The Clone Emperor

Good afternoon, The nice thing about a completed Costume Reference Library entry is it comes with visual examples. To further illustrate, here are two examples of the level of sheen looked for in the ideal Mara Jade Black Body suit; Approval of variation in this realm is ultimately the responsibility of your Garrison Membership Liaison, with advise from Detachment Leaders as sought. Note the cut of the body suit. The Vertical ribbing and diagonal leg batting is considered a priority for this character.

I am counting on folk taking my next pendant design the Vong way.

I am excited to see your hand turned towards another Star Wars Expanded Universe costume. Your work is phenomenal. You will bring this to Life.

Yes, I preordered that years ago with great excitement. The figure is not wholly based on his Crimson Empire II appearance, but rather a combination with the Star Wars: The New Essential Guide to Characters drawing by Michael Sutfin. Crimson Empire II introduced Nom Anor before he was linked to the Yuuzhan Vong. I think before the Yuuzhan Vong existed in the SW Expanded Universe. I am not a fan of the bell-bottomed armour. The most recent Crimson Empire III shows hints of Nom Anor as Yuuzhan Vong—complete with the bell-bottom armour. I am going olde skool.

Starting in this past September, 2016 I resumed work on Nom Anor. This tyme with a maquette; I am paying close attention to the 1999 Crimson Empire Handbook illustration with each shape I sculpt. This will be the blue print for my full sized armour.

Good afternoon, While I continue to upgrade my wardrobe, it has been some tyme since I have shared work on an all new costume. In 1999 I became intrigued with the shadowy character of Nom Anor. He first appeared in the tale of Dark Horse Comic’s Star Wars: Crimson Empire as a surprise player in the Imperial power struggle after the first fall of Emperor Palpatine. I loved the look of his organic armour and the mystery surrounding the character. I also loved the idea of sculpting the armour from head to toe, front to back even though much of it would be hidden by Nom Anor’s cloak. I felt to reveal only glimpses of the armour would add to its authenticity. At this point the best physical reference for the Crimson Empire Nom Anor is this Star Wars Miniature from Wizards of the Coast; I realized I might have to fill in some of the blanks as I went. In 2010. Eleven years later, I made casts of my arms and began sculpting this armour. Here is one of my initial sketches for the torso and arms; I make many such sketches just to help me to understand the character and the build of the costume. Unfortunately, other events and priorities meant this armour had to be put on hold.

Such mastery is awing. Bill you continue to provide inspiration to our community, no matter what alliance your character happens to be. For that I am applaud your dedication. I look forward to seeing updates for this and all your work. Blessed be.

Seventh Sister CRL edit notice We have a 501st CRL entry for this new character; http://databank.501st.com/databank/Costuming:DS_Seventh_Sister There is a component in the CRL that needs editing; Boot covers begin at the ankle joint and are constructed from the same rigid material as the chest. Should be Boot covers begin at the ankle joint and are constructed from a leather or leatherette material. See material notes from Rebels Artist Chris Glenn for reference; http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/starwarsrebels/images/5/5f/Seventh_Sister_Concept_Art.jpeg

Good evening, I have been asked to weigh in on the topic of the Seventh Sister’s upper breastplate. A breastplate by definition is armour. And a breastplate is the term that the Clone Wars artists use in defining the this part of her costume in their official reference for the character; Breastplate is C5 Material (refers to rendering material properties) Then we have the approved example Disney had commissioned; (Please note the red lining of the jacket.) Then there is the argument that because in the animation the breastplate conforms to the body movement it is meant to be fabric. Movement is an artifact of the animation style. For instance, I take the Clone Wars trooper abdomen piece in this example to be rigid, even though this image shows it flexing with the pose; And this arc trooper’s kama to be fabric, even though it behaves rigidly here; A CRL for the Seventh Sister has been created and approved for the 501st. As with all CRL entries this is a work in progress. Indefinitely. That goes to say there is room for improvement. Also CRL entry is a communal project. That is to say input from Detachment membership, hopefuls, staff, and others within the Legion and in some cases outside the 501st may contribute to initial completion and revision. I argue that a Costume Reference Library entry is NOT a Costume Requirement List. I bring this point up because it is still necessary to research a costume while making it. It is still necessary for a GML, a DL or an LMO to do their own research before approving a costume. We don’t know it all. And there is always more to see. I congratulate both Maya and The Flagship Eclipse on bringing this costume to the 501st Legion. I look forward to seeing others in the Legion in the Future. Together I hope we can provide standards to make these costumes the best that they can be.

Good evening, I believe you have covered all of the points of this costume well, and I welcome you aboard. She is not a common costume in our ranks, but well appreciated. To 501st Members with approved costumes covered by The Flagship Eclipse Expanded Universe Detachment; If you are interested in inclusion in TFE Members gallery, please e-mail me(thecloneemperor@gmail.com) with the following; 1. Great picture of your costume. The portrait should be posed, show off your costume well, be of good photo quality and around 2000 px tall. (Portrait style, Ideally from the knees up with you alone in the photo) 2. A second photo of you this tyme in street clothes/daily wear in your normal environment. Again this should be of good photo quality and around 2000 px tall. (Portrait style, Ideally from the knees up with you alone in the photo) 3. Your name. If we are friends on FB I will also tag you. 4. A link to your 501st membership profile page. 5. Your garrison/outpost Please visit our gallery for an idea of the images sought; TFE Membership Gallery of FB

Good evening, There is sophistication in Darth Malgus’s love interest’s Lekku colouration. Perhaps pattern is not the right word. Might be easier to understand under the term molted; I encourage interested costumers to seek the highest resolution references possible. To view CRL’s and other approved costumes as guides, but not necessarily the final word. Be well, Thomas

You will notice too that the model for Visas has a seam in her hood detailing the forehead, with a stiffener not unlike the construction of Darth Nihilus. The comic, Unseen Unheard does not actually have this; The option of the Unseen Unheard Visas was to allow for the open sleeves that Visas was first designed with. For the purpose of modeling and cloth movement the game version has tucked in sleeves. I was going to recommend a revision to your hood, but I see both options as valid. (I think the seam delineating the forehead makes a more imposing look.) Be well, Thomas

Our Lady of the SIth, dear Detachment Leader Pam Simpson. I am proud to name Pam as one of my first costuming heroines. 1. Please do not forget the sash. 2. The zipper might be placed on the side for better concealment and ease of dressing oneself. 3. I would also suggest more fabric in the dress for a more dramatic flow. I appreciate your drive to fit the top better. These points above are in the pursuit of perfection. Something we seek naturally. Your level of skill and craftsmanship already is something to be lauded. Excellent work. Keep us updated. And welcome aboard.

This is a custom build by Julian Checkley. He is very approachable but very busy. (Making a full sized Grummgar costume for Celebration Europe III) I would encourage you to sculpt horns to fit a cast of your bald head, mold in silicone (Mold Star 20T or longer cure tyme) and cast with Smooth Cast 320 (five minute pot life.) You might roto cast by hand to make the horns hollow. It does take some skill, but these horns are a great first project. Welcome aboard and thank you for your interest.

Good evening, It is good to see you trading techniques with examples and images. It is the very purpose of a 501st Detachment. For keeping one’s top, there is dressing tape; Another possibility from metallics is Rub'N Buff. You can get many different colours by ordering online and apply by finger and palm. Welcome aboard and be well

Good evening, The “Admins” are Michael Capell (IonicDesign) and Michael Harshbarger (DarthBrute.) We are adding Nina Marley (DarthValkyria). I do not administer forum membership I do however review Detachment Membership for the 501st Legion Database. (This allows you to vote.) Currently, the one way all members can check their Detachment Membership in the Legion database is to go to http://www.501st.com/forum/ , log in and access their membership data panel; Membership DB > Your Profile Data > Your Unit Affiliation (see photo) You should see The Flagship Eclipse under Your Unit Affiliation. If you do not, choose Edit to add TFE to your Legion Profile. TFE 2016 XO Dawn Bright or myself will in turn, approve your membership. TFE Detachment members on Facebook can also request invitation from other TFE friends on FB to join The Flagship Eclipse Communications Tower; This is for TFE Detachment members who want to communicate at the speed of Facebook.

I may fly in for this. Joliet Library’s Star Wars Day 2015

Good evening and welcome aboard, The very first thing I will suggest is never let the absence of a CRL for the character you love pause you in the slightest from making your costume. There is a thoughtless bit of bureaucracy impeding the full membership of rightly approved costumes. Even with the undo extra requirements for an approved new character to make their own CRL entry, this can be overcome. No one should have to, but it can be done. Alternatively, you could make your costume Asajj or otherwise and simply troop along side your partner at most costume events. Usually non members are not invited to troop at official 501st events, but if I were your local GCO and you had a good costume I would make an exception. Now on to your question; There exists adequate reference for an approvable Hooded version for both original and extra Jarec facial tattoos Ventress. When we are first introduced to Juno Eclipse--later renamed Asajj Ventres--she is hooded. In all versions of her tale. Be it Concept, the original Tartakovsky Clone Wars, Dark Horse Comics, or the retrofit Filoni Clone Wars. So if Asajj, your hair, and the 501st together are your passion, there is a hood in your Future.

This might be one costume for whose construction I would recommend leather. Leather would tool well and is a nice match for the reference. Character creator Jan Duursema seems to draw from similar constructions in her armour. Here we find Jan standing with Doug Wangler. He has been Jan’s model for Quinlan Vos for many years. She made the costume he is wearing from leather.

Yours is a wonderful sculpt for the face mask. Bully on you.

Good evening and welcome aboard, For this character I know of two separate designs. There is the KOTOR and TFU playable character skin. ¿Which version of Darth Sion are you working on? ¿And what material are you planning on making the mask in? Be well, Thomas

Welcome Eric, It has been a busy tyme for us in The Flagship Eclipse. But we have been working to help with CRL and costume review. What I would like from you is a review and move to change the current operating protocol regarding New to The Legion Costumes; New to the Legion Costumes As the Star Wars universe grows, so does the 501st Legion's Costume Reference Library. For a new to the Legion costume to be added to our database, it must meet the following criteria: Be confirmed as acceptable for inclusion in the 501st by the Legion Membership Officer. Have at least one completed costume, approved by the Garrison Membership Liaison, Detachment Leader and Legion Membership Officer. Have a completed CRL entry as described above. This policy applies to new CRL entries, starting 12 January 2016 1:07pm GMT. Costumes with an incomplete CRL entry that were included in the Costume Reference Library prior to this date require Legion Membership Officer and Detachment Leader review. As a 501st Legionnaire since 2002, as a Legion Membership Officer, and as the person who created and the first CRL set, I find this last provision (the requirement to have CRL before accepting an approved costume in the database/allowing thus granting full membership to those who earned it) to be an atrocity. A most poorly considered one at that. I am angry that this was even considered before being rubber stamped into our operational protocol. I am willing to help process images, review, edit, and even write CRL’s and there are others willing to help with much more. But to make this additional step a requirement is perhaps the most sinister and irresponsible piece of legislation I have ever witnessed in the 501st Legion. I get it, it was discussed. And voted on. By folk that could NEVER POSSIBLY BE AFFECTED by the outcome. Those who could be number less than the number of characters currently in the Legion roster. I do not discount the work someone puts in to make a kit costume. I respect other costumers who buy their suits whole and complete. There is even something to be said for those who make a costume from scratch with hopes of sharing/selling for profit to others. But folk that make new to the Legion costumes work hard. Damn hard. They should not have to languish waiting for the man power to make a CRL. They may be honoured to participate, but they must not be forced to do so in order to appear on the Legion roster. The Costume Reference Library is a guide. A guide that we review and update to the best of our knowledge. But it is only a guide and will not replace using our heads when reviewing other costumes. It is not right that someone can buy a complete costume and be approved the same day while the person who spends a year or more sculpting, sewing and perfecting a character with little reference and very possibly no practical model should be denied full approval. Thank you for your consideration, Thomas Spanos

Good evening and welcome, I invite you to participate in our member gallery on FB; see TFE Members Gallery Example Please read the following carefully. It takes on average four hours to process one image. Half of that tyme is spend trying to get pictures that meet the minimum requirements for use. 501st Members with approved costumes covered by The Flagship Eclipse Expanded Universe Detachment; If you are interested in inclusion in TFE Members gallery, please e-mail me (thecloneemperor@gmail.com) with the following; 1. Great picture of your costume. The portrait should be posed, show off your costume well, be of good photo quality and around 2000 px tall. (Portrait style, Ideally from the knees up with you alone in the photo) 2. A second photo of you this tyme in street clothes/daily wear in your normal environment. Again this should be of good photo quality and around 2000 px tall. (Portrait style, Ideally from the knees up with you alone in the photo) 3. Your name. If we are friends on FB I will also tag you. 4. A link to your 501st membership profile page. 5. Your garrison/outpost Please look through the gallery for an idea of the kind of photos we are looking for. And have fun selecting your candid shot. The personal shots add a lot to gallery. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.549608368409797.1073741831.538124892891478&type=1&l=1c5c1fa848 I hope to see you there.

There’s the fighting spirit I have come to value in a Human Replica Droid.

Just a word of encouragement, everyone has a starting place and this hobby is all about evolution. Here is an example from my friend David Carpenter’s Guyver evolution. See his amazing work today at Bioweapons.com