Building Darth Malak

[Koda Vonnor]

Work has begun on my next costume.

 

First to gather an insane amount of reference pix, I got ahold of a KotOR mod that turns your character into Malak. Went out with Carth and found an open area in which to move the camera around. Here's what I came up with. Anyone else researching this costume, help yourself. There are already a great deal more angles and details then previously found from googling.

 

There will be more.

 

Here is a sampling:

 

 

 

My first thoughts are these (in no particular order):

 

- The horizontal rib-folds will have to be put in by layering the fabric, as the ribs are tighter in the torso and legs than in the sleeves.

 

- The jaw-guard has to "float" and not rest on the hard collar, so it needs to be light enough to wear like sunglasses - clamped over the ears.

 

- The breastplate is not right-left symmetrical, and will most likely be cast in some semi-rigid material from a hard master.

 

- Would likely use the same material for the belt.

 

- The costume lends itself nicely to a bald-cap (it will also cover the Rahm Kota goatee). All the gray head-stripes can be painted on the cap. Most of the cap edges will be hidden beneath the jaw-guard. It can be blended into the face-paint at the temples and across the forehead over the eyebrows.

 

- The jaw-guard can be seamed at the sides and held with rare earth magnets or some slide-locking mechanism.

 

I will be tracking this project here, as it fits this community. I will also post updates in the RPF.

 

I plan to complete this for CV, and will keep the "elephant" parts as small as possible.

 

Welcome to another cool ride.

 

~ Vonnor

[ghostred7]

The actual all-angle renders from the game are in the gallery as well (courtesy of Thomas I presume....not sure tho).

 

http://www.theflagshipeclipse.com/galle ... p?album=21

 

Good luck! If it comes out like your Kota...it'll be nothing short of spectacular.

[Koda Vonnor]

WOW! Fantastic!

 

I had not seen those. They will be a big help.

 

~ Vonnor

[DARTH CRANE]

Exelent news koda!!

with your talent im shure it wiil gets you espectacular

i´ll be look on your progress!!

[Twi'lek 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

[Koda Vonnor]

Oh god, I hope not!

 

The plan is to "fabric"ate it from two thin layers. Black cotton rib-knit (t-shirt stuff) against the skin, and a thin orange-red stretch something-or-other loose-sewn in the crinkle pattern to the black with elastic thread.

 

I'm sure the edges of the jawguard will leave their marks though.

 

"General Kota, aren't those scars supposed to be up on your forehead?..."

 

"Shut up."

 

[Guest Anonymous]

"General Kota, aren't those scars supposed to be up on your forehead?..."

 

"Shut up."

 

 

[Koda Vonnor]

What I'm planning is to first make a hard bust of my head and shoulders, then sculpt the collar and base jawguard on that. The base jawguard would be without most of the surface detail, and be in two sections. I would cast a fiberglass hard-model of the sections, and build those up with the detail. I would use sintra or styrene to build up the jaw prongs. and styrene to build up the ridge detail under the ears and around the back.

 

The 3D model frame is seamed at three places around the ears. I'd split the hard model probably along seams 2 & 3 (see below) and have the rear piece be supported by the ears and cover them to past the front edge of lines 1 & 3. The jaw piece would clip over the rear piece at the ears (and over the ears too) and line up flush at seams 2&3.

 

 

Once I have both front & back pieces built up and finish-detailed, I'll make the production molds.

 

Still mostly speculation at this point.

 

~ BC

[ghostred7]

Look forward to cruisin' around w/ you as Malak & myself as Bandon next D*C

 

What are you molding your bust out of....rigid wrap??

[Guest Anonymous]

This is gonna look so cool! I love watching how people conceptualize armor. Amazing.

[MothMonty]

I pretty excited to see what you end up with. But basing on you Kota costume I'm gonna presume that it's gonna kick butt. I retired my malak after figuring that the chin and neck piece were beyond my skill. I look forward to watching your progress

[Guest Anonymous]

If it helps I have my Malak Chin Piece over on my site you are more than welcome to use it for whatever purpose you would like to use it for. I also have the original 3D Model as well if you would like that to help with reference I can upload it as well.

http://pepakuracollection.wikia.com/wik ... _Pep_Files

[Guest Daritha]

That's gonna be very interesting.

 

I'm really looking forward to your project old man. I'm in research for a similar costume - maybe we can take some shoots together some day. Would be nice.

[Guest Anonymous]

Also to let you guys know some other people have built the pep jaw piece from looking and asking people about when they built it, it may not require any scaling but in order to get it on it will need to be cut at lines 1&3 or 2&3 to be it on I would suggest Neodymium magnets in order to get it on and off they are pretty much the strongest magnets you can get. I'm working on the neck part but it will take a little time.

[Guest vodobaas]

HI all , im making Malak aswell

problem tho is the chest armor any hint if its just painted abs(sintra) or is it coated with some fabrik ???.It would be great if you guys could share some pics of your projects, ill to get some pics off my progress in a day or 2.

[Twi'lek Pam]

My interpretation of the chest piece is that it should have an armor surface, not fabric. When you look at the enlarged references, you can clearly see that it has a different (smoother) texture than the clothing behind it, and it looks solid. Remember, for 501st purposes it would need to be a SCULPTED armor piece. Heating up a sheet of sintra would not work, because it won't be able to take those curves. It would need to be sculpted and cast, probably best in fiberglass or a nice lightweight resin such as Featherlite.

 

The jaw in this image is nasty... but the reference shows the difference in the armor/fabric quite well:

 

http://www.theflagshipeclipse.com/galle ... awless.jpg

 

Pam

[Guest vodobaas]

Hi i need coments about my costume is i ready for a aplication or does it need changes.

 

Pleese take a look and give commets

 

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=1902

 

Thanks

[Twi'lek Pam]

Hi,

 

I saw your other post, and it is written down on my To-Do list. I haven't gotten there yet because that one is going to require some research and time that I haven't had yet. Simple questions I can answer quickly and easily, even during breaks at work, but a solid critique for a less familiar costume takes a while. I especially need to research the color, because it seems that Malak should be a bit more on the rusty orange side, rathern than red, but I didn't want to say that until I knew for sure. I'll get there!

 

Pam