allosaur176
Sr Member
No, it wasn't him... The member had a gold and chromed lightsaber, and let in naturally rust outside
real weathering
- Thread starter Star Wars Man
- Start date
No, it wasn't him... The member had a gold and chromed lightsaber, and let in naturally rust outside
Gigatron
Sr Member
Well technically, you're both right. I did weather my saber all naturally, but it was Franz Bolo (I believe) who left his saber outside for weeks. His was buried and then suspended over a bucket of ammonia. Mine took about 3 days. I mean technically, you could leave it outside for 30+ yrs and you'd have authentic weathering, but who really has that kind of time :lol.
-Fred
Didn't know about FB's saber project. "Buried and then suspended over a bucket of ammonia." Sounds more like an approach to torture than to weathering. I'd like to see photos of the results.
Fred, I was quite impressed by the weathered look you achieved with your three-day technique. :thumbsup
some small amounts of my tusken were authentic dirt. i threw the robes into the corner of my basement and kicked them a bit 
but most of it was tea, coffee and paint for all of the previously mentioned smell / hygene type reasons.
but most of it was tea, coffee and paint for all of the previously mentioned smell / hygene type reasons.
My usual problem with weathering is that the prop is not really made out of what it looks like- plastic is not going to rust and corrode like real metal or wear like real wood. As to trooping, I doubt any amount of time in the dry desert would actually give your armor that grimy Star Wars look because the desert is actually lacking in grime. I bet if you left your armor outside the best you would get is that "unwashed car look" over yellowed plastic.
Jayn
Sr Member
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AntWayne @ Jan 16 2007, 12:23 AM) [snapback]1397992[/snapback]</div>
^Exactly. The desert troopers were most likely painted/aged more than a "realistic aging" for contrast. So the more drastic distressing would show up on film under the bright lights and not be 'washed-out'. Plastic and any other material left out in the elements will suffer too much deterioration/break-down of the 'integrity' of the material to be of any use. Trooper armor would just become brittle & break in short time. Also, keep in mind that most movie costumes ARE painted, because 9 times out of 10, there are multiples of the same costume, each aged identically or to specifics. (I know, because this is what I do for a living. )
^Exactly. The desert troopers were most likely painted/aged more than a "realistic aging" for contrast. So the more drastic distressing would show up on film under the bright lights and not be 'washed-out'. Plastic and any other material left out in the elements will suffer too much deterioration/break-down of the 'integrity' of the material to be of any use. Trooper armor would just become brittle & break in short time. Also, keep in mind that most movie costumes ARE painted, because 9 times out of 10, there are multiples of the same costume, each aged identically or to specifics. (I know, because this is what I do for a living. )
Stampedemag
Active Member
I did some weathering on a fett cape for my son:
Also I did some on my Jason costume as well. It is outside right now getting geuine weathered.
I used old techniques such as beating the crap out of it and dragging it thru the dirt and also the dremel. I also sprayed it lightly with black paint. The only problem is the shirt and pants are "Scotchguarded" so the dirt doesn't stick. While that wouldn't normally be a problem it is if you want it to look like that.
And yes, I know that I had a piece of shirt sticking out of the collar... no one told me until I saw the pics. Oh well. Can't always have a handler around.
Also I did some on my Jason costume as well. It is outside right now getting geuine weathered.
I used old techniques such as beating the crap out of it and dragging it thru the dirt and also the dremel. I also sprayed it lightly with black paint. The only problem is the shirt and pants are "Scotchguarded" so the dirt doesn't stick. While that wouldn't normally be a problem it is if you want it to look like that.
And yes, I know that I had a piece of shirt sticking out of the collar... no one told me until I saw the pics. Oh well. Can't always have a handler around.
motman241
Well-Known Member
On clothing, I find it best to beat it, rip it and tear it. Using real dirt will take a long time to actually color the prop. Most likely, the dirt washes or wears right off. That's why I like to use paints and dyes.
Just like the sand troopers. Think in a logical manner - it's plastic. What sticks to plastic? Glue. Hairspray. Paint. Not much else. Sand and dirt sure don't. If you were to go into the real desert with armor, you'd likely just get it scratched up, and warped. You can do that at home.
That's the other thing with real dirt on armor - it washes right off. Maybe that's what you're after, and maybe not. I know I've trooped several times in the rain, though.
Just like the sand troopers. Think in a logical manner - it's plastic. What sticks to plastic? Glue. Hairspray. Paint. Not much else. Sand and dirt sure don't. If you were to go into the real desert with armor, you'd likely just get it scratched up, and warped. You can do that at home.
That's the other thing with real dirt on armor - it washes right off. Maybe that's what you're after, and maybe not. I know I've trooped several times in the rain, though.
PantheraGem
Sr Member
Well, it's a prop of sorts. My Wested Indy jacket after nearly eight years of rough wear. The only artificial part is along the seams on the inside of the arms. I went over it with some fine sandpaper. That area doesn't really wear naturally.
Chris Martin
Well-Known Member
Actually, it's real dirt. It's a clay powder and available in several colours. Domestically, it's most likely to be found in the bathroom cabinet. It's what mud face packs are made of. You could also try the coloured powders available for colouring concrete.
KnightAsylum
Sr Member
I have done some "real" weathering with dirt and such-but I think it is always better to fake it. In 10 years the fake weathering will still look good, but real dirt can grow mold and whatnot (nature taking its own course and such) it is the same idea as actually wandering around the desert in your costume to give it the "real weathering". Would it work, sure, but real weathering is just wear and tear, so what you get is not so much a cool look as it makes for old, falling apart equipment. We fake weathering so we don't have wear and tear. Especially on things such as trooper amour- which isn't "real" so it doesn't take "real" weathering well either. You would be much better off "real" weathering a piece of "real" amour (like a current military helmet) it was made to last so has the potential to have some wear and tear and still hold together. Not so true with a piece of molded plastic.
Not the facts - just my 2 cents,
Scott
Not the facts - just my 2 cents,
Scott
I would think the easiest way to weather it without using paint would be to put it on, and go out and put it through the works in the woods or a gravel pit somewhere. Realistically, thats how a stormtrooper would have acquired weathering anyways, just normal, everyday wear and tear. Probably take you alot longer than paint but it would be authentic and natural.
Corsairgryl
Member
I've weatherd cloth for costumes by clothespining it to a chainlink fence (fall and winter works best generally, summer best for fading) about 3 months you'll see significant weathering effect. I also weathered leathered armor by leaving it outside on non-rainy days for a few weeks
MrGzilla
Well-Known Member
i weathered my jason costume using rocks, dirt, and well realy anything. it took about 2 months to weather the jacket, i rubed the rocks up against it to create fraying and holes, i also used dirt and mud to discolor it and for about 3 weeks i actualy left it outside and let nature do the rest.
sgmorton
Well-Known Member
Sure weathered some boots by wearing them and then running in a creek bed. Wet dirty rocky muddy creek bed.
Also helped weather some TC armor by making scorth marks with Black Cat Firecrackers. They leave excellent authentic blaster marks.
Weathered my Jayne Cobb shirt ... by hanging it in a tree in my back yard for 6 weeks straight.
Just some of the ones I recall off the top of my head.
Also helped weather some TC armor by making scorth marks with Black Cat Firecrackers. They leave excellent authentic blaster marks.
Weathered my Jayne Cobb shirt ... by hanging it in a tree in my back yard for 6 weeks straight.
Just some of the ones I recall off the top of my head.
GeektressGalore
Sr Member
My evil plan for my Badlands Armor is to tea dye and roll around in the dirt for a while. Looks like you've been toughing it in the wastes for a while, but taking a baseball bat and a knife to the leather bits will be a lot more satisfying.
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