darthvader073
Well-Known Member
Re: My homemade Darth Vader Costume (Need help from Vader experts!)
Thanks
It will be, it's only primer on it now.
Thanks
It will be, it's only primer on it now.
My homemade ESB Darth Vader Costume (Finished on page 4)- 501st approved
- Thread starter darthvader073
- Start date
darthvader073
Well-Known Member
Re: My homemade Darth Vader Costume
Well, that kind of feedback :thumbsup
Bending out shins seems pretty easy, but doing it to the bells, that's the tricky part. The problem was with the plastic itself. It's pretty hard to form with a heat gun, and I'm not sure it can be more bent downwards...I'm a bit afraid to try it. Maybe making the stripes thicker in the middle could work, that would make it seem more rounded? :confused
Well, that kind of feedback :thumbsup
Bending out shins seems pretty easy, but doing it to the bells, that's the tricky part. The problem was with the plastic itself. It's pretty hard to form with a heat gun, and I'm not sure it can be more bent downwards...I'm a bit afraid to try it. Maybe making the stripes thicker in the middle could work, that would make it seem more rounded? :confused
Sym-Cha
Master Member
Re: My homemade Darth Vader Costume (Need help from Vader experts!)
I would not bother with those bells to much ... most of the time when wearing they are hidden under your cape ... besides you can always upgrade later ... and indeed for ESB/ROTJ they are painted black ...
Chaim
I would not bother with those bells to much ... most of the time when wearing they are hidden under your cape ... besides you can always upgrade later ... and indeed for ESB/ROTJ they are painted black ...
Chaim
Re: My homemade Darth Vader Costume
No, I wouldn't build up the stripes. I think it will show underneath the cape and make for a strange silhouette. It's the same problem with the shape. It's going to create a lip that will be visible underneath the cape and will look off. It's true the bells shouldn't be visible but their shape will be. It might be worth remaking them and starting with a concave shape like a Tupperware bowl and trim it into the diamond-ish shape.
I found these pics I did for someone last year to help him with armor reference
And this is a good pic of the shoulder with the cape over it.
No, I wouldn't build up the stripes. I think it will show underneath the cape and make for a strange silhouette. It's the same problem with the shape. It's going to create a lip that will be visible underneath the cape and will look off. It's true the bells shouldn't be visible but their shape will be. It might be worth remaking them and starting with a concave shape like a Tupperware bowl and trim it into the diamond-ish shape.
I found these pics I did for someone last year to help him with armor reference
And this is a good pic of the shoulder with the cape over it.
darthvader073
Well-Known Member
Re: My homemade ESB Darth Vader Costume
Updates:
The helmet arrived today!!! I'll open a new thread for it, in order to find out some things about it
I already started with the fixes. Here's a "to do" list:
-Cut out the eyes windows in order to fit the lenses (I started today and my dremel broke, so I need to buy a new one next week)
-Fill some holes with a putty (partially done)
-Sand the dome (done)
-Remove velcro from the helmet (done)
-Add the mouth mesh
-Fix a dome mount
-Add tusks
-Total repaint
-Then add some padding inside, fans, speakers... blah, blah.....
Btw. since the helmet is already painted, I can go to the paint mixing shop and tell the guys there to match the color from the helmet, hence I solved my gunmetal problem.
Updates:
The helmet arrived today!!! I'll open a new thread for it, in order to find out some things about it
I already started with the fixes. Here's a "to do" list:
-Cut out the eyes windows in order to fit the lenses (I started today and my dremel broke, so I need to buy a new one next week)
-Fill some holes with a putty (partially done)
-Sand the dome (done)
-Remove velcro from the helmet (done)
-Add the mouth mesh
-Fix a dome mount
-Add tusks
-Total repaint
-Then add some padding inside, fans, speakers... blah, blah.....
Btw. since the helmet is already painted, I can go to the paint mixing shop and tell the guys there to match the color from the helmet, hence I solved my gunmetal problem.
JaxAndTheMoon
Sr Member
Re: My homemade ESB Darth Vader Costume
This is really coming along well! It's pretty old school to have to go to a paint mixer, seems like a hassle!
This is really coming along well! It's pretty old school to have to go to a paint mixer, seems like a hassle!
darthvader073
Well-Known Member
Re: My homemade ESB Darth Vader Costume
Thanks! Well who would say it's THAT difficult to find color that most people would see as "black" haha
There's no supplier of gunmetal paint in my country (as far as I know), so that's the only solution...
Thanks! Well who would say it's THAT difficult to find color that most people would see as "black" haha
There's no supplier of gunmetal paint in my country (as far as I know), so that's the only solution...
JaxAndTheMoon
Sr Member
Re: My homemade ESB Darth Vader Costume
I'm guessing having it imported in would be a pretty hefty cost huh? I've never heard of a certain paint color not being sold in a country before.
I'm guessing having it imported in would be a pretty hefty cost huh? I've never heard of a certain paint color not being sold in a country before.
darthvader073
Well-Known Member
Re: My homemade ESB Darth Vader Costume
Well since we're in EU, it wouldn't be so expensive, rather complicated to buy particular color in other country and then wait for it, when I can easily order it here. We have many brands of auto-paint in a can, but none of them makes the gunmetal, that's the main problem. I also found Tamiya paints in a local hobby shop, but there's no gunmetal in that quantity. Good thing is, I can get mixed 400 mL can for 15 USD
Well since we're in EU, it wouldn't be so expensive, rather complicated to buy particular color in other country and then wait for it, when I can easily order it here. We have many brands of auto-paint in a can, but none of them makes the gunmetal, that's the main problem. I also found Tamiya paints in a local hobby shop, but there's no gunmetal in that quantity. Good thing is, I can get mixed 400 mL can for 15 USD
darthvader073
Well-Known Member
Re: My homemade ESB Darth Vader Costume
No pics today... but the progress is as follows:
-Went to the seamstress, she took my measures and will start working on the undersuit. It should be ready for me in two weeks when I get home for the weekend.
-Purchased the riding boots.
-I went to the color mixing shop. Luckily, they had a bunch of car color charts, so we went with a BMW one and found a matching color on the helmet. Besides that, I bought a few cans of black, primer, and gloss finish.
-Purchased a leather straps for the chest box.
More to follow
No pics today... but the progress is as follows:
-Went to the seamstress, she took my measures and will start working on the undersuit. It should be ready for me in two weeks when I get home for the weekend.
-Purchased the riding boots.
-I went to the color mixing shop. Luckily, they had a bunch of car color charts, so we went with a BMW one and found a matching color on the helmet. Besides that, I bought a few cans of black, primer, and gloss finish.
-Purchased a leather straps for the chest box.
More to follow
darthvader073
Well-Known Member
Re: My homemade ESB Darth Vader Costume
Some quick updates:
I came home for a dentist, and used some free time to work on the costume. I added a leather straps to the chest box, made shins wider (to fit well on my new boots too), and partially painted the armor. Now I have to paint the middle section and then add a couple of layers of a clear-coat. I had some problems with painting a shoulder bells... new manufacturer of the color I work with...so I needed some time to figure it out. I'll finish them next week. I literally finished the painting and took a masking tape off (luckily, there weren't any paint leaks), then changed my clothes and went on a train for the coast. There's a Comic-con-equivalent happening in our country and I was asked to give a lecture, and after that I'm going for a college, and Friday night I'm coming home for a suit fitting and finishing touches on the armor. If I catch some time, I'll cut out the eye holes on my Vader mask, and fill the gaps with putty. So by the end of the third week, it should be finished (hopefully)
It's not visible on the photos, but gunmetal has a nice metallic tint to it, so when the clear-coat comes...let it shine!
Since I was in a rush, I only took photos of the armor... forgive me :$
Some quick updates:
I came home for a dentist, and used some free time to work on the costume. I added a leather straps to the chest box, made shins wider (to fit well on my new boots too), and partially painted the armor. Now I have to paint the middle section and then add a couple of layers of a clear-coat. I had some problems with painting a shoulder bells... new manufacturer of the color I work with...so I needed some time to figure it out. I'll finish them next week. I literally finished the painting and took a masking tape off (luckily, there weren't any paint leaks), then changed my clothes and went on a train for the coast. There's a Comic-con-equivalent happening in our country and I was asked to give a lecture, and after that I'm going for a college, and Friday night I'm coming home for a suit fitting and finishing touches on the armor. If I catch some time, I'll cut out the eye holes on my Vader mask, and fill the gaps with putty. So by the end of the third week, it should be finished (hopefully)
It's not visible on the photos, but gunmetal has a nice metallic tint to it, so when the clear-coat comes...let it shine!
Since I was in a rush, I only took photos of the armor... forgive me :$
darthvader073
Well-Known Member
Re: My homemade ESB Darth Vader Costume
3D printed parts arrived. The print isn't perfect, but it's nothing that some filler, sanding and a bit of acetone can't fix
3D printed parts arrived. The print isn't perfect, but it's nothing that some filler, sanding and a bit of acetone can't fix
darthvader073
Well-Known Member
Re: My homemade ESB Darth Vader Costume
A veeery productive weekend:
Finished the armor, now all I have to do is attach the shoulder bells with a leather straps, but I'll give the clearcoat some more time to dry first.
Chest box is finished too...and I'm really proud how it turned out. After the sanding and acetone smoothing of the 3D prints, some extra work was required to make the golden pieces longer.
Next week I plan to dedicate myself to the mask only
What do you think?
A veeery productive weekend:
Finished the armor, now all I have to do is attach the shoulder bells with a leather straps, but I'll give the clearcoat some more time to dry first.
Chest box is finished too...and I'm really proud how it turned out. After the sanding and acetone smoothing of the 3D prints, some extra work was required to make the golden pieces longer.
Next week I plan to dedicate myself to the mask only
What do you think?
Last edited by a moderator:
darthvader073
Well-Known Member
Re: My homemade ESB Darth Vader Costume
Thank you
Here's a quick comparison with a screen used:
Thank you
Here's a quick comparison with a screen used:
darthvader073
Well-Known Member
Re: My homemade ESB Darth Vader Costume
Here's progress so far:
I attached the shoulder bells to the armor with a leather straps. Now I'm thinking about wheather to leave the flush with the armor, or to make them hanging.
I also made a bigger eyeholes in order to fit the lenses, then added some filler to make them fit perfectly.
As for that dome mount, I removed both rings on the mask and the dome, and made my own mounting system to match the ESB. Yesterday I purchased strong neodymium magnets to hold the dome in place. I cut out the holes for the fans, and also bought a hardhat liner for the more comfortable mask wearing.
With the help of my sister and grandma, I cut out the pattern for the cape. I found the pattern on sithtrainingtemple.net.
The fabric is very heavy for the outer wool part (I used wool alternative), and satin for the inner part. My sister and I were drawing the pattern across the fabric, while grandma was cutting it out. She stated that she wants to go to EP7 with me when it comes out hahah
Next weekend I plan to finish the helmet almost entirely, since this is all that's left to do (except the sewing part, that's not on me).
Here's progress so far:
I attached the shoulder bells to the armor with a leather straps. Now I'm thinking about wheather to leave the flush with the armor, or to make them hanging.
I also made a bigger eyeholes in order to fit the lenses, then added some filler to make them fit perfectly.
As for that dome mount, I removed both rings on the mask and the dome, and made my own mounting system to match the ESB. Yesterday I purchased strong neodymium magnets to hold the dome in place. I cut out the holes for the fans, and also bought a hardhat liner for the more comfortable mask wearing.
With the help of my sister and grandma, I cut out the pattern for the cape. I found the pattern on sithtrainingtemple.net.
The fabric is very heavy for the outer wool part (I used wool alternative), and satin for the inner part. My sister and I were drawing the pattern across the fabric, while grandma was cutting it out. She stated that she wants to go to EP7 with me when it comes out hahah
Next weekend I plan to finish the helmet almost entirely, since this is all that's left to do (except the sewing part, that's not on me).
Last edited by a moderator:
darthvader073
Well-Known Member
Re: My homemade ESB Darth Vader Costume
*Start the Imperial march*
The helmet is finished!
Now all that's left to do is some minor details on other parts, and install the fans and a speaker in helmet. Rest of the work is now on my seamstress.
On the last pic you can see how the helmet looked on the day it arrived, and how it looks now.
*Start the Imperial march*
The helmet is finished!
Now all that's left to do is some minor details on other parts, and install the fans and a speaker in helmet. Rest of the work is now on my seamstress.
On the last pic you can see how the helmet looked on the day it arrived, and how it looks now.
Last edited:
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