Twi'lek Pam

LOL! I somehow missed the body parts discussion earlier. Scott's right... we've got body parts all over the place. He joked once that it looks like a serial killer lives in our workshop. It's cool to hear that you've got fabric that you're happy with... congratulations! I like that those shin guards have the vents in the front, which make them look more accurate to the shin guards used in the Decipher photoshoot. I'm not sure that I like the "armor" plates themselves, though. They look very thin, and even sewn onto to mesh. That makes them look very insubstantial and not very armor-like. My advice would be to keep looking for shin guards that have a thicker look to them. They are out there, they just take a bit of hunting! Here's how I made the back plate for my Mara harness. I made a mold from this form and then cast it in fiberglass.... and then apparently I lost the doggone mold! (Which is a very traumatic experience for an organization freak like me!) http://theflagshipeclipse.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=343 Pam

I would like to send a HUGE thank-you to Leslie for all of her help with these standards. She worked hard on them, and did a terrific job. (Her Viqi Shesh costume is great, too!) I've done some editing to bring these standards into line with the rest of the detachment's posted standards, but for the most part, the work is hers! . Costume Standards for Senator Viqi Shesh A Viqi Shesh Costume Must Have: (These costume elements are required.) Unitard: * The white form-fitting unitard must have long sleeves and a high scooped neck that is not visible beneath the capelet. * The unitard sleeves must end in a petal cuff. Long-Sleeved Coat * The body of the coat should be made of a medium or heavy weight fabric in mauve and purple, with swirls or a paisley pattern. * The coat must be ankle length. * The coat’s front opening and around the neck must be edged in an attached scarf made from pink fabric. * The long angel sleeves must be made of a sheer pink fabric. * The sleeves must be edged with a scalloped sheer grey fabric and decorated with gold stitching or paint. Gold beads may be sewn on. * A sheer overlay is attached to the back and reaches nearly to the bottom of the jacket. It must be made of the same sheer pink fabric as the sleeves. * The capelet must be made from a heavy, dark purple fabric. It should be top-stitched with gold thread on the bottom edge. * The capelet is closed at the neck with a gold brooch made from three joined circles. * The high stand-up collar must be made of the same pink fabric as the scarf. It is lined with red suede or fabric that has been dyed with horizontal purple stripes, and must be edged with gold trim. The collar should be supported by an interior wire frame or heavy interfacing in order to hold its proper shape and height. Epaulets: * The epaulets can be made of the same purple fabric as the capelet and covered with gold beads or gold braid, or they may be sculpted from a metallic gold meduim. Dickey and Cravat: * The dickey must be made of dark purple fabric that has been stamped or painted with small red rosettes. * The dickey collar must be high (almost as high as the stand-up collar on the coat) with a one inch trim made from solid red fabric. * A decorative “V” shaped opening is found at the center front of the dickey. The true closure should be located at the back. * The cravat must be made of a mauve fabric, or at least a redder shade of purple than the dickey. * The bottom of the cravat must have a ruffle made of the same red as the collar on the dickey. Sheer Skirt: * The skirt must be made of the same sheer pink fabric as the sleeves and overlay on the coat. * The skirt must be stamped with rosettes in gold fabric paint. Small rosettes are at the top, graduating down to large rosettes at the bottom. * The edges of the skirt must be painted with gold scallops. * The skirt may be attached to the back of the belt. * The costumer may sew heavy gold beads to the bottom edge of the skirt fabric to help keep it in place. Belt: * The belt must be two inches wide and made of very dark purple fabric or suede. * The belt must be decorated with gold paint and beads, including beads sewn along the top and bottom edges. * The belt must close at the back. There is no buckle in the front. * A metallic amulet of the correct design must hang from a gold or purple chain or cord at the front center of the belt. * Three swags hang across the front of the belt. They must be made from alternating round and oblong or tubular gold beads. Boots: * The low-heeled boots must be made of red fabric, leather, or suede that has been dyed with dark purple stripes. * The boots must be a pull-on style with no visible buckles. Jewelry * The brooch on the capelet must be metallic and of the correct triple circle design. * The metallic gold earrings must be triangular in shape. * The pair of hair ornaments, one on each side of the head, must be metallic and of the correct design. Metallic gold beads may be used. Hair: * The hair must be straight and black. The length in back is undetermined. * Four tendrils of hair are seperated from the rest of the hair and hang down loosely, two tendrils on each side of the face. Cosmetics: * The make-up should consist of pink eye shadow and pink lipstick. * The fingernails should be painted light pink. A Viqi Shesh Costume Should Have: (These costume elements are highly recommended, but are not required.) Contact Lenses * Brown contact lenses will complete the look of Viqi Shesh if you don’t have brown eyes. .

I'm really bummed that I didn't take pictures of my shin guards while I was making them. I didn't have a good camera back then, and I wasn't in the habit of keeping records for making tutorials later on! There are a lot of ways to make the shin guards. My preferred method is to start with the body cast of the legs, and sculpt the shin guards on top of them using sulphur free oil based clay. You can get that at most sculpting supply stores. Once you have the sculpture, you make either a flexible silicone mold or a one-shot plaster mold, and you cast your shin guards in that. The cost varies by the techniques and the materials used. I'm a bad one to ask about prices, because I tend to make things "to last" for repeated use, so I get high quality materials and then make everything the complicated way. For example, these leg castings were created for the Mara shin guard project, but since I made them in fiberglass, they've held up well and have been used for multiple projects since then. (My legs look shy.... some personality traits always show through, even in castings. ) One of the important things to keep in mind when you sculpt shin guards is to remember that underneath them you need to leave space for your boots and your leggings... so don't make the guards skin-tight! Pam

To be 501st acceptable, you will need to have a solid piece in the back like those shown in the comics. There are no references that I know of that show Mara with just a metal ring at the back of her harness. Pam

Very nice! This is a wonderful tutorial, definitely one of the best I've seen. Thank you very much for posting... I'm certain it will prove helpful for a lot of costumers! Pam

Sweet! This is going to be yet another costume build that I will be watching with great interest. With your attention to detail, I already know that your costume is going to be fantastic! (When I look at the texture of that tight-fitting, wrinkled bodysuit, I keep thinking that you're going to have a major case of sheet-skin when you take it off. You know how sometimes you wake up in the morning and find that the wrinkles in the sheets have left impressions on your skin? This is going to create quite a pattern! ) Here's to another great thread! Pam

Maris now has her own area in the Research and Development Forum. Perhaps she is another TFU character who might make it into the 501st... Good luck, Maris! Pam

Hmmm... I don't think I've ever seen anyone get any grief over making a just-for-fun costume. I have, in fact, seen them be encouraged, complimented, and appreciated. There's a lot more to the costuming community and our costumes than just those costumes that we create in order to join a particular group. I get just as many compliments for the costumes that I made up myself as I do for my costumes made to match recognizable characters. If you like something, make it. Even if it's not 501st eligible, it'll still be a blast to wear at cons. If you want to join a particular costuming group, then you buckle down and make one of the costumes that they accept. If you want to branch out more on your own time, then do so. I doubt you'd ever regret it. Yup, there are lots of random Jedi in Episode 2... that's why lots of us in the Rebel Legion love our Jedi costumes! (Ahhh.... comfy!) As for what is or isn't accepted in the 501st, that's where you get into both politics and a simple goal of striving for quality in our costuming. We cannot make a truly accurate costume if we don't have enough references to draw from. The politics come into play because there are greatly varying viewpoints in the legion. Some are purists who want only movie cannon costumes. Some are perfectionists who want to use only those costumes that can be thoroughly researched and referenced. Others are EU enthusiasts who want to bring in even the most obscure costumes from every comic panel or game scene. We find a balance by allowing EU costumes, but only if they can be referenced with at least three good full-body images from multiple sources. I think it's a fair compromise between the different viewpoints. I'll keep an eye out for more pictures for you, but so far those found on the wookiepediea page are the only ones that I currently have on hand. Pam

While Brakiss has made quite a few appearances in the novels, I don't recall very many image references for him. He has a really good full-body image in the New Essential Guide to Characters, but the other images I know of are just upper body. I don't think there are enough reference pictures for Brakiss to be accepted as a 501st character. If someone can find enough reference images (front and back, full body), then we can move forward with applying for 501st membership with him... but if there are not enough images, well, the costume can still be made just for fun! Pam

I've posted the pictures that I have in the gallery, and some of them show her shoes. (You're right, they're elaborate!) You can find the pictures here: http://www.theflagshipeclipse.com/galle ... p?album=12 If I find any more pictures, I'll post those as well. Pam

Done! A Makeup and Appliances forum has been added.... perhaps we'll be able to collect some great tutorials for that aspect of our costuming endeavors! Ventress ladies, I'm sure some makeup and bald cap tutorials would be greatly appreciated! (I know that there is some great information scattered about the Ventress forum... we just need to assemble things into one organized place!) Pam

Wonderful! Thank you for posting this... we can ALWAYS use more tutorials! I'm going to move this thread to the Sewing forum, so that it can best serve not only those making jumpsuits... but anyone else who wants to learn a bit more about sewing costumes. Thank you again! Pam

There is a bit of information about the different types of body paint and their application on my Twi'lek website, if that will help you any. I can't say anything about bald caps, though, because I've never used one beyond covering hair for head castings! http://members.aol.com/Mitji/Twilek.htm You know, it might be a good idea for us to start a Makeup and Appliances section in the Tutorials forum.... we've got some really talented makeup artists in the detachment, and it would be great to give everyone a place to share their knowledge! Pam

I had to order some more Aayla paint from Reel Creations, so I went ahead and ordered one of the black body paint pens while I was at it, so that I could see what they are like. It has a pointed felt tip, like a Sharpie marker, so you can draw with the tip for a thin line, or tilt it a bit to get a wider line. The paint is not a true black, but a very dark gray... which actually would be good for making tattoo patterns, since real tattoos are lightened by a person's skin pigments over them. I made a few marks on my hand, and they stayed on through a day of work and hand washings. The paint is definintely waterproof, and took makeup remover to get it off. Pam

Congratulations! Pam

Not the rules, nope. But I will say that when I review an EU costume, I do look at the weapon if they have one. If a person is holding the incorrect type of saber for that character, such as Ventress with a straight hilt or Nihilus with Anakin's saber, I will mark that against them in my review. Since the sabers are recomended but not a full requirement, it is preferred to have an accurate weapon or no weapon at all rather than an incorrect stand-in. EU weapons are difficult... but with a bit of patience and research, they can usually be found. Or, as is my preference... they can be made! Pam

I should probably admit to everyone that Scott and I decided a while back that we're NOT going to try to finish our Talon and Shado costumes in time for Dragon Con. Could we have finished them in time if we'd really pushed ourselves? Yup. Could we have finished them to the standards that we set for ourselves? Nope. We decided that we'd prefer to take our time and make costumes that we'd be happy with. We've spent months on them already, but they're quite a big job that has involved a lot of experimentation with new materials, and this year we just haven't had a lot of free time for working on them. We live on a farm that needs upkeep, we've been doing a lot of construction, and I always seem to give up hours of costuming time every week so that I can answer emails and PM's from folks who ask for advice about EU and Twi'lek costumes. Quite frankly, though, I'm okay with it. I enjoy the other things that I do when I'm not making costumes, and there's no point in taking the fun out of our Shado and Talon costumes by rushing ourselves! But, now that I've said all that... I'll balance out the bad news with a handful of Talon progress pictures. I've been taking dozens of photos as we work on our costumes, so eventually we'll be able to post tutorials on everything from making male and female lekku, to dyeing massive quantities of Shado fabric, to wiring up the electronics in a saber. These pics are a bit old, but they're what I have on hand at the moment! I'm only half evil.... Saber without the camera flash. This blade has corbin film in it. I also made a blade with clear cellophane, which I Iike better because it lights more evenly. It's funny how the camera picks up so much yellow from a red LED... The saber, still in the sculpting phase... Making casts of my arms, for sculpting the bicep and forearm armor... Putting the lines in the belt prior to applying black dye. Yes, I did use a nail setter to etch the lines... The finished lekku sculpt... Torso cast we made for creating the tattoo stencils. (Sorry, guys. This thread has a PG rating!) I used ultracal, so the torso can be reused for sculpting projects later on... Pam

I don't know what chemicals are in eyeliner, and certainly wouldn't want an unknown such as that near my mouth. Instead, I would suggest investing in a small bottle of Reel Creations black body ink, or try their new black body paint pen, which might be even easier for drawing the lines. I haven't tried the pens yet, but I use the ink extensively, and it stays on very well. If you seal it, you can even go swimming and it won't come off. Pam

All right, now that someone is actually getting started on this costume, I'll go ahead and make a section for him in the Research and Development forum. I believe he does have enough references to warrant his own area, and if a suitably accurate costume is made, we can present him to the LMO and legion council for approval as a 501st character. I'm going to move this thread to his area, also, so that everything about Jerec can be kept together. Good luck on your costume! Pam

. Looking fantastic! I can't wait to see the final results. Pam

. Would anyone like to get us started on the Nightsister Sith Witch standards? Here's the required format. (We don't have to put something in every category. Should Have and May Have are to be used only as needed.) A Nightsister Sith Witch Costume Must Have (These costume elements are required.) A Nightsister Sith Witch Costume Should Have: (These costume elements are highly recommended, but are not required.) A Nightsister Sith Witch Costume May Have: (These costume elements are optional, but they can really make a costume stand out!) 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:SL_talon Costume Standards for Darth Talon A Darth Talon Costume Must Have: (These costume elements are required.) Bikini Top: * The bikini top should be made of black leather or a leatherette material. * The bikini has three lines running horizontally across the front. These lines may be created by cutting or tooling them into the leather, or they may be created by joining four seperate strips of leather. * The center front has a cutout that may be shaped like a "V" or a "U." * The back of the bikini is made of a wide strap with square cutout sections spaced at even distances. * The cutouts are backed with black material or leather. Bikini Bottom: * The bikini bottom should be made of a black material and should have a standard high-leg bikini cut. Belt, Front Buckle Plate, and Straps: * The belt should be made of black leather and should be approximately 2" in width. * A metallic silver buckle or plate is centered on the front of the belt. * The plate should be rectangular in shape, with a notch cut out of the top and angled bottom corners. * Four black leather straps hang from the base of the plate, each reaching to mid-shin in length. * Metallic rivets or snaps are located at each corner of the plate, as well as over each of the leather straps. * No pouches should be on the belt. Gloves: * Black gloves should reach to the top of the bicep armor plates. Forearm and Bicep Armor: * Black metallic armor is worn over the biceps and forearms. * The armor is undecorated, and covers only the outer part of the arms. * Three black straps hold the bicep armor in place. The straps are located at the top, bottom, and center of each armor piece. * Three or four black straps hold the forearm armor in place. They are evenly spaced down the length of the armor. * Rivets or snaps are used to connect the straps to each armor piece. * The armor should be crisscrossed with scars from past lightsaber duels. Hand Strap: * A metallic strap should encirlcle the hand, going between the thumb and index finger, and crossing the palm and back of the hand. * The strap should be from three-quarters of an inch to one inch wide. Boots and Leggings: * The plain black boots should have low heels or no heels at all. * Thigh-high boots may be worn, or the costumer may wear shorter boots and fabric or leather leggings that reach to the upper thigh. Leg Armor: * Black metallic armor is worn on the thighs and shins. * The armor is undecorated, and covers only the front of the legs. * Three black straps hold the armor on. The straps are located at the top, bottom, and center of each armor piece. * Six rivets or snaps are on each armor piece, centered over the points where the straps are connected to the armor. * The armor should be crisscrossed with scars from past lightsaber duels. Lekku and Ear Cones: * The lekku and ear buds/cones should be made with a skin-like material. * The coloring of the lekku and ear cones should closely match the coloring used on the rest of the body. Body Paint: * All areas of exposed skin should be painted red. * Black Sith tattoo patterns should also cover all exposed skin. * While the Sith tattoo patterns on the arms, legs, lekku, and back tend to vary from one reference image to the next, there is a consistent and well established tattoo pattern on the face, chest, and stomach. These consistent patterns should be reproduced as accurately as possible, while the rest may be interpreted by the costumer based on any reference image. A Darth Talon Costume Should Have: (These costume elements are highly recommended, but are not required.) Contacts: * "Sith" style contacts in shades of red, yellow, and orange may be worn. Lightsaber: * The hilt must resemble the organic design of the Legacy Sith lightsabers, as pictured below. * If the lighsaber has a blade, the blade must be red in color. * No unaltered FX sabers are allowed. * When not in use, the lightsaber may be hung from the belt on the left hip. Metallic Headpiece: * A metallic headpiece may be worn that covers the back and sides of the head. * The headpiece has a section that rises up the back of the head and splits into two bars which curve up over the top of the head. * The headpiece may extend over the top of the ear buds, leaving them uncovered, or it may include silver cones that cover the ear buds. Rear Belt Plate and Straps: * A metallic silver buckle or plate may be placed on the back of the belt. * Rivets are located at each corner, as well as over each of the leather straps. * The plate may be retangular in shape, or it may have angled bottom corners to echo the shape of the front belt plate. * Four black leather straps hang from the base of the plate, each reaching to mid-calf in length. Belt Detailing: * The belt may have two detail lines running horizontally around it's length. * The lines may be etched or tooled into the leather, or the effect may be created by connecting three seperate strips of leather into a single belt. Text for Legion CRL Submission: Costume components: 1. Lekku and Ear Cones: The lekku and ear cones are made with a skin-like material. The coloring of the lekku and ear cones closely match the coloring used on the rest of the body. 2. Body Paint: All areas of exposed skin are painted red. Black tattoo patterns also cover all exposed skin. While the Sith tattoo patterns on the arms, legs, lekku, and back tend to vary from one reference image to the next, there is a consistent and well established tattoo pattern on the face, chest, and stomach. These consistent patterns are to be reproduced as accurately as possible, while the rest may be interpreted by the costumer based on reference images. 3. Contacts: Special effects contacts in shades of red, yellow, and orange are worn to give the illusion of Sith eyes. While considered an essential part of this character, contact lenses are not required for 501st acceptance. All persons wishing to utilize contact lenses are encouraged to first see their optometrist for a fitting. 4. Bikini Top: The bikini top is made of black leather or a leatherette material. Three lines run horizontally across the front. These lines may be created by cutting or tooling them into the leather, or they may be created by joining four separate strips of leather. The center front has a cutout that may be shaped like a "V" or a "U." The back of the bikini is made of a wide strap with square cutouts spaced at even distances. The cutouts are backed with black material or leather. 5. Forearm and Bicep Armor: Black metallic armor is worn over the biceps and forearms. The armor is undecorated, and covers only the outer part of the arms. Three black straps hold the bicep armor in place. The straps are located at the top, bottom, and center of each armor piece. Three or four black straps hold the forearm armor in place. They are evenly spaced down the length of the armor. The top of a metallic rivet or snap is visible on the armor where each strap is connected. The snaps may be functional, or decorative. The armor is crisscrossed with scars from past lightsaber duels. 6. Hand Strap: A metallic strap encircles the hand, going between the thumb and index finger, and crossing the palm and back of the hand. The strap is approximately 2 cm wide. 7. Gloves: The black gloves reach to the top of the bicep armor plates. 8. Belt: The belt is made of black leather and is approximately 5 cm in width. The belt may have two detail lines etched horizontally around its length. There are no pouches on the belt. 9. Front Buckle Plate and Straps: A metallic silver plate is centered on the front of the belt. The plate is rectangular in shape, with a notch cut out of the center top. The bottom corners are both cut at an angle. Four black leather straps hang from the base of the plate, each reaching to mid-shin in length. Metallic rivets or snaps are located at each corner of the buckle plate, as well as over each of the leather straps. 10. Bikini Bottom: The bikini bottom is made of black material and has a standard high-leg bikini cut. 11. Leg Armor: Black metallic armor is worn on the thighs and shins. The armor is undecorated, and covers only the front of the legs. Three black straps hold the armor on. The straps are located at the top, bottom, and center of each armor piece. Six rivets or snaps are on each armor piece, centered over the points where the straps are connected to the armor. The armor is crisscrossed with scars from past lightsaber duels. 12. Boots and Leggings: The plain black boots have low heels or no heels at all. Formfitting thigh-high boots may be worn, or the costumer may wear shorter boots paired with fabric or leather leggings that reach to the upper thigh. If leggings are worn, a strap of the shin armor is used to hide the transition between boots and leggings. Costume Accessories: 13. Metallic Headpiece: A metallic headpiece may be worn that covers the back and sides of the head. The headpiece has a section that rises up the back of the head and splits into two bars which curve up over the top of the head. The headpiece may extend over the top of the ear buds, leaving them uncovered, or it may include silver cones that cover the ear buds. 14. Lightsaber: The hilt resembles the organic design of the Legacy Sith lightsabers. If the lighsaber has a blade, the blade is red. When not in use, the lightsaber may be hung from the belt on the left hip. 15. Rear Belt Plate and Straps: A metallic silver plate may be placed on the back of the belt. Rivets are located at each corner, as well as over each of the leather straps. The plate may be rectangular in shape, or it may have angled bottom corners that echo the shape of the front belt plate. Four black leather straps hang from the base of the plate, each reaching to mid-calf in length. .

Oops.. sorry I didn't spot this post sooner! I imagine there is probably a source for gel coat colorants... but I don't know what or where they would be. Typically, if you want a colored gel coat, you purchase it already colored. The best place to find colored gel coats is at marine supply shops. Your best bet if you want to look for something like that would be to try the marine shops, or try a web search. If you find something, let us know! Pam

Maia, thanks for sharing your research! I'm looking forward to seeing how these costumes turn out! Pam

. Thank you for continuing to share your progress with us. I smile every time I spot a new posting from you, knowing that there's going to be something great to see. You're doing a fantastic job with this costume! Pam