Creating a Hex pattern for undersuits and other sci-fi projects

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MNKr

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Across modern Sci-Fi I am sure everyone is aware of the generic future Hex pattern prevelant in movies, games, and TV shows.

In the Halo series specifically 4/5 the Hex pattern is most visible on the Gen II Spartan undersuit (or techsuit.)

While creating my undersuit I experimented with many options for recreating this, but finally settled on using foam with hand etched Hexagons! It is definitely a tedious process, but the end result is well worth the time investment!

Once you have a piece assembled, but before you heat treat it using a heat gun, start by doing a line of horizontal dash marks like so:
52C1B005-F729-49C1-B1B8-71B2577DDB3C.jpeg

Once these dash marks are made, add diagonal lines like so:
6DE648D4-5A14-4151-83A6-B78EBCB8A35B.jpeg

Now repeat that for the other side:
42AFC55B-E2E8-4D2F-B083-45E68483F795.jpeg

Boom now you have a line of hexagons! Exciting I know, you have now started the long and wonderfully captivating process of making hundreds of tiny hexagons!

Repeat this process a “few” more times like so:
8B434D96-5E10-480E-94D2-B6D4D3C09047.jpeg
055B1E41-A9C2-4114-8FE8-E9378699F303.jpeg
0A0D585F-DE2A-43A0-A696-D7F0CC05863E.jpeg
ABAF41B6-DFB2-4194-A779-0A79B6AEA021.jpeg

Are we having fun yet? Yeah? Perfect!

Once you have the spots you want to have hexagons all hexified hit the piece with a heat gun to make the lines really POP!

*careful not to burn the foam!
82ACD4F7-963E-4962-8281-125671BFE342.jpeg

And there you have it! Detailed undersuit pieces complete with everyones favorite shape!

Heres an example of the shoulder pieces completed with the inner bicep and lower tricep attach as well.
11FC35DB-CF0C-4E1F-A784-CC29E30C6C2B.jpeg

Hopefully this quick walkthrough helps you guys make your own!

The file is directly pulled from the undersuit pepfile available in the armory! Unfortunately it is not a seperate file from the rest of the undersuit so It may take a but to clean up before you can use it!
 
Awesome job Spidermonkey60 ! I love your hex undersuit.

To answer the question about adding to the Armory. You need to save your files as a Zip. Then find the thread for it in the Armory Discussion. Comment and attach your file. Doesn't hurt to tag Art either. If there is no thread similar then you'll need to attach the file in a private conversation with Art.

You can PM me if that didn't make sense.
 
Awesome job Spidermonkey60 ! I love your hex undersuit.

To answer the question about adding to the Armory. You need to save your files as a Zip. Then find the thread for it in the Armory Discussion. Comment and attach your file. Doesn't hurt to tag Art either. If there is no thread similar then you'll need to attach the file in a private conversation with Art.

You can PM me if that didn't make sense.
I have a ton of unfolds that need uploading so I will most likely tackle that tomorrow a good portion of them dont have unfolds completed in the armory too
 
Thos looks soooo good. Even though I spent a ton of time on my undersuit, I dont think I am too happy with it currently. I may work on it a little more to see what happens, but I think your just looks so much better. After seeing this I will definatly add the shoulders though.
 
Thos looks soooo good. Even though I spent a ton of time on my undersuit, I dont think I am too happy with it currently. I may work on it a little more to see what happens, but I think your just looks so much better. After seeing this I will definatly add the shoulders though.
I think that would be a wonderful idea! A lot of the GEN II armor has small floaty armor for the shoulders and bicep area and this is a perfect way to attach everything and add the nice round shape to your shoulders/profile
3CE7CB74-1D67-474D-B224-5F1313B075EC.jpeg
 
If anyone wanted to see how this particular set of shoulders came out with the inner bicep and tricep cone attached and finished here you are! They are a tad tight on me but they are actually for a commission. There are elastic straps on the inner bicep to allow for the wears arms to have full range of motion
4238C0AB-66AF-4B35-8F86-9B1DCC4E4CD0.jpeg
5DC5DA07-6897-4BB2-8895-E65D5FC2769D.jpeg
C487964B-BBA1-44C6-BA12-C2CB55179E25.jpeg
 
The thought of trying to scale that correctly gives me a headache
I measure from the top of the bicep to the bottom at those spots
D4D4F63E-97E4-40A7-8FD0-57FE8FEB93A9.jpeg3A0FA887-874E-4211-B9A2-018A095FDC7E.jpeg
i find the hardest part is actually heat shaping the shoulder itself (pro tip, heat it up and shove it in a bowl :lol: Comes out nice and round lol
 
Absolutely fantastic, and I'm about to need to do my shoulders and upper arms. Is it possible to put the current file somewhere online until it can be uploaded to the Armory?
 
Yup, now i gotta get my butt up to date on working with foam...especially with the plans of things i want to make XD

Fantasric info and cant wait to try this!

Spidermonkey60 is there a way to maybe print off a negative of the standard hex paper sheets you can find online onto a transfer sheet that may work for more even lines to cut from?
 
Absolutely fantastic, and I'm about to need to do my shoulders and upper arms. Is it possible to put the current file somewhere online until it can be uploaded to the Armory?
Im trying to avoid sending it to a bunch of people individually, the file has already been sent to Art Andrews for upload.
 
Yup, now i gotta get my butt up to date on working with foam...especially with the plans of things i want to make XD

Fantasric info and cant wait to try this!

Spidermonkey60 is there a way to maybe print off a negative of the standard hex paper sheets you can find online onto a transfer sheet that may work for more even lines to cut from?
Possibly, I havent tried it myself, this is more of a fast cheap method of doing it. I also was going pretty quick making this tutorial so It definitely could have been more even. You could also get hex stickers and trace those if you dont want to bother with the transfer paper!
 
True, either way its a fantastic idea. Help with making the muscle profile as well.

So you just did little cuts and then passed over it with a heat gun so it shrank right?
 
True, either way its a fantastic idea. Help with making the muscle profile as well.

So you just did little cuts and then passed over it with a heat gun so it shrank right?
Bingo! Do any other detail lines you want first and then the hex, heat at the end.
 
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