*ADULT SUPERVISION & PROPER SAFETY EQUIPMENT ARE REQUIRED WHEN UTILIZING THE TOOLS, PRODUCTS & TECHNIQUES DESCRIBED HERE ON OUR BLOG TO CREATE STAR WARS CUSTOMS.
Dad created this custom droid that appeared in Season 1 of the Clone Wars "The Gungan General" episode just by repainting the new Vintage R5-D4 action figure that can be found now on pegs everywhere. As soon as the figure came out, Dad knew he wanted to try and make this droid even though there are rumors circulating that he may find his way to a proper release by Hasbro down the road. Dad used the gun from the Toys R' Us Nikto Guard and modified it by cutting pieces off some guns in our fodder bin. Nothing too crazy was done to make this one. What you see is what you get.
R5-P8
Before and after.
Dad's R5-P8 was featured in Yakface's Mega Spotlight.
Dad's R5-P8 was featured on the front page of Imperial Shipyards.
Well the contest has wrapped up and voting is going to begin soon. This project was a lot of fun to do, but even more fun to play with. Dad packed a lot of cool features into this vehicle to make it not only a cool smuggler vehicle, but a playset too, complete with a mini speeder bike and secret smuggler storage. The part I love best is the engine room that Dad created. Dad used the Storm Hawks Condor, as the base piece for the vehicle and embellished the vehicle with parts of the Spinmaster Dark Ace's Talon Switchblade Elite and Spinmaster Aerrow's Skimmer III Ultra Storm Hawks toys to make this spaceship until he finished the ship off with a few guns from some G.I. Joe fodder.
When Dad and I set out to create our smuggler teams that included the smuggler with their mate, we decided to make half of each others team. Dad made an Ewok smuggler and I made him a monkey lizard for his mate. On the other smuggler team, I created an Arkanian and Dad created her Twi'lek mate. It was a great way to put a crew together for the new ship Dad made and stay within the rules of the contest. To create the action figures Dad and I agreed we'd each do a painted figure and one kitbash figure so we would have time to meet the deadline.
Dad sculpted a Vintage Wicket and added some accessories to make Pop the Ewok. Once the build was complete, Dad painted "Pop" in Aurebesh on the back of the Ewok's jacket. Then Dad created a simple kitbash using the body of a Comic Pack Jarael topped with the head of a Lyn Me that he modified with a Dremel to finish his second figure.
I repainted the monkey lizard that came with a Hondo Ohnaka and glued on a piece of a G.I. Joe gun barrel to make the robotic eye, but then broke the kitbash rule when I had to paint the wrists and neck of a G.I. Joe Helix figure to match the head of the modified Comic Pack Jarael.
Smuggler Ship and Smuggler Team created by Elias and Darth Daddy
BACKSTORY:
Pop the Ewok grew up a slave on Coruscant. He was kidnapped as a baby and was kept as a pet until he got older and the family lost interest. Old enough to set out on his own, Pop hit the streets and never looked back. He befriended a monkey lizard with a robotic eye named Tiet Pescow and together they worked at a space ship repair shop until one day a golden opportunity presented itself. A customer came to have his K-37 Starstreak racing ship serviced but was struck dead by an out of control speeder. Pop and Tiet got the vessel home while their employer was at lunch and quit their jobs later that afternoon. They saw the ship as their ticket to riches and that night decided to become smugglers. Pop flew the craft and his monkey lizard mechanic/mate Tiet was often found tinkering around in the engine room of the vessel. The ship is so rare that very few spacers know the punch the spacecraft packs, but these two knew they had something special and they quickly rose to prominence in smuggling circles and throughout the crime underworld.
Pop and Tiet are currently being kept company by an Arkanian Offshoot smuggler named Daala and her Twi'lek mate, Maari former slaves under what was left of the remnants of The Crucible. Both had risen through the ranks of the organization and bore the tattoos of the order. The Flames of the Crucible were a runic language usually tattooed on the members of The Crucible, an organization of slavers. The tattoos held different meanings and could be found on the arms, chest, and even face of anyone within the ranks of the Crucible. The Flames tattooed on the face of Daala were specific to the minders and internal security forces who had, through talent or deed, become a permanent part of the Crucible. They were unique to them, whereas the general populace didn't have them, nor did the minions in specialized roles. Tattoos on the arms of members of the Crucible like the ones found on Maari were usually a reference to military insignia, representing rank and the particular group of trainees a minder is assigned to. Some members, such as Daala, were known to bear the Flames of the Crucible on their faces. In Daala's case the tattoos actually meant "Protector," the name that was given to her by the slaves of the Crucible. These two escaped The Crucible and made a very successful living as smugglers. That was until recently when they had their spaceship stolen. Now they are earning some fast credits traveling with Pops providing security on the riskier ventures he has been involved with recently. They are hoping they can earn enough to get another ship. The four have found that they make one great team working together and serious thought is being given to keeping this team together by all.
Another fun episode from Custom Action Figure News. We love that the reach of this show is global. It truly represents the scope of the hobby. This time, Lucasclones and Tamer interviewed Paul Speedlee from Singapore. We checked out his work and it's worth taking a look. Listen to the interview and check out his links.
Head on over to his Facebook page and give the guy a like, he has earned it!
This was another team project from me and Dad. I designed the figure and Dad created a speeder bike for my custom action figure. Dad wanted to create one of these speeder bikes ever since he saw a speeder bike and Mandalorian created by Luke Sprywalker. Dad bought the Storm Hawks toy and it sat in our fodder bin for almost a year. When I grabbed a Twi'lek head Dad procured from Slayer Design Studios and placed it on an Entertainment Earth Rav Bralor body, it inspired him to get to work. I like d the color of the armor already, so I only asked for him to paint the head for me. You couldn't imagine my excitement when he made me a speeder bike as well to go with her.
MANDALORIAN TWI'LEK with SPEEDERBIKE created by Elias and Darth Daddy
MANDALORIAN TWI'LEK with SPEEDER BIKE VIDEO
INSPIRED BY
Created by Luke Sprywalker
MANDALORIAN TWI'LEK with SPEEDER BIKE featured on the front page of Imperial Shipyards.
When Incom isn't working in business services, this customizer hailing from Hengelo, Netherlands is busy making some of the sweetest customs you'll ever come across. His swoop bike racer is one of Dad's all-time favorite customs. We were really excited to update Incom's video adding a lot of the new cool pieces that he has done his past year. We recommend you become a follower of his work, because he won't disappoint.
Last week Tamer of Imperial Shipyards asked Dad if he could create a "Best of 2011" video featuring the art of all the customizers there. The artist's all submitted their favorite pieces of 2011, and below is the result. Hope you enjoy. Happy New Year everyone!
Before and after.
Before and after.
