Mini Darth Vader costume completed: page 6 pics, pg 7 new con pics

[TK171]

Re: Electronic help-thanks. Vader belt boxes-almost done. mini vader costume progress

Not much progress... Frozen Four in town, so was at Hockey last night.


I did stop on the way home to Pleasant Hills saddle shop. Found 3yr old black leather gloves for Riding. Now, it's just to see if I want to take the extra steps to make it a full on gauntlet glove or leave as is, as it comes up past his wrist as it is.

So- assuming I go down the path of adding a slightly larger gaunlet to it.. I need some advice.

ANH? ESB?

The costume is more a mix, as the green squares on the belt box will look more ANH.....yet the piping strip under those is more ESB. And I can add or leave the 6 metal spacers as is, or add some RED under them.

Also- haven't decided on the chest box. Plan was to mod the voice changer from the helmet combo, and just add a couple of lights inside. But, it's a tad large for matching up with everything else.

Do I keep color combo with Blue and Red square and light it that way (regardless if I build a new box)- or Do I go Red and Green square on the chest? I haven't really paid much attention yet on that, but does the box in ROTS have a green/Red combo? The only diffrence to me, is after I add the couple of lights, I either leave the toggles grey with the Red on right- or go all grey and white on the left.

Opinions from what you've seen of the costume so far?

 

[TK171]

Re: Electronic help-thanks. Vader belt boxes-almost done. mini vader costume progress

It's been a long week, so not going at it too much tonight. I worked on the helmet for a bit by cutting some plastic signage up from the templates I made. These will cover the side gaps where I widened out the two halves and will but up to the dome as filler. Once I get the additional peices on and the lower sections, I'll start some Bondo Spotting on the seams and smooth it all out.

A few progress pics from tonight:

Back:

Looking much better- but a long ways to go yet

 

[TK171]

Re: Electronic help-thanks. Vader belt boxes-almost done. mini vader costume progress

These leather gloves, make me giggle evertime he puts them on. They are SO tiny and as soon as they are on- the hand comes up and squezes into a fits. If you don't immediately grab your throat- your in trouble.:lol

Just another quick test fit. I think the chest box will work ok, if I move the belt down onto the Cod just a bit. Going to have a go at cutting and forming some shoulder armor and breast plate today.

Not excited or anythings.....

 

[TK171]

Re: Electronic help-thanks. Vader belt boxes-almost done. mini vader costume progress

From the side, the helmet looks good. After I looked at these shots from the front- OMG the helmet looks off. Maybe once It's fully together it won't feel/look so wacked.

Pst- you'd better grab your throat, right about now...

Oh.. that's great, just noticed the belts upside down.... Eeek. hahaha

 

[DaddyfromNaboo]

Re: Electronic help-thanks. Vader belt boxes-almost done. mini vader costume progress

Hi Joe,

how does the helmet of the Rubies look when you use it with the small mask?

 

[TK171]

Re: Electronic help-thanks. Vader belt boxes-almost done. mini vader costume progress

Pretty large ( think Spaceballs) haha.

I think once it's all bondo'd up and formed a little more, it'll look better. I think the dome does seem a little high (but the rubies to me seems alittle low), so if I get all the other peices added on, the shape may look different and OK.- Will have to see once I get more togetehr. From the sides, it's looking better and a little more correct proportionally. Will have to play with it more once I get to sanding and filling, and see if I need to add anywhere to look better.

So- couple of the shoulders shots being worked on:

Template:

Cut and formed with a heat gun. quickly drew lines to see wher I may add some raised portions- otherwise, it may just get painted and I'll call it a day:

 

[TK171]

Re: Electronic help-thanks. Vader belt boxes-almost done. mini vader costume progress

side pic:

Couple with Rubies lid..

 

[TK171]

Re: Electronic help-thanks. Vader belt boxes-almost done. mini vader costume progress

Just rounded down the point in the front.. Way too much point there. Redrew some lines quickly just to see- and it's looking much better now. Threw it on my 6yr since Nick is napping.

 

[TK171]

Re: Electronic help-thanks. Vader belt boxes-almost done. mini vader costume progress

Need to take a slight hiatus on the costume build- Wifes orders. She decided on a "Magic" b-day for my oldest coming up in a couple of weeks- so I have to change gears and focus on putting together a magic show and building a few stage props/illusions (and practice cause I'm pretty rusty). I'm sure I'll be doing little things here and there with the costume, so will keep the thread going with some updates as I can.

 

[tictoc]

Re: Electronic help-thanks. Vader belt boxes-almost done. mini vader costume progress

I looked at our voice changer helmet. I wonder if you could cut out the mohawk from front to back to make the helmet narrower. Then, cut out the dome and lower, fitting it back against the flare. And then if need be, trim more off the bottom of the flare.

You could make a new mohawk and re-carve the eyebrow area.

If the helmet is still too big, you might have to cut the thing again from "ear to ear" to bring in the distance from front to back.

Just an idea if your first go at it stalls.

Like what you have done so far.

 

[TK171]

Re: Electronic help-thanks. Vader belt boxes-almost done. mini vader costume progress

Thanks. Good call. That may work out too.

As I was looking at the two helmets side by side, I can see why it looks off (at least part of the reason).

On the bucket/pail I cut up, the flare starts really low and doesn't flare out enough. From a side view- the point where it flares, it looks to start equvellent to under the eye socket/lens of the faceplate. On the rubies it starts the flare higher up like above the eye sockets.

That's only part of it- but would make it look better. I think the dome itself is just too high right in front too. I think if I pulled out the two rivots and cut just the front of the dome down maybe an inch or two and re attached, it would really help. I may go that route first. Cut the front and reposition. Then, start the flares a bit higher up and angled outward a tad more. RIght now it really seems to be more Up N down- if that makes sense. Needs more of a bend and flare outward.

Luckily I have until the 4th of July until the Con where the boys are going to debut the Trooper and Vader. I have some time yet..... considering all of this has come together pretty quick over the last month. The helmet is the only thing that will take some major overhaulin'. Cape just needs some quick heming and the chain attached, and same with the Robes being hemmed up.

I can go without shoulder bells for Vader (in a pinch) as the cape covers it, but will try to get those added too. Otherwise, it's just forming the shins quick- but that's a days work if all goes like the chest plate. That stuff was great to work with (some sort of sintra scrap I got from a buddy) and have plent of it.

I guess if I do some sort of undersuit- that'll take some work, but I dont' know if I want to invest that much time into it. His Black thermals work pretty good and will be covered by the armor and robes for the most part anyways.

Thanks for all the comments and advice. The Bday party is coming along, so I may get back to this soon than I thought. Got my dock mostly in now too since the ice just went out on the lake- so one more thing checked off the list and the wife won't be hounding me to do that.. lol

 

[vaderbreath]

Re: Electronic help-thanks. Vader belt boxes-almost done. mini vader costume progress

Wow, what a fun project. Of course, I can't let my 3.5 yr. old see this or I know what I'll be doing from now until Halloween. And let's not even mention my 7 yr. old. I love seeing builds like this...using unusual items and cobbling together a really cool costume. I hope your magic show is coming together as well.

 

[sskunky]

Re: Electronic help-thanks. Vader belt boxes-almost done. mini vader costume progress

Magic?
I missed that bit! I do a bit of close up stuff....

Costume is coming on nicely......

 

[ShackMan]

Re: Electronic help-thanks. Vader belt boxes-almost done. mini vader costume progress

Excellent work; coming along nicely. Can't wait to see the finished product.


ATM
ShackMan

 

[TK171]

Re: Electronic help-thanks. Vader belt boxes-almost done. mini vader costume progress

Thanks. It sure is a fun project and the giddy excitement every night when I come home from work with "did you get any more peices for the costume" is so worth it. I tend to work on stuff late at night when they are in bed, so when I get home from work the next day he's excited to know what I did.

Now that I bought a few more tricks online that I'm waiting to arrive for the party- I can keep cracking on this little by little.

And Shack- thanks for all of your help and advice with the boxes. going the way I did, it's plenty bright and that 9volt should last for a long time.

 

[TK171]

Re: Electronic help-thanks. Vader belt boxes-almost done. mini vader costume progress

Got around to hemming the cape around the edges and to length tonight. I should be able to check this off the list (I hope), but will give a test fit tomorrow when I get home from work. Sewed on a couple of clasps so the chain can be swapped out when I find something suitable.. or leave as is with what I already had. only guessing, but probably have to go 2-3 links shorter for his neck, but we'll see.

sorry for the bad pics. No natural light at 1am and the Iphone camera needs that!

Front:

Back:

 

[TK171]

Re: Electronic help-thanks. Vader belt boxes-almost done. mini vader costume progress

Couple more shots. The ones above are on a kids hanger, but I thought I'd see how it would lay with the armor under it- even though I still need to work on it.

Looking at these, I REALLY like how it lays in the back. The fabric I ended up getting is perfect. Has a nice weight to it and is a black that isn't see through and solid. However, it also has a slight stretch to it, so it wraps the rounded armor great. Will hold better once I finishin the armor and get a hook in place for the chain to catch. With the cut out behind the neck, it also forces nice lines down the back.

I think I definately need to do shoulder bells though, as you can see the weight and stretch material cut off there and would like that to be broader when on and lay all the way around it.

Front:

Back:

 

[Graphic Jordan]

Re: Electronic help-thanks. Vader belt boxes-almost done. mini vader costume progress

Wow this is really shaping up. I built a custom vader for myself years ago. But I wish I had a kid in which to make costumes for... small scale stuff is fun.

 

[TK171]

Re: Electronic help-thanks. Vader belt boxes-almost done. mini vader costume progress

The small stuff is fun. Still a heck of a lot of time goes in, but just as enjoyable in the outcomes.


So- any of you Vader builders/costume wears following along, I've got a question.

The inner robes... Is that really a robe similar a trench coat that's sleeveless? Or is it not connected together under the arms and more like a Long throw that's split around the back of the neck and two sides that just drape down around the chest box in front and holding it in place with the belt?

 

[TK171]

Re: Electronic help-thanks. Vader belt boxes-almost done. mini vader costume progress

Like a glove! Fits perfectly. Need to pull out two more chain links.

Couple more test pics... course, can't just do the cape. :lol

the more I see the helmet now with everything, I may leave it- but flare the sides more and start the flare higher. I kind of like the height now, as it makes him look taller.. WIll see.

Back shot for length (with boots on):

Grrrr...With the Rubies saber. not sure why...

just a tad excited: