Halo 5 

The Artem team first developed the Master Chief suits for Microsoft in 2010, when the company was commissioned to make two costumes from scratch in just 10 days for the successful launch of Halo: Reach. In 2013, Artem created four Master Chief suits for the launch of Halo 4.

Artem’s recent brief for Spartan Locke presented new challenges, however. Working from 3D digital files from 343 Industries, the team began by configuring the data for physical manufacture, so that it could be worn by a human performer. The character’s armour was then built using Artem’s 7-axis KUKA robot arm, 3-axis CNC router and 3D printers, before the machined patterns were moulded and cast.

To allow flexibility and movement, as well as comfort for the actor, most of the armour for the suits – excluding the helmet and fibreglass chest pieces – was constructed from a semi-rigid, foam-backed polyurethane skin. This resulted in an authentic lightweight replica of the digital models. The components were then hand-painted and distressed for a ‘battle-worn’ effect and finally attached to a reinforced foam latex under-suit.