How to Make a Transformers: "Jazz" Costume

One of the coolest transformers from the G1 generation, voiced by Scatman Crothers… Jazz was the Bot!
I made this costume for one of my friends in order for him to join in our Transformers lineup.

*A very special shout-out to instructable members: dannyeurena and Incxtc for their previous Transformers tutorials as theirs were the the foundation for my Transformers creations.

Here are their amazing tutorials:

https://www.instructables.com/id/Transformers-Soundwave-Costume/

and

https://www.instructables.com/id/Building-Optimus-Prime/

*this costume is very time consuming

*This costume is very hot

*this costume will create a very big mess

Materials:

-lots of cardboard

- lots of hot glue

-masking tape

-blue acetate

-clear plastic

-old shoes

-shoe laces

-comic cardboard

- mini LED lights

-wood planks

- various soda caps

-black gloves

-black leggings

- black long sleeve tshirt

Let’s get started!

Step 1: Feet and Legs

FEET

Tutorial is explained in the shrapnel tutorial (link below)

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

* i just added a little details to show a difference in shoe.

LEGS

Tutorial is explained in the shrapnel tutorial (link below)

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

- add various boxes to the legs. Additionally, Jazz has a wheel on the side of this leg and also a fender. To make the fender, put a strip of cardboard around the wheel itself.. Then draw a line around the strip (pictured below).. start adding little portions of cardboard while using that drawn line as a guide.

- Additionally, Jazz has a spoiler on the back of his legs. make the pieces: 1 long horizontal piece, 2 small parallelograms to hold it up, and 1 side plate.

Step 2: Thighs

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.

Step 3: Waist

pic1
We started off with a snug box around the waist. we cut out circles on the sides so that the box could slip underneath the armpits.

pic 2
It should end where your waistline does. i added a few details with different size boxes, a few bottle caps, and i cut the first layer off to expose the ridges. I would suggest keeping this in place with suspenders if needed.

Step 4: Pelvis

1. Now that you have your waist and thighs, you can determine how large you need your pelvis to be. It is 4 pieces (2 sides, crotch, and butt).

2. It really just depends on the transformer. I just added some random details based on the pictures i found.

If you wanted to make ridges, you have two options. You can stack strips of cardboard on top of each other and then glue it in. (pic 3)
or if you want, you can remove the first layer of paper from the cardboard and expose the stripes inside (pic 4)

3. Once completed, you can attach this to the waist through the use of velcro and fabric.

Step 5: Hands, Forearms, and Biceps

Explained in the shrapnel tutorial

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

* Jazz’s forearms are segmented. i cut the forearm into 3 separate pieces and then glued a strip of cardboard within the gap.

Step 6: Chest

Start with the basic shape. Remember that the chest needs to fit over the waist and the front extends out since it is the front of the hood in car mode. (pic 1)

I also added the shoulders to the chest piece. i built them separately and then attached them to the chest through elastic straps (pic 2)

There are wheels on the back of the shoulders (pic 3)

I then started cutting out holes for the headlights and grill. I also added a few strips for a bumper (pic 4)

To get the hood to curve around the edges, i cut the edges completely off.. then i took some comic cardboard and bent them into place (pic 5)

For the headlights, i encased two mini LED flashlights in cardboard cases. I velcroed the cases inside the chest pieces so they were removable. I also put some blue acetate on the inside of the headlight circles. (pic 6)

Step 7: BACK

BACK

Jazz has a long back piece, which is really the hood and front windshield of his car mode. I just took a long rectangle and a smaller rectangle (for the windshield) and attached them to the chest and waist by velcro. it also helps keeping the waist in place.

* we did not add the doors as seen in the animated picture, as they were not shown in the G1 cartoon.

Step 8: Helmet and Face

Explanation through the Shrapnel tutorial

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

* i added a smirk to Jazz’s face. Once completed, take your blue acetate and a rectangle of clear plastic. glue the acetate to the plastic and bend it in half. Glue it over the eye section to turn it into a visor

For the Helmet, just remember that it has a bill, a mohawk, 2 ears, and 2 side pieces. Also, remember to cut out a section for the visor to slip inside.

Step 9: Finished!

* After all the pieces are assembled, glue all the seams together, especially all the little holes of the cardboard

* put masking tape on each seam of the robot

* Primer and paint the suit’s designated colors

* don’t forget the lights

*Print out the emblem and a number “4” for the chest

That should be it! Transform and Roll out!