Introduction: How to Make a Transformers: "Devastator" Costume

By Spicy Panda Creations
About: I'm a kid in a candy store when it comes to creating things. I love learning different versions of art, whatever medium it may be. Feel free to like the official site on Facebook to keep up with past, presen…
This guy was such an iconic decepticon, that I JUST HAD TO DO IT!  My friend is 6'5 and a fan favorite of this giant. I hear the biggest form of flattery is imitation.. Hence....

I give you… DEVASTATOR!

* This costume is quite HOT and HEAVY

*This costume is quite an intricate, time consuming build. This is because each limb is a different construct.

* This costume works well for really TALL people.. like 6’5 and over.

*This costume will cause a big mess in your place during construction.

* it is honestly helpful to watch a few clips of the constructicons forming Devastator.. just to get a visual of how things should look.
* Some of the pictures do not coincide in order of completion. I was all over the place making this thing.

Materials:

- Black long sleeve t shirt

-Black leggings

- black gloves

-belt

-lots of cardboard

-lots of glue

-clear plastic

- acetate

-mini LED flashlights

- split clips

- PVC

-wood planks

- different sized soda caps

-roll of cardboard tube

-old shoes

-construction paper

-primer

-shoe laces

-paint

Step 1: Feet

Main explanation is located in the Shrapnel tutorial (link below)

https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-Transformers-Insecticon-Shrapnel-Cos/

For the RIGHT foot, Cut the top layer off as close to the actual shoe as possible. This is because the plow of the left vehicle will rest on this wooden ledge. make a play out of cardboard and glue it on top of the ledge.. the plow will actually not be touching the floor. 


For the LEFT foot, extend it with 2 planks. This is because the front of the mixer truck will encase the blocks..


* dont forget to add a grill to the front. and to cut out the windows

Step 2: Legs: Right Leg (Loader)

start off by making a box around the calf (pic 1).

A more thorough explanation is in the Shrapnel tutorial

- Once the box is completed, start making groves and raising some areas of the leg piece. As you can see, this takes a bit of work, but just take it one piece at a time.
- I cut a ridge down the middle, cut a deep space at the half way point..
- Also i cut a square in the middle, as this is where a person would sit inside the vehicle itself..
- at the bottom of the leg, there are the robot’s arms.. (he's technically upside down, so he would be doing a hand stand. Just slowly get through those..
-Don't forget 4 wheels that seem to be connected to the arms themselves..


Once that is done, you need to make the “neck” of the loader.. which connects to the actual plow.. I sketched out a template on some construction paper, cut it out, and started building it up. (pic 3 +4)


Now, attach the half circles to the bottom of the leg.. the complete circles will be on either side of your actual foot.. and give the illusion that it is somehow connected to the plow

There are teeth on the shovel park (look at finalized picture of feet/ legs)

Step 3: Legs: Left Leg (Mixer)

For the left leg, start by making the box to encase your calf. Once completed, cut out a LARGE square from the top. Use the top portion to make a tray and re-glue it back inside so it is now a indented section

From there, you will start making the actual mixer container. I made two circles and a band, and connected them with strips to form a cone. (pic 3).. it kinda reminds me of that canister of goop from the movie Prometheus

* if you want to take the time, you can bondo it for a really smooth finish.
once completed, set aside, but do not glue in yet. the reason is that it is hard to paint when glued in already.

Next, you will want to create 2 ledges for the top and bottom of the mixer container

also, the Mixer vehicle has 6 wheels all together

Your 2 legs should be done.

Step 4: Thighs

1. The thighs are basically boxes. They are just angled in and there is a little section cut out if you are a dude for your :;ahem:;..

2. Poke a hole on the sides (hip side). Take a metal circle washer and glue it on either side of the hole.  get some string or more shoe lace and thread it through. about 4 -5 inches should do.
  • - The washer is so that the thread will be supported by the washer, and not the cardboard (which can easily rip through with wear/tear)..

3. To wear the thighs, you need a belt around your waist. put on the thighs and then use the string to tie them to the belt. This way, they do not fall when you are walking around.

At this point in time, you should have the lower half completed (pic 2)

Step 5: Waist (Dump Truck)


Do not concern yourself with the arms or chest yet.
  • The waist portion starts out as just a box around the person’s actual waist. it should be fairly snug if possible.
  • You will add the front piece which is somewhat of a “T” shape. this front plate juts out about an inch or 2.
    • -Remember that there is a cockpit on the top left side. 
  •  also, make 2 sets of wheels and attach them to either side.
  • -There is also a big grill in the front
    • I just took off the top layer of cardboard to expose the actual ridges within the cardboard
  • start creating the back of the truck by adding a little tail to the butt of the dump truck (pic 3)
  • Create a front ledge (pic 3)
  • add two large triangles to the sides of the carriage. (pic 3)
  • I meticulously cut out little strips and added them to the sides for detail. (pic 3)

Step 6: Chest (Mobile Crane)

Do not concern yourself with the arms yet.
  • Build a box that will go over the head. It should jut out a bit past the front of the waist piece.
  • I cut the top edge out.
  • i also made a cockpit on the right side.
  • -remember to cut out the windows.
  • I also made a bit of a neck cover
  • In order to make the actual crane, just make a long beam.. basically a long rectangle..
  • i then housed it inside a trapezoid case which would then velcro onto the left shoulder of the chest piece. (pic 3 + 4)
  • For the hook, i just sketched a hook in construction paper, cut it out to make a few 3d pieces.. i then used some shoe string and and attached it to a a half circle on the other end of the beam. (fig 5)
  • I then cut a cardboard tube in half (length wise).. i glued it to the middle of the back and made two caps for the top and bottom. The reason for this is that this particular robot basically breaks in half during vehicle mode , kinda like a “U” with the head and tail meeting to form the chest. (pic 6)

Step 7: Chest Piece

I sketched a life size drawing on a piece of construction paper

Then i cut it out of cardboard and slowly started building it up.

Eventually I added some PVC pipe and some PVC adapters..

Step 8: Pelvis

A thorough explanation is located on the Shrapnel Tutorial (link below)

https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-Transformers-Insecticon-Shrapnel-Cos/

*i added 3 elevated sections to this pelvis.

For the hip piece, it is a plank with a wheel on it 

Step 9: Arms: Right Arm (Excavator)

so i started this portion by making a large rectangular box.
- it should be fairly large, as if it would be the same mass as a leg piece. remember that all these limbs are 6 robots that combine into 1 big robot.. those 6 robots are about the same height

1. There is a hole for the arm to slip through on the under side.

2. that groove on the left side is so that the crane can fit it there.

3. I built the crane itself and then wanted to make it move. I used PVC pipe and adapters to pull it off. (pic 3)

- The tube is housed inside the cockpit (pic 4).. The PVC elbow joint is housed inside the actual crane of the excavator.. it is connected to another long piece of pvc that runs the length of the crane


* i made a little bucket, and a larger neck at the top.. i used more PVC to just add some detail to the arm itself. I used two split clips on either side of the bucket so that it could move. (pic 5)

-For the treads, i originally thought to use foam board, but decided to make cardboard ones instead.. They are like making wheels, but longer.. Then little cardboard strips were painstakingly cut out and glued one by one along the Tread for detail. it was well worth it as it looked great. pic 6

Step 10: Arms: Left Arm (Bull Dozer)

Start off with the same size body of the excavator. This build is easier as you dont need to make a cockpit or an arm.. You are still making the treads though.. you will make a square indentation in the middle of it where the seat would be. Don’t forget to make the overhead cover for it. Also, you will just make a shovel (like you did for the foot), but this time with no teeth. 

Step 11: Hands and Forearms

1. Explanation of hands and basic build of  forearms  is in the Shrapnel Tutorial (link below)

https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-Transformers-Insecticon-Shrapnel-Cos/

2. Devastator’s forearms are segmented just like jazz’s were. (link below)

https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-Transformers-Jazz-Costume/
  •  the forearms are fairly larger than the other robots.

You should have the entire top half now!

Step 12: Face

1. The face is comprised of 6 main pieces: 2 cheeks, a mouth, 2 cheek bones, and a forehead (pic 1 + pic 2)

2. Once glued, add a nose. we cut a small slit in the nose to assist with breathing. Also, add a mouth, and add lips (pic 3)

*sometimes it is good to have a open mouth. if this is the case, place some black fabric on the inside of the mouth. this also helps with breathing.

3. Take your red acetate and wrap it around the eyes like a visor.  If you want it a bit more sturdy, grab some clear plastic and glue the acetate to that first, and THEN wrap it around the eyes.

Step 13: Helmet

1. To do the helmet, begin by making the crown illustrated in my previous tutorial, “how to build a Darkseid costume” (pic 1)

https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-DCs-Darkseid-costume/

Do this with the mask on because the mask increases the size of your head. (pic 2)

2. Once that is done, stark thickening it up by adding the details. 

Step 14: Finished!

- remember to glue all the seams

-cover all the seams with masking tape

-primer everything and then paint the designated colors

-Use the clear plastic and cover the windows. you can even use colored acetate. If you have time, add the lights inside the windows.

- details make this costume, so dont get lazy. Add the yellow and black caution signs on the suits.

- don't forget the deception symbol in the middle emblem

for more transformer costumes, please follow the links below:

Jazz
Bumblebee
Arcee
Hotrod
Shrapnel
Soundwave
Starscream
Please feel free to follow me on Spicy Panda Creations via Facebook for current projects!