Female Shistavanen Sith Rogue

[SheKing]

WARNING: TEXT HEAVY! FEEL FREE TO SKIP AHEAD AND SEE THE VIDEOS, INSTEAD, I DON'T MIND!


I like to flock towards the fuzzy alien humanoids that nobody knows how to do. Like Ewoks, or Wookies. Not very many tutorials out there on how to do them. Well, hopefully, I can fill people in on a method to complete these furry critter costumes that some people don't do too often. This is what I'm good at.

Here's some examples of what I've done before so you guys know what to expect. Just a heads up, I'm still a novice, thus I'm still scared and freaky about trying new things. I don't want to mess up. I know this is silly and trail and error is pretty much how things go. Nonetheless, I'm just a baby builder, so work with me, I hope I can help you guys get more familiar with alternate construction methods. Especially for mascot costumes.

I've been building for about 2 years now. I'm just NOW doing commissions. I got my first creature costume commission two weekends ago. Yay me! Seemed to take forever, though! Most of my costumes have been for me, personally. Money was an issue so I didn't get to build as often or as much as I liked for the sake of practice.



These are the three full body mascot suits I've done. Also known as "Fursuits". Call me what you might, "Furry" or "Fursuiter" I don't care, I LOVE building these things and performing in them. I like to create a character for people to interact with.

We have a tauntaun(My most iconic and loved character)named, SnowBunny, an Ewok named, YubNub, and a werewolf named, Tusken. All of these are girls....now, the werewolf might confuse people. She's a werewolf, I don't think they have boobs anyway, buuuuut she was also my first suit that wasn't a solid color and my method was kinda crude in building her. Like i said, I'm a novice, so nothing is absolutely perfect, nor clean cut. I think I have potential though. Boobs are something I'll have to try another time, lol. On this suit, she was so burly, I couldn't really make them without overheating myself. The Ewok and the werewolf shared the same padding. VERY hot suits. The tauntaun not so much.

I'm also an approved member of the Rebel Legion(Ewok above) and I troop as often as I can. No vehicle right now so I have to wait for those very generous troop members or rare opportunities when someone is close by, that can pick me up or drop me off. Rides are scarce and it drives me nuts, but I've been very fortunate to make it to plenty of troops. That's what I really enjoy about the Rebel Legion and the 501st. About four events or more a month and you get to dress up! Free! No convention ticket or nothing like that. You get to make people smile. Lots of pictures. I do like pictures!

So, without further ado, lets get to the concept art of my She-wolf humanoid.



Yes, I drew all of these myself. I do draw, not enough, these days. Gotta get back into practicing that. The tail isn't canon, I don't think, at least, not what I have researched or seen in pictures, but in troops, as long as it doesn't show up for approval pictures, I think its okay to add a tail. I like tails. So fluffy. I think the Dark Empire might be okay with me adding a tail. A lot of the shistavanen concept art on the wookie varies from artist to artist so there's hardly any consistency, but I do know the fleshy face, hands and feet are something that might be very screen canon.

Lak Sivrak was in the original New Hope movie at the Cantina. Literally on screen for less than a second in a camera pan. He was talking to a space worm. He falls in love with her later. Weird freaking species combination if I ever did see one. A wolf-man and a worm...he liked her pheromones, what can I say?

Anyway that's what I'm trying to go off of, mostly, but with my own twist. Just a little bit. I want to stay true, but I do like that artistic freedom the SW universe holds, especially the extended universe. I'm also sith and the vibe I get from them is very liberated, as long as I follow the basic standards.

This costume's goal is to be an approved trooping costume. A cooler alternative to troop in than the Ewok. Still hot, but not AS hot. The Ewok, once she's updated, will be reserved for fall and winter trooping.

I hope I'm not babbling, I just like to go into detail about what my vision is.

Some issues I need to personally address while building this is:

NEAT CRAFTSMANSHIP
FFEMALE-LIKE FEATURES
NEAT CRAFTSMANSHIP
FEMALE-LIKE FEATURES
AND UGH...NEAT CRAFTSMANSHIP.

There. I think that about sums up my issues...fears...SHH! You didn't hear this from me! I'm as confident as anyone would be! I'm very excited, though, but still kinda scared.


Here's some of the physical concepts I have going for me. One thing her concept art does not include is a consistent or an official wardrobe. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out what i want her wardrobe to freaking do. Its driving me nuts. I've spent money I shouldn't have, at stores, trying to pick stuff I like, but without a solid idea of what to do with it. This is the closest thing I have to something "Sithy".

That is my channel, creep it at your own risk...you might find me weird and frankly, I don't care. Takes one to know one. You guys surf forums about crazy costume men and women in your spare time,LOL. Some of these people have over 200 costumes, alone. Yep, you're weird, like me. Totes Mcgoats.I am what you would consider a "Furry" I do like anthropomorphic creatures. Always have since i was young. So just a heads up. I don't refer to myself as a "Furry" as much as I do "Costumer" or"FURsuiter", however.

Anyway, that's the wardrobe idea, I have. Its an altered Graduation gown I paid $1.35 at a thrift store. Yeah-boy! I don't know if the under layer is going to stay or not, though.


COSTUME PARTS:

HEAD
ARM SLEEVES
FEET
DIGITIGRADE(To walk on the toes like an animal does)LEGS(Taunataun and werewolf suit has these legs)
TAIL
PAWS

Besides the clothing, this costume will be constructed of faux fur. Where do you get faux fur, you ask? Ah yes, from these online stores, of course!

Fabric.com
Mendels.com
DistinctiveFabrics.com
CRCrafts.com
USAKnits.com
FabricEmpire.com

You are looking at about $20 to $30 dollars a yard or MORE, for the high quality good stuff, unless, its on sale or something. Shipping runs about 35 to 40 dollars. Yes, this hobby i have is not cheap. If you want to build something like this, that's what to expect. For a full body costume 5 yards for a 5'10 person will be suffice.

This is the fur I have picked out from Fabric Empire.

I have become a fur hoarder. Its starting as we speak. This fur is gorgeous. Teeters a bit away from my concept art coloration, but I couldn't help myself. The base coat with the orange tips is just GORGEOUS. I...must have...because reasons.

I have blue fleece in a box for the face, but for the hand-paws(Fingers and palms) and the feet(Toes) I will need some very short pile fur. Still looking for the right color.


These are the eyes I have for the head thus far.



Very pretty, very sithy eyes. I really would like for them to glow, with LED's, but the eyes are all ready cast resin, so I cannot install LED's. LED's have to be installed with the uncured resin, usually.So poopy. Ah, well, still pretty eyes.

This is all I have right, now, but I will keep updating regularly. By the end of this month I should have enough money for the Fur, the claws, the jawset and anything else I'll need for the project.


I think I'll be less with text and more picture happy to show you, what I do.

Happy Revenge of the Sixth! Or is the fifth? Was that yesterday?! I don't know anymore!

 

[Blue Leader]

Looks like you've got your work cut out for you. Good luck. Looks like it'll be an interesting costume.

A Shistavanen is on my costume to-do list, but while I do have some of the parts for it, it's way back on the list. Way back...

 

[SheKing]

Looks like you've got your work cut out for you. Good luck. Looks like it'll be an interesting costume.

A Shistavanen is on my costume to-do list, but while I do have some of the parts for it, it's way back on the list. Way back...

Why thank you! She's actually a character I've adapted for use in the Star Wars universe so it was easy to start sketching pictures of her. I want to make a realistic tauntaun for trooping, a wampa, a sith ewok, another regular ewok, and an anthro mandalorian. Those, however, are going to be coming in a couple of years, I think, especially the mandolorian. I'm definitely not in the mood or ability to be messing with armor. PVC, plastic, aluminum or whatever I finally decide. I do research here and there to get an idea though.

 

[Blue Leader]

Why thank you! She's actually a character I've adapted for use in the Star Wars universe so it was easy to start sketching pictures of her. I want to make a realistic tauntaun for trooping, a wampa, a sith ewok, another regular ewok, and an anthro mandalorian. Those, however, are going to be coming in a couple of years, I think, especially the mandolorian. I'm definitely not in the mood or ability to be messing with armor. PVC, plastic, aluminum or whatever I finally decide. I do research here and there to get an idea though.

Sounds like you've got some interesting projects in the works.

I don't know if you're planning to join the Rebel Legion or 501st with any of your costumes, but if you are you might want to check what's acceptable. An Ewok would be acceptable in the Rebel Legion, though I'm not sure about the 501st (I think so, though), but not a Sith Ewok. A wampa would be fine for both. A tauntaun I'm also not sure about... I seem to remember a discussion about that on the RL forum a couple years ago but I don't remember what the decision was. Though it if looks accurate it might be alright. Still, I've seen some pretty awesome tauntaun riders in the Rebel Legion, where they make a realistic-looking tauntaun and then have their torso coming out of the saddle and dress their upper half as a Hoth trooper, and have fake legs with accurate Hoth trooper gear off to their sides, while their real legs are, of course, the tauntaun legs. I've only seen a couple but they're pretty awesome and they were accepted in the RL.

Personally, I've been tempted to do a Hoth trooper costume just so I could wear it and "ride" around on my tauntaun hobby horse. :lol

 

[SheKing]

Sounds like you've got some interesting projects in the works.

I don't know if you're planning to join the Rebel Legion or 501st with any of your costumes, but if you are you might want to check what's acceptable. An Ewok would be acceptable in the Rebel Legion, though I'm not sure about the 501st (I think so, though), but not a Sith Ewok. A wampa would be fine for both. A tauntaun I'm also not sure about... I seem to remember a discussion about that on the RL forum a couple years ago but I don't remember what the decision was. Though it if looks accurate it might be alright. Still, I've seen some pretty awesome tauntaun riders in the Rebel Legion, where they make a realistic-looking tauntaun and then have their torso coming out of the saddle and dress their upper half as a Hoth trooper, and have fake legs with accurate Hoth trooper gear off to their sides, while their real legs are, of course, the tauntaun legs. I've only seen a couple but they're pretty awesome and they were accepted in the RL.

Personally, I've been tempted to do a Hoth trooper costume just so I could wear it and "ride" around on my tauntaun hobby horse. :lol

I am Rebel Legion approved with the Ewok . A sith Ewok would be accepted by Dark Empire as a custom Sith or the Dark Alliance, which is a very very new Approved group for the costuming association for star wars.

If you remember a discussion about it, then it was most likely me that put that on there, lol. I do plan to make a functional tauntaun suit to run around in. Not a riding tauntaun, but an actual wild tauntaun. Just some more experience to get under my belt with building mascot costumes and I'll attempt it one of these days. Yes, a wampa would be good for both. I've seen the two people or three with tauntaun mount props. Pretty cool stuff. I like the independence that comes with a smaller costume, though, so I'd probably be a younger tauntaun and much smaller. I'm an approved costume all ready (Formal) So the younger tauntaun, though not in the movies or cartoon series would be an "Informal" costume in the RL. We'll have to see about not being a life-sized tauntaun. I would need to get into shape in order to use the stilts and the costume would be hard to transport. (I don't have a car of my own right now) Also, I wouldn't have much freedom. If I keep it to my own scale, I will be able to make it more memorable, independent and mobile. Come to think of it, I'll have to revive the thought and ask about it just to see what I am up against, if I do make it. I wanted to make a smallish wampa, but you have to be movie accurate so you can't be like a newborne or a juvinile wampa, lol. One of my group members wants me to help him with a wampa one of these days. I'm honored too

I do know it would make our legion members scratch their heads, though, lol, which is kinda what I want to do, actually. I would hope they would approve me, though, it would be cool to start a new creature standard and it would be a very unique costume if an exception was made, but it wasn't an official creature to be approved just off of a standard like a Chewie or a wicket.

LOL! That does sound amusing, you would have to make a video of that to share with everyone!

 

[Blue Leader]

I am Rebel Legion approved with the Ewok . A sith Ewok would be accepted by Dark Empire as a custom Sith or the Dark Alliance, which is a very very new Approved group for the costuming association for star wars.

If you remember a discussion about it, then it was most likely me that put that on there, lol. I do plan to make a functional tauntaun suit to run around in. Not a riding tauntaun, but an actual wild tauntaun. Just some more experience to get under my belt with building mascot costumes and I'll attempt it one of these days. Yes, a wampa would be good for both. I've seen the two people or three with tauntaun mount props. Pretty cool stuff. I like the independence that comes with a smaller costume, though, so I'd probably be a younger tauntaun and much smaller. I'm an approved costume all ready (Formal) So the younger tauntaun, though not in the movies or cartoon series would be an "Informal" costume in the RL. We'll have to see about not being a life-sized tauntaun. I would need to get into shape in order to use the stilts and the costume would be hard to transport. (I don't have a car of my own right now) Also, I wouldn't have much freedom. If I keep it to my own scale, I will be able to make it more memorable, independent and mobile. Come to think of it, I'll have to revive the thought and ask about it just to see what I am up against, if I do make it. I wanted to make a smallish wampa, but you have to be movie accurate so you can't be like a newborne or a juvinile wampa, lol. One of my group members wants me to help him with a wampa one of these days. I'm honored too

I do know it would make our legion members scratch their heads, though, lol, which is kinda what I want to do, actually. I would hope they would approve me, though, it would be cool to start a new creature standard and it would be a very unique costume if an exception was made, but it wasn't an official creature to be approved just off of a standard like a Chewie or a wicket.

LOL! That does sound amusing, you would have to make a video of that to share with everyone!

A tauntaun probably wouldn't have to be done to the exact scale so long as it looked fairly close and the features looked fairly accurate. But I can't say that for certain, I don't really have any idea. I'm just a pilot judge in the Rebel Legion, I don't have to worry about tauntauns, wampas and things like that.

Still, a wampa costume would be awesome. That would be a fun one to troop around in. I'm sure it'd be hot as heck in it but it would be fun nonetheless.

It could have been you who posted the discussion, I'm not sure. I don't really remember much about it. I remember seeing it but I don't remember much other than that. It was a year or two ago and my memory only goes back a couple hours... ^^;;

 

[SheKing]

A tauntaun probably wouldn't have to be done to the exact scale so long as it looked fairly close and the features looked fairly accurate. But I can't say that for certain, I don't really have any idea. I'm just a pilot judge in the Rebel Legion, I don't have to worry about tauntauns, wampas and things like that.

Still, a wampa costume would be awesome. That would be a fun one to troop around in. I'm sure it'd be hot as heck in it but it would be fun nonetheless.

It could have been you who posted the discussion, I'm not sure. I don't really remember much about it. I remember seeing it but I don't remember much other than that. It was a year or two ago and my memory only goes back a couple hours... ^^;;

I understand! It would be cool to troop in a wampa. It might have to be restricted to conventions instead of outdoor troops. My Ewok costume is very very hot and I have to rebuild the head, now because I was dumb for some reason and didn't provide proper ventilation in it. My eyes were fogging and leaving me blind. I had to have people lead me around by the arm. It was so aggravating and disappointing. Going to rebuild it so I can enjoy it better and BREATHE! Breathing is good for you, no? Yeah, I didn't seem to do a good job of taking that into consideration. It was the first time I hadn't built anything with an actual snout before, so I didn't quite know what to do as far as nostrils go. You live, sweat, and you learn. Possibly pass out from heat exhuastion. Hopefully you don't have to do that in order to learn your mistake, lol.

 

[Blue Leader]

I understand! It would be cool to troop in a wampa. It might have to be restricted to conventions instead of outdoor troops. My Ewok costume is very very hot and I have to rebuild the head, now because I was dumb for some reason and didn't provide proper ventilation in it. My eyes were fogging and leaving me blind. I had to have people lead me around by the arm. It was so aggravating and disappointing. Going to rebuild it so I can enjoy it better and BREATHE! Breathing is good for you, no? Yeah, I didn't seem to do a good job of taking that into consideration. It was the first time I hadn't built anything with an actual snout before, so I didn't quite know what to do as far as nostrils go. You live, sweat, and you learn. Possibly pass out from heat exhuastion. Hopefully you don't have to do that in order to learn your mistake, lol.

Boy do I understand the heat issue. I'm currently working on a Jedi, and while I only have a mask and not a helmet or even something like an Ewok mask, once the costume is on it's hot as heck. Even when I was home and was just testing it, even without everything on, I could only keep it on for five minutes. Hopefully I can rig up some decent ventilation to let some air in... I am rigging up a fan to stick inside the mask so hopefully that will help some.

 

[SheKing]

Boy do I understand the heat issue. I'm currently working on a Jedi, and while I only have a mask and not a helmet or even something like an Ewok mask, once the costume is on it's hot as heck. Even when I was home and was just testing it, even without everything on, I could only keep it on for five minutes. Hopefully I can rig up some decent ventilation to let some air in... I am rigging up a fan to stick inside the mask so hopefully that will help some.

I try to stick my costumes on at home to try to get familiar with them. I even play around for an hour or two in front of the mirror. I'm weird, like that, but its a performance thing and it prepares you to take good pictures because you know your suits good points and not so good points. Every costume I've made has a good side or angle and a not so good side or angle, thanks to posing in the mirror. Hopefully, one day all of my suits will have good angles and BEST angles or angles that are really expressive. Right now, being a novice, nothing is consistent. So, poopy poop, still working up to that goal one day.

Fans inside of heads/helmets are GREAT! I have a neck fan I bought at walmart for like 6 dollars. Since i don't have a fan inside my fursuit heads just yet because some of them aren't built big enough inside. That fan is great and I've trooped some considerable amount of hours because of a few instances where I stuck the fan inside the mouth of my tauntaun and cooled myself before going about business as usual. Being able to do that helped me stay in costume much longer.

 

[SheKing]

I did some drawing the other day. I hated every minute of it, not going to lie. I need more practice. Two years ago was my prime before I stopped drawing and them my skill kinda went down the drain. Now, seeing my work from two years ago and now is so painful I don't want to draw to get back up to that skill level. it hurts to see I suck, now. At least, I think I do. This is NOT my best work. That's besides the point. The point is, for this drawing, I forced myself to draw my character for the sake of planning and I practiced with animal-like facial expressions I want on my head. I want her to be snarling.



Its an expression I wanted to try on my heads. I'll also be working with fleece, which is a new medium and I've learned a new stitch just for making fleece look seamless on a mascot head. And or just for a seam you want to be seamless. The hard part will be keeping my foam base, the head will be built on smooth and seamless so the fleece doesn't show the lumpiness. I work rough and I've been rather scolded for my rough foam base work on my mascot heads. However, it doesn't seem to show up in the final presentation, if I don't glue EVERYTHING down. The key is to only glue the fur in certain areas where you NEED to. You don't want to glue EVERYTHING down. Just certain strips of places. That way the fur is secure, but stands on end and doesn't accent the divits, dips, and ruts in the foam base. Also, the head is lighter because its not bogged down by hot glue.

I have been using too much glue, I think, so I'm going to use this head to correct this bad habit I have while I can, before I start on my commission. I don't want dried glue making the fleece lumpy. This needs to be a smooth finish.

 

[Blue Leader]

I try to stick my costumes on at home to try to get familiar with them. I even play around for an hour or two in front of the mirror. I'm weird, like that, but its a performance thing and it prepares you to take good pictures because you know your suits good points and not so good points. Every costume I've made has a good side or angle and a not so good side or angle, thanks to posing in the mirror. Hopefully, one day all of my suits will have good angles and BEST angles or angles that are really expressive. Right now, being a novice, nothing is consistent. So, poopy poop, still working up to that goal one day.

Fans inside of heads/helmets are GREAT! I have a neck fan I bought at walmart for like 6 dollars. Since i don't have a fan inside my fursuit heads just yet because some of them aren't built big enough inside. That fan is great and I've trooped some considerable amount of hours because of a few instances where I stuck the fan inside the mouth of my tauntaun and cooled myself before going about business as usual. Being able to do that helped me stay in costume much longer.

Practicing in front of a mirror is always a good tip. It's good to have at least some idea for a few good poses for pictures. I've learned that the hard way.

You're right, though... Often costumes do look better from one angle or another...

I'm really hoping my fan idea works. I don't know why it wouldn't but the problem I know that I'm going to run into is where the heck to put the thing. I don't have a lot of room in the mask to put something like a fan, so it's going to take some figuring out... Not to mention how the heck I'm going to attach it to the inside of the mask...

 

[SheKing]

Practicing in front of a mirror is always a good tip. It's good to have at least some idea for a few good poses for pictures. I've learned that the hard way.

You're right, though... Often costumes do look better from one angle or another...

I'm really hoping my fan idea works. I don't know why it wouldn't but the problem I know that I'm going to run into is where the heck to put the thing. I don't have a lot of room in the mask to put something like a fan, so it's going to take some figuring out... Not to mention how the heck I'm going to attach it to the inside of the mask...

Hmm, the fan issue. You could use velcro and install it inside the head and then put it on the back of the fan or around it so it doesn't keep it from breathing and then attatch it that way. Industrial strength, possibly?

 

[Blue Leader]

Hmm, the fan issue. You could use velcro and install it inside the head and then put it on the back of the fan or around it so it doesn't keep it from breathing and then attatch it that way. Industrial strength, possibly?

Velcro is a possibility but I"m not sure how I'd attach the Velcro to the mask, But I'm sure I'll be able to figure something out, I'll just have to play around with it a bit.

 

[ECOLI]

Where did you get those eyes they look awesome?

 

[SheKing]

Where did you get those eyes they look awesome?

I got them from an eye maker called PrimalArts. You can easily make them yourself by casting clear resin in a paint pallet half circle and then when they cure, you paint the backs of them. All though, this pair she's printed out and glued to a cast resin half circle so they look more realistic and seamless.

 

[SheKing]

Getting close to being able to start! Yay! The jawset is cast resin and the tongue is silicone.. We have blue fleece, middle right(For the face), blue beaver fur for the hands and the feet, Orange and black fur for the head, arms, feet, and legs. (A tail as an unofficial add-on for conventions unrelated to starwars since the EU is officially disposed of. Thank you so much Disney!)

 

[SheKing]

Surprise! Lookie at what I made! Okay, so its not much. Going to take this very slow. Enjoy the pictures!

 

[SheKing]

Some things that need to be addressed are symmetry and I need to follow my concept art more closely. her fur "peaks" need to be moved farther apart so I can see more of my concept art rendition essence in the physical head. Many days/hours ahead of layering to fix symmetry issues. Its really hard to take this slow, though, but I do need to be more persnickity, I think.

 

[SheKing]

Some slight wonkiness in the cheeks, but otherwise, I'm making good progress. I don't really know if this is sticking to realism, I have a tendency to start out with something in mind and then it gets away from me somehow. The head has gentle cheekage, compared to my others like the Ewok or the werewolf, especially. The jaw is crooked a bit when I wear it, but due to the coat hanger wire on the bottom jaw, the top teeth no longer line up with the bottom ones exactly.

The bottom jaw now seems to jut out more than it ever has. I need to get some wire cutters and sever the very tip of the bottom jaw and pad it up to look even with the top jaw. Nothing major there. My heads are very oragnic and the way I build usually tends to have some uneven qualities about it. I'm still workin on my craftsmanship and fighting with my own pet peeves and impatience. So just work with me.

I'm beginning to wonder if I have the skill or know-how for something really really realistic. I think, now, I might not be able to get it quite how I imagined it. I'm just not able to at this time, but I was told it would be okay if I didn't nail it EXACTLY, PERFECTLY on the head. I don't think its going to do what I want. I haven't reached that level of control over my craft yet. I kinda feel bad for posting my stuff on the RPF in the first place, but anyway, I'm not going to start dragging my feet too much just yet, we'll see where this goes! Nobody has ever done this before. I'm going to give myself a chance to show improvement from my other heads

YES I KNOW THIS LOOKS LIKE A DRAGON! I've noticed, with my more realistically attempted heads ,they always have a dragon-like profile before I put fur on it. Trust me, when I get fur on it, it will look more like its supposed to. I have a wolf/dragon head I've made this same way with little cheekage. The reason why she's a wolf//dragon is because her base looked like a dragon, when I wanted it to be a wolf. If I don't add SOME cheekage to my masks, they seem to look like a dragon.

Another thing is I end up with elongated profiles and I don't know how I feel. I like a shorter face, at least, that's what I was used to on my heads, but I realized my snouts were too short and not as realistic. Frankly, this head is confusing me on all sorts ways, I don't know if I like it or not. Usually i work a head to death until I like it and it usually furs nicely, at least on most of my heads i like the final profile.

 

[clancampbell]

Brilliant! I love the creativity shown here, AND i got a big laugh out of your last vid... NOT a criticism, it was just watching the wolf head and jaw move with YOUR voice coming out... :lol Pure magic!

Can't wait to see more!

Rich