Despicable Me Minon Youth Costume

Taking the lead from this instructable (thank you very much!)  I made my own version with tweaks to the original design.  My design is probably a bit harder to get in and out of, but still a ton of fun for all.

Tools:
Google Sketchup w/Flattery Plugin
Printer
Scissors
Needles
Sewing Machine
Utility Knife
Rulers
Fabric Tape Measures
Black & Brown Sharpies
Dremel

Materials:
Brown roll-o-paper
2 Cheap camping mats
String
Gorilla glue
Yellow plastic mesh
1/4" Batting for queen size quilt
Yellow fleece & thread
Denim & orange thread
1/4 yard black fleece & thread
Velcro
Black pipe cleaners
3" rounded PVC pipe cap
4" flat PVC pipe cap
1 sheet plexiglass
1 Silver metal spray paint can
Nail polish remover
1" wide black nylon strap

Step 1: 3D Model of Head

Trying to follow the other instructable was very hard because I didn't know the scale of it, and how it related to the scale of mine.  So after several failed template attempts, I decided to do start from scratch to get all the angles right.  Using Google Sketchup I create the head in 3D.  I have attached the file so you can adjust this yourself.

Ours body was 14" in diameter.  I also wanted to put his view hole out above the eye to keep the scale spot on to an actual minion.  This affected the curve of the head.  I also didn't want the sections to go all the way to the top, but to have a disc in the center which should help with the build given the material.

Once I was happy with the shape I used the plugin called Flattery that takes the 3D model and allows you to flatten it so it can be printed (great for papercrafting!).

1. To get ready for flatting it, I displayed all the edges.  Do this by either triple clicking using the selection tool, or right clicking with the selection tool, and going to "Select > Bounding Edges".  Then right click and select "Soften/Smooth Edges" which brings up a dialog box.  Make sure both Checkboxes are unchecked and the slider is all the way to the left.
2. With the flattery plugin, first you use the index tool, then the unfold tool.  With the unfold tool select the have nothing selected then click each polygon to slowly unfold it.  You really only need to do one section.  As this can be easily repeated.
3. Finally printing to scale in Sketchup.
   1. First change the camera's perspective.  Do this via menu item "Camera > Parallel Projection"  
   2. You can then do top or front views "Camera > Standard Views > Top".  
   3. Center what you want to print with a minimum border around it (i.e. change the window size).
   4. Then select "File > Document Setup", uncheck "Fit View to Page"  Change the width and height close to what you are printing on, and set the print scale 1" and 1".  It says it might not be measurable, but it was for me.
   5. You are all set to print now.

Comments

[woodstockbirdy]

"ASSEMBLE THE MINONS!!"

[instructable person 9]

realisticaly realistic

[n1cod3mus]

EPIC!!

[Gumdrop Drew]

This is such a versatile shape. I could see this easily re-skinned as as a Pac-Man ghost, Diglet from Pokemon, a thimble piece from Momopoly, or even Plankton from Spongebob. Great job!!!

[poofrabbit]

WOW this is so cool! I love the use of materials and the out come is stunning!

[poofrabbit]

WOW this is so cool! I love the use of materials and the out come is stunning!

[Dr Qui]

That's class! I hope your kid got so much candy for this costume that you needed a wheel barrow to bring it home.

[CtrlAltDrew]

I would have loved to have had the mouth be an opening to a black velvet bag which was the "trick or treat" storage. That way he could stuff his candy into his "mouth", appearing to eat everything he could lay his hands on, BUT saving it for later parental discretion on appropriate levels of well-deserved minion-intake. (¬‿¬)

[craineum]

Holy crap is this an awesome idea!!! I like the way the mouth looks on ours, but man is that a fantastic idea! Great Cookie Monster costume idea too :)

[fungus amungus]

Nice stuff. Next step: add a mesh-covered hole in the back with a fan to blow in.

[craineum]

Yeah, need to do this for inside trick-or-treating :)

[crapflinger]

fun! as a kid i never would have accepted even the suggestion of a costume that would have precluded me from shoveling candy directly from the person handing it out's hand into my open maw.