7 year old son: “Dad, I want to be a bumblebee for Halloween.”
Dad: “Really, you mean one with black and yellow stripes and cute little wings. Kind of baby-ish don’t you think?”
Son: “No Dad, Bumblebee! From Transformers.”
Dad: “Oh, of course. That’s better. That will be cool, we can make it look like a robot and stuff…”
Son: “….and I want it to actually transform!”
Ugh, here we go again….
So this was my son’s request for this year, and the web searching for ideas began. Luckily, as cool as my son’s idea was, it wasn’t the first time anyone ever made a transforming Transformers costume, so there were plenty of excellent examples on the web. But, of course, the devil is in the details, so I set about this year’s costume design in earnest.
I discarded the idea of being faithful to how Bumblebee transforms in the movies – way too complex for my 7 year old to pull off quickly every time someone asks him to transform in the costume. I found some good simplifications in costumes on the web, and added some of my own tweaks on how it should work. Once I decided on the basic transforming operation, I went to work prototyping it quick and dirty with cardboard and duct tape to check operation and sizing. My son had a ball with the prototype. Heck, I could have slapped some yellow paint on it and called it good, but no…..
It has to look cool as a car and a robot, so I modeled a simplified Camaro in CAD. Since my costume making medium of choice is foam core board, it couldn’t have any compound curves. I then used some software called Papakura (thanks costume makers on the web) to convert the folded up surfaces of the model into flat shapes I could print and cut out. Papekure is normally used to make small scale intricate paper models, but it worked great scaled up with foam core board too. Many hours later, some glue, and a lot of yellow paint, I finished the car with some bike light taillights and dollar store flashlights for headlights.
For my son’s body, since he had to curl up so small to fit inside the car mode, he couldn’t have too much robot body armor on, but I did make some cool designs in yellow and silver duct tape on his black sweats. Foam armor for his knees helped him kneel more comfortably on random sidewalks.
Of course my son’s head doesn’t look like Bumblebee’s head, so he needed a helmet too. Now you can buy a Bumblebee helmet, but noooooo. Some more 3D modeling , cut up foam flooring pads, hot glue, and paint, and the homemade helmet was born. My son had some cool blue LED glasses that finished it off nicely.
Then it all got put together and ….Ready, Set, Transform… Whew, worked out pretty well. Only bummer is that my son couldn’t wear the helmet while in car mode, but that was minor. He was the envy of many a 7 year old at the various Halloween costume events we went to. And after transforming about a hundred times for people’s requests, the costume is still holding up. Cool idea son. Now next year, can’t you just be a ghost?…
Video:
http://youtu.be/9sNTj0-M36U
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This is wonderful! Can we purchase the design from you for our 10 year old son?
This is wonderful! Can we purchase the design from you for our 10 year old son?
My four year old has asked since last year to be a transforming bumblebee for Halloween but I have no idea were to even begin to make this. Are you willing to share/sell the design or pattern? Any help would be appreciated.
WOW! We googled “bumblebee costume” and found your video. I had agreed to make my son a costume, picturing a felt mask and shirt, but now he has his heart set on your creation :) So, I, too, would love to purchase the design for our 7 year old. Please let me know if it is possible. Thanks!
Did Jeff ever reply to you? I’m very interested in making this costume for a child in foster care.
WOW! We googled “bumblebee costume” and found your video. I had agreed to make my son a costume, picturing a felt mask and shirt, but now he has his heart set on your creation :) So, I, too, would love to purchase the design for our 7 year old. Please let me know if it is possible. Thanks!
Did Jeff ever reply to you? I’m very interested making for a child in foster care.
I would really love to get this for my son… How can I purchase it?
I would really love to get this for my son… How can I purchase it?
My son told me at breakfast the other day he wanted to be Bumblebee for Halloween…and that he wanted me to make the costume…and that he wanted it to transform! So glad i found your example, it turned out fantastic-thank you for some much needed inspiration!
I also would love to buy the design for this. My seven year old and I made a Thomas the train last year that he loved. It took me forever and was simple:) This year he wants to be Bumblebee… I am feeling slightly ovetwhelmed:)
I also would love to buy the design for this. My seven year old and I made a Thomas the train last year that he loved. It took me forever and was simple:) This year he wants to be Bumblebee… I am feeling slightly ovetwhelmed:)
Hi there! my son has asked me to make him a Bumblebee costume and after searching the net…we found the best one by far!!! Your costume is absolutely fantastic and your son is so adorable. I have gone out and purchased all kinds of stuff, but I am having such difficulty cutting out the right size pieces!!! Is there anyway that I could purchase this design from you, or to purchase more detailed photos from you? If I could see the different pieces that you cut out and how you did it, I would be forever in your debt. I am willing to pay you well for this design. My six year old is my whole life and I am not in a bracket where I can give him everything he deserves. I would do anything to be able to do this for him. Please let me know if there is anything that you can do, or please name your price. I think that you would have a lot of people willing t
o pay for this magnificent puzzle of perfection :)
Hi there! my son has asked me to make him a Bumblebee costume and after searching the net…we found the best one by far!!! Your costume is absolutely fantastic and your son is so adorable. I have gone out and purchased all kinds of stuff, but I am having such difficulty cutting out the right size pieces!!! Is there anyway that I could purchase this design from you, or to purchase more detailed photos from you? If I could see the different pieces that you cut out and how you did it, I would be forever in your debt. I am willing to pay you well for this design. My six year old is my whole life and I am not in a bracket where I can give him everything he deserves. I would do anything to be able to do this for him. Please let me know if there is anything that you can do, or please name your price. I think that you would have a lot of people willing t
o pay for this magnificent puzzle of perfection :)
I would also like to purchase the design/pattern used for the cutout pieces! Thanks!
I would also like to purchase the design/pattern used for the cutout pieces! Thanks!
Jeff- I too want to make this costume! Are you selling your design on easy or anywhere else? Would love the blueprints!
Jeff- I too want to make this costume! Are you selling your design on easy or anywhere else? Would love the blueprints!
I would also love to buy your instructions/pattern :) My 4 year old is obsessed with Bumblebee and saw your youtube video of this.
I would also love to buy your instructions/pattern :) My 4 year old is obsessed with Bumblebee and saw your youtube video of this.
Jeff: Excellent costume! Could you post more photos showing the construction of the body panels, wheels and helmet? And/or describe how the panels are worn and painted and how you made the wheels and helmet. It would be a huge help and much appreciated. If you sell the instructions I would be willing to purchase. Thanks for any help you can provide.
Please where can I purchase your design
Please where can I purchase your design
This costume is really amazing! Can you post more instructions and pictures!?! Also I would like to purchase the design if possible. Thank you!!
This costume is really amazing!! Can you post more instructions and pictures!! Also I would like to purchase the design if possible. Thank you!!
Hi Jeff Can I get or buy your design somewhere so i can build it for my son? It would make him very happy