There is nothing more I like to do then MAKE STUFF and Halloween costumes are some of the most fun items to make! This year Owen wanted to be a Star Wars character, since he is to little to have seen the movie the only one he really knows is R2-D2 and BB-8. Because they are robots (yes I know droids technically but for a 4 year old try and explain the difference).
I make costumes with two purposes (1) for Halloween of course but (2) to save and use for the kids birthday parties if possible. Getting the most use from something I made.
Having two boys now, I was thrilled that Owen wanted to be R2-D2 that meant Michael will be “Baby” BB-8!
Here is the supply list:
- Qty 3 Large 12″ Diameter Smooth Styrofoam Half Sphere Shells
- Qty 1 Medium 8″ Diameter Smooth Styrofoam Half Sphere Shells
- Qty 1 Small 1″ Diameter Styrofoam Ball
- Qty 1 Small 3″ Diameter Styrofoam Ball
- 1 Sheet of blue craft foam
- 1 Sheet of grey craft foam
- 1 Sheet of white craft foam
- Royal Blue, White, Grey and Orange Acrylic Paint
- Hot Glue
- Glue gun
- Qty 2 Paper Mache 12″ Diameter Boxes
- 2 ft. Elastic band (for the head chin straps)
- 3 ft. Grey Ribbon (for the holder straps
- Royal blue, black, red and orange puffy paint
First the BB-8 Costume
Get 2 of the large 12″ diameter foam shells and put them together (the ones you get at Hobby Lobby actually connect and snap together). Then trace a series of 8″ circles about 2″ apart from one another. For this I used the 8″ foam shell we’ll use for the head as my stencil.
The trace out the orange and grey patterns for the BB-8 using a picture as a guide. I first painted the orange, let dry and then painted the grey parts. For the white areas in between the circles I mixes a light grey and filled them in. During this part I kept the two halves of the body together to make sure that the pattern will match up very well when they were taken apart.
Repeat with the head piece by tracing out the patterns and then painting them.
Once dry for the head, outline all of the orange parts with puffy paint. This gives a nice three dimensional effect plus a little more gloss. Make the little camera eye out of black puffy paint. The central BB8 camera eye is a 1″ Styrofoam ball cut in half, painted black with acrylic paint, and then hot glued in place.
Once everything is dry add the elastic band to the head as a chi strap and attach with hot glue. Then separate the body and hot glue the shoulder straps in place.
That’s if for BB8!
Now R2-D2 Costume
First take a razor or a sharp knife and cut out the bottom of the two paper-mache boxes. This will be the body. Next paint it white inside and out. I had to do two coats and of course let this dry completely.
Once dry hot glue these together from the inside. Next paint one of the 12″ foam shells grey. This will be the head. Let everything dry completely before starting to paint the blue and grey patterns on the head and body of R2D2.
Once everything is dry, add the small camera eye and black button on the body details using black puffy paint. For the large camera eye use half of the 3″ foam sphere painted in black hot glues in place. I used red puffy paint for the red camera light and then outlined all of the royal blue features on the head with matching puffy paint.
Here you could stop and just have all of the features painted, but I had a few sheets of craft foam in blue, white and grey. I used these to cut out the shapes and details for the legs. Glue the legs together with hot glue and attach to the body. Since I had the foam I also cut a few details adding a few three dimensional details to R2D2.
Add the elastic chin strap and the ribbon shoulder straps and your done!
