Last October I worked with my friends at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company on a production of Romeo and Juliet. The show was 90% modern with a 10% throwback to romantic Elizabethan inspiration. Romeo wore this gold doublet (courtesy of Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park) and silver epaulette drape to the Capulet party with a pair of grey jeans. Here, I created a set of metallic epaulettes out of everyday materials. The result is a very lightweight piece of armor with a dynamic flare.
 |
| Sara Clark as Juliet, Ian Bond as Romeo Photo by Rich Sofranko |
MATERIALS:
 |
| Supplies for Romeo's Epaulettes |
- MAMBI STICKS scroll scrapbooking stickers (2 packs @ $3ea at your local craft store)
- black gaff tape (aprox. 1 yrd)
- gloss black spray paint ($4)
- galvanized ductboard collar (find at your local hardware store: 2 @ $3ea)
- silver creme stencil paint ($4 at your local craft store)
- black fabric with some stretch (1/8th yrd)
- 1" or 5/8" foam
- gorilla glue
PROCESS:
1. Cover all edges of the aluminum collars with this strips of gaff tape. This is for the protection of your actor as the edges can be quite sharp. The tape also works as a stablizer so the edges will not get so easily bent out of shape. If you would like an overall matte finish to the design you may cover the entire collar with gaff tape.
2. Now you will want to create a foam layer to set inside of the collar to better fit on the actor's shoulders. I used a piece of insulation foam measuring about 3"x 8" and covered it with a casing of black stretch cotton. Having some stretch to your fabric will be helpful. You want the casing to be a bit smaller than your foam so that the foam will be compressed inside. Make sure your foam sits flush with the ends of the aluminum collar. Set these aside for the moment. We will attach them after all painting is complete.
3. Apply scroll scrapbooking stickers as embellishment. These can be moved around a bit if you need to change your design, but the stickers may stretch if you are not careful. I bought two packs so I could mirror my design on each epaulette.
4. Paint the entire epaulette with glossy black spray. Be sure to apply two even coats from different angles to get complete coverage. Let sit over night.
5. Now using the silver stencil creme you can dry brush the 3-dimensional design elements created by the scrapbook stickers. This gives the effect of embossed metal. I used my fingers to apply the paint because I did not want to see any brush strokes. I also recommend a soft sponge or wash cloth. In the end, I added the stencil creme to the entire surface to give added depth and texture.
6. Finally, add the foam casings to the inside of the epaulettes using gorilla glue. Let sit overnight.
At this point your epaulettes are complete. Add a piece of chain or drape fabric to connect the two pieces. Enjoy your lightweight armor alternative!
TIME: 1.5 hours of construction time, 12-24 hours of dry time
COST: $25
DIFFICULTY: Easy
