Custom figures of Star Wars characters were among the first groups to get written on my to-do list and Darth Vader was numero uno.
The planning phase to build Lord Vader began when Paul "Laser Mego" Wasson first introduced his Pez head adapters. After installing the adapter on a Darth Vader Pez head I used Magic Sculpt to sculpt the rest of Vader's helmet, then I made a mold and some resin casts of the head.
That was about as far as I got as I was still figuring out how to make his armor, belt components and chest box as well as figure out how I was going to duplicate the stitch pattern of his body suit. Prior to Mego Meet last year, my old boss got a laser etching machine and he showed me some pictures of how he was using it to make custom leather wallets for people. Inspiration struck as I gave him a few swatches of pleather fabric and asked him to etch a parallel line pattern into them to simulate that stitch pattern. After some tweaks to the line size and spacing we found the right combination and I had my fabric to make his bodysuit with. All that was left to do was figure out how to make the armor, chest and belt boxes.
Prior to the recent holiday season I picked up a beater Applause Darth Vader figure from eBay and bought some materials to make press molds with. I was off during the week between the holidays and spent my time cutting the armor pieces, belt components and chest box out of the Applause figure and making press molds of them. When the molds had cured I poured resin castings of all of the parts and with all of the key components of the figure complete I just had to put it all together.
So, without further ado, my take on Sith Lord Darth Vader...
DARTH VADER:
HEAD - My cast of a modified Darth Vader Pez Head featuring a Laser Mego Pez head adapter with my paints.
BODY - Doc Mego Swivel Bicep
BODYSUIT - Faux texturing of the fabric by Steve Rauscher from Classic Laser Engraving. Tailored and sewn by me.
ROBE - Tailored by me, sewn by my wife.
CAPE, BOOTS, BELT & HERO GLOVE HANDS- CTVT
ARMOR PIECES, CHEST BOX, & BELT COMPONENTS - My casts of these parts from Applause Darth Vader figure with my paints.
LIGHTSABER - Laser Mego
BOX - Designed and assembled by me.
As always I thank you all for stopping by and giving him a look.
Enjoy!
John
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The planning phase to build Lord Vader began when Paul "Laser Mego" Wasson first introduced his Pez head adapters. After installing the adapter on a Darth Vader Pez head I used Magic Sculpt to sculpt the rest of Vader's helmet, then I made a mold and some resin casts of the head.
That was about as far as I got as I was still figuring out how to make his armor, belt components and chest box as well as figure out how I was going to duplicate the stitch pattern of his body suit. Prior to Mego Meet last year, my old boss got a laser etching machine and he showed me some pictures of how he was using it to make custom leather wallets for people. Inspiration struck as I gave him a few swatches of pleather fabric and asked him to etch a parallel line pattern into them to simulate that stitch pattern. After some tweaks to the line size and spacing we found the right combination and I had my fabric to make his bodysuit with. All that was left to do was figure out how to make the armor, chest and belt boxes.
Prior to the recent holiday season I picked up a beater Applause Darth Vader figure from eBay and bought some materials to make press molds with. I was off during the week between the holidays and spent my time cutting the armor pieces, belt components and chest box out of the Applause figure and making press molds of them. When the molds had cured I poured resin castings of all of the parts and with all of the key components of the figure complete I just had to put it all together.
So, without further ado, my take on Sith Lord Darth Vader...
DARTH VADER:
HEAD - My cast of a modified Darth Vader Pez Head featuring a Laser Mego Pez head adapter with my paints.
BODY - Doc Mego Swivel Bicep
BODYSUIT - Faux texturing of the fabric by Steve Rauscher from Classic Laser Engraving. Tailored and sewn by me.
ROBE - Tailored by me, sewn by my wife.
CAPE, BOOTS, BELT & HERO GLOVE HANDS- CTVT
ARMOR PIECES, CHEST BOX, & BELT COMPONENTS - My casts of these parts from Applause Darth Vader figure with my paints.
LIGHTSABER - Laser Mego
BOX - Designed and assembled by me.
As always I thank you all for stopping by and giving him a look.
Enjoy!
John
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
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