Daritha's Starkiller [Finished!]

[Guest Daritha]

Since I've mentioned I'm working on my own Starkiller I never posted any pictures of "him". I'm still discussing with other German users in a thread of the German-Garrison forum but I want other opinions too.

 

From my POV my Starkiller isn't finished yet, to be true I'm thinking that I'm far away from "finished". But look yourself and post your opinions.

(I mention that the pictures are selfmade and so the quality is a little poor. I've made them around 1 am, so there are very few people around I could ask *g*).

 

 

For now:

I'm very unhappy with the "skirt" (don't know the propper English term for it). I don't really like the light brown color and the shape of it (the last point should be very easy to correct with some "scissor policy").

The other thing is the "restraining bolt" on the chest. I have some ideas but hell I don't how to make a good one.

 

I seek the guidance of the High Council of Starkiller Makers!

[Guest Daritha]

Update:

 

I have redone the whole shoulder-armor part of the costume, changed some details with the belts, added some leather stripes that are visible in the apprentice_turnaround file in our Photo Gallery. I've also changed the "hand stripes" (don't know even the German term *g*) and have redone the whole skirt thing.

 

Now I'm waiting for the ordered belt clips and restraining bolt to be shipped. Pictures are following as soon as I'm finished.

[Guest Daritha]

The paint dried so I could arrange the leather stripes and everything I've got so far for the chest armor (must add some details on the armor and still waiting for the restraining bolt). Here are the pics:

 

 

I've also improved my "belt collection". Here the latest pics:

 

 

Mention: In fact of the powerful lightning of my camera the colors of the clothes are brighter than usual in daylight.

[Guest Daritha]

My restraining bolt finally arrived! Yehaw! It finally happened. The last piece.

 

Here are some pictures of the bolt and my newly made gauntlet.

 

The paper gauntlet:

The plastic gauntlet:

The painted plastic gauntlet:

The restraining bolt (MY restraining bolt *g*):

[Guest Daritha]

Yesterday I started my first serious run for membership. My father and I made roughly 120 photos but nearly half a dozen where showable. Am I such choosy? *g*

 

Here are some of the photos:

 

[Guest Daritha]

As quick as a thought comes the disapproval from my local GML. I can understand many of the points he listed but: The armor is too thin? Is this really a cause? Since I've never heard of a discussion about the thickness of the armor parts I don't really buy this. However, the German Garrison is present in trouble a lot. Don't know if I even want to be in when everyone is not so going well with everyone.

 

However, from my POV the costume is "finished" (I know, this is not a word known by costumers ^^). Any suggestions or opinions on it?

[The Clone Emperor]

Good morning,

 

Your GML, Thorsten, turned to me for pointers on the review of this suit, the same day you declared your suit was finished here. I am the volunteer Legion Membership Officer. While I consult Pam on difficult reviews, final word on EU costumes ultimately filters through me. It is not always a fun position to man. Neither is GML, nor DL. Please do not be aggravated with the messengers.

 

Here is the lettre I sent in response to Thorsten's inquerry on your behalf;

I have been watching this individual's progress on the Flagship Eclipse. I was surprised to see he was submitting for membership already.

 

I am questioning the choice of black for this suit to start.

 

The top, as I wrote on the recent Mexican applicant's review for this exact same costume, need to be a cross-over shirt, similar to Anakin skywalker's.

 

I believe the top and pant should both be the same dark brown fabric as Anakin's, but that point is still debatable. The first approved applicant for this costume was dark brown.

DZ 6489's Starkiller

 

My chief concern is the clavicle armour which appears to be a single layer of polyrigid foam core. It falls short a full match for the supplied references;

The collar and thickness of the piece will need to be addressed.

 

I do think the suit is otherwise close. I would encourage the applicant to build up and better match the clavicle/neck armour. When doing so consider sculptural the form of accepted Boushh armour in the Legion. The top will need to match the karate gi cut shown in the examples. I would recommend using a more textured dark brown fabric for this and the trousers--but I will be looking into the possibility of the fabric being black. (I think this might be the same problem we had with Anakin's costume where folk assumed it was black but in fact was all shades of dark brown.

Perhaps it would help to know that of the last three TIE Factory Outfit Secret Apprentices, one was approved;

 

A fine example of a Legion Boushh;

 

Lastly, I never disapprove a costume. This is important. I defer some costumes for upgrade to meet the mean Legion standard.

 

I know there is some quibbling going on in the German Garrison. Quite common actually for a garrison of the GG's size. In the end that need not effect you. You become a member of The 501st Legion, first and foremost, and then a Garrison and then a Squad. Full Detachment Membership is outside of that.

 

I hope you consider this challenge and continue. Let's see who finishes their suit first, yours or my IK.

 

Be well,

Thomas

[Guest Daritha]

Ups, did I sound that displeased? Wasn't meant to be.

 

Since I never was in a similar position I could it only imagine it but I'm sure that your job - despite the fact that voluntary work fits better - is difficult enough. I don't want to lower your efforts through my grumbling or make it more difficult. It was a hard time the last weeks and everyone was pulling at me for some demands. That stresses the nerves sometimes. But that's no excuse.

I appreciate the quick response and your explanation here a lot and will work on the costume and improve the noted parts ... after my summer vacation. Auf in den Urlaub.

[Guest Daritha]

I'd worked on the armor and the shirt. I hope that it will work now. The armor is thicker (by the way: it was one line of plastic, not polyrigid foam core) and the shirt is now a cross-over.

The first line is with flash, the second without.

 

 

PS: Everything is a little bit dearranged. I must correct the stripes and the clips to fit better again. But for judging the thickness etc. it's obsolete now.

[Guest Daritha]

I'd worked on the clavicle armor and the shirt. Here are some of the pictures my Dad taken on weekend. From my POV they're a little bit bright, the belts are not fitting good, my heck looks broad, I have a cheesy face, the sun was too bright and the moon was in the wrong house that day ... but that's not really essential in judging the costume. *g*

What do you (yes, you! Yo, who read this) think about the thickness of the armor?

 

[Koda Vonnor]

...What do you (yes, you! Yo, who read this) think about the thickness of the armor?...

As you ask the question...

 

Looking at the reference photo below...

 

 

It appears to me that the armor is about 6mm thick at the bottom edges, tapering to about 9-10mm at the top of the shoulders. To recreate a tapered thickness, it would almost be necessary to do a build-up of some sort (bondo on pvc sintra?), or a soft sculpt using a hard bust of your own shoulders as a form, then take a plaster mold and cast a fiberglass hard-model that can be back-filled to the proper thickness.

 

Having done the latter for Rahm Kota's shoulder bells, I would go that route if I were attempting this costume. It would also render a smoothly curved surface on the finished piece.

 

~ Bill C.

[Guest Daritha]

I will not sound stingy but this reads expensive. Or am I wrong? *just a trainee with little income ... esp. in the holiday season ^^*

[Guest Daritha]

Since I've got a bit time I edited some of my Starkiller shots and uploaded a new album with some rendered pics (link here). Contact me if you need a active lightsaber on a pic.

 

During the work, I stumbled over a funny shot. I suppose "Do you want see my Force Speed?" or "Starkiller - coffein addicted" are good titles. ^^

 

 

However: Since the wraps around the boots are easily getting loose I plan to attach strong magnetic stripes on the inside of the boot and the wraps. Let's see if this will work.

[Guest Daritha]

Don't do everything that works with Luke Skywalker. A fellow from the Rebel Legion had done the magnetic stripes thing for his Episode VI Luke but it didn't work with my boots. They are too thick and the magnets are too weak.

My father suggested then hook-and-loop fasteners which are working marvelous. Why I must always seek the more different path? <.<

 

I hope to post some time near a little walkthrough from first scratch to now. Let's see if I can remember everything from the past one and half years. ^^

[Guest Anonymous]

I sent you a PM but the answer may help some of the rest of us. Are the side release buckles actually holding the belt together, and if so are they attached to the belt, the faux leather, or both? If you have some pictures of the belts I would really appreciate to see them. Also, are your belts adjustable?

[Guest Daritha]

Therefor, I will answer in public too. ^^ As I said earlier I used cheap belts (like from Walmart etc.), trimmed and cut them, and glued thin artificial leather over it.

Then, to come back to your question, I inserted the belts trough the loops of the buckles and glued the belts together in the back (with a very strong hot adhesive). So, all the buckles in the back are usable, the ones in the front are just for show. No one of the belts ist adjustable (therefor I shouldn't gain much weight ^^).

 

How the belts ar attached in detail (as seen on the pics beneath): The first belt from the top has a release buckle in the back. The second one also but it is hidden beneath the silver-metallic button-thingy. The third: same as for the first. The fourth one has a hidden release buckle in the front (the buckle is normaly hidden by the diagonal belt). The small fifth one has two side release buckles - and both are usable. The sixth, diagonal, belt has no buckle. I strap it on over the head.

 

 

For detailed shots look at my deviantART gallery (link).

[Guest Daritha]

As some might recon, Jedi-Con, Germany's greatest SW Convention, was held at the beginning of the month. I've got the chance to dress as Starkiller for the first time at a Con. It was marvelous!

And, of course, there are photos of Star - taken by people more professional than your father with his first digital camera:

 

Starkiller: Rise my apprentice.

That on was taken at the entrance to the Death Star Room, the main room during Con. I still can't tell why the suit is shining blue ... maybe some light mirroring? I don't know. There, I wore Starkiller for the first time. It was great! Not only people made photos, but little children wanted me to sign autographs! *squee*

 

 

Starkiller: Battle "damaged"

This photo was taken during the last day of the Con by Birgit (ID-2563) of German Garrison. My kind regards to her! There are more pictures but she's busy right now and I don't want to push her. I din't wear my bloodstains anymore since it was the last day I was about to get home. Unfortunately, the wraps at my left leg were getting loose and the pockets were bulging. We didn't recognize it during the shoot. Bad. :/

 

 

Starkiller: "You can't look evil, Chris!"

This one's a shot taken from the local section of a newspaper in Düsseldorf. It was taken during the costume contest where I made the 3rd place (solo with performance)! But I admit: We were just three participants in that category. I was with Thomas as Darth Bane and Ian from UK as General Kenobi. In that light, I would have doubts in the sanity of the judges if I made a higher place than only one of these two great guys! =)

Also, I heard of my friends that I can not look evil. Yeah, I'm a friendly guy. That's my problem.

 

 

Starkiller: Kill the Star

Yeah, that's a bit of a misunderstanding. She's a good friend of mine and I might said something which she interpreted might be about her weight. ... No, we were just kidding around. It was an ad hoc shot and a very funny one. Somewhere, there's a shot where I look the same and she don't strangle me anymore.

 

[Twi'lek Pam]

Awesome photos! (And the captions were great, too. You made me laugh a couple times there. Good therapy!)

 

Pam

[Guest Daritha]

I was drag into fanart. ^^ I had a nice project in mind about Starkiller. That's the result for the first The Force Unleashed. More follows:

 

[Guest Anonymous]

wow wonderfull work.

can i use your photo for help me for the making of the belts

[Guest Daritha]

Although I'm not an official source ... I'd be honored. So yes, no problem with me. ^^

[Guest Daritha]

A friend of mine from the Rebel Legion posted me a link. My Starkiller costume was used on toplessrobot.com in a list of "The 15 hottest nerd costumes for guys". I'm #14. *g*

 

Here's the link: http://www.toplessrobot.com/2010/10/the ... r_guys.php

[Guest Daritha]

Some time ago, I finally get some of the old pictures taken back in Apri, 2010. I just want to share them:

 

 

NOTE: Unfortunately, the wrap around one of my legs was loose at the time and we didn't noticed it. Also, I didn't apllied my special effects make-up 'cause it was the last day of the Con.

[Guest Anonymous]

You have an amazing Starkiller, Christian. Absolutely amazing!