Darth_Ennis' Monster Garage ( Updated 12/16) Custom Challenge entries

[findswoman]

Very neat concept on this shirtless Maul, and  great job painting the tattoos on the chest.  Is that really based on a Luke figure?  Wow, what a transformation you've effected -- it almost looks like one of those Microman figures that people have ben using a lot recently, but I have heard tell of VOTC Luke's fantastic articulation.

One small thing that's bothering me, though, is the upper skirt, and how it connects to the torso.  The upper skirt seems a bit to thick; there's too much extra space between the edge of the belt and the beginning of the torso, which makes the torso look smaller than it should.  I wonder if it might not help to use another cloth skirt, perhaps another Luminara one, as the upper skirt (cut to the proper lengths in ront and back, of course)?  That might lessen some of the waistband issue and make his torso look more in proportion with his lower half.  Just a thought, and of course, you know how biased I am in favor of softgoods. 

I know what you mean about the paint impeding the articulation.  That seems to happen to me sometimes even after I use dullcote spray on a figure.  But it's worth a try.  Chewie, what does the superglue do on the joints?  I haven't heard of that trick before -- but would it not just sticlk them together?

Keep up the nice work, Ennis, and happy customizing!

... the Findswoman

[Smartypants1635]

Finds you use such a  small amount of glue it is only on the painted parts and not in the actual joint holding the paint tight just not the joint

[CHEWIE]

Well, I've used the glue also to keep the joints in place too - with the ball sockets, there are more than one type of articulation.  If you dab the glue carefully, you can get it to keep part of the articulation.  To me, that's usually fine.

 

[BrentS]

Maul looks great.   The tatoos came out very very well.   Did you consider adding the Grevious style legs to him to give him the look of the EU version that can be seen in the Star Wars Visionaries book?

[Darth_Ennis]

Yes BrentS I toyed with that idea, but I wanted to do the whole Maul first. should I ever find another VOTC Luke I may try that next.

Im definately going to take in a few of those suggestions, Im just glad everyone liked it. I've got to admit he is a little scrawny for Maul though. 

Ive got a few more things Ive finished but I probably wont be able to update until Tuesday. But I promise there should be a few surprises by then.

[starkid500]

 I've got to admit he is a little scrawny for Maul though. 

yeah

[Darth_Ennis]

Well, its time for an update of a different sort. These are off topic and may be a no no on this board but I felt the need to share them anyway. Ive decided to take a small detour in my customs. Due to very horrible weather, I have been stuck in the house. First it was snow, then it warmed up a little and became miserably cold rain. Needless to say taking my Travelling Obi-Wan pictures have been out of the question, so I started working on a few JLU animated style customs.

First off is Hal Jordan Green Lantern.



This is a figure that should have been done already, but since he seems to always get the snub on the T.V. show its not likely that it will ever happen.
He is made from a John Stewart body with a modified Nightwing head. I decided to go with the outfit that he is currently wearing in the Comic series, which I think is a nice update for a classic look.

Next up is Captain Marvel.



Many people often refer to The Big Red Cheese as SHAZAM. This is however incorrect, as my roommate will defiantly tell you if asked. This custom was a comissioned project for him, the biggest Captain Marvel fan I think I have ever met.
The body is a stripped and dremmeled Aztek body with a spit-curl free Superman head. The cape is my miserable attempt at cutting fabric, with applied paint and gold cord glued on. My roommate thinks this figure is the greatist thing he's ever seen. Once I get around to making my own I hope to correct the flaws. But as long as he's happy I guess everythings kosher.

And finally we have the dearly departed Blue Beetle.



The late Ted Kord is made from the body of a Flash, sanded down with Sculpy for eyes. The BB gun is from the Teen Titans Robin clipped and trimmed. Except for the detailing on the costume ( which was a real pain!) this is a fairly easy custom.
The Beetle has always been a favorite of mine, and I think its a damn shame he had to die. But this is D.C. so I have a feeling he wont stay dead forever.

Ive got quite a few more in the works including a Hawkman, Animal Man, Plastic man, and a Deathstroke and Catman thrown in for good measure. Dont laugh, ever since "Villans United", Catman has actually become cool.

Dont worry, I havent given up on Star Wars customs, I've still got a few of them in progress, it's just that the JLU have become a nice little side project.

As always your questions and comments are appreciated.

[Jeff]

These are off topic and may be a no no on this board but I felt the need to share them anyway.

As I've said before, as long as this place doesn't become ALL non-Star Wars, sneaking in a few things from time to time is OK.   



As a Green Lantern nut (see my many GL items here), I love this custom version!  Much better than dropping the big bucks on the uber-rare Mattel version. 

I've been planning to do a similar custom once I found the right head and that Nightwing head (with mullet removed) looks like just the trick.  Hope you don't mind my stealing that idea. 


and ps.
I don't think Ted will be back soon, they have already replaced him with a new Blue Beetle!   

[Darth_Ennis]

Jeff, I have no problem with people "borrowing the inspiration" for my customs. I encourage it actually, thats why I usually try to stick the recipe up with the pics. Lord knows Ive done it enough.

I clicked the link for your GL shrine. Ive got four words.... I AM NOT WORTHY!

I didn't even know they made half of those pocket heroes. Is the Jade legit or is she a custom? Shes definately one the TO DO list, as far as my JLU customs go.

As far as Blue Beetle is concerned....I can dream cant I.

[Gregorbian]

SA Darth Maul - Awesome!  The paint apps are really crisp, nice job!  That must have taken forever!  The softgoods turned out really well and the everything about the figure looks well done.  Personally, I don't care for Darth Maul, but this version almost makes me want to try to make a version.  He may be a bit "scrawny" for Darth Maul, but if you make another version (like the SW Visionaries version that was mentioned earlier) you could use a more muscular torso and use VOTC Luke's arms?

I also like the Corran Horn Jedi figure - I had no idea that it was a modified Bail Organa head!  The sculpting on the hair looks perfect - was that sculpey clay or something else?

I don't know much about DC but those guys look pretty factory-crisp to me.  If I saw them in the store I would not have known that they were customs, nice work

[Darth_Ennis]

Here are 2 more heroes.
 The first is Plastic man, always a favorite of mine.



A great character all around, but never gets any credit. He is made from the left over Night wing body from my Hal Jordan custom with a Batman Bruce Wayne head. The goggles are sculpy.

Next up is Hawkman.



This one took a lot of work, but since he was always a favorite it was a true labor of love. His body was originally a Martian Manhunter, and his head was a leftover Aztek shaved down. The helmet wings were cast ( very poorly I might add. Hey I'm not Glasssman, what do you want from me! ) in sculpy from the original Super Powers Hawkman.  No Super Powers figures were harmed in this experiment. The wings were once Hawkgirls.

I have to say that as a Hawkman fan I was kinda ticked that Hawkgirl made it to the line up and not him. The most grevious insult was the fact that when "Hawkman" finally made it to the show they made him a damn villan. What the hell? Any way, I had to take a little artistic licence with this figure but I think its a good representation of the character.

I promise that my next update will actually have some  Star Wars figs in it.

[Glassman6]

Well, Darth E, I love to see JL customs.  I can never get enough of them.

I have yet to make kyle, or beatle.  I dig the plastic man alot. When i did Hawkman, i almost used MM for the base
as well, but i think he is a bit too big.
I went with a cast of black cat... Here is mine.
Here he is before painting.

Great work!

[Gregorbian]

Again, nice work on these, they definitely look like they would fit right in with their manufactured counterparts.  The lines are really crisp and those glasses on Plasticman came out great.

[Darth_Ennis]

AS promised this update actually has Star Wars figs in it.

First up is Lando as he appeared in the last scene of empire, and the comic "Scoundral's Wages"



He is a VOTC Han body with a POTF2 Lando head. Sleeves and collar are Sculpied.

Next Kyle Katarn



He is a new Saga han body with a ROTS OBI wan head. The shoulder patches are Sculpy. The belt is VOTC Luke, the pistol was once Cobra Commanders, and the saber was a misc. jedis.

In an effort to finally have a decent Kyle figure I made this from his pictures in the "Dark Forces: Soldier of the Empire" book, and from his write up in the "Essiential Guide".

And Finally this is a Mandalorian Warrior I made from dropping a VOTC Fett into green dye. The result you see is the result of the dye alone and no repainting.



I made him a couple of weeks before the hurricane hit so I never got a chance to post him before. So now comes the audience participation part. Should I leave him as is or what? I think he looks pretty good as is but hes missing something. What do you think?

[CHEWIE]

Nice update Ennis.

Lando - Looks great... I would suggest a new head however, maybe one of the SAGA or OTC heads... those are ball jointed and are a much newer sculpt.  The POTF2 one looks a bit big/fat compared to what you could do with a newer one I think.  But the rest of the figure looks fantastic, one of your better paint jobs I think.

Katarn - Now this is a great customs, and one of my favorites you've made.  I'd think about tinkering with the head though, just to get it to look a bit less like Obi Wan. Maybe some darker hair/beard would work, and repainting the eyes some.  Maybe thicker eyebrows.  The rest of it looks fantastic... you did a hell of a job selecting parts and sculpting/painting.