Shiny Child's Shield

TL;DR Look for the bold.

This is a tutorial on how to make a shiny child's shield. If you want to make a shiny adult shield, I'd just make it bigger. BUT, for all intents and purposes, this tutorial covers the child's version, since that's the version I made.

Carboard boxes (I got mine mostly from Sam's Club or Amazon)

Elmer's Glue

Magazine or spare paper

Glue gun and glue sticks

Rustoleum Shiny Silver Paint and a Paintbrush

Measuring Tape or Ruler

Something to cut cardboard with

Disposable Paper Mache Pan

Lengths of Yarn for Hanging Wet Projects (optional)

Silver push pins (optional)

Using the whopping great ruler you bought yourself for Christmas (or just using a tape measure or sewing tape), measure out your first shield blank.

Guys. Let's be completely honest. Unless you're doing a ridiculously high-fidelity cosplay, do measurements really matter? This is your opportunity to be free, to defy the status quo, and to leave behind both your dependence on ephemeral metaphysics and systems of measurements.

If, however, you're still somewhat dependent on systems and safety blankets, I made my shield 12 inches by 16 inches and guesstimated the curves in between.

Because these shields are for a children's theater, I wanted them to feel hefty without actually being able to cause blunt force trauma; so, I settled on three layers thick with one rim layer. Measure out 4 shield blanks per your specifications, whether they follow your own or mine.

HISTORICAL NOTE RANT

While systems and status quo might not matter, needlessly researching shield types and construction for accuracy in a children's play definitely does.

Since these shields will be for the Arthurian period, I was so tempted to base them on the kite shields common during the early Norman era in England. But those shields are very obviously from early England and I needed something more of a chameleon. Because, King Arthur is great, but having nondescript shields for future productions is better.

So, I ended up leaning more toward the Heater shield, which was purportedly developed in the 12th century. Close enough. This website was helpful to get some general historical background on which shield appeared where.

However, in the same spirit as I mentioned before, but with far more traditional structure, these, in the ineffable words of Elizabeth Bennett, are your trunks and your gowns. Lady Catherine will never know.

Measure 1.5 inches from the edge of the shield, if you're interested in adding a rim. Make marks around the entire inside of the shield and connect the dots, forming a line that you can cut out. I did cast of the shackles of my measuring tape and eyeballed the pointy bottom of the shield by scooting my finger up from the bottom of the shield toward the area I had already marked. So professional.

Cut out the rim. It absolutely sucks using scissors, but you might also not cut yourself twice like I did. However, in the end, the rim did get cut. Flop it on top of your other blanks to see how it's lining up. Oh look. It fits.

Now, you should have 3 solid blanks and 1 rim. Raise your hand if you're not here. Okay, good.

Choose one of your 3 solid blanks. Cut two half-inch marks in the shield. These are going to be where the handle attaches. Technically, you could easily just glue the handle to the outside. HOWEVER, remember that these shields are for 5-7 year-olds. What's the first thing they're going to do with them? Pick them up by the handle and whack something: walls, other actors, priceless vases. That's how it goes. So! This handle design is not only better looking, but it's also better for strength, AKA, surviving of the child whackings. I guess you could say that this shield can...handle it.

I measured my shield slots at 1.5 in x 2 in or so long.

Cut a handle strip. Mine was about 2 in x 10 in. Cut longer than you think you need. It's a lot easier to trim than it is to make a whole new strip. Cut .5 inches in on either end. These little "feet" will hold the handle in place in between the shield layers. Pro tip: before you heat up your glue gun, make sure your handle fits through the slots.

So. Now, you should have 2 normal blanks, 1 handle blank, and a rim. You're going to stack those like a sandwich and make sure they line up. The handle blank will go on the bottom. The two normal blanks will go in the middle, and the rim blank will go on top. If your blanks glare at you, then that's a blank stare.

Slide your handle into the two slots and fold the "feet" tabs back. Glue those into place. Make sure they are secure before you move onto the next step. Grab the next blank.

Now glue. Glue now. Glue. Glue for ruin and the world's ending. GLUUUUUUUUE.

And don't burn yourself. Because having a blister for a week on your index finger sucks. But you will probably need to use a couple of glue sticks getting the blanks together, depending on how secure you want them to be. Mine are like the art department at Helm's Deep, but hey. You do you.

I also, to reinforce the handles, filled the gaps on the back side with hot glue. Those feet are not going anywhere, BOBBY JONES. Once you've glued the handle blank to the two regular blanks, then glue the rim to the front. Ta da! If you're making these for a birthday party or a funeral or something, you could technically stop here. I mean, it's functionally a shield. Go ahead. Whack something with it. Aut inveniam viam aut faciam.

Also, if you're dead inside from making 12 of these shields, go ahead and glue your child's Scorbunny mask while you're at it.

This step is messy. It's so messy, guys. Just embrace it. It's so ridiculously sticky and then you can pretend you're an anaconda shedding its skin in the Amazon somewhere.

First, pour some glue into a disposable pan. I added about 1/2 cup. Then, add about 8 oz of water. Go with less water if you're not sure. Mix the glue and the water together. Drop a monster square (3 in x 6 in) into the glue. Smaller strips are more manageable, but also take longer. Go for Rachel, Batman. Make sure to push the paper mache near the rim to preserve the edge of the shield. Also, use smaller strips around the handle.

Oh hey, look. Scorbunny is coming along.

Hang your project up somewhere to dry. I hung mine using yarn from a pot rack. Yes, that one's a buckler.

If you notice tension on your handle, I'd suggest hanging it using two strands of yarn to reduce the pressure point.

If, after this step, you'd like to add a professional finish to your project, I'd highly recommend this tutorial. She's next level. I want to not lose my brain when my 5-7 year olds smash their shields into something, so I'm not putting a plaster layer on. Allow to dry for at least 24 hours. As necessary, touch up weak areas with more paper mâché.

Once everything has sufficiently dried, pull out your Rustoleum paint. This stuff, as a fair warning, is industrial. I foolishly painted the shields on my kitchen counter and have permanent speckles that look like a fairy exploded. (My apologies to the fair folk.) If you can, paint outside. You will need Dawn or another strong soap and a scrubber to get it off your flesh. Steel wool works, but leaves a rash. Again, it's a time problem.

Paint the shields using the silver paint. I painted everything but the handles, and then hung the shields again from the same yarn as before. Heads up: the brown packing paper I used did great, but the newspaper ate up the paint and left it less shiny than the other areas. I like the effect and left it that way. Watch out for drips and runs. Leave to dry for at least 12 hours.

If you're already covered in paint, then go ahead and finish the Scorbunny mask. Yaaay for hoarding toll paints.

Once your shields are completely dry and you've scrubbed the fairy guts off of your counter, pick up a bunch of silver push pins from the Dollar Store. Push the pins firmly into the front of the shield, spacing them every couple of inches. If the rivets are wiggly, secure them in place with glue.

This step is technically optional, but I really liked how finished the shields looked.