"Braconnor Bakiska aka Fu Manchu" created by Darth Daddy

Braconnor Bakiska was a male of the Stennes species who lived during the time of the Galactic Civil War. During the year 0 BBY, Bakiska was present in Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina, located in Mos Eisley on the planet Tatooine. Braconnor Bakiska was sitting inside the entrance to the cantina when the former moisture farmer Luke Skywalker and the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi came to the cantina looking for a pilot to take them to the planet Alderaan. During that time, Bakiska sat at a table with the Defel Arleil Schous, the Advozsec Bom Vimdin, the Arconan Hem Dazon, and the Siniteen Pons Limbic. Some fan somewhere came up with the moniker, “Fu Manchu” for this guy, based on his rather unimpressive mustache dangling from his upper lip. 

We sculpted down a Firespeeder Pilot (Battle of Coruscant) action figure from the Saga Collection with a Dremel to remove all of the strapping and reduce the size of the head peg.  After we painted the hood from the Sandstorm Luke Skywalker action figure to recreate the character's wardrobe for this one.  The head is a cast of a sculpt that I was fortunate enough to acquire from a close friend. All we had to do was paint the head to complete the figure.

"Braconnor Bakiska

aka Fu Manchu"

created by Darth Daddy

SKILL LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE

SUPER-ARTICULATED "POE DAMERON" created by Darth Daddy

This was actually a really easy custom to produce.  Once you get past separating the upper torso of The Black Series Finn figure along the seams to free up both the arms, all you have to do is drill the shoulder sockets of The Black Series Cassian Andor figure to accept them.  Switch the jackets, hands, and remove the holster and then paint the pants and boots before laying The Black Series Poe Dameron head on top of the Cassian Andor body.  Oh yeah we also used a Dremel to hard sculpt the flap of the Cassian Andor shirt to make it look like Poe's. After all that was completed, all that was left to do was the neckline a little lower and add a brown wash to the jacket to wrap things up.

SUPER-ARTICULATED

"POE DAMERON"

created by Darth Daddy

RECIPE

Head - The Black Series Poe Dameron
Arms and Jacket - The Black Series Finn
Upper Torso and Legs - The Black Series Cassian Andor

SKILL LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE

"JAWA with PALM LEAF FAN" created by Darth Daddy

It's always fun to add to the Jabba the Hutt display in the Star Wars showroom and this is an embellishment we have been wanting to add for a long time now.  We can't say why it took so long. It was probably because we were always busy working on some other project, but we didn't want to procrastinate any longer. We took an accessory from the Boushh Leia and sculpted a palm leaf out of ProCreate onto the end of it.  After that we just painted it green.  It is a quick and easy custom that can help you really enhance your own Jabba diorama at some point.  We're curious to see if Hasbro ever gives us this version of a Jawa down the line, but with new movie releases coming ever year, it isn't very likely.

"JAWA with PALM LEAF FAN"

created by Darth Daddy

SKILL LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE

"SABINE WREN - IMPERIAL PROPAGANDA/ REBEL GRAFFITI" DIORAMA created by Darth Daddy

So, we never made a diorama before, but we figured there is no better time than the present.  We received some styrofoam sheets as packing material from some recently shipped Christmas gifts and with a little bit of plaster, toothpicks, paint and some duplicate stickers we got from some packs of Star Wars Rebels Topps trading cards, we made a fun diorama that we really love!

We used some glue to attach the styrofoam sheets and reinforced the connection by pushing toothpicks vertically into the wall from underneath the floor. When the glue set, we coated the walls and the floor with a thin coat of plaster.  After we painted what we had beige and did a light wash of brown, we then measured the diorama for the preferred sticker placement. Once the stickers were applied, we painted in the remaining graffiti onto the walls from where they were cut off from the sticker. To make the Rebel symbol match the symbols in the sticker carry onto the wall, we did a color photocopy of the original sticker and cut out the symbol we needed and then glued it into place to finish the piece.

We really like the design because by placing the wall in the center of the floor, you get two dioramas in one; almost a before and after display.

"SABINE WREN - IMPERIAL PROPAGANDA" DIORAMA

created by Darth Daddy

Time to hang some Imperial posters.

Sabine gives the posters her own personal touch.

SKILL LEVEL: ADVANCED

"NED KIERKEGUARD - JABBA's MERCENARY PILOT" created by Darth Daddy

Ned Kierkeguard was employed by Jabba the Hutt. He was a guard on the second skiff during the Battle of the Great Pit of Carkoon in 4 ABY, where he was kicked by Luke Skywalker into the Sarlacc and fell to his death. This guard wore a tan outfit, black helmet and carried a DL-18 Blaster Pistol.

The action figure was produced with the head and body of the Hoth 3-pack AT-ST Driver and the helmet and harness of a G.I. Joe Retaliation Cobra Trooper action figure.  A few modifications were made to the harness and the helmet to improve screen accuracy.

"NED KIERKEGUARD
- JABBA's MERCENARY PILOT" 

created by Darth Daddy

SKILL LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE

"MOSEP BINNEED - JABBA's PALACE" created by Darth Daddy

We were really happy when Hasbro released Mosep Binneed in his Cantina outfit.  Releasing that figure gave Star Wars customizers a body and head for Tawss Khaa, and parts to create Mosep in Return of the Jedi. With an extra head we could create Mosep as he appears in Jabba's Palace.  We used the body of a Vintage Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker also from Return of the Jedi and swapped out the forearms with the gloves of an AT-ST Pilot.  I grabbed the tag that fell of of Elias' athletic shorts to use for his shawl. This was just a really quick, no paint kit-bash figure to populate the Jabba diorama on Elias' shelf.  It took less than 5 minutes to make.

After I completed this figure, I saw a version created of this character that was created by Star Wars customizer, Jabbapalacespy that I liked even more than my own.  I may revisit this character at a later date and attempt to mimic what he did.

"MOSEP BINNEED - JABBA's PALACE"

created by Darth Daddy

SKILL LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE

"I also travel under Jabba's name from time to time, representing his interests. It doesn't hurt to confuse the competition. So yes, for today's purposes − with our master's kind permission − you can say that I am Jabba."―Mosep Binneed [src]

Mosep Binneed was a Nimbanel accountant who served Jabba Desilijic Tiure. Like most of his species, Binneed entered a bureaucratic profession and worked for the Hutts, eventually ending up on Tatooine during the early Galactic Civil War. Operating out of Mos Eisley spaceport on Tatooine in the Outer Rim, Binneed managed the finances of crime lord Jabba the Hutt to the best of his efforts, along with a number of other accountants, many of whom were also Nimbanese. He was present in Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina in 0 BBY whenObi-Wan Kenobi attacked Ponda Baba with a lightsaber.

After the death of Binneed's superior, Lhojugg, Binneed took charge of Jabba's financial affairs and was based in the Hutt's town house. He had many informants and contacts in the organizations of Jabba's criminal rivals, and he used their information to disrupt the competitors' flow of funding. However, he knew that Jabba would have no hesitation to end his life if he failed in his tasks, and Binneed was constantly in fear of such a fate. He had many underlings, though some of them wished to work against Jabba, mismanaging his books and seeking to leave his employ.

"HOTH REBEL TROOP TRANSPORT" created by Customs for the Kid

It's been a while since we created a custom vehicle, but when Hole in the Ground Productions released casts of their "Troop Transport" we knew it would be a great addition to our Star Wars collection.  First we weathered up the cast pieces.  Then, we used some decals that we purchased on eBay to accompany the stickers that were included with our original purchase to really personalize our vehicle once it was assembled.  One decal set we bought had some beautiful designs that were created by the talented graphic designer Viper Aviator.  We also used some reproduction decals that were from the Vintage Rebel Transport to give it the finishing touches we desired. We really love the way it turned out.  It looks awesome on Elias' Hoth display shelf!

"HOTH REBEL TROOP TRANSPORT"

created by Customs for the Kid

Aurebesh translation on Orange Sticker: "Caution, Dangerous Magnetic Field, Keep Away"

 Movie still from "Empire Strikes Back".

Aurebesh translation: "Wampa Squadron"

Aurebesh translation on Rebel Symbol: "Echo Base"

Aurebesh translation on blue designation sticker: "Wampa Squadron Transport 0079"

SKILL LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE

Hole in the Ground Productions 

http://www.holeinthegroundpro.com/dioramas.html

Decals designed by Viper Aviator:

http://viperaviator.deviantart.com/gallery/26112649/Star-Wars?offset=48

Additional stickers that were added were Vintage "Rebel Transport" vehicle replacement decals purchased from jabbas_vintagetoy_hutt:

http://www.ebay.com/usr/jabbas_vintagetoy_hutt?_trksid=p2047675.l2559

Nothing cooler than your latest custom getting favorited on Twitter by NECA, one of the coolest toy manufacturers in the business today.  We were really flattered when they became one of our followers.

 Our "Hoth Rebel Troop Transport" was featured on Imperial Shipyards front page.

 Our "Hoth Rebel Troop Transport" was featured on ISY's Facebook page.