created an instuctable for Mr Freeze and Carnage if you would like to see my previous work. :) Also check out my page Night Terrors of Gotham

Ok, before we get started, let me state that this build will have 2 or 3 expensive pieces, so look at the list of materials and pricing before starting. Don't be discouraged by the pricing either, a good Google search can be very fruitful when looking for alternative pieces. I like to keep my instructables nice and neat, and as clear as possible, so if you have any questions, let me know and I can update with a better explanation. Enjoy!!!

ONTO THE BUILD!!!

Deathstroke is a fairly easy character on the costume side, but he requires a few items that are a bit more unique which sometimes means more cost, but if you find a similar piece for cheaper, by all means, grab it up instead. The total cost of this build will be around $400 to $420 depending on where you get your materials. I was able to get all materials except for Foam from Amazon for fairly cheap.

I have 2 sets of lists here - Base Tools and Materials

Base tools are tools that every Cosplayer should have if you want to make costumes. They tend to always have use for almost any build and you can get most of them extremely cheap. (But don't pull a budget brakes!!! Cost can mean better quality) Materials are items that are needed for the build. Some of these items may have pricing difference depending on the time the instructable was built. I have 1 rule - Read everything before buying or starting!!!

Base tools:

Hot glue gun - Normal sized gun and use normal long sticks.

Sharp Scissors - make sure they can cut fabric without pulling

Exacto Knife - Used to cut foam and tape for a better line

Sharpie pen (or a fabric pen) - used to mark nodes for reference

Painters tape - Blue tape or masking tape is fine, it will only used on the mask or for any paint lines for your own desgins

Ruler -Measuring

Sea Sponge - used for painting, so don't use the kitchen sponge, get one for painting

Dremel (Optional, but helps alot when editing the mask, but not necessarily needed)

Gloves, boots, personal black belt

Materials:

Mask Amazon $65.00

Padded Vest Amazon $45.00

Black Cargo Pants Walmart $11.00

Arm guards Amazon $12.50

Tactical Hood Amazon $29.99

Tactical belt Amazon $29.99

Rubber knife with Sheath Amazon $9.00

Pistol Holster Amazon $15.00

Airsoft Pistol Amazon $7.00

Military Suspenders Amazon $15.00

Black Under Armour Amazon $30.00 - - You can probably find one cheaper that is not Name brand, I already had one

2x Utility Pouch Black Amazon $5.50 per pouch

Strechite Amazon $17.90

Industrial Velcro (OPTIONAL) Amazon $22.00

Buckles Amazon $6.00

Steel Grey Paint (OPTIONAL) Amazon $8.00

Acrylic Coating (OPTIONAL) Amazon $9.00

Metallic Blue Paint (OPTIONAL) Amazon $9.00

Metallic Orange Paint (OPTIONAL) Amazon $8.00

Metal Sword Amazon $17.00 - - I used a metal sword, but I dulled it down so it could NOT cut anyone. I used magnets to hold the sword in place on my back allowing for ease of use.

Magnets Amazon $10.00

Bullet Bandoleer Amazon $9.00

Mod Podge Amazon $8.00 - - Also purchasable at Hobby Lobby or Michaels

Black Hot Glue Amazon $9.00

5x Craft Foam (Thin) Hobby lobby / Michaels $0.99 per sheet

Darice foam (OPTIONAL) Amazon $14.00 per 10 pieces

Warning - Sharp tools hurt, and so does hot glue!!! Be careful!!! I also do not condone violence, and i realize this is a very violent character. Please make this out of good fun, and not for violent acts. I make these builds out of passion and respect for the artist and writers who created these characters, please show the same respect.

Ok, once you have all the materials you need, assembly is pretty straight forward on the costume itself. The only parts that need to be made or modified are the mask, the shoulder bandoleer, the arm-guard armor, and any kind of outlining you prefer. lets start with the MASK!!!

Starting off, the mask will have caged eyes. Deathstroke see out of his left eye, so you will need to cover the right.

1: Take the painters tape on the inside of the mask and tape up the inside on the left caged eye, make sure to have no holes.

2: On the outside of the mask, the eye hole with hot glue covering the whole surface of the eye. be careful because the hot glue will be extra hot since it is concentrated on the eye socket. make sure to let the sit where the eye socket will be level with the ground. I used a vacuum tube from my vacuum cleaner to prop the mask up. Let sit for about 1 or 2 min so the hot glue can solidify.

3: Once the hot glue is solid, get a bowl and pour some mod podge in it. Mod podge is a hardening glue for surfaces. You will need to add a tiny bit of water to give it a watery consistency, but not too much, add very little water each time until you feel comfortable. (you may want to practice applying mod podge to some card board or object so you can get the consistency right, but that's up to you.) Once the mod podge is the way you like it, apply it to the eye socket to help fill in the cracks around the hot glue and walls of the eye socket. You will need to apply a few layers, so add a layer, and go watch something for 15 - 20 min, and come back and see the result. Mod podge will have a clear coat, but starts white. You want the mod podge to pool in the deeper areas, so it may take longer for those areas to fill.

4: Now that the eye socket is nice and filled in to your liking, we can move on to painting. Using the Steel gray paint, spray the outside of mask for a consistent color. You don't have to do this since the mask is Black, but it will help cover up the eye socket for a nice even coat. Be sure to put painter tape on the straps so you don't accidentally paint them. Once that paint is dry, take the Metallic blue, and spray it on some poster board or cardboard (whatever you are using for painting surfaces) and take the Sponge and dab it on the paint, then dab it on the side of the mask with the covered eye, while rotating the sponge for a unique pattern. Be aware that deathstrokes mask is split down the middle, so if you need a guide line, it might help to put a piece of tape down the center of the mask to help with this process. You will need to do the same for the open socket side of the mask with the metallic orange.

5: Let the paint dry for a few hours, or over night. Take the Acrylic clear spray and cover the outside of the mask with a good coat. You will need about 3 coats for a good solid feel. It doesn't take long for the acrylic to dry, so give about an hour between each layer.

Now the mask is officially looking like Deathstroke!!!

Now the fun part, Deathstrokes Bandoleer!!!

I highly encourage creativity when making unique designs and seeing what people come up with. I will show you how to make the base pieces, hoping you will add pouches, bullets, Grenades, knives, or whatever to the straps just use some hot glue.

1: Using the Stretchite, Measure out a piece that wraps around your body from your left shoulder to your right hip. Connect them with hot glue

2: (Shoulder piece) Using the craft foam (or Darice foam if your opting for thicker foam) and cut out 8 strips roughly 2x10 or whatever you feel comfortable with (try a few different sizes on your shoulder for the right look). Cut 2 pieces of the stretchite and line them down the left and right side of all 8 pieces of foam. hot glue it in place, making the shoulder plates flexible to your arm. You may want to use the Heat gun to help bend the outer edges of the foam for a more curved look.

3: Paint the foam Steel grey (optional) and then add the Metallic orange with the dabbing of the sponge for the same look and pattern as the mask. Hot glue one end of the shoulder piece to the bandoleer where it sits on your shoulder. on the other end of the shoulder, use the stretchite to make a ring around your arm. you may want to thin the stretchite piece for a better feel and look.

4: Put on the bandoleer with shoulder piece, and see how it fits. Now find the lower center of your chest and and the same spot on your back. have a friend or loved one mark those spots. You will need to cut a thin piece of strechite that connects those 2 points under you left arm for better support.

5: Now with the suspenders, you need to hot glue 2 of the magnets on the center bridge on the outside of the suspenders. On the back of the bandoleer where the support stretchite meets the center back spot, add 2 magnets there (MEASURE BEFORE APPLYING!!! you need these magnets in the center of your back) Now using some safety, put the suspenders on, then the bandoleer, and try out the Metal sword. Sweet right!!!

Tip - - Because of the way it is built, you will be able to sit down and move around freely with very little restriction, but that does not mean you wont bump into things, so be mindful when sitting down, because sword with touch things.

Lets start with the arm guards

1: Like the shoulder piece, you will need to cut out roughly 2x10 piece of foam (Darice foam is optional for a larger foam) Hot glue the pieces to the arm guard on the padding side about a cm apart from each other. You will need the same number of foam pieces for both arms.

2: Once the pieces have been added, you will need to paint them steel grey (optional for consistency) and use the sponge to apply the metallic orange for the same style or pattern.

3. Now that the arm guards are done, you may want to outline some of the pieces to give them more dimension. I cut cm strips of craft foam (really thin) and did a full spray paint on them, so they are very orange.

4: take each strip and add some hot glue, press it into the shape of the outline you want. I added this outline to the pouches, pistol holster, belt pouches, and a line down the knife sheath.

Tip - - if the body armor has a color on it, you can use a black sharpie to black it out by coloring it in, so you have a full black body. Completely optional though.

Put it all together, and what ya got??? AWESOME!!!

Here is a way to help put what on first,

1: Pants and personal belt

2: Boots

3: Tactical Hood

4: Under Armour

5: Vest

6: Suspenders

7: Bandoleer

8: Attach gun holster to the end of the bandoleer not personal belt

9: Knife - attach knife to personal belt

10: Arm guards then gloves

11: Tactical belt

12: Mask

13: Sword

Boom, Deathstroke!!!

If you like my build check out my others Mr Freeze and Carnage

Hope you enjoyed this and learned alot. I am always around for any questions, and I always go to Dragon*Con, so see me there at the next Con if you're interested in my stuff. If you want to follow me on my FB community page, Night Terrors of Gotham, the Likes and Shares are greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks, and have fun!!!