This is the third video game Corky that I've done, after Mario and Ezio Auditore from Assassin's Creed 2. Link is probably one of the greatest, most legendary video game characters of all time. There was no way I could miss him.

Step 1: Supplies

Supplies:

Metal-cutting scissors
UHU glue: use this to glue pretty much everything together
Scissors
Craft knife (Xacto knife)
Fine felt tip pens
Pencils and eraser
Fine black permanent marker
Gold paint marker
Different colors of Sharpie
White poster paint and paintbrush
Small scissors (I used the scissors from a mini Swiss army knife)
Needle-nose pliers
File

Champagne cork
Aluminium tape
Metal sheet: I used some steel from a can. it doesn't matter too much what it is, as long as it's no thicker than about 0.5mm and magnetic
Cardboard and card
Various colors of sticker paper
Old scraps of light green and brown fabric: I used white, because I didn't have any green, and then dyed it with a Sharpie
Some blonde fur or other material that can be used for hair
Another piece of cork
Wire (must be magnetic and stiff enough to poke through a cork)

Step 2: Face

As always, start by drawing the face. Otherwise, if you do everything else first and leave the face to the end, you could end up ruining the entire cork because the face doesn't look right.

Somehow I found this the most difficult step in making Link, because I tried to get the distinctive Japanese look that Link has. I think it didn't turn out too bad (except for the eyebrows - they should really be a lighter brown).

Start with the outline of the eyes, as shown in the first photo above. Then add the whites, and finally the pupils. Make sure that you leave a small part of the pupil white, for that manga style eye reflection. I used a fine black permanent marker for the black parts and white poster paint for the white.

Step 3: Hair and Ears

Whether you do the hair or the ears first doesn't really make a difference. The fur I used for the hair seemed a little too white against the cork and the bright green, so I used a yellow sharpie to make it more yellow. At first I thought the hair was too curly, but when I glued it down it straightened out a little.

Use a craft knife to cut two pieces of cork shaped like Hylian ears. Cut the sides of the ears where you'll attach them at an angle, so they don't stick out too much.

Step 4: Cap

I forgot to take pictures of the cap-making process, so sorry about that. I'll have to try to explain it.
To make the cap, cut out a semi circle or a third of a circle of green fabric, then overlap the two edges of the semi circle, as you would to make a cone. Make sure that it's the right size for the cork. If it's too flat or loose, add some stuffing.

Step 5: Pants, Tunic and Belt

This part's easy. Cut a strip of brown fabric as shown above, and glue it around the bottom of the cork. Then glue a wider strip of green fabric over the brown strip, for the tunic. I cut out a small notch in the wide strip for the neck, so I could add a collar.

For the belts, cut two narrow strips of light brown fabric or leather, glue one around the cork slightly below the middle of the cork, and one diagonally across as the shoulder strap.

Step 6: Master Sword

For the master sword, cut out one complete outline out of the sword out of card and two outlines of the hilt. Cover the blade in aluminium tape to make it metallic, and glue another hilt outline on each side. Color it dark blue with a Sharpie and add any details.

Step 7: Hylian Shield

To make the shield, use metal-cutting scissors to cut out the shape, then bend it slightly to make it curved.
Draw the Hylian pattern on a piece of paper as I did above, cut it out, and glue it onto the shield.

Step 8: Magnets

Usually, I always glue weapons or tools to the sides of the champagne corks, making it permanent. With link, however, I wanted to make it possible to strap everything onto the back. To do this, I decided to use magnets and small metal plates (steel from cans). I glued a tiny rare earth magnet onto the hilt of the sword, and stuck one to the inside of the shield (no glue needed - it's magnetic anyways). The metal plates stick under the tunic on the sides. The tunic was tight enough, so I didn't have to use any glue.

Step 9: Scabbard

Cut out two shapes of dark blue (I accidentally used brown, then I realized that the scabbard is actually blue and gold) and a frame of cardboard to go between them. Make sure that it's big enough for the entire blade.
To add the details, I used gold sticker paper. You could also use a fine gold pen.
Then, bend a piece of wire as shown, and use it to fasten the scabbard. To make it look neater, I covered it with a strip of brown fabric. Now the sword fits nicely into the scabbard and the shield can be stuck on top of it.

Step 10: Finishing It Off

Finally, if you haven't done so yet, glue the cap onto the head. To hold it down a little and make it less stiff, use a pin, pressing it into the head and bending it down.

What video game character should I make next? Let me know in the comments below.