1:6 scale Chewbacca

[Weezer]

Hi,
I'm think of starting a 1:6 ANH Chewbacca to go with my Sideshow collection.

I want to try to keep it within a small budget by using things I have on hand. An ultimate soldier will be use for the base body, but I'll need to tweak it with some spacers (added to the abs, legs and arms).

I did some scaling on the computer and Chewbacca is roughly 15" tall in the 1:6 scale world.

I was wondering if some of you sculptors/members can take a look at the proportions of what I plan to do. Please feel free to make suggestions and let me know if I have over looked anything.

The one reference shot with the figure shows where the spacers would go (in yellow) and the pink represents where the feet and head will have height added (like in the original freeborn costume)

Thanks

 

[steveo]

Good luck! I've thought about doing this myself, in the exact same way as you, so I'm looking forward to your progess! Please keep us posted.

 

[Weezer]

Thanks, I hope I can pull it off, but I need advice...

 

[steveo]

Looks like your proportions are correct. Can't see anything that would need adjusting. What kind of fur are you going to use?

 

[Weezer]

I haven't decided on what to use for fur yet. All I know is I'm going to try gluing the hair/fur right to the soldier's (coarsely sanded) body. That way I can keep the lanky Wookiee proportions. I'll attach it with some kind of CA glue.

That's my theory anyway.

 

[steveo]

sounds like a good idea. I'd be interested to see if it sheds a lot. It'd definitely be better than sculpted hair.

 

[vaderdarth]

better use real animal hair, because synthetics can melt and catch fire using CA glue.

 

[Jedifyfe]

Cool! Make sure you sculpt Peters head under the mask.... :sick

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Looking good and the proportions look fine to me. Cool to extend a body like that. I've been sculpting on a Chewie head lately and was wondering how to do the body and hope it's okay I borrow your idea. I may do a cast of the basic Chewie before I start adding or sculpting the hair, if you'd be interested, unless you work faster than me and want to do the whole thing yourself.

You don't really need the whole of Peter Mayhew's head under the Chewie face sculpt... just get the eyes right as those are the ones that most people forget to get right.

Where'd you get the front and side pictures you printed out, if you don't mind sharing them?

 

[Weezer]

I think the arms (upper part) looks off... I'm not sure. I'll be using different hands for sure.

The body extention isn't my idea. I found it online at OSW. A guy made some really nice WWII soldiers with an extension in the torso. You're borrowing his idea.

I'd love to see your head sculpt. I'm planing to sculpt my own head and feet. I'll follow the photo of the latex mask that covers the under-skull. I think I'll skip the Peter Mayhew stage (LOL). I'll save my energy for the Chewie sculpt.

I found the photos by doing a web search of Chewbacca. I then scaled them up on the computer. As you can see in one of the photos... I took the metal ceremony image and scaled Chewie back (he's ahead by one or two steps) so the step he stands on is roughly the same size of Han and Luke's step. Then I measured my SSC Han figure and scaled the photo up so Han was the same size as the figure. Chewie works out to roughly 15" (1:6).

It's a round about way to get the height worked out, but now I know it's relatively close to the other figures.

Please feel free to use whatever you find here. I only ask for you're constructive comments and advice in return.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Sure, and cool.

The sculpt is currently cut up, as I'd sculpted the nose and mouth too far towards one side, making one eye sit deeper than it should, so I cut that area off, sanded the front of the face and will attach and sculpt it back in the correct place soon. I spent a lot of time trying to get the eyes right and then did Mayhew's basic head shape - no details - before adding the Chewie undermask shapes. At this point it could probably be used as a base to add hair to, so I'll post a pic as soon as I've made the fix to see whether I should try and get it molded.

 

[Weezer]

I wasn't sure if the upper arm looked right. Seeing the photo of Peter Mayhew gave me an idea. I looked for a full body shot that would show joints... his elbow and knees. I had to cobble two photos together. I used his facial features to scale the images to the reference.

It looks as though my proportion are pretty close.

 

[Jedifyfe]

Man, Peter is a gangly fellow aint he?

 

[d_jedi1]

I did a similar mod when constructing a 1:6th Vader. I made changes all over that body, extending bits and such.
Which reminds me, I STILL need to bulk him up. :facepalm

 

[Bloop]

I remember seeing someone suggest using rabbit hair for dolls, I think the scale was 1/6 too. They said since rabbit fur is so fine, it works well at that scale. Pretty sure you can dye it any color too.

 

[Weezer]

quick update:

I've done some scaling of photos and found the final 1:6 foot is roughly 1" wide and a little over 2 3/4" (2 13/16") long.

This is a foot in sculpey. I'm going for ANH/OT look, but before I go too far with details I thought I'd post some shots of what I've done.

I hope it keeps it's shape when I bake it???? I've never worked with this stuff what's the best way to cook this? Heat gun... oven?

Advice or constructive criticisms please.

 

[G4Tyrant]

Great job so far ...

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Man, that's a big foot. Super Sculpey should be baked in the oven at low temperatures (I know some claim it's safe, but I get a weird smell and aftertaste in the food afterwards, so I don't generally bake it in the oven I use for food, but have a small oven just for that)

I'm usually baking my pieces at 1-3 hours at just about or a little less than 100 degrees Celsius.

 

[DaddyfromNaboo]

Man, that's a big foot. Super Sculpey should be baked in the oven at low temperatures (I know some claim it's safe, but I get a weird smell and aftertaste in the food afterwards, so I don't generally bake it in the oven I use for food, but have a small oven just for that)

I'm usually baking my pieces at 1-3 hours at just about or a little less than 100 degrees Celsius.

I think you can cook it in boiling water to harden it, too. Might be the food-safer alternative to baking it in the oven.

 

[Weezer]

I think I'll use the heat gun on a low setting method. Although there's a $19 toaster oven at the local Wal-mart... hmmmmm, what to do?