The ARC "armband" has a piece that is difficult to do.  Here's my method.  I'm thinking I could've just used a drinking straw to make the circular part cookie-cutter style, but here's the hard way in case anyone's interested.  Hindsight's always 20/20. 

I've been asked by some about how I sculpt with Fixit, and while I'm not even close skill-wise to so many sculptors, I put together something that should help someone that'd like to get started.

Feel free to append to this, as my way isn't the only way.

                 

Snagged a Mace Windu Squad pack from Target the other day, and just finished making my first casts of the airborne helmet.  These are actually my first really decent helmet casts ever, so I'm a tad excited.

Sounds exciting, doesn't it?

Problem:   I just haven't seen a Neyo helmet sculpt out there that I like, so far.  They all seem to exaggerate the size of the face portion of the clone helmet too much (no offense intended, you can't please everybody).  Not saying mine would be a great improvement, but I'm taking a crack at it nonetheless.

I'm sculpting a helmet, or rather a facemask onto a clone helmet, for Commander Neyo.  Once I'm done with it, I'd like to send it to someone to cast copies of it for me.  I'll pay whomever does this for labor, materials, and shipping.  PM me if this is something you would do, along with a quote for casting, say, ~10 Neyo helmets from my original.

B

Well, at least tell me that one of our own isn't trying to hawk these "Republic Commandos" for 100 bucks!

Not that I have a problem with one selling their work - I'm just sick of seeing these half-arsed, nothing-special-about-them custom clones foisted on the ignorant or unsuspecting collector.  The paint job looks good, but if you're going to label it a "Republic Commando," at least give him a custom weapon or some hint of armor.  It's similar to the custom clones for sale that come with a genuine Elite Force M4 or GIJoe M16.  No imagination whatsoever.  Of course, many of these seem to be done for mere financial gain, with no regard to accuracy or precision.

Maybe it's just me, but it seems there are more and more "customizers" selling mislabelled or plain crappily done stuff lately.  I know my definition of "Crappily done" differs from others'.  Not everybody must fall in line with my own tastes, and I don't mind seeing crappily done stuff up for sale, just crappily done (ie inaccurate paint lines), fire-engine-red clones labelled as "Custom Commander Cody Bacara Appo ROTS VHTF RARE BUYITNOW 4 $100thankyouverymuch", are what chaps my hide.    Guess there is a sucker born every minute.

Mountain-out-of-a-molehill nerd rant complete.  I will now retreat to my Mom's basement and rebuild the kernel on my 7 linux servers while sewing and painting my very own Tron costume.

Who gets distracted and scatter-brained when it comes to doing customs?  I'll set out to finish a guy, then in the middle of cutting parts, I decide to cut those foam strips for my gunship turrets, or decide to paint something else, or...This is why it takes me so long to finish anything!

My TV tells me it's Adult ADD - I guess it's time for more pills!   

Oh I've never had so much fun and frustration at the same time.  Some questions for all you vets out there:

1.  Sculpey use  for custom armor, accessories, etc.  I purchased some sculpey so I could mold some pieces to "update" the helmets and also give extra armor to my Republic Commando custom.  4 questions come of this:

• A - Is sculpey a good product to use for such a thing?
• B - How do you remove a sculpey piece intact so you can bake it?
• C - Do I really put them in the oven to bake them, and if so, for how long?
• D - Is there a good sealant for sculpey that'll keep it from getting brittle, cracking, etc.?

2.  Taping questions (again)

• A - Has anybody ever tried using the kind of tape that auto-body shop guys use?  I got this idea from watching American Choppers, and seeing the paint guys apply, twist, and bend this tape w/o any breakage, and an apparently good seal to the material.  It could be that the tape just seals better to metal than it does to plastic, but it could be that the tape is just better.

[li]B - I've been doing Shock Troopers, and I'm on my 3rd now.  I still have problems with getting good, clean straight lines when I pull the tape off.  On my 2nd and now 3rd Shocktrooper I began using an exacto knife to cut along the edge of the tape prior to removal, and it helps a little bit.  Is this what you guys do?[/li][/list]

3.  Gluing, etc.

• A - I got this ultra-stinky, nasty epoxy from Lowe's at the recommendation of one of their employees, and it didn't work too well for repairing broken lightsabers.  I've found that plain ol' superglue works best, but should I be concerned about durability?  I'm thinking of using superglue to attach soft plastic armor and accessories to figures, but if something else is better, please share.

4.  Casting my own molds - DD I'm looking at you! 

• A - What items does one need to successfully make custom heads?
• B - Do you sculpt a head out of sculpey or clay, then brush on the molding material?  I guess I could really use a tutorial on your whole process, DD, if you have the time and inclination.  I've read through ffurg.com's section on this, but I'd like a first-hand account, if possible.

As always, I submit humbly to the Gods of Customizing for guidance.

B