My new *Stormtrooper* rubber handplate project. Let me know what you think!

[Mr. No Stripes]

I guess I can't really call this project "new," because I started it a year or two ago.

A LONG LONG TIME AGO.... I sculpted these out of clay and made direct mold from silicone, I tried to make the handplates out of urethane (quite hard urethane at that) and I just couldn't get it to stick... the project was then put on hold for several years.

finally, I got around to refining my handplate. I casted a resin model, then began sanding away... after several days of sanding, carving, bleeding (only a litte cause I screwed up) and priming... I came up with this...

I tried to focus on accuracy as much as possible, because I was not impressed with the current rubber hand guard selection available.

Note: they have not been painted... only primed

this is the first real thing that I've ever created, so please blooden me over the head with critique. I want to make final corrections before I make a mold of it. Thanks!


************************* UPDATED ******************************

here is where they are now...

First pic is from the film... its actually a few frames from the one I was originally using... it is much more flat-on so probably the least amount of warping from the camera angle in the entire film... that I could find.

I decrease 25% transparency as the pictures progress... The last pic. is my new handplate... see a bigger pic on pg. 2

 

[Mr. No Stripes]

here's a comparison pic. in case anyone cares

 

[tictoc]

I think if you want it accurate like that photo, you need to do take your excellent sculpt and do a really crappy job casting and painting it.

Just kidding. It looks great.

 

[Hammer3246]

They look really good. Nice job.

 

[TK-Fett]

I think it is better than I could do but the angle on the bottom right of the pic is not as sharp as the one in the still. It should angle up just a little more.

 

[Art Andrews]

Don't want to blooden you, but looking at the comparisons, here are my thoughts. There is a general issue with the lines and points of intersection in which you are making the lines and edges look a bit more smooth and flowing than they should be. To me, the edges on the original, especially on the raised part at the bottom and the strip that runs of the center, are relatively perpendicular with very little if any radius on them. The original had the feel of the base piece being sculpted and then small strips of plastic being glued on top, not a smooth pieces in which one detail flows into another. I really think if you would sharpen the edges and make the back pieces more flat as it merges with the handplate it would look a lot more like the original.

I'd also have to look at more ref, but it looks like you are missing an angle on the lower left.

I love this project and can't wait to see what you do with it!

 

[Mr. No Stripes]

well, its back to square 2.

after spending a few hours doing a frame by frame in every scene in ANH with a stormtrooper... I had a chance to get alot of reference.... after doing alot of comparisons I found alot of inaccuracies about my plates, and am correcting them. I made the strip thinner, as well as repositioned it... I will also be squaring off the bottom a bit to make it look like most other stormtroopers.

In the reference pic I provided looks like a chunk was taken out of the left side of the hand plate, hence why it is not as square as all the others.

I think I will be able to make these much more accurate within the next few days... I'll post some progress once I get it sanded down and primed again.

 

[Clutch]

Pure awesomeness.

 

[Mr. No Stripes]

Don't want to blooden you, but looking at the comparisons, here are my thoughts. There is a general issue with the lines and points of intersection in which you are making the lines and edges look a bit more smooth and flowing than they should be. To me, the edges on the original, especially on the raised part at the bottom and the strip that runs of the center, are relatively perpendicular with very little if any radius on them. The original had the feel of the base piece being sculpted and then small strips of plastic being glued on top, not a smooth pieces in which one detail flows into another. I really think if you would sharpen the edges and make the back pieces more flat as it merges with the handplate it would look a lot more like the original.

I'd also have to look at more ref, but it looks like you are missing an angle on the lower left.

I love this project and can't wait to see what you do with it!

I'm assuming you mean that the edges should not be sloped from the raised part to the lower part, but rather more like straight down (or perpendicular).

I have crapified my handplates... just to get a rough idea of where the lines should be... I'll need to stop and get some epoxy on my way home from work today, so I can start the perfecting process when I get home :thumbsup

After comparing pics... here is what I found I needed to change...

here's where it is at right now... its pretty rough, and yes I know it looks pretty terrible. Although... it may even be more accurate this way :lol

but no... the main thing I wanted to do was get the correct shape... which I still need to add to and fix up more, but they will be sanded down, smoothed out, and the detail will be sharpened.

 

[Clutch]

What are you using for size reference?

 

[Mr. No Stripes]

What are you using for size reference?

Well I first used my own hands as a basis (with the rubber gloves on), and compared it as much as I could to screen shots and such... then I got some input from some people on FISD, and went from there. I think they are sized pretty accurately. Do you have any recommendations?

 

[Art Andrews]

I am liking where you are going with this!

 

[Art Andrews]

For scaling, I am wondering if measurements can be pulled from the Sterling or from the M19

 

[Mr. No Stripes]

For scaling, I am wondering if measurements can be pulled from the Sterling or from the M19

I could probably do that actually. I have a MR E-11 I could take pics of and pull measurements from that. I'll have to do that when I get home. Thanks for the suggestion :thumbsup

I'm assuming the MR blaster is the correct size?

 

[Mr. No Stripes]

ok! the results are in. I took the picture you gave me and put in a vector program. I then measured the litte rounded thingy on my MR E-11 in the back that holds up the scope (the black thingy that has the little silver rivet on it)... we'll call it BOB for lack of a better name ... BOB measured to be about 24mm across on my MR blaster. I then drew a line in the vector program measured 24mm, and made it parallel to BOB on the picture you gave me. I then scaled BOB so that the line fit across it. I then drew another line across the inner side of the center strip on the hand plate on the reference pic. The line measured 65.525mm... and guess what... the same line on my hand plates are about 67mm... less than a 1.5mm difference... So, this may not be a perfect way to measure this, but I am pretty certain now my plates are the right size.

 

[Art Andrews]

That is great! It at least shows that your overall scaling is close! One other thing I want to point out, in my opinion, the ridge on the bend in the handplate is very very subtle, clearly there but not well defined. I think on your previous efforts it might have been a bit too sharp. Looking forward to the next revision!

 

[Mr. No Stripes]

That is great! It at least shows that your overall scaling is close! One other thing I want to point out, in my opinion, the ridge on the bend in the handplate is very very subtle, clearly there but not well defined. I think on your previous efforts it might have been a bit too sharp. Looking forward to the next revision!

This is actually the problem with most handplates that I've seen, its almost like its a new layer, and it shouldn't be... It should be very subtle as you say.

here is the new revision that I came up with... still not perfect... I haven't tested it against the original photo yet, but its getting there. The next revision I'll try and make that slope a little more subtle and see what you think. Thanks!

 

[Trap Joe]

they are looking cool!!!!
Are you planning to start a run of these?
I want a set if possible.

 

[Mr. No Stripes]

they are looking cool!!!!
Are you planning to start a run of these?
I want a set if possible.

If enough people are interested I could do a run of these. I guess we shall see

 

[Mr. No Stripes]

here's a quick update from the weekend...

The outer perimeter is nearly perfect now when I compared it to the original photo. The only issue now is that the angle of the back part is still a little off. And I may need to make the slope a bit more subtle... What do you think Art?