Building a Minecraft Head
Tape together the top of an 11 × 11 × 11 in (28 × 28 × 28 cm) box. Buy a new cardboard box from a convenience store or an office supply store and make sure it's cube-shaped when it's folded up. Fold the top flaps down so they make a flat and level surface before taping them together with packing tape. Leave the bottom of the box unfolded so it's open on one side. You can use a larger or smaller box if you want as long as it still comfortably fits your head and has a cube shape.
Cut the bottom flaps off of the box. Flip the box over so the bottom is face up and the flaps are folded out. Start your knife at the end of one of the flaps and slowly pull it in a straight line along the fold. Continue cutting off the rest of the box flaps so they aren't in the way of your costume when it's finished. Always keep the knife blade away from your fingers so you don't accidentally cut yourself. You can also fold the flaps inside the box if you don't want to cut them off, but they may get in the way of your head depending on how loose they are.
Bend a 24 in (61 cm) strip of cardboard into a ring. Cut out a strip of cardboard that's about 24 inches (61 cm) long and 2 inches (5.1 cm) wide. Make sure the corrugation inside the cardboard runs parallel to the strip's width, or else it won't fold easily. Starting from the short side, carefully roll up the cardboard strip toward the other end to bend it. Unroll the cardboard and tape the short ends together so the strip forms a ring. You can reuse pieces of cardboard from the flaps you cut off earlier. If you do, then use 2 strips of cardboard that are 11 inches (28 cm) long and bend them into semicircles.
Glue the cardboard ring to the inside of the top flaps. Apply a line of hot glue around the edge of your cardboard ring quickly so it doesn't dry before you're able to put it on. Push the ring onto the inside of the box against the flaps you taped down. Hold the ring in place for 30 seconds so the glue has time to set before applying more glue around the outside of the ring for additional support. The ring inside the box acts as a headband and prevents the box from moving around while you're wearing it. Set the box on your head to make sure your chin doesn't stick out from the bottom. If it does, trim the cardboard ring slightly shorter.
Cut out square eyeholes from the box. Put the box on your head and mark where your eyes line up so you know where to cut out the holes. Draw square-shaped holes that are at least 2 inches (5.1 cm) wide on the front of your box so there's about 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) between them. Use your utility knife to cut the squares out so you can see while you're wearing the head. Look at where the eyes are on different Minecraft characters in the game so you can cut them out in the same place.
Paint the box the main color of the Minecraft character you want to be. You can use either spray paint or acrylic paint with a foam brush. Look up the main color of the Minecraft character that you want to dress up as and find a similar paint color. Apply a thin coat of the paint to the outside of the box and let it dry completely. Then continue adding more paint and letting it dry between each coat until you can't see the cardboard underneath. If you're making a Minecraft Steve or basic character, use a skin tone colored paint. If you want to be a creeper or zombie, paint the box bright green. For an Enderman, paint the box black or dark purple.
Draw squares or tape pieces of construction paper to add details to your head. Minecraft heads look pixelated, so they usually have squares or rectangular shapes on their head. Draw the details, like eyes, hair, and additional “pixel” squares around the box, or cut them out from construction paper and glue them in place. Make sure everything is rectangular or square-shaped so the head looks like it's from the game. If you don't want to draw the details of the Minecraft head, you may be able to find a printable template that you can cut out and glue to the head.
Cover the eyeholes with see-through mesh to hide your face better. Cut out pieces of black or blue see-through mesh that's 3 in × 3 in (7.6 cm × 7.6 cm) depending on the character you're making for your costume. Cover the eyeholes from inside of the head and use a glue stick to hold them in place. That way, you can still see through the eyeholes but others will not be able to see you. You can buy see-through mesh from your local craft or fabric store. You don't need to add mesh to the eyeholes if you don't want to.Warning: The Minecraft head may limit your peripheral vision while you're wearing it so be cautious while you walk around with it on.
Making Minecraft Armor
Lay a well-fitting T-shirt flat onto a sheet of cushion foam. Get a sheet of cushion foam that's about as long as your height. Lay the foam on a flat, level surface so you can plan out your measurements. Choose a T-shirt that you like the fit on, and lay it flat so it's horizontally centered on the foam and the bottom of the shirt lines up with an edge. You can buy cushion foam from your local craft store or online. You can also pin the shirt to the cushion foam to help prevent it from moving.Warning: Avoid picking a shirt that's too small or large for you since it may make your measurements inaccurate and the armor uncomfortable to wear.
Mark the neck and the corner of the armpits on the foam. Use a marker or a pencil to place a dot in the corners where the seams on each side of your shirt connect to the sleeves. Then, make another mark at the center of the collar so you know where to cut your neck hole. Once you make your marks, remove the shirt from the foam.
Cut out a 6–8 in (15–20 cm) square above the hole. Draw a 6–8 in (15–20 cm) horizontal line so the mark you made for the neck is in the center. Extend 2 lines up from the ends of the first line so they're the same distance and form a square. Use a craft knife to cut through the foam carefully to make your neck hole. Try putting the armor on to see if you need to cut the neck hole any larger. Don't try to force your head in the hole since you could rip the foam and you'll need to start over.
Fold the foam in half so the hole you cut is centered between the front and back. Lift you piece of foam off of the table and carefully bend it backward. Make sure the center of the hole you cut for the neck lines up with the fold so the foam forms the front and back pieces. Gently crease along the line so the foam stays in place. Make sure the neck hole doesn't get caught on anything while you're folding the foam so it doesn't rip.
Trim the folded foam into a T-shape with a craft knife. Connect the 2 marks you made for the armpits of the shirt so you know how wide the armor needs to be. Use your craft knife to cut straight lines down from the marks you made down to the bottom of the foam. Then measure about 3–4 inches (7.6–10.2 cm) out from each mark and draw a line so you know where the sleeves end. Cut straight up toward the folded edge so finish the front and back of your armor. Don't cut any curved lines since Minecraft characters are blocky and square-shaped.
Cut pieces of foam that are slightly longer than the depth of your chest. Measure from the front of your chest to the furthest point away on your back to determine how deep the armor needs to be. Cut out 2 strips of foam that are the same length as the armpit mark to the bottom edge and as wide as your chest depth. You can adjust the length of the strips so they aren't as tight against your arms if you want.
Glue the side pieces between the front and the back. Hold one of the side pieces vertically so it's sandwiched between the front and back piece. Draw a line of hot glue along the seams where the pieces meet to secure it in place. Wait for the glue to dry completely, which should only take about a minute, before attaching the other side piece. Ask someone to help you hold the pieces together so you can glue them faster.
Paint your armor to match one of the styles in Minecraft. There are various types of armor in Minecraft, so choose the kind that you want to add onto your costume. Get acrylic paint that matches the color of the armor you're replicating and apply a thin coat to the foam. Let the paint dry completely before adding a second coat. If you want to make diamond armor, then use light blue for the main color and dark blue around the edges. For iron armor, paint your foam silver. Use bright yellow if you want to make gold armor. Try a dark brown color if you want to recreate leather armor.
Finishing the Look
Wear a blue shirt and jeans if you want to look like Steve. Steve is the basic player avatar in Minecraft and wears a simple outfit. Find a light blue T-shirt to wear and a dark blue pair of jeans to put on. Wear a pair of gray or light brown shoes to complete your Steve costume. You can change the color of the shirt and pants if you want to customize your character more, but it may not be as recognizable to other people.
Put on a green shirt and pants to dress up like a creeper. Creepers are dangerous creatures in Minecraft that explode if they get too close to you. Find a long-sleeved green shirt and green pants to put on so they match the color of your head. IF you want to add more details, cut out square pieces of green construction paper and tape them onto your shirt and pants to give it a pixelated effect. If you want to simulate a creeper exploding, then carry confetti or party poppers in your pocket so you can throw them if people get close to you. Creepers do not wear armor. Keep your arms by your side when you act like a creeper since they don't normally have arms.
Dress up in a black long-sleeved shirt and dark pants to be an Enderman. Endermen are tall, slender characters that come out at night in the game. Wear a long-sleeved shirt that's slightly too big so the sleeves go past your hands. Then put on black or dark-colored pants that match the color of your shirt. An Enderman sometimes has white or purple sparkles on it, so cut out shapes from construction paper and tape them onto the shirt to simulate them if you want. An Enderman doesn't wear armor.
Paint your arms green and wear a blue shirt and pants to be a zombie. The zombies in Minecraft look like Steve, except they have green skin. Put on a light blue shirt with dark blue jeans to start your outfit. Apply a thin layer of body paint on your arms and hands so they match the color of the head. Let the paint completely dry before touching anything.Tip: If you don't want to paint your arms, then wear a green long-sleeved shirt underneath your blue T-shirt.
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