"THE LAST JEDI - ELITE PRAETORIAN GUARD" created by Customs for the Kid

Sometimes the best looking customs are the easiest to make.  All this 3.75" action figure needed for completion was a quick head swap to fill out the ranks and diversify the team protecting Supreme Leader Snoke.  We used the head from the Rey 2-pack released on Force Friday with the new Black Series - Praetorian Guard exclusive to Walmart.  If you want to fill in the hole in the head some with glue gun or anything else you see fit, it may help the head rest off the shoulders a bit, but if you pull up on the head it will rest tight enough on the head for posing to not make any modifications. We're sure we won't be the only ones doing this custom.  It's very likely it has been done already by several customizers.  

If you are having difficulty locating the Black Series - Praetorian Guard action figure at your local Walmart, fear not.  These figures aren't due to be released until November.  

"THE LAST JEDI -

ELITE PRAETORIAN GUARD"

created by Customs for the Kid

Posed next to the original Black Series action figure release.

The action figure can remain in really difficult poses with ease.

We love the Snoke action figure from the BB-8 playset.

SKILL LEVEL: BEGINNER

"CAPTAIN PHASMA" CHROME EDITION by Darth Daddy

Force Friday II has arrived. and while it would be fun to post an action figure from The Last Jedi, we figured we'd wait until we get a little closer to the release of the film before we did any official posts for the upcoming installment to the new trilogy. Instead we figured we'd celebrate the release of the new Phasma novel by Delilah S. Dawson that was released today in bookstores everywhere.  It bridges the time period gap between The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi making it more than suitable for a Force Friday post.

To do so we did a much desired update to the 3.75" Black Series version of the Captain Phasma action figure found in the Walmart exclusive line. Our version of the figure now sports the shiny chrome armor that was lacking from the official release we received, and to create it we only needed to update the paint. The interesting thing was, we did it without a paintbrush. To apply the chrome to her armor, we used Molotow's Liquid Chrome markers. The chrome goes on with ease and the markers are a great way to apply chrome to any custom project you are working on at home.

We recommend using an action figure stand to hold the figure and also applying the chrome in sections so you don't have to touch the figure at all during the application process.  Avoid touching the chromed sections until it is properly sealed to keep from dulling the reflective properties you just added. When entirely chromed, let the figure dry for A FEW DAYS WITHOUT TOUCHING. Only after this period of drying time should you then seal the figure with thin layers of Pledge acrylic floor wax containing Future Shine to keep that mirror finish. Do not let the sealer pool up anywhere on the armor and keep brushstrokes over the same area to a minimum to maintain the smooth surface between dry times.  We also recommend avoiding ALL alcohol based spray on sealers that will destroy all your hard work by dulling the new coat you just applied.  We actually handled the figure with vinyl-based, powder free medical gloves as we worked knowing our fingerprints could be damaging to the paint application. 

If you follow the above steps, your figure should come out like our version of Captain Phasma and you can add a figure to your shelves that really dazzles the eye!  Hope everyone had a great Force Friday and you all found what you were looking for!

THE FORCE AWAKENS 

"CAPTAIN PHASMA" CHROME EDITION 

created by Darth Daddy

SKILL LEVEL: BEGINNER

Molotow Liquid Chrome Markers

"K-2SO with Improved Articulation" created by Darth Daddy

This was a quick Rogue One project we did to add some articulation to Hasbro's K-2SO action figure. The 6" version of the figure had the super-articulation that we all wanted in the 3.75" scale.  Too add the articulation we used the knee and elbow joints from a Terminator action figure we purchased on eBay. We added two metal rods to the knee joints for stability by creating a post that we inserted into a hole we drilled up into the upper leg of the original figure. We did some sanding to the joints of the Terminator figure to keep the rounded edges that the original K-2SO action figure had.  By the time the project was finished we had the version we wanted adding both knee and elbow articulation to increase the figure's range of motion. We skipped adding articulation at the ankles and wrists due to the thin plastic. It was really nice to be able to increase the pose-ability of this 5 poa figure! 

"K-2SO with Improved Articulation"

created by Darth Daddy

SKILL LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE

CLONE WARS "AHSOKA TANO - ZYGERRIAN SLAVE" created by Elias

One of the best ways to spend my vacation this summer has been taking the time to create some of those action figures that I've always wanted.  During the school year, it is hard to tackle the more involved projects, so as soon as the last day of class rolls around, my mind starts to dream of all the toys I'd love to add to my shelves.  My latest figure was at the top of that list.  Many times I heard my dad say that he wanted to make this version of Ahsoka, but after watching the Zygerrian arc recently, I decided that I was going to beat him to it.

I remember a time when I never would have had the courage to take on such a monumental task, but after tackling my custom action figure of Riyo Chuchi, I had the confidence I could really create something special with this Ahsoka, and I couldn't be happier with my results.

To complete my goal, I sculpted onto the body of a Clone Wars Aayla Secura action figure as well as the head cast of the Clone Wars Scuba Ahsoka.  I switched out the feet of the Aayla Secura and swapped them for the feet of a Vintage collection Slave Leia.  

The skirt I fabricated with ProCreate that I rolled nice and flat with an old pickle jar that was sitting in our sink.  I wrapped the legs of the figure in saran wrap to prevent the ProCreate from sticking to the figure where I didn't want it to. 

I was always really intimidated by ProCreate because of the quick dry time. Especially since I consider myself to be only a beginner when it comes to sculpting.  It wasn't until I made the skirt on this figure that I gained a new appreciation for the sculpting medium. It has the same flexibility of soft rubber, which gave Ahsoka's legs all the range of motion that I desired without having to deal with the unruliness of soft goods, keeping the lines of Ahsoka's silhouette exactly the way I wanted them to look.

I want to give a special thanks to my dad who made Ahsoka's soft good cloak for me so I could post my figure today in time for the weekend.  I'm not sure I would have completed the project in time if it weren't for his help.  

This is by far one of my all-time favorite customs, and I haven't been this proud of myself in a really long time! Hope you all enjoy!

CLONE WARS 

"AHSOKA TANO - ZYGERRIAN SLAVE"

created by Elias

"2X-3KPR Security Patrol Droid" created by Elias

This was a droid that was only shown for a few seconds in A New Hope after R2-D2 escapes the Lars Homestead and Luke uses his binoculars to scan the horizon to search for him. While this random droid wasn't really on our radar initially, Hole In The Ground Productions had a cool resin cadt kit available at their web store, and it was just the small push we needed to add this cool piece to our home display.

2X-3KPR was owned by Owen Lars prior to the Battle of Yavin. It was responsible for patrolling the boundaries of the Lars moisture farm at night. It had been programmed to activate alarm sensors, security lighting and power fences located around the farm for this task.

It was destroyed, however, when sandtroopers came to the homestead searching for R2-D2 and C-3PO and killed Luke Skywalker's adoptive parents in broad daylight.

Elias assembled the kit and painted it up in only a few short hours. All he had to do was add the gun and the wiring from some pieces we had in our fodder.  He couldn't be any more pleased with the results!

"2X-3KPR Security Patrol Droid"

created by Elias

SKILL LEVEL: BEGINNER

Light Bulb Bot

For when you just really need a roving light bulb patrolling your homestead. This little guy comes in two or three unpainted pieces and is approximately the same size as the Stove-Bot. Two different versions are available. The standard version or with a separately clear cast bulb.

$10 (standard)

$15 (clear dome)