Darth Bane, Post Dxun

Amazing. Not only a cool scuplt, but I'm loving the paint job. Not to mention how many of those things are going to be on there.

I'm thinking metal snaps might hold those on?

Can't wait to see the finished piece.
 
i saw this once before, simply incredible. you plan to be at c4 i take it. i have a friend that is almost done with imperial knight armor. might have to find ya in the crowd.
 
a skittering from above

"It's Darth Bane," the big man said with a grim smile.
"and I'm not dead yet. Unlike you."


It feels like a stone's age since last I updated this project. Indeed several new official reference sources have come into existence in the tyme that has passed. While my attentions had been diverted bringing Ganner Krieg's Imperial Knight Armour to the first level of completeness, I am now focussed on Darth Bane. I stared my first sketches for this costume in 2003.

While I had a wearable helm in 2006, I was not happy with the way the sections fit together. For the past three months, I have been adding and sanding away material, hoping to refine the fit and improve the helm's form. With the consultation of a colleague from my prop workshop, I made the decision to cut apart the "processess" on the helm's back so that the piece can be molded properly and reproduced.








Simultaneous to the work on Darth Bane's helm, I have fitting the components of Bane's living armour to a casting of my torso. For the benifit of those unfamiliar with the character, Bane's Post Dxun armour is made up hundreds of individual Orbalisks. While I had sculpted four separate sizes (instars) of these for the task, I found that I will need to make at least a fifth Orbalisk size to work with full body coverage.

I hope to update again in February 2008 with new images of the body armour.

Be well,
Thomas

PS
Thanks fellows for the kind words. They mean a lot to me. I often get so lost in a project that I forget to celebrate along the way.
 
Re: a skittering from above


...


I hope to update again in February 2008 with new images of the body armour.

Be well,
Thomas

PS
Thanks fellows for the kind words. They mean a lot to me. I often get so lost in a project that I forget to celebrate along the way.


Thomas, your projects always seem to border on the brink of insanity. The complexity and beauty you achieve is just ... leaving me at a loss for words.
Any chance to meet you at German JediCon this Easter ?

Michael
 
Darth Bane, Post Dxun, fifth size Orbalisk

Greetings Michael, I have been giving serious though to attending the event-- it would allow me a chance to visit with my friends in Düsseldorf--but I am not sure if I can make the financial commitment. It would be nice to rejoin you and Heike though. We shall see. I will keep my fingers crossed that it may be.


When I began to fit the assortment of Orbalisks already produced on my torso casting, I found that I needed at least one more size to achieve the look (and articulation) I wanted.
DarthBaneP09.jpg

I have been noodling on the piece above for three weeks during my train commute to and from work. I feel it is just about ready to cast.

This is the fifth separate sculpt I've made of the little guys. I think I might go back and sculpt the underside for this one as well.

A new action figure is soon to be released in Hasbro's Evolutions line;
sandtroopers.com (local boys) have posted a few new images from the set;
003.jpg


To my eye the earlier images from Rebelscum appear to be samples from production while these recent images from the Sandtroopers look to be hand painted.

On close inspection, the Orbalisks of Bane's body armour appear to be influenced by the pieces I created last year. (I offered images from my WIP to the Hasbro team when I first learned that they would be working on Bane;)
004.jpg


Previous illustrations of the animals imbedded into the Dark Lord's chest resembled jewels;
DarthBane1.jpg

I based my Orbalisks on chitons and isopods--not the soft bodied trilobites so many seem to see in the design.

In any case, I am stoked to see the character further recognized in plastic 3 3/4" form.

Be well,
Thomas
 
Re: Darth Bane, Post Dxun, fifth size Orbalisk

Exciting stuff, Thomas. I can't wait to see the progression on this project. Will you be casting in a semi transparent resin, like some of the art appears, or will you be taking a more opaque approach?
 
Seating assignments for friends

I have been keeping in trouble, since last I reported on this project. Today I'd like to share a step in my progress.



It is difficult to envison just how Darth Bane's exotic body armour would come together as a lifesized, wearable costume, especially when it has never been done before. Experience has taught that the best way to achieve a feel for the final piece is to start putting the parts together. This test configuration is held in place with Elder pins.

Even though it may appear I am in the home stretch with this extended project, it will be extended a bit further. I feel the weight of Darth Bane's disappointment, glaring at me from behind his unpainted face mask in the corner of the room. Truth is, I am not diverting my energies towards a secret project, hopefully to be revealed later this year.

Be well,
Thomas
 
Re: Seating assignments for friends

I have been keeping in trouble, since last I reported on this project. Today I'd like to share a step in my progress.



It is difficult to envison just how Darth Bane's exotic body armour would come together as a lifesized, wearable costume, especially when it has never been done before. Experience has taught that the best way to achieve a feel for the final piece is to start putting the parts together. This test configuration is held in place with Elder pins.

Even though it may appear I am in the home stretch with this extended project, it will be extended a bit further. I feel the weight of Darth Bane's disappointment, glaring at me from behind his unpainted face mask in the corner of the room. Truth is, I am not diverting my energies towards a secret project, hopefully to be revealed later this year.

Be well,
Thomas


WOW i am very impressed Thomas..you are doing a great job on the chest area of this costume
 
Re: Seating assignments for friends

Hey Thomas. It´s always great to see something done by you!
I was really annoyed with myself when I heard that you´ve been here in Germany for this years JediCon and I couldn´t make it. Your Imperial Knight armor alone would have justified a day-ticket and the trip to the event! :thumbsup

I haven´t tried something as complex as this multi-piece armor you´re working on, but I can imagine fitting AND making it look good at the same time requires some creative thinking!
I also like the colour job you gave to the Orbalisks.

PS: congratulations on your very own Ganner Krieg action-Figure! How cool ist that?!! :cool :lol
 
Nice job, :thumbsupI really like the character. Hard to do armor on something that really is not established and changes on artist whim to a certain degree. That look is as close to the only real reference, which is just the description in the books and look pretty much as I pictured it in my head.
Story wise I am glad he got rid of that armor/creatures, it/they were holding him back:love
 
Can't wait to see more man, just got through reading both darth bane books, this is one awesome costume
 
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