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Approved: Darth Talon


darth_ana

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Okay, so I'm SUPER nervous to share my progress here. This has been a huge learning experience for me, and I've already redone the pieces a couple of times to get them where they are now. So, I'd like to share my progress pictures so far. I honestly don't know why I'm so dang nervous, probably because I'm a perfectionist and no where near as skilled as some of you amazing ladies.

 

At the time, I couldn't afford metal armor so I went with Worbla I've made to look metallic. I realize now the aggregate cost is up to as much as it would have been just to buy it! XD Oh well!

As a note, it might seem like I'm spamming for a bit, as I'm going ot group each part of the costume in a separate reply to this post. I've been working up the courage to post my progress since I joined up the forum, so there's a lot I've been holding in.

 

All Parts Complete

 

Parts I want to Upgrade:

  • Head Armor (just need to pay for it, as I've lined up a comission)
  • Hand Armor Strips
  • Gloves (out of a faux leather similar to my boot covers)
  • Need to finish new saber sculpt with light

 

Okay so this first pic is the Lekku progress

 

post-1752-0-50943400-1467512821_thumb.jpg

 

This is the head armor part I'm working on for the Lekku. It's very unfinished. I haven't trimmed or sanded it yet, and it can still be molded and sculpted at this point before I get to the work of priming and painting it.

 

post-1752-0-83996100-1467513305_thumb.jpg

 

 

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Ok! So now for the bikini top.

 

I've had two kids and lost like 40lbs over the last year and a half, so Darth Talon is kind of my motivation to keep going. I'm a weight lifter, so I'm feeling more confident but still really shy about posting these. Be gentle!

 

This is the bikini top before I did the touch ups (white areas are covered, and I'm reinforcing stitching atm):

 

post-1752-0-69053200-1467513575_thumb.jpg

 

Here is the back after the touch ups:

 

bikini%202_zpstq7wokhf.jpg

 

Here it is on from the front:

 

bra%20top_zps7n1zq1wh.jpg

 

bra%20top%202_zpsfgc04ean.jpg

 

Here is the back before I finished the sewing bits:

 

back_zps5vdoa7no.jpg

 

The next post will show my armor progress.

 

 

 

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Now for the armor. I'm nervous about this partly because I don't want to have flubbed badly. XD I'm being a huge baby about this, I think! haha  I do think the leg armor could be a little more metallic, which wouldn't be hard to do. I've left it as is while I think about it. The armor still needs the straps so I can wear it.

 

27971902491_27382e2c90.jpg

 

27947088072_a9652a23fc.jpg

 

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The belt is my baby. I'm really proud of how it turned out, and it's nice and sturdy and will be able to hold my lightsaber. There is a buckle on the belt that will be hidden with the lightsaber hilt.

 

Front of Belt (could be shinier?):

 

27971904471_5a6f4fa66c.jpg

 

Back:

 

27435480814_7f792056a3.jpg

 

On, but without the straps hanging down:

 

27971905681_c24ed5ccd1.jpg

 

That's pretty much it for now.

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I love your progress so far! Surely, it is intimidating sharing your work online for the whole world to see but you know what? The rest of us are in the same boat! So you're essentially among nerd-family :) I've worked with Worbla a lot - it can be very fun! Hope you're liking the material so far! Just be careful when sanding it -- as you now know, Worbla activates when it reaches a certain temperature so when sanding just make sure to work slowly and carefully :)

 

As for the rest of your work ...

 

Lekkus: the paint job on your lekkus are fantastic! Very clean work!

 

Bikini Top: I'm always curious how people keep these on?! What's your secret!! And my current project of Cad Bane keeps me gym motivated too :D wizard to motivation!! 

 

Belt: always good to have a sturdy belt! 

 

Bracers: the bracers look pretty metallic to me! Are these Worbla as well? For sharing sake, if you were curious about what others might have used, I personally love using Rust-Olleum: Metallic Accents. Applied with dry-brushing for weathering!! 

 

bracers_zpsxfccgv2l.jpg

 

In total: Although I'm not a Darth Talon expert, I think you're doing a fine job :) keep at it and don't be afraid to continue trying new things and expanding your horizons!! 

Edited by NightShine
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Hi! Thanks for your response already. You guys are seriously the best group of people I've ever encountered.

 

"Lekkus: the paint job on your lekkus are fantastic! Very clean work!"
Thank you so much! I've been pretty nitpicky over them, so I'm glad it's showing.

 

"Bikini Top: I'm always curious how people keep these on?! What's your secret!! And my current project of Cad Bane keeps me gym motivated too :D wizard to motivation!!"

My secret: one of those sticky bras XD I glued one of them inside a padded strapless bra. After I came up with that, I found a tutorial doing the same, so I think that's how we ladies are defying gravity.

 

"Bracers: the bracers look pretty metallic to me! Are these Worbla as well? For sharing sake, if you were curious about what others might have used, I personally love using Rust-Olleum: Metallic Accents. Applied with dry-brushing for weathering!!"

Yup! Completely worbla! This is my first time working with it, and I've learned so much. I'm excited to try playing with it more. I've used two different shades of spray paint and a chrome spray paint. I then used my airbrush to apply a black-ish silver mix to darken the chrome up a bit. They're sealed with a polyurethane spray. Sadly I noticed a few chipped spots already dang it, but I should be able to fix them up pretty easy with my airbrush.

Thank  you for the feedback so far. It's made me a lot more confident. <3

Edit: Those bracers are fabulous. I'm going to try dry brushing so more, to see if I can get something close to that. It's fantastic!

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lmao secret to defying gravity; now I know! I give you much credit on that as I could never pull that off -- I'd be WAY too nervous wearing something like that!! But I suppose once one loves a character they will conquer just about anything :)

 

First time with Worbla, eh?! Exciting! I remember my first time working with Worbla haha it was interesting to say the least, but with much practice one can get good at anything!

 

Oooh you have an air brush - so jelly!! That's on my list of things to buy when I have enough money /cries As for repairs on your armor, that will naturally happen a lot! Just as long as it's not abnormally a lot haha

 

Glad my feedback gave you a little more confidence; you deserve it! Ty as well for the compliment on the bracers - dry brushing is a weathering technique done by hand that can actually be applied much faster with your air brush! Since I don't have such a nice toy I can't give tips on that but I do know that Kamui Cosplay just came out with a new "Advanced Painting" tutorial book ($5 online e-book --- love my senpai! She taught me how to costume lol) and I think she goes into more detail about that. Her original painting tutorial book covered normal (by hand) dry brushing (if you were curious!! https://www.kamuicosplay.com/tutorial-books/ )

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Thanks! I'll check out that book. I've done a little dry brushing on Warhammer minis, but I'm not very good at it. My airbrush is probably my favorite thing I've ever bought- I don't know how I'd function without it. I've had the same brush for nearly 5 years now. I've burnt out a compressor before this brush, haha. She's done me proud.

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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;
71mLSzxAlwL._SX522_.jpg

Another possibility from metallics is Rub'N Buff. You can get many different colours by ordering online and apply by finger and palm.
11351200_10153464372454623_5694424234843

Welcome aboard and be well

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Dude that Rub n Buff looks cool!! Now I'm adding that to my 'try' list along with the airbrush!! Hm, maybe if I rob a bank I'll get enough money to buy all of the stuff and thangs lol

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I hit some snags with the Lekku. I had to get all the paint off which took two days of scrubbing. Tried ink for the first time on latex. Apparently, it takes a lot more ink to paint latex than it does skin (thanks to Pam for explaining this so I didn't die of a heart attack over how much I used). Clearly, I need practice with the ink. I still have some spots where it's not perfect, and it's irritating me greatly. BUT They're done, except for adding the velcro to hold on the head armor. Basically, at this point I just need to do some small touch ups/weathering on the armor and work out the kinks in the body paint, and then I think I'm ready to submit. All components of the costume are as complete as I can handle right now (I feel like I'm just letting my inner perfectionist find things to pick at to avoid submitting haha).

 

I ended up making thigh high boot covers that actually look surprisingly good, far better than I thought I'd be able to do. So anyway, here are the newly painted lekku.

 

28267050821_c0b8d92128.jpg

 

28311691336_766720097b.jpg

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Having tattoo issues, sadly. My method didn't work for who knows what reason. I'm looking into mylar stencils atm. the local laser cutting place says they can do it, but I have to provide the mylar, which I have no idea how to find or what thickness to use. Anyone have any ideas?

 

In the meantime, whilst contemplating ragequitting, I got my Sith contact lenses in, practiced more with the facial tattoos, and worked on my lightsaber!

 

Practice #4 on make up/contacts:

28656305615_c02e431ff5.jpg

 

And the saber so far. You can't see the crystal in these pics, sadly, but it's there! This saber won't hold electronics because I'm a goof and bought the wrong blade holder- it didn't fit the pipe, so I just kept sculpting and decided to go with just a prop. I still need to do some detailing, but everything needs to cure a bit more (the epoxy wasn't completely dry in places where it was super thick, apparently, so hopefully that doesn't mess everything up).

 

28700440486_c76690346d_c.jpg

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Talon is one of the most daunting characters to do, and I admire anyone who even attempts to do the build. The amount of paint alone is mind boggling. Not sure about mylar, but I know several Mauls who had their heads cast and a template made for the facial tattoos for decreased application time and increased cleanliness of the tattoo lines. I'm sure a cast could be made in the same way with the tchun tchin sitting on your head for the proper shape if you wanted to go that route, though the process might be better researched either by checking out the Maul section of SLD or finding existing approved Talons through the 501st member gallery and contacting them or contacting ones posted on the TFE Facebook page in the member spotlight photos.

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I'll definitely pay a visit to the Maul section. My methods have all come from approved Talons, including one from the gal who runs the Twilek Paradise. She painted the tattoos with latex first and then glued them on, however I was unable to get them to come off the plastic. Wasted like four days painting them all just to have that method flop. Weirdest part was it worked when I did a test tattoo on my shoulder and hand, just for some reason not when I went to do the final deal. BUT I keep telling myself just because one suggestion failed doesn't mean another won't work! *trying to be optimistic* I'll probably try the latex method again later when I have more time. I think I know what I did wrong the second time, but I'd really like to get my approval done and then worry about improvements and upgrades a bit after that.

 

I've had the full body cast suggested before, and to be honest I've never cast anything in my life, nor do I know anyone local who could do it. I'll look into it for sure, but I think stencils will be the best choice for now, given my complete lack of experience. I feel like I'd mess it up and waste a lot of supplies.

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Dude that saber is so cool!!!! Also, don't give up lady!! With great costumes comes great hardships - but that's what makes the finished product that much more rewarding:) take it from me! I just spent an entire month on making shoes haha finally solved my issue though! If I can so can you!!

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Hi all! I was approved as Darth Talon finally after a year of work (approved today actually, haha). If anyone has questions or wants more pictures and such, let me know and I'll see what I can do. I can post progress pics as well if anyone thinks they'll be useful.

 

32694772654_1d00538465_z.jpg

 

Flickr with pics:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/amaranthscastaways/albums/72157669928370811

 

 

When I was starting it was hard to find an exact amount of ink posted anywhere, though so many people offered their experiences when I asked. So, I thought I'd post exactly what I use in case others are too shy to ask.

 

It takes 6oz of body ink to do the red from face to knee; for point of reference, I am 5'2" and have an athletic build, so those of you who are curvier or taller may need more ink. A more efficient airbrush set up would reduce the ink, in my estimation, to 4oz. I paint lower than required because the costume can slip and slide a little. I use a Badger Patriot top feed airbrush with a detail nib- it's not the most efficient choice, and I'll be upgrading in a year or so. For ink I prefer Reel Creations alcohol based body ink. For the tattoos, I used stencils with PAX, but I will be upgrading to black body ink for these as well.

 

For my face make up, I used Mehron water based cake in a darker red shade, as well as Mehron liquid black ink for the tattoos.

 

For my saber hilt, I used a sink pipe and sculpted with JB Weld putty and Apoxy brand epoxy putty. This hilt does not have electronics in it, but I am working on one that does atm.

 

Thanks for this forum for help with my progress, and I'm happy to aboard as SL-22031!

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Woohoo!! Congratulations! 

 

Just one comment - Spirit gum may help reduce any movement or slip on the Lekku, but you may still want to paint up higher to avoid the little gap of colour on the forehead diamond tattoo.

 

Upgrading the nip on the airbrush will make a huge different to application time too. Either way - enjoy every paint party you have from here on out! And welcome to the Legion!

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Congrats and welcome! As Yankee said, don't forget to go here and request access to the Detachment member stuff http://www.theflagshipeclipse.com/forums/index.php?/topic/1660-501st-andor-detachment-access-requests/

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Hi everyone and thank you! I use prosthetic adhesive to hold the lekku. They don't slip this way. :) also,Talon has a small red gap between the triangle and the main lekku tattoo in eh reference images I used, but I will double check it just in case I was remembering incorrectly. I do have some issue with the flaps near my ears staying on well, and they had to be reglued a few times during the shoot.

 

Thanks so much for all your feedback. I'm excited to keep improving on this build (I already have plans to upgrade parts I'm unsatisfied with haha)

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