CUSTOMIZER SPOTLIGHT #25: DARTH DUSTY

Darth Dusty is an artist that has been drawing, painting, and sculpting for over twenty-five years, and customizing for over ten. He mainly enjoys customizing figures from the expanded universe of Star Wars, and creating characters of his own, but also indulges in other areas of Pop Culture. The goal is to give people something rare, and unique, and also to challenge himself to make customs of characters that may never see the light of day on a store shelf.

Creating figures for adult collectors, he loves the use of cloth goods, and hand sculpting new parts. Darth Dusty uses many materials, such as, Acrylic Paints, Apoxy Sculpt, Casting Resins, and even puffy paint, as key elements in each creation. Darth Dusty researches many of the figures he plans to build to get as much accuracy as possible without compromising the functionality of the action figure.

Fairly retired from doing commissioned figures, he loves hearing ideas on what figures to make. Darth Dusty keeps a list of characters on the back burner, so expect to see plenty more figures to come.

Below is the "Force Unleashed II Starkiller" custom that Dad bought from Darth Dusty to give me for my Christmas present this year.  The whole diorama is just incredible.  Especially the two charred Stormtroopers that he included.  I just love this custom action figure diorama!

"The Force Unleashed II

Starkiller"

created by Darth Dusty

 

Darth Dusty's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DarthDustyCustoms

eBay seller: thinkinink1972

Happy Holidays from Customs for the Kid

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.

Hangarbay94 unveils Homeworld: Return to Hiigara

Well you know its going to be a good day when Hangarbay94 gives us a new photo-novel. Needless to say this new one has the exceptional quality we have all come to expect from any work from him.  

Click on through to enjoy!

 

Yakfinities Deadline Approaching

As usual Yakface.com has had some amazing custom entries in their latest customizing challenge, that ends on December 31.  So there’s still time to whip up an entry or two for your chance at some free figures – head on over to the forums for the latest entries, which just might help inspire you if you’re stumped on any ideas for a custom!

Imperial Shipyards Will Be Holding a No Paint Kitbash Rally

Its time to get to kit-bashing!

Imperial Shipyards have announced that they will be holding a "No Paint Kitbash Rally".  It is such a great way to get the family involved in customizing. They have also decided that they are going to send out a few prizes for this based on various categories so get to kit-bashing! Click on through for the full contest details.

The Voice of the Republic Podcast: Episode 12 - Voice Actor Ben Drisdin (WAC-47) and Customs for the Kid

Yakface Secret Santa 2012

So for the last three years now, Dad has been participating in Yakface.com's Secret Santa event.  It has always been a huge provider of Christmas spirit in our home and was a real influence on Dad's decision to run a Secret Santa over at Imperial Shipyards this year.  This year, Dad was assigned Star Wars customizer Justin Cook aka Chewie as the recipient of his holiday custom creations.  Chewie had us our first year participating in the event and he was kind enough to send us two custom action figures rather than just the single required figure the event promoted.  

Dad wanted to return the favor when he participated in this year's event.  Because Chewie was a fan of Dad's zombie custom action figures and hints that Chewie dropped regarding his upcoming New Enloe Photonovel Chapter, Dad thought Justin would appreciate two unique Star Wars zombies.  Dad was really excited, and a little intimidated about creating custom action figures for one of his all-time  favorite Star Wars customizers.  Dad was thrilled when Chewie said he received the action figures and loved them.  Keep your eyes peeled in future chapters of Chewie's photonovel.  You may just see these guys in a chapter featuring the undead.

Abyssin & Vurk Zombies

created by Darth Daddy

Below are the recipes for the custom action figures Dad created presented in "Chewie" fashion:

Vurk Zombie Recipe:

Head - Defective Coleman Trebor head cast courtesy of SithHappens

Forearms and Lower Legs - VOTC Dengar

Torso, Thighs and Upper Arms - VOTC Bossk

Abyssin Zombie Recipe:

Head -Defective Myo head cast courtesy of SithHappens

Torso and Arms - Clone Wars (Homer Simpson) Savage Opress

Legs - Elis Helrot 

Shirt - POTC Zombie

 Chewie's Seekers of the Dark Relic Photonovel features Darth Daddy's "Vurk Zombie"

Dad's Secret Santa Zombies were featured on the front page of Imperial Shipyards.