Making Yoda for my 6yo son

fallimar

Sr Member
RPF PREMIUM MEMBER
Actually his third choice honestly, but making an entire Vader or stormtrooper that he'd just grow out of - nope.
I'll be doing the robe, kimono, hands, feet, a hat with ears, forehead and hair (he doesn't like wearing full face masks but if he grows into it I'd probably buy a mask), a walking stick, belt with pouch and necklace. I'll probably buy him a lightsaber toy, though it's really hard to find Yoda ones, oddly enough. Not going for accurate fabrics because a) for a kid and b) I have so much fabric as it is. I'm using a brown linen blend for the under robe and a linen-look woven poly fabric for the outer kimono, though I'm considering changing that for a poly silk-look. I'll have a review once I get the patterns done.

So first up of course I check out accessories, because I'm a masochist like that. I searched for hours to see if I could find a cast or replica of the necklace but no dice - so at 11:30pm naturally I start making one, because that's what we do on this site, apparently. Heh. It's based on the ESB one, referenced from yourprops.com. Rough, but for a kids' costume I'm happy. It's too big though, probably adult human sized! Oh well. It's fine. I can steal it later if I ever decide to be giant Yoda. :p

Original piece from Yourprops.com vs my attempt:

Star-Wars-The-Empire-Strikes-Back-Yoda-Blissl-Flute-Necklace-1 (1).jpgYodaNecklaceThing.jpg

I've got some little screw eyes coming in the mail which I'll pop in before painting. Fun little thing if nothing else.

Next - robe drafting!

EDIT: He's now 6 :)
 
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Re: Making Yoda for my 5yo son

Actually his third choice honestly, but making an entire Vader or stormtrooper that he'd just grow out of - nope.
I'll be doing the robe, kimono, hands, feet, a hat with ears, forehead and hair (he doesn't like wearing full face masks but if he grows into it I'd probably buy a mask), a walking stick, belt with pouch and necklace. I'll probably buy him a lightsaber toy, though it's really hard to find Yoda ones, oddly enough. Not going for accurate fabrics because a) for a kid and b) I have so much fabric as it is. I'm using a brown linen blend for the under robe and a linen-look woven poly fabric for the outer kimono, though I'm considering changing that for a poly silk-look. I'll have a review once I get the patterns done.

So first up of course I check out accessories, because I'm a masochist like that. I searched for hours to see if I could find a cast or replica of the necklace but no dice - so at 11:30pm naturally I start making one, because that's what we do on this site, apparently. Heh. It's based on the ESB one, referenced from yourprops.com. Rough, but for a kids' costume I'm happy. It's too big though, probably adult human sized! Oh well. It's fine. I can steal it later if I ever decide to be giant Yoda. :p

Original piece from Yourprops.com vs my attempt:

View attachment 785999View attachment 786000

I've got some little screw eyes coming in the mail which I'll pop in before painting. Fun little thing if nothing else.

Next - robe drafting!

That’s rough?! Damn that come out good! I think it looks awesome!!
 
Re: Making Yoda for my 5yo son

That’s rough?! Damn that come out good! I think it looks awesome!!

Very kind of you to say :)
I say rough mainly because I didn't do any measuring, just sort of started slapping clay down and hoping for the best! Wish I'd figured out scale beforehand now! Not too bad now I see it with the original.

I started painting today, I figure I can always touch up the sides if the little eyes cause it to chip. Using citadel paints because the colour's closest and I can get nice rust/wear effects with them.
 
Re: Making Yoda for my 5yo son

Thanks folks, I'm quite proud of it as I'm not usually a propmaker so much as a costumer. Yay!

I'm just getting fabrics together right now, I've got a few that could work and I'd really prefer to use what I've got rather than buy anything (I'm a broke student), just got to draft up the pattern quickly then get on to figuring out how detailed I want to make the head, hands and feet. All hinge on what my son will comfortably put up with - I'm thinking feet will be fine, hands can have a bit of padding but not too much and head will definitely be the hat style - he's still not a fan of full masks unless they're very easy to remove.

Here are the three fabrics I have. The brown is linen, so that's a go, nice weave to it. The light fabrics are a synthetic linen-look with a large weave and a weird synthetic crinkle satin, the side shown is the backing.
YodaFabrics.jpg

The issue is whether to go for the looser weave that'll fray easily and weather down well but be harder to stitch and keep together, or the slightly shinier one that matches the look of the original silk a bit better but is satin inside and won't fray as much? Got to think on it a bit, if all else fails I'l ask my son! He was pretty adorable when I finished the necklace/blissl, he brought his Yoda toy over to compare and said mine was better. Haha! Proper geek child.
 
Re: Making Yoda for my 5yo son

I finally have a week off uni (mid-semester break! WOO!) so I've put together the foot bases. Upholstery foam, single carved block, 3mm EVA inner sole. Claws are carved as part of the base, coated in latex and latex/acrylic paint. Next is the fabric covering/ankle part, paint job and rubber sole. Very simple.

YodaFeetFoam.jpg
 
Re: Making Yoda for my 5yo son

I love these kids builds.. Might have to try this out this Halloween ;) color me subscribed!

Thankyou! My son is really excited, just have to wait until he gets back from his dad's to do the ankle parts, though I might do some of the fabric covering before he gets back.

As another update, he turned 6 (last month, actually!) so I'm updating the post title :)
 
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