Monthly Customizing Challenge - Previous Months

[Ryan]

I commented more in your thread, but that is perfect. The armor is a great color it is still a dull earth tone but it is different enough from the rest of the body that it breaks up the color and makes it look like a whole new figure. Thanks for fixing Perrenial's picture too BTW.

[Gregorbian]

I agree with everything Ryan said.  The colors look much better, still subdued, but a little bit more defined.  Nice work CHEWIE!

[CHEWIE]

Ok, what the heck... here's my other entry.  I figured I better post this now because the rest of the week might be kinda hectic for me, and I will be out of town next weekend.

My original Smuggler for a previous Customizing Challenge was used for this custom.  I just wasn't ever happy with how that earlier custom turned out, and I thought this might work out well for this month's challenge.

He is made from a VOTC Han Solo for the body, Endor Trooper gloves and a Captain Typho helmet.  Turned out ok, I do like the look of him.  His name is Nollis Faul, and he has links to a Bounty Hunter's Guild that is tied to the Badoo Corba terrorist organization.



 

[Famine]

Thats ******' awsome, CHEWIE. I love the very creepy look. That helmet is very menacing and forboding, like it's wearer is constantly looking down on you. VERY cool.

Kevin

[Phrubruh]

What I like about this figure is the gloves. It gives him this workman feel to him. Why do I have a feeling that Bruce Campbell is under that helmet?

[Darth Delicious]

Very nice, Chewie! I liked him before, but you've improved him a lot! I love the new color scheme, especially the jacket. Famine's right, he has a menacing look to him.

Here's my second entry into this month's challenge, a Mandalorian merc. I know he looks shiny in this pic, but I ran out of dull cote today.



I still have one or two in the works for this challenge, so we'll see if they get finished by the end of the month.

-DD

[Famine]

I love the helmet, and not much else. Not one of my favorites. Maybe once I see him dulled? I dunno, but the exposed arms killed the whole look for me. Maybe I'm just nuts?

Still, that helmet is freakin' cool.

Kevin

[CHEWIE]

Thanks guys... and Ash is no longer under the helmet, his noggin was too big for it.  

DD, that looks very good.  Not one of my favorites of yours, but I do love the metallic look to his brass like armor.  And the helmet is the best part I think, like Famine said.

I am assuming you used a GI JOE body for this?  Usually I steer away from those, but in this case I think you made it work.  Once you dull coat him, I think it will help it look more realistic.

Hopefully I wasn't too harsh with that, because I do think it's a cool custom.  But we've been around here long enough to say that to each other I think.   

 

[Jeff]

Wow, great customs in here...

I'm always embarassed to send mine in because they are not nearly as good as most of the other submissions, but someone has to show the other lurkers/beginners that all submissions are valid and everyone has to start somewhere.    

[Darth Delicious]

Screw you guys!  

Nah, just kidding. Give me the heat, I can take it!  

I think it will look a lot better once the dull cote is on. The wash I used to tie all the elements together is really glossy until that stage. Once he's a little more realistic looking (at least, as realistic as  I think he'll garner a better response.

Famine: You may be right about the exposed arms, they bother me a bit too... perhaps I'll paint them in his final incarnation. We'll see what everyone else thinks.

Chewie: I appreciate the honesty. I know you're not a fan of using GI Joe parts, and normally I agree, unless I find one I think fits the bill, and I thought the Blowtorch body had a good Mandalorian style design to it. Plus, I like the additional poseability, and the fact that his body proportions are a bit different.

Phruby's used some Joe bodies to great effect (His KOTOR Mira for one) so I think it can be done if the elements match.

Once this Mando's dulled down and some additional elements are added, I'll take some posed pics and see if I can't change your minds.  

-DD

[Phrubruh]

Actually, I like the gi joe body Darth Delicious. The connection to the arms is not too bulky. It's actually a good base figure. I also like the over all color scheme. I need to use more copper in my work.

[CHEWIE]

I think the only thing I really don't like about it is the O-ring that GI Joe figures have.  A few of them don't have it, but most do.

 

[Gregorbian]

DD - I'm on the fence about this guy.  I like the concept and the paint job is great (and will be even better once you dull-cote him), I am just not really digging the G.I. Joe body.  The armor and everything lends very well to a Mandalorian Warrior (and I would leave the arms bare, I thought that was a nice touch), however the proportions of the body just don't really feel "Star Wars" to me.  I've tried a few Star Wars customs using G.I.Joe bodies, and pretty much all of them have failed miserably.  I made a "squad" of 3 or 4 Biker Scouts using a G.I. Joe Snakeyes as a base figure and after all of that work, I think they turned out horribly.  I really don't think your guy fails by any means, I like the custom, it's just when you put him next to another Star Wars figure, the differences are stark. 
Still, he is a good base (in terms of armor and accessories) for a Star Wars figure and I like the paintjob.  I'll reserve final judgment for after you apply the dull-cote.  Part of me likes him, part of me doesn't 

CHEWIE - I really like the "new" Smuggler.  The helmet is pretty cool, although I didn't realize that Typho's helmet looked like that.  I think it works well - he reminds me of a smuggler that we would have seen in the Mos Eisley Cantina.  Good stuff! 

[CHEWIE]

Well for the Typho helmet, I did repaint it a bit, and made the visor black.  I think that makes it look a little more evil.

 

[Darth Delicious]

Here's another entry for the monthly challenge... a Trandoshan Separatist.



Like I said over in my thread, I wanted to give him armor and weaponry reminiscent of the Trandoshans in REPUBLIC COMMANDO, as well as varying up the skin tone a little bit. So, I dug up a little lizard reference on the internet and patterned him after a Gold Tengu lizard.

He still needs a little more yellow and orange drybrushed on, but he's almost finished. Again, please excuse the lack of dull cote...

-DD