Do you do commissions?

Yes. E-mail me with the name and reference pics of the item you want me to make (as well as the date you need to have it made by) and I'll try get back to you with a quote (or a request for more information) within a week. Visit my Commissions Page for more information on ordering items from me.

How do you determine how much each outfit/piece is going to cost?

I charge by how complicated the project is, how much time and effort will go into its construction, and the price of its materials. I know not everybody's made out of money, so I try to keep costs down as much as I can without sacrificing quality. (If, perchance, you want your costume to be extraordinarily fancy and detailed, I can create a "museum piece" for you, adding in the extra labor charges and cost for the materials when I send you your quote.)

I want the item but your quote is too high. Is there any way you can reduce the price for me?

In some cases, yes. (I can agree to make a costume for you using less expensive materials, say plain cotton instead of twill.) Price reductions are harder when it comes to props and accessories (because most of the costs involved there aren't based in materials, but rather, in time and effort.) If you want a custom-fit set of automail for under 50 bucks...well.. you've come to the wrong place. (However, if you want to make it yourself and want some advice on how to go about doing it, click here.)

I've decided I want to make X character's armor from X series/video game. Can you tell me how?

Read my armoring tutorial. If you have any questions after reading the entire thing, let me know. I can offer some tips and advice on how I might approach the project, but I can't teach you how to be sculptors or patternmasters. These are skills you'll have to pick up on your own, and you'll only be able to learn them through long hours of practice. Expect to make a lot of prototypes and to do a lot of experimenting. (Also, expect to have a lot of fun along the way. This WAS the whole purpose behind taking up this hobby, wasn't it?)

Where do you buy your plastic?

You'll find the answer in the Materials section of my armoring tutorial. Please read my tutorial over thoroughly before you send me any questions related to my armor and prop-making methods.

I've read your tutorial and I still can't make sense out of this one section. Can you explain it to me in more detail?

Feel free to direct any and all questions about my armoring tutorial to dietzt@cloudnet.com

Your armoring method won't work for the type of armor I'm trying to create, do you happen to know of a site where I could get some advice that would help me?

I have a list of links to other armoring sites featuring various other armoring methods on my Links Page. Happy hunting.

Where did you learn to make costumes?

In college, mostly. I worked in the costume shop at SCSU as part of my work-study where I picked up a lot of useful tips, (such as "always keep an organized workspace", "try not to sew the skirt you are hemming to your knee by accident" and "never operate a 300 horsepower, 500 lb. industrial sewing machine after a sleepless night of cramming on your finals.")

Have a question? Feel free to ask me at dietzt@cloudnet.com)