Darth Fivezero (Custom Sith Build)

[Fivezero[TX]]

Yes another grand project from Fivezero.

 

However I'm putting everything else on hold (cause well it has all been a hold for awhile... ). I shall make the great Sith Acolyte seen in the trailers for Star Wars: The Old Republic. These guys:

 

 

But where to start? How about we modify a Jedi armor kit from Kevin at Imperial Surplus.

 

 

I haven't decided how to do the mask. I may scratch build it or grab the one from My Wicked Armor. I'll decide later but first the armor!

 

Fivezero

[toddo[TX]]

I'm looking forward to seeing the end result. Keep posting your progress.

[Darth Agnon[501st]]

this should be pretty cool

[izzi[TX]]

it will be an interesting build.

[Fivezero[TX]]

 

Wow when I get bored on a Thursday evening, I sure get a lot done. First I made a backplate and now I've made a mask. I put a couple touches on it this morning like the nose, cheek/side pieces and the dome (it's actually a cut-down shoulder bell ). I do foresee many hours of Bondo ahead though. I also need to adjust the eyes since they're at a little too much of an angle.

[Fivezero[TX]]

Alright I think I'm going to do Darth Malgus as well............

 

 

But I'll do his version as seen in the "Return" trailer for SWTOR, so I don't have do quite as much makeup. I just feel like I need something a little more...aggressive looking.

[Griffin-X[501st]]

You going to shave your head?! That's dedication...!

[Fivezero[TX]]

I may shave my head, but I might go with a bald cap. Still haven't quite decided yet........

 

And so it begins. No turning back now.

 

 

So before everyone says "Fivezero, that's foam!?!?!" I have a special little trick up my sleeve to "plasticize" the foam and make it look like a proper piece of hard armor.

 

And I'm off to make the other shoulder!!

[Griffin-X[501st]]

Shave it all off Ty! I did it years ago and do not regret it. Plus, makes my helmet fit better!

[Fivezero[TX]]

What's better than one shoulder, how about two?!? Made it last night but was too tired to post it up.

 

 

Hopefully I can get a start on the Chest tonight.

[Fivezero[TX]]

Got the basic shape for the chest last night and finished about 90% of the etching this morning. Still need to make the central detail plate thingy and give it some curves but it's coming along nicely.

 

[Darth Emphatic[CMD-DWM]]

I cannot wait to see the plasticizing you will be doing. I am also think you should absolutely move to southern california.

[Fivezero[TX]]

http://www.therpf.com/f24/how-plastic-coat-foam-costume-pieces-146539/

 

If you want to see what I'll be doing.

[Fivezero[TX]]

A small update on this as well.

 

Got a new mask made up, just needs some love and bondo Looks better than my first mask....

 

 

Fivezero

[Master Tej]

Wow! Mask looks great!

 

- Master Tej -

[izzi[TX]]

Umm.... Awesome mask! Reminds me of the time I got a cool Evo helmet in the mail... Wait... That hasn't happened yet.

[Fivezero[TX]]

Reminds me of the time I got a cool Evo helmet in the mail...

 

Check your PM, you may like what you see!

 

Anyway was bored so I worked on some stuff on my Acolyte. Finished gluing the arms together along with the legs, now for some filling to clean them up a bit.

 

Also started making some of the custom pieces like the belt buckle, made a template first by tracing over an image on my computer.

 

 

Then cut it out of foam, then brushed on a couple layers of glue (yep just basic white glue...)

 

 

Then brushed on some urethane plastic (the stuff I make helmets and other junk out of). After it cured I gave it a light sanding and engraved the button on the buckle, time for some paint!

 

 

I also started making a new ab/cod plate since I didn't want to really have to do to much modding, easier to just make a new one. Starting with another template to cut out from some of the plastic I have laying around.

 

 

Got it cut out in plastic and marked the lines for engraving. Also borrowed some pouched from the original ab to use and threw my buckle on there to give an idea of what it will look like. Also have some silver strapping on the way to make the belt up. Coming along nicely.

 

 

 

As for the Darth Malgus build, I thing I'm about done for now on that. I saw that My Wicked Armor is now making a Malgus costume, so I think I'll just purchase that if I can.

 

Fivezero

[Fivezero[TX]]

Woot, big update on Darth Malgus!!! Even though I wanted to get the My Wicked Armor costume, it proved to be out of my budget, so I'll get going on my build again.

 

Initially I was overcome by everything (i.e. details) on this suit when I started again. So I started small and made up the little elbow plates and hand plates.

 

 

 

Now I only used these foam mock ups as vac forming bucks. Ended up using the ones with the most crisp edges of course.

 

 

I also got the bicep armor made up and tested my foam heat treat method (gives it the slight curve and makes it look just like it does in the pics).

 

 

Woke up this morning and started with the belt and the details to go with it (here's some inserts for the front of the belt).

 

 

Also spent today making just about every other template I need (gauntlets, legs, cod, butt, etc.). So all I need is some thicker foam (on the way) and I'll start making up the rest of the armor. For now I'm concentrating on making the thinner foam padding (thighs, butt).

 

 

 

Still have the finishing details (rounding edges, curving, heat treat surface) to do on those, but otherwise this project has really advanced in just 2 days! Once I get the thicker foam I'll get going on the other "hard" armor and prepare everything for plasticizing!

 

Fivezero

[Fivezero[TX]]

Well I have been a bit busy with school the last month but was still to knock out some progress on Malgus. Unfortunately in my exhausted state I forgot to take pictures! So I'll share the stage everything is at currently.

 

Basically all of the hard armor parts are made up and plastic coated (some pieces need another coat of plastic). Right now I'm trying to finish up some of the smaller pieces like the ridged-ab-plate-thingy and the boot armor. Then I'll get moving on smoothing out the hard armor (Bondo, woot!!). Then detail them, then paint. Then I'll get moving on the armor padding details like curving the thigh armor strips. Then I can move on to the soft parts like the pants and the cape (which will be fun since I don't know how to sew...)

 

Anyway enough blabbering, time for pics

 

One Malgus cod piece, still needs to be heated to make the surface smooth and less like foam...

 

 

Some leg and knee armor. And no they're not done...

 

 

Coated chest and shoulders, had to add some heat after the plastic coat to shape the chest a bit better to my body. Unfortunately the plastic filled in my etching so I'm going to have to go back through and re-etch the armor.

 

 

Finally, woke up this morning and started on the ab-ridged-plate-thingy. Just a prototype to test making the ridges with the curve, I'll make a cleaner version for the final piece.

 

 

And there's a lot more than that, but I don't pictures for it. Like I said above, all of the hard armor is done (gauntlets, legs, biceps, etc.) I just need to smooth them out and detail them next.

 

Fivezero

[toddo[TX]]

Amazing work. I'm envious of your skills. Keep trucking bro!

[Master Tej]

Are you going to make Malgus' lightsaber to go along with the costume? And great looking armor parts!

 

- Master Tej -

[Fivezero[TX]]

Totally forgot about the saber...

 

 

 

[Master Tej]

Is that an Ultrasaber?

 

- Master Tej -

[Fivezero[TX]]

Yes sir, that is an Ultrasaber. I've got some details I want to add eventually to make it a bit more accurate, but I'm not going to go super crazy on it.

[Fivezero[TX]]

Been awhile since I've worked on these, but I've gotten a lot done on both Sith suits.....

 

I've been getting an itch to do something custom for awhile now, something free from the constraints of accuracy from screenshots. But the other day, during my drive home from class, I was thinking about how I have a lot of projects and I've been getting a little anxious about getting these guys done (I hate boxes of armor that stare at me and taunt me everyday, yes you too TFU Shadow...).

 

Anyway I came up with a brilliant idea to combine elements of the Sith Acolyte and Darth Malgus into a single suit with some custom stuff thrown in for the heck of it. So here's what I've done the last two days.

 

 

Got a new chest and back plate made up.

 

 

New shoulders too (need to curve 'em).

 

 

Here's what I've done for Malgus's stupid chest detail thingy (pain to make...). I was going to make it from foam originally (no clue why...). But I made up a quick 3D model that I used to make some templates.

 

 

 

Decided to use the Sith Acolyte handplates, liked them a bit more than the Malgus handplates.

 

 

Added the claws too, they're a little more subdued than the regular Acolyte claws.

 

 

Now for the legs! I really love the Acolyte legs, and really hate Malgus's leg armor (just so much stuff to worry about and make). I did combine some elements on the back of the leg armor, notably the Malgus rear leg armor and added a couple strips to simulate the padding he wears. Gave the legs a bit more detail, the backs were very plain.... The little scribbles are from me trying to sort out how to paint them.

 

 

 

Finally I've started on the arms, the regular Acolyte arms are very short and squat (didn't look too good on me).

 

 

I made an elongated version with some custom touches, still have a lot of work to do on it. Needs some trimming in spots and some etching on top.

 

 

Here's a shot with all of the armor for my arm! I'm reusing my Malgus biceps, and you can see that I added the "padding" but it's not really padding obviously (that stuff is a pain to make and look right with foam).

 

 

 

I'm also going to be using the Acolyte thigh armor instead of Malgus padding. I'll be making a new Malgus belt and cod piece as well and I think that will about do it for the armor. I'll probably get a Jedi tunic to use underneath as well (I have no plans for any kind of ab armor). And finally I'll top it all off with a Malgus cape and hood. I might finish up my Sith mask (or get one) someday to finish it up (but still thinking on that).

 

So it's a little bit of both Sith. I've just been getting a little tired of constantly having to follow reference pics (and Darth Malgus has so many stupid little details, hence why I haven't worked on it in a long time). This gets rid of that stress for these guys, I get 2 projects knocked out at once and I get to my custom build I've been wanting to do!! Should still be a fun and menacing costume in the end! Feels good to work on something again!!

 

 

Fivezero

 

Oh and I discovered another new trooper that I've been working on (you guys will love him). He's done but I need to take some pics...