Not all fire burns red…
Blue dragons are a breed all their own. Calm, collected, and quick-witted, a blue dragon uses their crackling energy to shape the world to their whim, not simply burn it all to ash. Morph a blue dragon into it’s human form, and the Blue Dragon Knight cosplay is born.
For this commission, I created the custom “Blue Dragon Knight” armor, inspired by the spirited patron who requested the design.
“As brilliant as a cut diamond, with just as cruel an edge.”
— Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind (Wizards of the Coast)
Making the Dragon Knight Cosplay
The base of each piece of the Dragon Knight’s armor is constructed using Worbla’s Black Art. Two sections of Worbla are cut and heated around 2mm foam EVA foam (craft foam), cut to the shape of the armor pattern, and formed to shape while hot. The bracers and pauldron utilize additional sections of double-layered Worbla, cut into diamonds and affixed atop the armor to form it’s distinct blue “scales.” The breastplate features twin dragons, hand sculpted in Apoxie, as well as my clients’ custom “D” insignia sculpted on the back. All armor uses custom leather straps to secure pieces in place.
The Dragon Knight’s helmet also uses Worbla as it’s armor base. XPS foam and tin foil were used to create a rough foundation for the dragon features. Paperclay was then added atop the base to form the horns and spikes. The entire dragon “face” was then sculpted using a top layer of Apoxie Sculpt, and sanded to a shiny smooth finish. The Paperclay spikes and horns were left exposed for a distinct texture when complete. Four blue LEDs are wired beneath the helmet sculpt to create the effect of the glowing eyes. To diffuse the light, painted LED foam was affixed inside of a cut clear plastic ornament. A battery pack is affixed inside of the helmet to power the lights.
The surcoat is an altered sewing pattern, fully lined and able to stand alone as a costume piece without the armor. Approximately five yards of fabric were used to cut 520 individual fabric scales. These were each hand painted and affixed to the outer fabric layers before sewing on to the lining. Surcoat has a front lace closure, and features a distinct faux leather “scale” textured accent down the back.
Additional armor pieces such as gauntlets and greaves are expected to be added to this costume over the coming years.
**Full Disclosure: I get credit when you purchase items via my Amazon links in this post. Any profits made will go back into my blog posts and tutorials. Thanks in advance for considering a purchase! 
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