Despicable Me, Minion Costumes.

For halloween this year my wife and I went as Minions from the movie Despicable Me.

All in all It turned out pretty well. we each have about the same amount of time put in. I did the shaping we both did the paper mache, and we both painted (her more than me).  We were very popular with kids and parents alike as we had our pictures taken many times. Everyone agreed we would have won the costume contest at the annual town halloween party but they had foolishly cancelled it due to inclement weather (it was chilly but otherwise clear and beautiful that night, the hurricane being well gone by the time the festivities started). perhaps we'll hold on to them and simply go as the same thing next year.

The main shape is simply chicken wire formed into a tube and then bent over at the top to form a dome. Holes were cut for our arms. All edges that might have sharp bits were then duct taped over. The whole things were the covered with Paper Mache. There was no sort of harness to keep them in the right place. We simply allowed the tops of the holes to rest on our shoulders.

We then spray painted it yellow, discovered that the newsprint could still be read through the paint, painted it flat gray, then yellow again. It took several coats to get a nice bright, even coat.

Then we sketched out the faces and cut the paper mache with utility knives for the pupils of the eyes which were then covered with a sheer black fabric to allow us to see. The eyes were painted (except for the pupil and the main bits of the overalls were blocked in with spray paint using paper to mask the yellow.

Everything else was then painted in by hand using acrylic paint.  My wife made a stencil for the Gru Labs patch on the front and some texture was added to the "denim" using a sponge and the goggles using a dry brush technique.

I would have made a more extensive instructable but we forgot to take pictures.

Enjoy!