COTF Darth Nihilus WIP

[Volund Starfire]

Got a couple of shots from an unofficial debut of my costume. I know, I still need a belt, but it is in the works. This troop was just to make sure it could stand up to the wind and standing around all day.

 

One thing that I found was the need for a little more ventilation under the face. I took a short (five minute) break every hour because I was quite literally breathing out of my eye holes. Add to that the face that I ended up emptying a pool of condensation out of the chin every time and it could be called generally uncomfortable.

 

My most notable plus is the scary factor. I put my gliding ability to good use and really freaked some people out. Heck, one of our Tree Dodgers (Scout Troopers) got a little freaked out by me. Apparently, it is very distracting when I tilt my head while looking at them (teehee, guilty pleasures).

 

Oh, and you can see my wife's Visas Marr in the second picture. I think the height difference is a good thing. 6'4" Darth Nihilus for the win!

 

I'll post some better pictures once they are up. We had a professional photographer at the event and she is photoshopping the pics to show off the details rather than make me a big black blob.

 

[Volund Starfire]

It's been a while since my last update, but I am nearer to the completion. I just ordered the belts, the last part I need for the costume. They should all be here by the 1st of October. I am also going to whether it a great deal more than it already is. This guy is going to look scary by the time I am done.

 

The harness for the sound system is still in progress and will actually double for suspenders for the skirt (which are needed a little). I am just using a basic mp3 player with all of the in-game voice sounds on it and a pair of JBL On-Tour speakers. Turned up, along with the mp3 player, and it adds a sufficient creepy value to my costume. Unfortunately, my mp3 player is on my belt and needs to be pushed to play (need to buy one with a PTT feature). If anyone can suggest a good PTT mp3 player with a cord I could snake under my glove, no need for a microphone, I would be grateful.

 

Finally, I have decided to make my own lightsaber. I'll be using a PVC pipe as a base for it with a couple of good fittings to make it as close to what you see below as possible. Including indenting it with a Dremel all the way up with the round marks. The activation button will actually be in the hilt (the red button).

 

The bulbous part will be made with apoxy sculpt. I'll form it as well as possible and then sand it down the rest of the way. After that, I will use rub and buff to silver it.

 

The internals will actually be made from a couple of the new Hasbro saber toys. I'll combine the two into one for a brighter blade and just wire both up to one button. I'll also deactivate the sound from one so it doesn't flicker the blade when the other does. If it is cheaper, I might just ask a friend to see about building me a good set of internals from TCSS for it.

 

 

[Volund Starfire]

Both belts (3" and 1") have shipped along with the chicago screws. It will be soon for me to take my in-depth pics and my pre-entrance pics to know if there is something I need to change.

[Volund Starfire]

Belts are here! I will be building them this weekend and should have some entrance pics for review posted by Monday!

[Volund Starfire]

And it is done… hopefully.

 

Here is a breakdown of what I have accomplished, with a little bit of what I hope to accomplish later in the end. This project is comprised of 22 yards of black raw silk, a nylon belt with side release buckle, a leather tool belt, a leather dress belt, a balaclava, some workout clothing, an old pair of combat boots, a pair of leather fencing gloves, a batting helmet, a piece of scrap sintra that began its life as a Mandalorian ab plate, and an online purchased Nihilus mask.

 

 

 

UNDERSUIT

 

The undersuit is a simple pair of black elastic waist/cuff yoga pants, a black t-shirt, and a pair of my old combat boots from Basic Training. I chose those because the laces are easily concealed and they are tore the frak up/appropriately weathered (I went to Basic in 2001).

 

 

 

LAYER 1

 

 

The first layer includes the inner skirting and the dickey.

 

The inner skirt is three yards long and gathered around a simple 2-inch nylon belt that is secures with a side-release buckle. It is made to floor length when I am in my stocking feet. I weathered the opening edge about three inches in and weathered it up about half a foot. On Halloween, I discovered that I can actually pull all of the bunching to the front for a more flowing look, since the cape covers the back. Oh, and yes, I have walked off about an inch of the material in the front.

 

The dickey is from an old “not-Star Wars” pattern that Simplicity released. You will notice a little discolored area on the front of it. That is where the knot attached from the cowl. The edge is finished with a piece of the same material. It is tied with a piece of folded and sewn raw silk and fits rather well, if I do say so myself. Though, I might try to make it a simple vest in the future, just for comfort’s sake, as I loathe the look and feel of the (as one of my Garrison-mates put it) Sith Bikini top.

 

 

 

LAYER 2

 

 

The second layer includes the inner tunic and outer skirt as well as the gloves.

 

The inner tunic is made from the same pattern set as the dickey. It is a simple doublet made of the raw silk that ties shut with some type of material (I’m not quite sure what it is). It is sleeved with a cotton arm that includes hand stirrups and is filled with a cotton batting. The sleeve actually starts inside the arm hole, to give it the layered look. As with the dickie, the inner shirt is self-edged.

 

The outer skirt is two yards long and the same length as the inner skirt (to the floor in my stocking feet). It is sewn under the inner tunic. The open edge is weathered about six inches in and the bottom is weathered about a foot up.

 

The gloves are a pair of fencing gloves from my SCA days (they’re older than my boots). Those things have seen battle in tourney, and have been both cut and blooded with my own and some of my opponents. I’ve had to sew up a couple of tears on them, which adds to their weathered look a little more than normal. You’ll have to excuse the crease, they have been sitting under a thirty pound chain shirt for the past half decade, so it will take a little bit of time to work it out.

 

 

 

LAYER 3

 

 

The third layer is the over tunic and ascot.

 

This tunic is made with the same pattern as the inner tunic, but this one is longer and not finished along the edges. It has a bit of a cap sleeve built into it to cover the sides of the inner tunic, but not by much. It ties along the waist, so that the tie is hidden by the obi, which gives it the look of coming together in the middle rather than overlapping. The sleeves and inner edge are not weathered, allowing natural weathering rather than man-made. However, the lowered edge is weathered up about nine inches. As with the underskirt, the over tunic will be pulled and gathered forward under the belt to give it more of a flowing look when the cape is worn.

 

The ascot is a simple strip of raw silk. I use it to cover my neck since the balaclava does not conceal all of the skin at the bottom. The ascot is tucked under the dickey. It doesn’t tie or anything, just folds over itself similarly to a neck seal.

 

 

 

LAYER 4

 

 

The fourth layer includes the obi and belt.

 

The obi is from the same Simplicity pattern set as most of the rest of the outfit. It has an interfacing to give it a little stiffness and wraps around the body to tie in the front. Except for the interfacing, it is made entirely of raw silk.

 

The belt is made from a black leather three-inch tool belt, a black leather 1-inch dress belt, and ten black Chicago screws. From the back, you can see how the work belt closes, but that is hidden by my cape when in the full costume.

 

 

 

LAYER 5

 

 

The fifth and final layer includes the mask and cowl.

 

The mask is an internet purchase and rates a 9.8 on the creepiness factor. I have found that I can freak people out by staring at them then tilt my head to the side a little. It is a great deal of fun!

 

The cowl is another story entirely. The top of the head keeps it shape thanks to a cut-down batting helmet and a piece of PVC foam board (sintra) that was a TCW Death Watch abdominal plate in a previous life.

 

As per Pam’s tutorial, the cape is made of three lengths of material. The inner layer is two yards long and sewn in the center. Each side comes around to tie in the knot in the front. The main part of the hood is a third piece that hands down and blends into the rest of the material. Overall, it is floor length with the boots on (plus an inch or three). All of the pieces are weathered up about a foot, with extra holes and danglies. Oh, and the lower edge is also cut rather raggedy and craggy for more of a weathered look.

 

 

 

So, what do you think? Ready for submission?

 

 

 

 

PROJECTS TO COME

 

Sound System

The first project is going to be a sound system. I have a pair of JBL on-tour speakers that I was planning to use with my Vader, but had to sell it before I got them ready. I will be making a suspender system to hold them under the inner tunic with the Nihilus voice recordings set up to a PTT button. That should increase my creepiness factor enough to get a solid Magnitude 10.

 

Lightsaber

Since I can’t find anyone even willing to attempt the double-helix cuts or bulbous look of the lightsaber that I have found, I will be making it myself out of PVC, epoxy sculpt, and rub-and-buff. Depending on costs, I might cannibalize a pair of the new Hasbro Vader sabers to combine into one blade that will be properly bright enough and have the appropriate flash and sound. It’s either that or I’ll get the appropriate items from TCSS.

 

 

Upgrades

As we all know, no costume is ever completely finished. I have a few things that I would like to upgrade on my suit. The dickey will be replaced with a vest, the batting helmet will be replaced with something a little cooler, some of the ties will be replaced to make them look/fit a little better. The usual. The only cool thing is that I won’t have to really modify it as I lose more weight… it will just look baggier, as it should.

[Guest Aysel]

after a few weeks of actually having this done....(and then no internet) he was finally able to get the pics posted. If there are any suggestions on fixing anything (I don't think there should be) kindly direct them to me since I'm the one that made it and he doesn't know how to sew

 

Katie

[Twi'lek Pam]

Looks good to me!

 

Pam

[Atavistic]

That's a good-looking Nihilus. Well done! The obi may be a smidge wide but not enough that anyone other than the most exacting of costumers would notice. The only real "off" I see is the closed tunics... remember, they close right side over left. They're backward in the fully garbed pictures. Close them the other way and I bet this passes easily.

[Guest Aysel]

good eye Atavistic, I didn't even notice that when I was getting him primped for the pictures.

 

Katie

[Volund Starfire]

Okay, it’s been a while since I have done anything with this costume, but I have been tinkering with a few ideas. I haven’t been sitting idle, just trying to get a small business going while also working some of the most screwy hours I ever had (even during Army deployments).

 

So, I am hoping to get the following upgrades done in time for Celebration! From top to bottom, inside to out.

 

Mask

I am planning to purchase a new under mask, paint it, install the eye covers, and call it good. The one I currently have is tighter than Porkins in a cockpit.

 

Neck Seal

To keep my neck from showing, I will be doing a neck seal dickie with a t-shirt material on the inside and raw silk on the outside.

 

Cape

I plan to add buttons to the cape under the knot and to the shoulders to allow it to attach to the harness. The reason for the shoulders is to keep it positioned correctly while I move.

 

Inner Tunic

Creating a full inner tunic, rather than a dickie, with a new set of sleeves attached.

 

Outer Tunic

Removing the sleeves from the outer tunic and adding a cap sleeve to bring it more in line with the illustrations.

 

Skirt

Rather than wearing a pair of sweat pants under it all, I am going to skirt route. Yes, you heard me right, a full skirt under it all.

 

Belt

I'm going to remake my belt with something a little more accurate. Actually dyeing my own belt blanks and making it wrap all the way around.

 

Sound System

My sound system will include a full harness with suspenders for the skirts. The harness will help hold down the cape knot and hold the speakers. An extra-long speaker wire will go down my arm to a palm-mounted mini mp3 player with the Nihilus voice files on it.

 

Lightsaber

I’ll be building this myself out of PVC and epoxy sculpt. It will have TCSS and US parts and run off of a Hasbro sound board.