21/02/2026
For a youth camp, I was tasked by my group to create a costume for the cosplay competition.
As I did not have any experience in creating costumes, I just followed the Foam Knight Armor design of Will Kalif from stormthecastle.com on the shoulder pads, gauntlets, Skyrim sword, greaves, and helmet.
I went to Cogon and bought the EVA foam instead of the recommended craft foam, so molding it to whatever shape I desired was an extra challenge. Nevertheless, the armor turned out to be very durable. I believe it took me about a week or two to finish the entire set. I learned how to use a heat gun, and did you know you can actually create pretty cool armor designs using a glue gun? As for the helmet, I gave it a grungy, worn-out look and battle scars.
My favorite piece was the Skyrim sword. It was pretty difficult to make it stand firm, so my group mate suggested to fill the insides with chopsticks. It contributed to the sword’s weight, which made the handling/swinging more realistic to see.
Our group ended up winning first place! I was so happy to be given the opportunity to pour my entire strength, energy, and creativity into this project and have it pay off. I’ll never forget how the process made me feel so fulfilled and alive. I could’ve just said no and walked away from the project if I didn’t believe in myself, but in that moment I was like, “What the heck! Let’s do this anyway.”
Putting this story out there to encourage fellow artists and dreamers to pursue that creative project that’s been put on hold. And yep this post is also for me - to remind myself that if I have done it before, I can do it again.
