CHEWIE's customs updated 06.22.2012

[CHEWIE]

Jedistyle - Maybe they're not Ki Adi Mundy boots, I thought they were but maybe you're right.  I have so many parts in a box, so I probably got mixed up.  Funny that you said that about the reference the Lepper King - I had thought the exact same thing.  Originally I was going to call him Darth Lepis, just some Sith Lord, but got to thinking this might be a look I would like for Darth Plageuis.

Phruby - Thanks, it does look a bit more evil I think, especially with the eyes/mouth painted black.

 

[Fritzkrieg]

Great Looking Batch you've got there Chewie!

Heldarr- Great looking Goon. The only thing I would change is, mabey add a holster. And those are deffinatly not
 Ki Adi Mudi's Boots. His are much more Buckineerish.

Darth Plageuis-The Best Concept of this Character I've seen so far. Although Jedistyle's suggestion on the Color Change on the Robes to a Purple or Burgundy would be more in-line with Traditional Sith Garb.

Can't Wait for the next Rykroff chapter.

[Famine]

HELDARR- I love his costume. The stripes really bring it together, like an old sweat suit. Thats terrifying in itself!

DARTH- Definatley an awsome take on him. I immagined him as a masked individual, but I'm thinking somthing more golden and grand, rather than steel industrial.

Can't wait for the new Chapter.

Kevin

[Clone Commander]

Neat!
I like your take on Darth, he looks creepy. 

[CHEWIE]

Thanks for all the comments/ideas guys.  And check out the photonovel section, new Rykrof story is up.   

 

[Phalanxx]

Another Great set of customs.

Correlian Rebel Troopers - I really like these figures.  The parts choices work perfectly.  I would never have thought to use that torso.

Heldarr the Terrorist - The weathering on this figure looks really good.  Any chance for a pic with out the helmet.

DARTH PLAGEUIS THE WISE v2 - Good execution on this figure, but personally to me, the head still reminds me too much of Dr. Doom.  I prefer your first version of Darth Plageuis.

[CHEWIE]

Thanks Phalanx.  Under the helmet is just a cheesed up Panaka head.  I know what you mean on the doom head on the Sith. 

And I thought I'd add here what I added in the thread for the January Customizing Challenge.  This foamcore playset was made for the latest Rykrof Enloe photonovel (check it out if you havne't yet!).

I am updating now to reflect my example of how to make a foamcore diorama - and it doesn't have to be foamcore, whatever materials you want to use are fine.

FOAMCORE MODULAR DIORAMA

Base Piece -



First of all, I used a large piece of foamcore and painted it, burned it some, and cut other shapes for debris and hot glued them on.



Wall #1 -



Then for the primary wall, I made two sides to it, making it a 3-dimensional piece for durability and realism, glued the pieces together and painted/weathered/added greeblies to it.



Wall # 2 -



Used the same technique as Wall #1, but wanted to keep the same length but different heights, adding variety but making them stackable to create more possible looks to them.  Both sides painted again for more possibilities.



Wall Bellies -



Then here is an underside shot to show that they have a built in support system for durability.  Remember to use a glue gun heavy here where you can't see the glue.



Warehouse -



Just a small building added for effect.



Modular Shot -



And a random setup with the pieces.  Could be used in many different ways.


 

[Deanpaul]

Chewie,

Nice paint work on the modular set. I like the variation you've got there and at teh same time there is a consistency in the tchnique that holds it together.

The seams on the foam core can be really difficult to work with. In the early 90's I had a couple of hand tools that would cut a rabbit or half-lap joint into the foam core. The rabbit was good for making more structural connections and the half-lap was adjustable depth so I could cut through the foam and one layer of paper, leaving a flap of paper to cover the thickness of the perpindicular plane. Then no seam would show.

I worked with chip board (a cardboard often seen in architectural models) which was really great for smaller scales. It would be challenging for things that need to show wall thickness in the 3 3/4 universe, but it would have worked well for your warehouse box. White glue works great for fastening chipboard, and you can cut layers to build form like a topographical landscape base, or use them as panel overlays to create a reveal line for plating on otherwise flat panels.

I've tried taping edges with masking tape as a way to hide the rough edges of foam core, mostly when using a spray paint that would disolve the inside foam. You still see the tape line, but with your paint build up it might be enough to mask the tape line.

Just a few thoughts.

[In Rem]

Sweet! I need to think about doing something like this, but in the sense that I can break it down to put in as background for my diaplay shelves. This looked great in the novel, and it looks great here.

Speaking of Chapter 18, did you ever post your new Twi'Lek baddie individually? I don't remember seeing him, and was pleasantly surprised to see him in Ch. 18.

[Gregorbian]

I really like that terrorist figure - the parts work perfectly!  I've always been nervous of boil and popping ball-joints because they never seem to pop out for me when I tried that in the past, but that was when I was first starting out as customizing so I might try again.  I like the combination of the Clone Pilot thighs and the (possible  ) Ki-Adi boots.
Darth Plagueis looks cool, I never bothered thinking what he looked like, so now that I've seen your version, that's how he looks in my head.

The foamcore base and walls look great.
When I was making my downed gunship diorama, I used blank printer paper to cover the seams (just glue it over the edges of the foamcore.  That worked pretty well to hide the seams, but it took a bit of work so I didn't do it for all of the parts.  If you're just dealing with right angles though, it shouldn't be too hard.
Also, for foamcore, I found that craft glue works really well (the one that I use begins with an "S" but I can't find my bottle - it's a blue and white bottle if that helps  ). 
Anyway, excellent work on that foamcore diorama, it'll look great for a gunfight

EDIT:
Here is a pic of what I mean:

You can see the edges of the foamcore where the sides connect to the bottom of the gunship - it's pretty rough. 
Then if you look at the actual bottom of the gunship (at the angled joint towards the back-end of the gunship) you can see that I glued a piece of printer paper to hide the seam.  Once you paint it, it's harder to notice and it's really easy to do on right angles.  I should have done it on the rest of my downed gunship.
Hope this makes sense CHEWIE! 

[hemble]

Hi Chewie

Who's been a busy little boy then  MATE as always you keep amazing me with how you keep popping out your custom's but always keeping them looking excellent and very profressional. And the modular dio looks great the paint apps and the waethering is spoton 2 BIG THUMBS UP

Ron

[Deanpaul]

Papering the edges sounds like a really good technique for hiding the edge of foam core - great idea! Nice work on the foam core gunship.

I tried sealing the edge with glue a long, long time ago without good results. Mostly propmaking stuff for theater so the edge really didn't matter much, but I was spray painting the prop so the exposed edge really took a beating.

I wonder about some thin spackle or joint compound - not enough to make a sanding nightmare, just enough to fill the edge into a paintable surface.

[CHEWIE]

Thanks again for all the kind words and the tips too.  Mostly I think for foamcore dioramas, I'll probably go with the pretty weathered look - that way I don't have to worry too much about the edges.  But if I do venture into some dioramas where the edges are showing too much on "clean" enviroments, I will try some of your ideas. 

Hopefully I'll have another custom or two up tonight, but most likely it will be tomorrow evening.  Very tired after a long week at work.

 

[Joe]

Very nice work CHEWIE.Nice work on that gunship too Gregorbian.
I just find fomacore a pain in the fanny to cut, not all that easy to work with , and not very sturdy.        Now we all know why I started that thread asking for help with woodworking.Dean,Im still amazed at how much you know about saw, cutters, and wood.  It would take me 1 2 3 er... a long time to learn all that.

[CHEWIE]

Ok, these were pain in the ass but I'm glad I finished them - the Tonnika Sisters!



I might go back and make a few minor changes later, maybe darken the green outfit some, but it's not nearly that vibrant in person.  Also maybe change the hair a bit but I hated working on that, and add some leg straps.

I consider these to be maybe POTF2 versions, so if Hasbro ever makes these they will be a lot better.  I'm kind of disappointed in them, but they should look ok in my cantina until Hasbro makes something better.