Behind the Scenes

The New Way

This is where the fun begins!

For over twenty years, I've been creating costumes, helmets, masks, props, and artwork for the community. What started as a passion project—building the things I wanted for myself and sharing them with like-minded people around the world—gradually grew into something much larger. But as demand increased, so did the weight of it all, leaving me with little time or energy to create new things.

So, after a lot of reflection, I’ve made the difficult but necessary decision to shift how I work.

I’ll never stop creating—it’s as vital to me—but juggling countless made-to-order projects became overwhelming. The constant context switching pulled my mind in too many directions, like trying to steer a hundred horses at once. It wasn’t sustainable.

From now on, I’ll only be offering items that are already in inventory, with the exception of sizing adjustments. This change will help preserve my sanity, shorten your wait times, and allow me to work in focused creative “seasons”—devoting time and energy to one character or concept at a time, the way I did in the beginning.

Thanks for sticking with me through the evolution. There’s much more to come—just one horse at a time.

What I do

At some point, every assistant I’ve ever had asks me the same question:
“Do you think anyone really understands how much work goes into making these things?”

Well, here’s a glimpse.

My Truncated Job Description

Costume & Artistic Design – The most exciting part.

Sculpting – I left physics grad school (and a custom 3D game engine + 3D scanner) to escape screen life and return to physical creation… until:

3D Modeling – Moving tiny points in 3D space on a 2D screen. Surprisingly enjoyable thanks to past game dev experience, but still—screens.

3D Printing – Mostly delightful, sanding and filling print lines aside. It solved scale and symmetry issues that were brutal in hand-sculpting.

Resin Casting and Laminating – Messy, sticky work.

Vacuum Forming – Hot work.

Leatherwork – Cowhide fun.

Woodwork – Sawdust.

Fabric: Patterning & Sewing – I enjoy developing patterns, but I’ve always outsourced the sewing.

Parts Trimming – Dremel, blade, and dust.

Parts Sanding – Endless dust and tired hands. I joke that I sand for a living, but it's a big part of it.

Spray Painting – Often annoying.

Hand Painting – A joy. Things finally start to look good here.

Assembly – Probably the most time-consuming part of the job.

Electronics – Circuit design and soldering.

Laser Cutting – Pretty straightforward.

Vinyl Cutting – Very easy.

CNC Work – Tricky setup, daily time-saver.

Cleaning – Too much mess makes me sad.

Programming – I’ve written a surprising amount of code for this business.

Robotics – I automate what I can. One day: droids.

Moldmaking – A lovely, messy challenge.

Advertising & Marketing – Good stuff sells itself... but sometimes you have to push.

Web Design – It just works.

Social Media – Sharing and hearing from the people.

IT – Internet's down.

Organizing – Where’s my stuff… again?

Shipping – I've shipped to some very odd places and fulfilled some very odd requests.

Ordering Supplies – “The price is wrong, Bob.”

Supply Chain Management – When paint or fabric gets discontinued, it ruins my week.

Business Admin / Payroll / Accounting / Taxes – Just… ugh.

System Upgrades – Processes constantly need reevaluating and redesign.

Workflow Optimization – Lean manufacturing, shop restructuring, anything to keep it sane.

Expansion – Physically and intellectually.

Building Construction – Pay a fortune or build it yourself. I’ve leaned too hard into the latter.

Maintenance (Electrical/Plumbing/etc.) – If an employee’s turd clogs the toilet, you’re not too good to plunge it.

General Problem Solving – Arguably the whole job. If you don’t solve problems, you're gone within a year. And usually, your (n+1) solution is better than n.

Emails & Communication – I’m sorry. This job description probably explains why I never responded to your message. When I get too many, I just can't possibly complete my work and make a kind reply.

I’ll admit, I sometimes envy those with simple job descriptions. But I’d probably die a little inside if my work were too simple. Beyond the shop, I also have a family, more than 40 animals to help care for, and other hobbies and projects that keep life full (and occasionally chaotic).

Making what I make takes a long, exhausting amount of time—especially in the hot, humid Florida summers, surrounded by slimy resin and moldmaking messes. Most people I know would’ve quit by now. But I have a deep passion for it—for doing the kinds of jobs others won’t or can’t do. There’s a reason manufacturing left for nations climbing out of poverty. But I love this sweatshop of mine and the community that’s grown around Wicked Armor.

From the very beginning, I noticed the kindness of the people in this community. That kindness has helped keep me going. So to all the clients and supporters—thank you.

Assistants

And a huge thank you to the many assistants who’ve helped me over the years. I’ll write something more in-depth when time allows, but I need to start with Shana.

Shana handled most of the sewing through 2020. She learned to sew on the job—quick, crafty, dependable. Her work was beautiful. But like many creatives, I think the repetition wore her down, and she left to help her husband's business. Running this business has never been easy, but when it came to Shana, it never felt like a struggle. Thank you, Shana.

Then there is Steve. Steve helped me for so many years that I lost track. He was always pleasant, punctual, and reliable, focusing mostly on resin casting. A fellow nature-lover, he helped me build my backyard ponds and with other home DIY projects, and he was a big help in building the shop spaces. Thank you so much, Steven.

Caitlyn probably saved my hands more than anyone who ever worked for me because she did years of sanding and trimming, among many other things. She would even finish 3D prints so well that I almost didn't need to anything. Then she became a mom, now raising two beautiful boys, who like to visit my backyard. Thank you, Caity.

Michele and Ana Lucia both reliably painted for me for many years. Thank you both.

Erik. He was a reliable helper for many years and never complained even when doing hot, difficult work. Thank you.

Julio was my first employee. He had worked for my dad for years. Most of my dad’s employees were rough characters—some had done time—so I barely spoke to them. After a long truck ride with Julio, my dad said, “Why don’t you talk to him? Maybe he’ll be able to help you someday.” I remember saying, “He’ll never be able to help me,” thinking of how many of them couldn’t even help themselves. I think my dad remembered that, because when I eventually mentioned needing help, he brought up Julio.

Julio was older by then, but he worked hard—really hard—in an old backyard barn, which had no air conditioning. One brutal summer day, while rotating a resin-filled mold by hand, he was sweating so much his glasses slipped off and fell straight into the resin. He worked for a few years, helping me get my start.

In early 2024, I visited Julio on his deathbed. I told him about the machine I’d built to rotate molds automatically and thanked him for everything he’d done. He smiled and thanked me for the “beer money.” He used to call me from time to time and always ended with, “I love you, man.” I love you too, Julio. Thank you.

I’m grateful to everyone who helped build Wicked Armor. I have stories about all of them but not enough time to tell them all right now. Here they are, in alphabetical order:

Ana Lucia

Angie

Big Jon

Bryan and His Brother

Caity

Dylan

Erik

Grace

Grant

Janessa

Julio

Karol

Kayla

Lynda

Maritza

Melanie

Merritt

Michele

Nate

Reynaldo

Rob L.

Rolly

Sandy

Scarlett

Sean

Shana

Sheila

Stephanie

Steve

Tiffany