Sith Acolyte Costume WIP - My first time full costume build

Markandson · Apr 9, 2013

About four weeks ago I started building a Sith Acolyte armor. This is my first time full costume building – just for me and my first thread. It was the wish of my son Simon (10 years old) to accompany him to Star Wars Celebration this time in a “cool looking” costume. So according to him it had to be a Sith costume…

I hope to have the costume completed by July 26, 2013! My oh my…

Thank you very much, fierfek, for the great PEP files.

Although I am low on time I am trying to get the visible parts of the armor as accurately as it is possible to me.
I started with the mask. For this I tried to copy my head in a simple way:

While we were thinking about the ornaments at the surface (like Adraas or somehow individual), Simon was surprised why the back of the head is unprotected. Therefore we started turning the mask into a helmet. As we found no pictures of an not hooded Acolyte, we just combined the mask with the back of an Iron Man helmet I builded long ago (Sharkmark VI - Iron Man - Helmet - Unfolded by Dubean33).

This is the stage I am at currently. I fibreglassed the inside and smoothed (prestoflex polyester fine filler) the outside.

Thank you for any advice!

Markandson · Apr 12, 2013

I decided to cover the surface with an individual ornament.

My ultimate 7 years old cutting "machine" - specialized in very small pieces...
(her demand: she helps me, when I will finish her Ashoka costume soon)

What do you think about that?

DarthMalice · Apr 13, 2013

I like the idea that you made a mannequin of your head as well as using an iron man template for the rest of the helm. I used strips of posterboard and wrapped them around my head and taped them to fit.

jme3 · Apr 13, 2013

I think the helmet looks great, and I think it's even better that it's a project you're doing with your son. :thumbsup

Markandson · Apr 14, 2013

Thank you so much for your response, James and DarthMalice!
It is good to know that our way of individualizing the mask is acceptable.

jimrush51 · Apr 14, 2013

that is really awesome!

Sluis Van Shipyards · Apr 14, 2013

That looks really cool!

Markandson · Apr 17, 2013

jimrush51 and Sluis Van Shipyards thank you for your motivating words!

Hard to stick, but I finally finished the gratings.

Markandson · Apr 23, 2013

I ended up painting my helmet.

As this was a whole new learning experience for me, I am really happy with the result ...

jme3 · Apr 23, 2013

Awesome job, and easily what I could imagine a Sith wearing! :thumbsup

vaderjeff1744 · Apr 24, 2013

VERY NICE!:cool

Markandson · Apr 28, 2013

I am now back to pepakura and we all love the resin- and filler-vapors-free-time...
My children helped me so much, because I had to do the chest piece twice. The first version was too wide. Handling the lightsaber with both hands was uncomfortable.

The glueing is done now. It took a bit of time getting the piece fixed, symmetrical and fitting close to my chest.

Somehow I have problems to manage the scaling. How do you get the parts fit well?

Markandson · May 3, 2013

Once I have finished the helmet, I became a bit acquainted with the different materials and the working steps: resin, smooth cast, sanding and detail sanding ...

When I tested the color scheme for painting the helmet, I took pleasure in dark colors. Furthermore I like some metallic glowing. Therefore I airbrushed the breast plate in a ferric color at first...

... and made a second, third, fourth layer in flat black. I added several scratches and weathered the plate.

Only a test ...

Markandson · May 5, 2013

James and vaderjeff1744 thank you so much! It is incentive to get your feedback.

Yes indeed, I love this wonderful Lord Malgus build by Darth Seberus, too. "It truly has inspired me to strive for the highest quality in my own build!" That´s it... thanks, vaderjeff1744! In this way I just can hope that my posts are worthy.

mruntidy · May 5, 2013

This is looking amazing you've made it look so simple but the work that you've put in really shows

vaderjeff1744 · May 5, 2013

Looking VERY NICE! I LIKE what you've done so far! The colors & weathering look GREAT! Keep up the good work! I LOVE the fact that YOU'VE INCLUDED YOUR DAUGHTER in your build!!! I try to include my kids when I can too! It's GOOD to start them early in these kind of endeavors! I've started on my own version of this costume as well. Yours is giving me some INSPIRATION! I'm planning to use a little bit different approach with my armor, but it's cool to see another person's approach! I'm actually planning to use EVA foam for my armor, which will be covered with Smooth-Cast 65D liquid plastic coating, to give it that non-foam look. Seeing another person's approach often helps me look at certain things in my own build in a new & different way though, which sometimes can solve a problem I may be having with an aspect of my own build. If you get a chance, & want some additional inspiration, you should check out the Flagship Eclipse, if you haven't already. They've got some good threads on this costume, as well as anything else from the Expanded Universe. Also, I don't know if you intend to get this costume 501st approved, but if you do, you'll want to check out the CRL thread on the Flagship Eclipse, as well as the CRL as it stands on the 501st main website. Again THANKS FOR INSPIRING ME to really get going on my own build! I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE MORE OF YOURS! KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!!! ROCK ON BRO.!!!:cool

Markandson · May 7, 2013

Wow! Thank you mruntidy and vaderjeff1744 for your interest in my thread and the kind words!

Your hint is great!!! I checked out the Flagship Eclipse and was excited by the threads on this costume. I just devoured (? I hope this is the right word; I mean that I can´t stop reading) the threads, especially the CRL thread. I nearly can´t believe what i have learned in these five hours (for example just how to name the pieces).

I am trying to get the costume finished by the end of July. The family will be going to SW CEII, a great chance and a must! I never thought about getting the costume 501st approved, because I have a great respect for the high standard. The costumes I have seen there are so beautiful. But maybe...

It is so cool that you have started with this Sith Acolyte costume as well. Vaderjeff1744, I wish you a good luck with your build!!

vaderjeff1744 · May 7, 2013

Markandson said:
Wow! Thank you mruntidy and vaderjeff1744 for your interest in my thread and the kind words!

Your hint is great!!! I checked out the Flagship Eclipse and was excited by the threads on this costume. I just devoured (? I hope this is the right word; I mean that I can´t stop reading) the threads, especially the CRL thread. I nearly can´t believe what i have learned in these five hours (for example just how to name the pieces).

I am trying to get the costume finished by the end of July. The family will be going to SW CEII, a great chance and a must! I never thought about getting the costume 501st approved, because I have a great respect for the high standard. The costumes I have seen there are so beautiful. But maybe...

It is so cool that you have started with this Sith Acolyte costume as well. Vaderjeff1744, I wish you a good luck with your build!!

GLAD I could help! Looking forward to seeing more of your build! HAVE FUN at SW CEII! I took my kids to SW Celebration VI last summer! IT WAS A BLAST!!!:cool

Markandson · May 11, 2013

I started building fierfeks Sith-Cod. But then I decided not to resin and fiberglas the piece; the abdomen should be more flexible. So I used the paper model just as a pattern.

I made the whole cod piece out of PVC foam (it is called Guttagliss hobbycolor, grey, 3mm; I can get the plastic sheets from our local hardware store in different sizes).