Twi'lek Pam

Sweet! I'm glad to hear that you're still working on that costume. It's going to be really cool when you finish it! I recently talked to Thomas (the LMO) about the potential for Maris to be a 501st character. He said that he does support her as a 501st elligible character, since she's a lot like Mara Jade and Visas Marr. So... what we need to do now is get the standards figured out, and present him with a top-notch costume to approve! He does expect the first costume to be a real showpiece that will pave the way for others to follow. For the costume elements that change in the references, we can present them in the standards as different options. They need to be true to the most detailed and accurate reference images, though, and I believe that the preference will be toward the game look, rather than the more roughly drawn comics. I need to find out if we have access to turnarounds for that character. Remember, just because one artist in one place drew something different, we don't throw the better references out the window for it. But, if that one artist created an image that is well in line with Maris' look, then we can integrate their vision into the standards in an appropriate way. (And I like the dark red belt, too!) Thanks for the images. I'll get them added to the album this weekend. (It's a bit past my bedtime tonight!) Pam

Sounds good to me! Pam

ABSOLUTELY! We (TR-9826 & TI-9827) are volunteers to help you! As we have noticed now is good time to CW characters. Especially here in Europe. Many countries here have recently started to show CW tv-series, so kids know the characters. Our "big hit" in our events (Finland and Sweden, Stockholm) have been Ahsoka: http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/4695/dscf5896.jpg Especially for little girls. Last weekend Ventress made her debut here and catched the little boys. Bit scary, but cool So tell us what you want us to do? We made quite background work for Ventress. Yours Tape & Emma Sweet! That would be a great help! Just take a look at the standards that were written for the other versions of Ventress. The standards need to be broken into categories: "must have" and "should have." (There's also a "may have" category, but we don't seem to use that one very often.) From there, we just need to describe the details for each costume component and provide good reference images from the cartoon that show what the pieces should look like. It's a huge amount of work... but it creates a good "instruction manual" for folks who are making the costume! Pam

I love seeing progress pictures like this. Thanks for sharing the steps you've taken. It really looks like your skills are improving with each go-round, too! This should be a great costume when you're done. Pam

I honestly don't know where things stand right now for the Clone Wars version of Ventress. As far as I know, none have been approved yet... but I may be wrong since the GML's approved a flurry of EU costumes that I didn't know about at the end of last year, and there's a chance that somebody approved a Clone Wars version. I haven't gone searching through the legion's membership pages to find out if someone got through; and a fair number of them don't have pictures, anyway. There is not a listing for the Clone Wars version of her costume in the CRL list, but that doesn't say much because Ventress doesn't have a seperate listing for the other three versions that have been approved, either. The CRL is still very much a work in progress. So.... are you volunteering to help us get the CW version's standards started? Pam

Okay, I flipped through the comics, and here's what I found: Star Wars Jedi , Count Dooku One-shot: Good references. Recommended Star Wars Republic 63: A few good images Star Wars Republic 69: A few good images Star Wars Republic 70: Most of the images are closeups, not full body Star Wars Republic 74: Some very good images. Recommended Star Wars Republic 75: Action shots and closeups, not very useful Star Wars Republic 77: A few good images, and his death scene. It's interesting to note how similar Skorr's armor is to that worn by Quinlan Vos while he was serving Dooku. Makes me wonder about the origins of the armor. Pam

Check ebay, and the online comics shops. As a collector of several comic titles that have been out of print for a while, I can assure you that they can be found... you just have to look! I usually google search when I'm looking for a particular issue, and often find them at reasonable prices. I just checked ebay for the Count Dooku one-shot, and there are four copies available there. Pam

You know, while he's not yet an approved 501st character, I believe he does have enough references to become one if you wish to go that route. He has been in two (possibly three) different comic series, and with the action figure, that's another source. I just flipped through some of the comics that he is in, and there are plenty of full-body images front and back that would serve as good references. (Unfortunately I cannot scan them for you right now, since our scanner died and I haven't purchased a new one yet.) If you wish to try and make this a 501st approved costume, my advice would be to collect as many references as you can, and make your costume as absolutely true to them as possible. Make a showpiece that is sure to get approved! Tol is definitely a badguy character, and he could eventually have a place in the 501st. I couldn't make that call myself, of course, but I believe he does have a good chance! Pam

I have those face paint images on my computer! Somebody sent them to me a while back, and they were so pretty that I just had to save them! Beautiful! Reel Creations is awesome. It's expensive, but it really stays put. I threw out almost all of the Ben Nye paint that I had left.... now that I've tried Reel Creations, I just can't bear to go back to the stuff that flakes and rubs off easily! Pam

It depends on the type of spray. If it is water based, then it shouldn't cause a problem. But many of them have an alcohol or oil base, both of which would break down the paint and let it be easily wiped off. My advice would be to do a spot test before spraying anything near a new paintjob! Pam

If you want a truly "from the top" answer, Jan Duursema said that she pictures the costume to be made completely out of leather, but agrees that it might not be the most flexible of materials to use in real life... so she said that while she prefers the bikini and straps to be made of leather, she understands if we use something else for the arms and legs. Looking at it purely from a legion costuming standpoint, the acceptablity of a material in cases like this is more dependent on the final look than the name of the material. There are a lot of options out there, and the key is to find what looks right yet still allows the ability to move and not pass out. Yes, rubber would be fine for the pieces such as the leggings, bikini bottom, and gloves. I even looked into that option myself when I first started researching this costume. I decided against it because rubber is so blasted hot to wear, and the whole powdering and spray shine issue is made difficult by the fear of damaging hours worth of body paint. But still, if you can get around those problems, there's no reason why rubber isn't as good a material as anything else. Unless you had a very heavy grade of rubber, however, I don't see that being a good thing to use for the front of the bikini, the belt straps, etc. It would look far too flimsy and thin. Pam

. Here's an update for the folks who have been following this discussion: Recently I sent a PM to the LMO and asked him for a "from the top" decision on the belt discussion. I've just gotten so tired and frustrated with the endless Starkiller costume issues, I'd rather have an official ruling to set the standard and be done with it all. So, here's what I told Thomas in my PM: Thomas and I spoke about it again last night, and he informed me that the second option is what the official ruling shall be. Only the straps that made it into the game will be required. These are the long strap on the back right side, and the fraction of a strap (that disappears under the others) on the front left. Those straps from the turnarounds that didn't make it into the game will be recommended, but not required. The costume portrayed in this thread DOES have those required belt straps. There is one in the front, disappearing under the other belts as it is supposed to, and there is one in the back. That long back strap wasn't visible in the first round of pictures, but it is there. (I still like the jammies picture best. It brought a bit of fun back into this costume discussion for me.) So... as of yesterday, I do believe that Starkiller's tattered up training gear is now an approved 501st costume! Pam

Thank you! ::sigh.... if only Sith Lords were allowed to deliver big hugs....:: Pam

I glued a large piece of fuzzy side velcro down the front inside to create a "hinge" that stays permanently on my shin guards. It lets me "clamshell" open them slightly for putting them on and taking them off, and it holds them firmly together while I'm wearing them. On the back openings, I glued smaller pieces of fuzzy velcro to each side at the top and bottom of the guards. When I put them on, I use a strip of hook side velcro (the sew-on type, not the glue kind) to close the gap at the top and the bottom. I have to squeeze my fingers in between the shin guards and my boots to fit the velcro into place, but it works pretty well and it isn't visible on the outside of the guards. Pam

My guess would be that the cording you are using is too stiff. It is stronger than the fabric that is trying to hold it close, so it gets to curve however it wants to.. and it takes the fabric along with it. Try using a cord that is more flexible, and that will probably solve things for you. Pam

I would advise leaving them the size that they are. They look well in propotion to the shin guards now, and Mara's knee pieces are surprisingly substantial. Making them any smaller might make them look out of balance to the shin pieces. Pam

LOL! I love that photo! I can't decide which is funnier... that mischevious eye peeking out, or Darth Nihilus playing his saber flute! I'm actually not very body-shy. I do want to loose a few pounds, but overall I don't think I'm in bad shape. I spend every summer in just a bikini and shorts, so Talon's costume actually covers quite a bit more than what I usually wear. I deeply wish that she wore parachute pants or something that would cover up my chubby thighs, though, because being blessed with a skinny waist doesn't mean that everything else on a person's body is going to be equally slim. I even had to special order my TK armor in a doublewide just to get enough coverage downstairs! (I originally titled this photo, "Does this armor make my butt look big?" It's one of my favorite TK pictures!) Honestly, I really did mean that I'm feeling shy. Not just about how I'll look in the costume, but about the fact that people will LOOK if I'm wearing that costume! Many people. And cameras. And more people. And cameras. People simply won't ignore a red and black person in an unusual outfit... they're funny that way. I've been trying to push myself into wearing the costume because I set the challenge for myself and because I've put so much time into it already, but.... but.... eep! Suddenly I'm not feeling so brave anymore. And like I said, I'm turning 38 this year, so I feel really self-conscious about trying to dress like a 20-something! I am NOT overcompensating for a dagburn mid-life crisis, you little whippersnappers! Now where's my walker?! Hmmm.... perhaps I could hide under Dave's cape. "Look, Mommy! Darth Vader has four feet! And a hunchback!" I think for now I'm going to continue my 50/50 on this one. I've got until D*Con to finish the costume and get up the nerve to wear it in public. I do deeply appreciate the support and encouragement from everyone, but it's all going to depend on how brave I feel when the time comes. I'm not going to ruin my vacation by stressing myself out over a costume. If I can get up the nerve to wear it, I'll paint myself black and red and Scott can shove me out of our hotel room when the time comes. If I can't get up the nerve, then... well, I'll show up in something a little less terrifying! Pam P.S. Yup... I did say D*Con. We've got our plane tickets, we've got our hotel reservation, and we've got our con memberships. Atlanta, here we come! .

Thanks for the support and confidence... now we'll just have to wait and see if I have as much confidence as the rest of you! I'll change my mind back and forth a few dozen more times over the next few months, most likely. I'm half stubbornly determined, and half timidly shy... and I never know which half is going to win in the end! (I need to add some small print: "Anyone who encourages me to wear this costume must also be willing to let me hide behind them when I'm wearing it!") Pam

. Cool, thanks for posting over here! (Yup, I've been one of the folks watching your progress on the RL boards.) Pam

Absolutely fantastic! Pam

Thanks, the saber was a lot of fun to make. As for the rest of the costume, I'm stalled out at the 50/50 point. It's about 50% complete, and I'm about 50% certain that I will actually finish it. I realized a while back that once I finished doing the parts that I really enjoy (scultping, casting, leather, electronics) , I completely stalled out and haven't touched the costume since. One part of me wants to finish it and wear it at least once, just to prove to myself that I can. But the other part of me... well, the folks who have met me in person know that while I'm pretty confident about MAKING costumes, I'm not very confident at all when it comes to actually WEARING them. I'm the shy artistic type, through and through. As much as I'd like to meet the challenge, the thought of putting this 30-something body into such a revealing 20-something outfit has me rather terrified! I keep fluctuating back and forth between finishing the costume, and repurposing the supplies for other costumes. Since I really want to do a Legacy costume, I've considered doing Deliah or Astraal, but for now I'm holding off on the decision while I think about it some more. I know that I can finish the Talon costume, I just don't know if I can wear it. I've been changing my mind back and forth for weeks now! Pam

. To see the official Legion CRL entry and a downloadable PDF file for this costume, please click here: http://www.501st.com/databank/Costuming:Prince_Xizor Costume Standards for Prince Xizor A Prince Xizor Costume Must Have: (These costume elements are required.) Makeup and Prosthetics: * A mask or prosthetic appliances must be worn to recreate Prince Xizor's reptillian appearance. * The browline and cheekbone structure should be accentuated. * The ears must be covered, and the area around them should be heavily ridged. The ridges should continue around the back side of the head. * A heavily ridged or scaled appliance must be worn to cover the back of the neck and the spine. * Prosthetic fingers or makeup must be used to replicate the reptillian look of Xizor's hands. * The fingernails are long and claw-like. * All exposed skin must be green in color. Hair: * The head must be bald save for a topknot at the crown of the head and a sidelock on the left side of the head. * The topknot may be wrapped at the base to make it stand out from the head. It reaches approximately to the shoulder blades. * The sidelock is approximately half the length of the topknot. Bodysuit: * The bodysuit must be made of a dark indigo material. * The sleeves are form-fitting, while the legs may have a more relaxed fit. * The sleeves end in a point over the back of the hands, and are trimmed in gold edging. * An elastic strap may be worn over the middle fingers to keep the sleeve point in place. Boots: * The boots are knee high with a low heel. * The boots must be covered with a cream or tan wrapped material. * The cut edges of the wraps should be finished, not left to fray from wear. Jacket: * The outer jacket must be floor length and made of a heavy, stiff material. * The main area of the jacket is made of an eggplant hued material. * Painted or embossed lines give the illusion of interlocking plates. * The front of the jacket is closed over the torso, and then open from the beltline to the floor. * The collar is high and snug against the neck. * The back of the jacket is open over the upper back, and then closed from the beltline to the knees. The back of the jacket may be open from the knees to the floor. * All edges of the jacket are trimmed in gold material. * A row of round trim accents are located around the bottom hem. Collar: * The collar must be made of a very stiff material that can stand out far over the shoulders. * The collar comes together at chest level at the front, and tapers gradually together at the lower back. * A deep violet material should be used. * The edges are trimmed in gold, with a pair of small accents etched or painted on the front. Fabric Drapes: * A length of violet fabric similar in color to the collar is worn draped over each forearm. * This is two seperate pieces of fabric, not a single length. * The fabric should be hemmed to prevent fraying, and should reach nearly to the floor. * For ease of wear, the fabric may be discretely connected to the arms, but every attempt should be made to preserve the illusion that it is just draped. Belt: * A leather belt is worn. * The belt may match the jacket in color, or it may be dyed dark indigo. * The buckle may have a metallic gold buckle. * A pair of sash belts may hang from the belt buckle. If worn, they should be made of the same material as the jacket. A Prince Xizor Costume Should Have: (These costume elements are highly recommended, but are not required.) Arm Bands: * Wrapped arm bands may be worn around the upper arms. * If worn, the arm bands should be made of a metallic gold material. Gloves: * Black fingerless gloves may be worn. * If worn, the gloves must go under the sleeves of the bodysuit. .

. Costume Standards for the Body Armor version of Asajj Ventress An Asajj Ventress (Body Armor Version) Costume Must Have: (These costume elements are required.) Bald Head: * The costumer's hair must be shaved or covered with a tight-fitting bald cap. Makeup: * The costumer's full head and neck must be very pale, with a grayish or white tone. * Black triangular "tattoo" designs are located over and in front of the ears. There should be four triangles pointing downward over the ears, and two triangles pointing forward in front of the ears. * Lipstick should be dark gray or black. Shirt: * The form-fitting shirt must have long sleeves. * The shirt may be black or dark gray in color. * The collar should be high and tight against the neck. There are two parallel lines on the collar which can be pieced or topstitched. * This shirt does not have the striped or tattered look often associated with the shirts worn by Ventress. Gloves: * The dark gray or black gloves should reach to the elbows. * The gloves may be detailed with three wide bands of black or dark gray leather or fabric. Body Armor: * The torso armor should be made of a sturdy fabric, leather, or leatherette material. * The armor may be black or gray in color. * The armor is wide at the upper torso, and narrows until it reaches the belt. * The armor should be divided into horizontal sections up the full length. * The armor has a square neck, and the horizontal sections continue up the shoulder straps. * The armor may stop at the back of the shoulders, leaving the back of the shirt uncovered, or there may be a matching armor section covering the costumer's back. Leggings: * The form-fitting leggings should be dark gray in color. * A black leather or fabric strap should create an X pattern over each thigh. * The X straps may be attached to the leggings, or may be worn seperately over them. Skirt: * The wide, flowing skirt should be approximately ankle length. * The skirt should be dark gray-brown. It may be solid in color, or it may have a stripe pattern at the base, using a narrow black stripe over a wider light gray-brown section. * The skirt should be in two sections. The back section covers the back and sides. The front section is narrow and does not overlap the back. The front of the skirt may open over the front of each thigh, revealing the leggings beneath. * A short over-skirt may be worn. This skirt is approximately 8 to 12 inches long and is made of a slightly lighter fabric than the rest of the skirt. Belts: * A pair of black leather belts should be draped to create an X pattern in the front. * Alternatively, a single black leather belt may be worn. * Attachment points for lightsabers may be included on the back sides of the belt(s). * The belts should be detailed with small greeblies, pouches, or Jedi-style food canisters. Boots: * The boots should be black or dark gray, and should have low heels. * The upper section of the boots should be covered with three wide bands or with a criss-crossing wrap of black leather or fabric. An Asajj Ventress (Body Armor Version) Costume Should Have: (These costume elements are highly recommended, but are not required.) Lightsabers: * The twin hilts should resemble the established curved design for Asajj Ventress. They may be attached together into a double saber design, or they may be worn and carried seperately. * If the lighsabers have blades, the blades must be red in color. Robe: * A Jedi style robe in dark gray or black may be worn. .

. To see the official Legion CRL entry and a downloadable PDF file for this costume, please click here: http://www.501st.com/databank/Costuming ... ss_concept Costume Standards for the AOTC Concept Version of Asajj Ventress An Asajj Ventress (AOTC Concept Version) Costume Must Have: (These costume elements are required.) Bald Head: * The costumer's hair must be shaved or covered with a tight-fitting bald cap. Cosmetics: * The costumer's head, neck, and hands must be very pale, with a grayish or white tone. * Black triangular "tattoo" designs are located over and in front of the ears. There are four triangles pointing downward over the ears, and two triangles pointing forward in front of the ears. * The lipstick is dark gray or black. * If desired, the costumer may wear white contacts. Shirt: * The form-fitting shirt must have long sleeves. * The shirt should be made of a non-glossy (matte) stretch material. * The center front of the shirt, the shoulders, the back, and the sleeves are pale gray. * The side panels beneath the arms should be darker gray or black in color. * Horizontal line patterns may be designed into the shirt. Collar: * The collar is made of a black gloss leather or leatherette material. * The collar has a pattern of horizontal lines that encircle the shoulders and neck. * The neck of the collar is high and form fitting. * The outer edge of the collar should reach to the outer curve of the shoulders, or the collar may drape over the tops of the arms. The edges must be connected securely against the shirt, and should not hang loosely. Forearm Wraps: * The forearm wraps should be made of the same material as the collar. * The wraps from the wrists to just below the elbows. * A triangular or square extension may be used to cover the back of the hands, or wraps may be used that go between the fingers and thumb, thus covering both the back of the hand and the palm. Leggings: * The form-fitting leggings are dark gray or black in color, and should match the side panels of the shirt. Skirt: * The wide, flowing skirt should be approximately ankle length. * The skirt is very dark gray or black. * The skirt is designed in two sections. The back section covers the back and sides. The front section is narrow, but still very full. The front of the skirt may open over the front of each thigh, revealing the leggings beneath. * A shorter over-skirt may be worn. This skirt is approximately knee length and is made of the same fabric as the rest of the skirt. Belts: * A pair of black leather belts are draped to create an X pattern in the front. * Alternatively, a single black leather belt may be worn. * The front buckle is a large O shape. The buckle should be metallic, and may be silver, gray, or black in color. * "O" or "D" ring attachment points for lightsabers are located to the front sides of the belt(s). They may be attached directly to the leather of the belt, or they may hang from short leather extensions. Obi: * If desired, the costumer may wear a wide obi under the belt(s). * If worn, the obi is made of the same fabric as the skirt. Boots: * The boots must be black or dark gray. * The boots can be plain, or they may have a row of buckles up the sides. An Asajj Ventress (AOTC Concept Version) Costume Should Have: (These costume elements are highly recommended, but are not required.) Lightsabers: * The twin hilts should resemble the established curved design for Asajj Ventress. They may be attached together into a double saber design, or they may be worn and carried seperately. * If the lighsabers have blades, the blades must be red in color. Cloak: * A hooded, sleeveless cloak made of black fabric may be worn. .

Here you go... an easy to view example. He's only taking a mask off. It curves up over the top and sides of his head, but doesn't go around the back. I imagine that the pause while he is reaching up under his hood is when he's unsnapping the straps that hold it on. To remove a full helmet, he would have had to remove his hood first. (The player gets to choose what face is revealed when he removes the mask, btw. There are various options.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbN4pwJquLU All of our research and findings while we were writing the standards pointed to it being a mask. It goes up to the top of the head and not over the back. It really doesn't matter for costuming purposes which you'd rather make, since most of the head is concealed by the hood. For 501st purposes, it's a mask. But if you wish for comfort purposes to wear a complete helmet (thus not having straps around the back of your head), you're welcome to make it a helmet because nobody will know what's under the fabric. Of course, a full helmet holds in more body heat, but we tend to be accustomed to that in the legion. Pam