With Genshin Impact cosplay groups being so popular at conventions, I was asked to make the Fatui Pyro Agent mask.
Using reference art, I freehand designed this using the old aluminium foil + cling wrap + masking tape method, applying this onto a foam head and drawing on the design. This then gets cut out, laid flat and transferred to card stock in order to create the template I needed.
I’m afraid I do not have any photos of this process. But here are 2 cosplay tutorial videos from Punished Props showing this technique;
How to Make a Helmet Pattern – Prop: Shop – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZZ6Lftdxqo
Basic EVA Foam Costume Helmet Template Tutorial – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEa4GwcWJpw
I’m a fan of making something with as few parts (and cuts) as possible, and you can accomplish this with the use of darts – a V shaped cut whereby joining the edges forces the rest of the item to curve. So after some prototyping I came up with this:
One design concession I made for this Genshin Impact mask was more of an outward curve to cater to the more realistic nose us non-anime humans possess π
The Fatui Pyro Agent mask in this article was sealed with Rosco Flexbond, which can sometimes allow you to get some smooth surfaces. This is time consuming however. But then using Plast-Dip is a bit hit or miss, leaves a slight texture, and is highly toxic/carinogenic. FlexBond is non-toxic and you can use it inside your home.
The mask was airbrushed with acrylic paints with the red paint being Tamiya X-7 (the same red I use on my Warhammer Bolters). Unfortunately the red and white paint bled under my masking tape so I had to go back by hand and touch up these areas. Again due to the time frame involved I did not photograph the painting and masking off portion of this project.
Using what materials I had to hand, the yellow lenses are actually made from a flexible plastic document binder. Visibility is not good. I hot glued them in should the new owner wish to ever replace the lenses with something else.
This Fatui Pyro Agent cosplay mask is ideally made for someone whose eyes are 6.5cm/2.56″ apart (measured from the pupil) but that is only so you can maximise your hazy yellow vision. The Genshin Impact cosplayer wearing the mask has a face height of 18.5cm/7.28″ from chin to hairline.
Future Changes
Thinking about how I made this, there are a couple of things I might do to improve the mask or update my processes;
- The chin section seems a bit long
- Use thinner form for the main black portion of the mask – Lumin’s Workshops has stiff higher density foam called HardLite
- Find a better lens solution
- 3D print the red “plates”?
Want your own Genshin Impact Fatui Pyro Agent Mask for Cosplay? It’s for sale here on this site (with a discount) or on my Etsy store FauxForge Props.