Anovos Stormtrooper.... thoughts?

Yeah, a hobby should be fun... maybe stepping away for a day or two may refresh your enthusiasm for the TK.

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Yeah, a hobby should be fun... maybe stepping away for a day or two may refresh your enthusiasm for the TK.

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I hope. I really don't know why this sucks so much. I never planned to where it as chubby Stormtroopers look odd. I was always just gonna slap it on a mannequin.

Hopefully it will get better.

If not I will finish all the major cutting and can easily sell it with the label of "The hard work is done for you."

Tom
 
That's an easy fix - bulk him up with newspaper and duct tape. Although keep in mind, HF was 6'1" and about 165-175lbs during SW - a slender mannequin might not be a bad thing neccessiarily. As for the rest, take a couple of days off without looking at the thing - being frustrated just leads to making more mistakes, which leads to being frustrated, which leads to making more mistakes, which leads.... Failing that, if it would make you feel better, send the whole collection up north here to BC and I promise I'll be really mean to it all before disposing of it for you :angel
 
I hope. I really don't know why this sucks so much. I never planned to where it as chubby Stormtroopers look odd. I was always just gonna slap it on a mannequin.

Hopefully it will get better.

If not I will finish all the major cutting and can easily sell it with the label of "The hard work is done for you."

Tom

Tom dont give up!!! about half way through I switched to score and snap it is so much simpler. im in the same boat as you I need a better mannequin. Does anyone have a link to a better mannequin? Mine are suffering from fat leg and leaning due to the crappy pose of this mannequin.
 

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I should be enjoying this but I really just want to toss the entire thing in a dumpster.

Considering that's how most of the OT stuff was found, I'd say that would be the proper way to go.

This whole prop hobby is an expensive and frustrating nightmare. You pay thousands of dollars on something 10 years ago because it was considered "accurate" and 10 years later you look at it and say WTF was I thinking?

Like you, I tried the costuming thing because I wanted to try and give kids a smile on their face, but no way in hell could I walk around in costume for an hour. I'd want to use a force choke on those same kids by then. I commend the guys that do because it ain't easy.

As far as the building goes, the more you do it the better you get at it. Follow some of the great builds guys are doing, take your time and try to enjoy it. When it's all said and done you'll be proud of yourself that not only were you able to complete it, but more importantly, that you didn't give up.
 
May I ask how long did you take to sculpt the above suits? What was the moulding process and what is the material the final suits are made from?

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Solar Avenger- 6 to 8 weeks to sculpt & mold, RTV molds, suit constructed in FRP, Urethane, V-formed PETG
Armour- 1 person 4 months (part time), hammers and steel stakes, Material 1050 spring steel, leather, black oxide finish, gold.
 
bought this on amazon hope its better Male Mannequin, Flexible Posable Bendable Full-size Soft -Black, by TK Products, Great for Costumes[/h]
 
Just do a search for Greek helmets. A large proportion of which are more symmetrical than the storm trooper helmets despite being hammered out of metal and spending a fair few years buried underground.

Fun fact: the word symmetry is Greek in origin.


You mean more symmetrical like this? LOL

http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000joOPlrIY_H8/s/860/860/Helmet-WLRS-Greece-2009.jpg


Hand sculpting isn't easy, and there's going to be an asymmetrical nature to it - and if you add in a crazy time constraint, sure it's going to be worse.



Some of you need to realize it's not that the asymmetry came from the sculpture per say but the culmination of the whole process. A slightly wonky sculpture with a quick mould can really increase the warp. Then the vac pulls can warp if not cooled enough before removing off the buck... you get the idea. Hell Vader is warpped because the mould was warpped .

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I haven't seen the original 1976 Stormtrooper helmet models they made into molds - not sure many have. Unless Brian Muir has (guessing so), and he chime's in regarding the actual shape the of the original finished helmet pulls in comparison to the original sculpt, the only thing we can go by are the last remaining original ANH helmets and their 1 gen lineage recreations from places like RS, TE, etc.

Sorry for the derailment. Having been through sculpture class in art and design school, no I wasn't that good, I really appreciate those who have this talent, and I love the study of the original ST and Vader helmets. :D
 
You mean more symmetrical like this? LOL

http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000joOPlrIY_H8/s/860/860/Helmet-WLRS-Greece-2009.jpg

Hand sculpting isn't easy, and there's going to be an asymmetrical nature to it - and if you add in a crazy time constraint, sure it's going to be worse.

At the risk of being pedantic, aren't there plenty of ancient sculptures and structures that are confirmed to be perfectly symmetrical? The statues of Ramses at Memphis and Luxor both come to mind. They were done thousands of years ago and are perfectly symmetrical from a geometric standpoint.

Plate 4.jpgPlate 7.jpg

I'm with @Imgill-- they could have pulled it off in the 1970s if they really felt like it. But it was a different era of filmmaking, and they were both rushed and already stretching their budget to the very limits. I mean, the "R2 Periscope on Dagobah" scene was filmed in George Lucas' unfinished swimming pool, for crying out loud! ;)
 
At the risk of being pedantic, aren't there plenty of ancient sculptures and structures that are confirmed to be perfectly symmetrical? The statues of Ramses at Memphis and Luxor both come to mind. They were done thousands of years ago and are perfectly symmetrical from a geometric standpoint.

View attachment 589712View attachment 589713

I'm with @Imgill-- they could have pulled it off in the 1970s if they really felt like it. But it was a different era of filmmaking, and they were both rushed and already stretching their budget to the very limits. I mean, the "R2 Periscope on Dagobah" scene was filmed in George Lucas' unfinished swimming pool, for crying out loud! ;)


Yeah but to be fair those where built by aliens with superior technology..
 
Where do you in the U.S. buy your mannequins from?

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This is the one I got.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fiberglass-...615303?hash=item3cc1368c47:g:nfgAAOxyYYlRw1Y8

I think it will be fine. The body works but I need to place a few pieces of foam and tape. The arms will need work. They are to skinny and close to the body once the Torso armor is in place. I need to bulk up the arms and then put a spacer between the shoulder and torso.
 
Tom dont give up!!! about half way through I switched to score and snap it is so much simpler. im in the same boat as you I need a better mannequin. Does anyone have a link to a better mannequin? Mine are suffering from fat leg and leaning due to the crappy pose of this mannequin.

I switched to the score and snap as well.

I think it will be fine and I can fix my mannequin but I am gonna wrap up some business here and unplug for a week or so.

My other hobby is world events for lack of a better phrase. If you are one like me who knows what is going on in the world, because I research it for several hours every day, it can be tiring. I love it and find it just fascinating. I used to tell my students it's much better than anything the Kardashians can come up with, but it takes it's toll so I am going to shut off the computer for a week as soon as I wrap stuff up here.

Thanks

Tom
 
I feel the same way about trying to get my 3P0 suit finally fully posed so it looks expensive, rather than a piece of junk parts thrown half assed together.

I FINALLY gave up on the pipe system setup. I just couldn't make it work for the life of me. I bought a TK Mannequin that I HOPE will fit threepio.
If it does, and I can finally complete that setup, I'll get a second one for my trooper setup.


Whenever I find prop stuff frustrating (KITT will really be a pain in the ass to finish), I'm reminded why I got into this stuff to begin with. First, my grandparents. My Italian side grandfather had a BASEMENT FILLED with electronics. TVs, Radios, VCRs, that he fixed for people as a hobby. it was one of the coolest places to visit when we went to his house because he always had something neat taken half apart. My grandfather on the Scottish side of things liked to BUILD things. he would occasionally go to Toy Fair too back in the 50s (not really sure why, but he did..maybe with stuff he built?).

Maybe I got this urge to build stuff from watching them. but once I got into it, I realized how fun and at the same time frustrating it can be. but, that is all part of the process of life.
It's just a shame neither are around anymore to actually see what I am doing ;o/....

And then you have moments like this week. Two guys brought their kids in who are off from school. Both kids (girls in this case, I would have thought boys would be more into it) lit up the moment they saw R2 and I made him move around. it not only made their day, but their parents day as well.

It's that little pay it forward thing that makes all the frustration worth it at times. I just hope I have the funds and skill to make a really great kitt as my grand finale in the prop building business.
 
Tom dont give up!!! about half way through I switched to score and snap it is so much simpler. im in the same boat as you I need a better mannequin. Does anyone have a link to a better mannequin? Mine are suffering from fat leg and leaning due to the crappy pose of this mannequin.

LOL something about a Stormtrooper standing contrapposto really cracks me up. :)

Best option is to find a male friend who is 5'10" with a fit (but not bulky) build. (read: no big gut)

Make a duct tape mannequin out of him in whatever pose you want, and you're all set! Fairly easy and inexpensive, and far more customized to what you want than a "bendable" mannequin (look at those odd elbow joints?), at least one of those that don't cost a fortune.
 
LOL something about a Stormtrooper standing contrapposto really cracks me up. :)

Best option is to find a male friend who is 5'10" with a fit (but not bulky) build. (read: no big gut)

Make a duct tape mannequin out of him in whatever pose you want, and you're all set! Fairly easy and inexpensive, and far more customized to what you want than a "bendable" mannequin (look at those odd elbow joints?), at least one of those that don't cost a fortune.

Wont people miss him. and what about the smell after a few weeks?
 
Wont people miss him. and what about the smell after a few weeks?

LOL whether they miss him depends on the friend. ;) Use Frog Tape (seals better!) for the smell?

Of course, following the USUAL instructions for making a duct tape mannequin, this generally isn't a problem. If so, perhaps you skipped a step in the instructions? LMAO
 
LOL whether they miss him depends on the friend. ;) Use Frog Tape (seals better!) for the smell?

Of course, following the USUAL instructions for making a duct tape mannequin, this generally isn't a problem. If so, perhaps you skipped a step in the instructions? LMAO

can youl ink me to the instructions I don't want any dead friends. Once you kill one friend it's hard for the others to trust you.
 
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