White Mage in Progress

Hi, foxies! I am very excited about one of my latest projects, so please allow me to tell you all about it. :) I am currently working on my very first Worbla cosplay weapon, a Thyrus relic weapon from the online game Final Fantasy XIV. I have to admit that I have been dreaming of crafting my own cosplay props for quite a while now, but to be honest, I really had no idea where to start. You know, these weapons look so real, and I don't exactly have an armour smithy in my backyard. Well, turns out you don't even need that!

Last July, I decided to sign up for a Worbla workshop in Antwerp. Our host was no one less than Mistvein (Robbe), a surprisingly young cosplayer who has already won tons of national cosplay awards. The workshop took place at a traditional glassworks atelier, where Mistvein's assistant Cookiepie (Tim) creates the most beautiful glass art pieces. Believe me, these two guys are amazingly talented, so please give their fan pages a well-deserved like! :D I learned so many things at the workshop and I am very grateful to Robbe and Tim.

Worbla is a brand of non-toxic thermoplastics. It can be shaped by hand and it is self-adhesive when heated - basically, all you need is a regular heating gun. It can be painted with just about any paint. The most difficult part of crafting cosplay armour and weapons is carefully cutting the EVA foam before applying the Worbla, but once you get used to it, it's not that hard at all.

In fact, you just need a lot of patience. I made this Worbla weapon at home in about 20 hours time (four sessions to cut the foam and heat the Worbla, and one more session to apply the white primer). I am currently painting the weapon with acrylic paint, and I can't be happier with the result. I really look forward to finishing the Thyrus and wearing my White Mage cosplay at the FFXIV Fan Fest in February!

See you next time!

Leen

Thyrus (FFXIV White Mage Weapon) Work in Progress, November 2016

Foam and Worbla