Yakface.com's Secret Santa 2015

Every year we participate in Yakface.com's Secret Santa event.  This year was no different.  We saw our package was delivered on Christmas Eve so we figured we'd post what we sent as our gift. This year Star Wars customizer JediStyle was the recipient of this year's custom action figure from Customs for the Kid. Two years ago, we did a figure swap with JediStyle for the holiday outside of Yakface.com. so when we found out he was who we were assigned to, we tried to create a companion figure for the first one we sent him.  

Since the last figure we created for JediStyle had a Steampunk feel, we tried to add a little of that flavor here as well.  We decided on a fan fiction figure because we know this artist has created a plethora of his own Star Wars fan fiction figures over the years. We also wanted to maintain the desert vibe from the last figure so the new gift would look good posed with the older one. We really wanted to create a diorama stand that would have housed both figures, but the album cover for High Adventure's "High Five" release cut too deep into the time we had to devote to this project.  

When making this figure we imagined him to be an individual on the run. Hiding on the fringes of the desert, behind a mask, rounding up criminals trying to disappear on the fringes of civilization. This was the first time we attempted doing wig work for an action figure.  Adding in the thread was also daring to venture outside our normal process.  

We included some pictures below of the previous Secret Santa action figure from 2 years ago that we mailed to JediStyle.

"Twi'lek Bounty Hunter"

created by Darth Daddy

  

FEMME MANDO

created by Darth Daddy

YAKFACE SECRET SANTA 2014 featuring DAN of the DEAD & DARTH DADDY

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:

http://www.yakfaceforums.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=2056

and:

http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=2656.0

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

"XEVEN"

created by Darth Optimus

"SECRET SANTA MANDO"

created by Darth Daddy

"Darth Zannah"

created by Darksider80

"RODIAN SNOWSPEEDER PILOT"

created by Darth Daddy

"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!

DAD's SECRET SANTA GIFT for LUKE SPRYWALKER

"SECRET SANTA MANDO"

created by Darth Daddy

Well Dad finally finished the last Secret Santa that he had to make for the event he was coordinating at Imperial Shipyards and shipped it off to Luke Sprywalker.  Dad knew that Luke Sprywalker was on a Mandalorian kick and Dad wanted to send him a unique Mandalorian to replace the one Luke Sprywalker sent me for my Secret Santa.  Dad modified and resculpted the head of AOTC Orn Free Taa and mounted it on the body of a Legacy Rancor keeper.  Dad used the upper arms and lower legs of a Yaarna d'al' Gargan to make the arms for this figure.  Dad said he modified Yaarna's calves to look like the arms of an old Italian woman.  He used the upper legs of Yaarna for his custom as well, and attached them to a severely modified Apoxie Sculpt creation that used the lower torso of the Rancor Keeper as a base.  Dad kept the boots of the Rancor Keeper for his figure's lower legs.  The hands of the Orn Free Taa were modified so they would swivel.  By the time Dad finished the figure, I wanted it.  Dad went crazy with the picture taking on this one, so instead of posting a few pics like we normally do, Dad made a video.  We still have more Secret Santa customs that we received to post so be sure to check back later this week to see them when they are up for all to see.

The helmet was made from two helmets of a CW Heavy action figure, the top part of the Rancor Keepers weapon and the strap harness that comes with the G.I. Joe Zombie Viper.  The horns were from an AOTC Mas Amedda.

To make the shoulder armor, Dad created a skeleton from a Chewbacca waist piece that was cut into small sections dremeled down and sculpted over to get a hairy look.  He then used modified removable Mando armor of a Jango Fett to make the chest piece and stomach armor that he attched to the figure.  The soft goods Dad used were left over from the Clone Wars custom he made of Mother Talzin.

He kept all the accessories removable and included a Greedo soft goods vest as an alternate outfit for when the action figure was not all suited up.  Dad knew Luke Sprywalker sometimes made his figures with alternate looks so Dad thought it would be a fun touch. 

Dad created the jetpack with Apoxie Sculpt and a defective cast of CW Death Watch Mando jetpack that he got for free from SithHappens.  Dad crated the jetpack so the unidentified gun could attach to the jetpack.  The missle was from the battle axe of a CW Savage Opress.  The jetpack attaches with a magnet that Dad concealed with Apoxie Sculpt under the hairy shoulder pads.

The alternate gun was from CW Heavy and the gun that attached to the jetpack was from some G.I. Joe fodder that we had. 

SECRET SANTA MANDO

created by Darth Daddy

Dad's "Secret Santa Mando" video was featured on the front page of Imperial Shipyards.