A few years ago I made a Tetsucabra armor from Monster Hunter, and it's been one of my absolute favorite cosplays I've done. I originally made a tutorial that I had posted to RPF forum, but I wanted to update it and post it here.
Although a lot of the materials are a little old-school, I think it's worth sharing some of the techniques and process!
Please note that I'll go over the main parts of the build, but will share WIP pics that could better explained anything I may have missed.
Safety First
Before diving into this project, I want to emphasize the importance of safety. Throughout this tutorial, I’ll be using sharp tools, hot glue, and various adhesives. Please take care to protect yourself—use cutting mats, wear gloves when necessary, and always work in a well-ventilated area. Hot glue can cause burns, and sharp tools can cause injury, so proceed with caution and never rush through these steps.
Materials Needed
Dress form
Plastic wrap
Tape (e.g., masking or packing tape)
Craft foam (NOTE: when I made this I had used craft foam, but I HIGHLY recommend using EVA foam instead, as it is much better to work with!)
Fabric (for covering foam)
Black felt
Faux suede
Outdoor Mod Podge
Hot glue and glue gun
Googly eyes
Tissue paper
Scissors and/or craft knife
Acrylic paints (for weathering and finishing)
Paintbrushes
Worbla
Heat gun
Crayola Model Magic (NOTE: this is what was available at the time, but I recommend you use foam clay instead!! It's more durable and flexible!)
Separating zippers (2 for the boot covers)
Eyelets
Purple yarn
White bias tape
Stretch fabric (for pants)
Elastic (for pants)
Reptile texture fabric
Thread
Sewing machine
Step 1: Preparing the Dress Form
First, I adjusted my dress form to match my exact size. Once I had it set up, I covered the entire form in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of tape. This gave me a sturdy base to start sketching my pattern.
Step 2: Designing the Pattern
With the dress form wrapped and ready, I began drawing the design directly onto the taped surface. I paid close attention to where I wanted to place darts and slits, which are crucial for achieving the right curves and fit. This part is really important for ensuring that the final costume fits perfectly.
For other parts like the mask or boot covers, I made mockups out of paper until I found shapes of what I liked. Some parts were honestly a lot of trial and error.
Step 3: Transferring and Refining the Pattern
After I finished drawing, I carefully removed the taped plastic pieces from the dress form. I transferred these onto paper to create my pattern. While doing this, I took the time to clean up the edges and make any necessary fixes. Getting the pattern right at this stage makes the next steps much smoother.
Step 4: Cutting and Preparing the Foam Base
Next, I used the paper patterns to cut out all the pieces from craft foam. For added durability and a clean finish, I covered one side of each foam piece with fabric, turning the edges over. On the other side, I adhered black felt. I used Outdoor Mod Podge to glue faux suede onto the foam, ensuring it was securely attached.
Step 5: Assembling the Armor
With all the pieces prepped, I started assembling the armor. I layered the sectional pieces, allowing each one to slightly overlap the other, creating depth. I used hot glue to hold everything together, which gave me a strong, flexible bond. To add texture, I applied a mix of glue and tissue paper over the surface.
For the small metal-like details, I used hot glue and googly eyes and covered them in Worbla, and for the details on the mask (the "eyebrows") I used Model Magic.
Step 6: Finalizing the Costume
I followed the same process for the rest of the costume pieces. Once everything was assembled, I finished by weathering and painting it with acrylics. This final touch really brought the costume to life, adding depth and realism.
I also added closures on the sides of the chest piece (basically the chest piece slides over my head and close on the sides below my armpits) made out out of eyelets/grommets (sort of like a corset, but on each side), and also added separating zippers to the back of the leg covers, so I can easily put them on.
I drafted the pants based on leggings I had and then just did all of the details on the thighs out of white bias and purple yarn (which I also used for tassels and as the strings for the closures).
For the panels (the flaps?) I used a reptile/crocodile texture fabric, which I just painted over with acrylics.
There are other details and accessories that I added that are made out of fabrics, so I apologize for not having WIP or photos of them, but I hope you've gotten the gist of the build and that you've gotten some ideas or picked up some techniques for your own builds.
Thank you so much for checking out my tutorial! As a little side note, I entered this costume alongside my friend Phoebe (Chiefy Creates), who cosplayed as Guild Marm, and we won Best Masters! So it was a really fun build with an awesome experience too!
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