For the last 4 years, I have been creating custom action figures for
Yakface.com's Secret Santa event. It's my favorite way to celebrate the holidays since I joined the Star Wars customizing community. The Yakface forums are where I started posting my artwork when I first started making action figures, and where I made my first friendships with my peers.
Dan of the Dead was also an artist who frequently posted there and I loved his work a great deal.
I wasn't sure what characters he had or didn't have in his collection so I figured I'd do a creative build for his gift. Ever since Hasbro cheapened their production standards in their 3 3/4" line, I have been using whatever remaining fodder I had to create characters that were considered cannon, or at least had "Legends" status. It had been ages since I made a character from my own imagination.
Dan of the Dead had a real talent for creative builds himself. and I remember that he admired some of my previous builds. I knew that this was the perfect opportunity for a return to form and make a figure that I had bouncing around my head for a while now.
I knew I wanted to make a Whipid custom, and that Whipids were known for being successful big game hunters. I had a mold of
PeakOB1's narglatch headdress and I knew a cast from it would be the perfect accessory for the build. I also sculpted onto a K'Kruhk head to make some unique facial hair, and created my own hands and feet for the figure. I used the Merumeru figure for my base torso, and by the time I was done, I really loves how the figure turned out.
"WHIPID BIG GAME HUNTER"
created by DARTH DADDY
Elias hasn't been able to keep his hands off the gift we received from Dan of the Dead since we got it in the mail on Monday. I kept noticing him taking breaks every five minutes, picking up the box and gazing at the swoop within as he worked hard at translating the Aurebesh note we received with our gift.
I was extremely excited when I found out the Dan of the Dead was our Secret Santa this year. I was always a huge fan of his work, and I've always wanted one of his customs in Elias' collection. Dan was such a huge influence in my development as an artist. He was one of the more active customizers in the Yakface forums when I was just a beginner, and I definitely looked to him as one of the artists I hoped to emulate as I dove deeper into the practice of making my own action figures.
AUREBESH NOTE
The note we received from Dan of the Dead written in Aurebesh.
TRANSLATION
Greetings Sentient,
And congratulations on your acquisition on your Die Industries Scatterblast Class Swoop. As you know, Die Industries patented dual intake engine gives your swoop unparalleled power, and the Scatterblast's unique over/under engine configuration is certain to turn heads!
Regrettably, recent Imperial regulations prevent us from installing the full advanced weapons upgrade you requested! We have credited your account for the cost of the package and hope you enjoy the complimentary, personal defense weapons upgrade installed in its place! Imperial regulations for the require us clarify that the requested detail paint scheme is to no longer be known as "Rebel Red"! The Imperial Security Bureau has suggested "Compliance Crimeon" as a replacement!
At Die Industries, we understand you have a choice when it comes to purchasing swoops and other high-end performance speeders, and we appreciate the chance to serve your repulsorcraft needs! We'd also like to wish you a Happy Life Day (barring any local Imperial sanctions regulating the observation of said holiday in your particular sector.)
Sincerely,
Faded Datheon (Dan of the Dead)
Chief Engineer
"Die Industries Scatterblast Class Swoop"
created by Faded Datheon aka Dan of the Dead
Click the links below for more of Dan the Dead:
and:
Be sure to check out his blog:
STAR WARS CUSTOMS
FROM PREVIOUS
SECRET SANTA EVENTS
2013
VINTAGE DROID
created by Hyperdrive
2012
YAKFACE.COM SECRET SANTA
CUSTOM ACTION FIGURES
created by CHEWIE
"Abyssin & Vurk Zombies"
created by Darth Daddy
"RODIAN SNOWSPEEDER PILOT"
"Mandalorian"
by Luke Spryalker
2011
SECRET SANTA CUSTOMS
by Darth Phantom
SECRET SANTA CUSTOMS
by Darth Daddy
2010
SECRET SANTA CUSTOMS
by Chewie
"Zombie Jedi"
by Darth Daddy
MERRY CHRISTMAS
&
HAPPY LIFE DAY!
