Seth- The designing process pt.1 The hat.

I have started the designing process for my up-coming Seth cosplay. This cosplay won't be made until later in 2014 but since it is so detailed I want to make sure I don't overlook any part of it. This will be the last cosplay I make for the year of 2014, I'll be making Break and Sharon and Abel first. In that order too! But starting early never hurts! Since this is a HUGE cosplay I've decided to even make a binder with all this einfo about how I made it, from researching to crafting it to show to the judges for future contests.

So I'm starting with the 'crown' hat Seth is famous for wearing.

This is the design I am doing. I may mix it up and add together two different designs but this is the main one I am going off of. I will not be making the golden piece on her back. Instead I'll be making wings.

The hat pictured here is the one I will be trying to make.










Step one: Gather many images.

The first steps of figuring out how I am going to make it is by viewing different shots of the hat. So I zoomed and cut pictures of the hat to show certain details. The most important part right now if figuring out the shape and how it will stay on without tearing off my wig.

The shape is the same as pictured above. The golden piece isn't as detailed but does have the same symbol as the one above (It is the Empire's symbol so of course the Empress would wear it on her "crown")

The thing I noticed about this one is the color of the circles. Most show red, this one is purple. The gold trim remains the same.

Things that are the same:

• Circles
• Trim
• Colors (Besides the inner circles.)

The main picture I am going off of. This will be the base color I will be aiming for. Colors are sage green, gold, white, red and blue. Beading on the ends of the hat.

• Two large circles on each side, four on the white outer trim, four surrounding the Empire symbol with a red circle within the blue "moon" Four gold spikes outside the symbol, two arrow shaped pieces on the side.

The only full back view I could find. It appears flat, not stuffed. The patterns of course are meant to match the outfit in the picture so I will be doing it differently. 

• Again, red inside the circles, gold trim around the circles.
• Sharp angles, simple yet elegant. 
• Same type of beading shown here as on the one I will be basing off of, but there are four instead of two.

The top appears to be slightly smaller and shorter than the ones above. The ends are perfect lines, no curves. No red circles. Again the hat matches the outfit and is very different.

• Gold trim is back, as well as white trim outlining the hat.
• Clearer details on the golden center piece. 
• Corner pieces on the ends of the hat are gold, matching the main center piece.

Sorry for the blurriness. This picture was very small. The hat details are very simple. The shape also appears different. More of a point like a pyramid. Could be because of the angle. 

• Center of the gold center piece appears to have a different pattern to it.
• Can't see any gold trim, appears to be all white.

Very simple compared to the others.

Most detailed picture. This is from the novel. The pattern is clearer. The gold center piece has the same design as the one I am doing.

I noticed there are two circles on the center piece, near the points on the left and right. Those most likely are gems. So I will be adding those onto mine so it looks cleaner.

The center piece is larger, rising up and taking up almost the full front. The colors are back again but with no blue. The green replaces it. With the blue it pops more. I will be adding the blue to the center symbol.

The beading is clear in this picture.

It looks like the beads are green and red and gold. I think pearls would look awesome at the ends since the last bead appears white.

This design is spot on with the one I am doing. I'm pretty sure it is the same outfit. I love how her hair is sticking up out of the hat on top. The center piece again is hard to make out.

The sharp angles that make the sides are back! I'm liking them more and more every time I see them. 

Step Two: Figuring out how to make the hat.

Luckily for me, some kind people have posting how they have made theirs. So I won't be walking int he dark with my eyes closed. I've never made a hat before (Just a mini top hat. And that was HARD.) so I am very thankful that these people have posted some tutorials/discussed how they made it.

http://muralu.deviantart.com/art/Seth-Hat-cosplay-tutorial-277307031
http://decemberwynn.deviantart.com/art/Seth-Nightroad-Workmanship-Discussion-326885851



These are the two I will be using to help me. For the base I am planning on using craft foam or as the top one showed a yoga mat (Seriously that is such a great idea!) The foam will be used for crafting the part that will be on my head. For the center gold piece that will either be made out of craft foam or Worbla or Wonderflex. I plan on using resin on the details on the hat, such as the main symbol in the middle. The red circles will be resin gems. I'm not sure how to put those on without sewing them, I'm guessing glue will have to do. Good glue. Strong glue. No hot glue.

So that's it for now. I do have some drawing but I'll upload those in another post.