Topic: Darth More's Customs: Ugnaught Smith

[Blizzard Force]

Great work...on the Destroyer Droids as well as the Super Battle Droid! They're looking a lot less plastic and way more "realistic" now...

[Darth More]

@ Tamer: Thank you Shawn! The Super Battle Droid was actually only a by-product! 

@ Blizzard Force: Thank you very much! I am glad you like it! An extra thumbs up for scrolling up and paying attention to my second Droideka! As I said above the Super Battle Droid was just a by-product of the Destroyer, but I am very satisfied with both! I hope I can share more, soon!

[FialaFernbrugg]

wow
that's the most realistic paint job I've seen on a Destroyer Droid so far.
Thank you for the detailed step by step tutorial. It is interesting to see how much effort it takes to get a realistic paint job.

[Darth More]

Thank you, Christoph! I am glad you like it and proud of your feedback!


Nikto Gunner (Repaint)


Before I move on with my next custom figure, I'd like to share this figure with you:

I got this Nikto Gunner on the flea market for 10€/$11. After some time-consuming research on the internet I am now sure:

This is a really nice repaint of 2009's TLC BD23 Nikto Gunner (Nysad):















See the full review of the original figure here:

http://www.rebelscum.com/TLCBD23Nikto.asp

This figure gave me some serious homework to do! I had no idea whether the Nikto Gunner was re-released after 2009 or not...please correct me if I am wrong, but I think it's repainted by a very talented customizer! Since I got this figure loose I cannot tell you which colors were used.

Your thoughts?

- Philipp

[Tamer]

It definitely has been weathered up a bit. I like the look too.

[FialaFernbrugg]

The weathering and the skin colour looks a lot better than the original version.
The only minor flaw I can find: the belt buckles on his harness should have been painted silver like on the original figure.

[Darth More]

@Tamer: Thank you for the confirmation, Tamer! I'll customize one of Jabba's crew members myself some day...

@FialaFernBrugg: Thanks, Christoph! I like both and agree with you! The belt buckles will be painted and I will add some pictures, soon!

[Darth More]

Alright, here is just a small update of my Nikto Gunner before I move on to my next project...so today I got 5 minutes to also paint the buckles as FialaFernbrugg recommended. And here's the result:



I just used Citadel's Base "Leadbelcher" and applied it with a needle. I always use a needle to apply paint to very thin surfaces.











Hasbro gave us so many great updates of Jabba's scoundrels over the last decade and I can't wait to see more in TVC next year!

[Tamer]

Wow, that does make a nice noticeable difference. Off to share. Folks will find this informative.

[mr.Jedi1977]

Nicely done ! It  makes all the difference.

[JDeck]

Looks great. I know TVC is going to be great. From what I've seen so far....yeah.

[Darth More]

@Tamer: Thank you for adding it to the frontpage, again! Using a needle for adding fine details is probably nothing new for most of the readers, but it might be new for some! The first post of this custom showed pictures of the figure just as I got it. I hadn't even paid attention to the unpainted buckles. So now I contributed a little to this Nikto Gunner myself and I am glad you like it!

@mr.Jedi1977: Thanks mate! I think the result could easily compete with the way Hasbro adds details to their figures...

@JDeck: I am actually thankful that Hasbro reduced their super-articulated, collector focused line! I bought much less since TFA was announced and the Black Series became a Walmart Exclusive. Instead I spent quite a lot of money for older stuff mainly on eBay. I think we're all excited to see TVC return! Is there actually a topic about what we possibly see in TVC(2)? I have some ideas/bets to share... 

[Darth More]

B1 Battle Droid


    "Roger, roger."
    - Typical response of a B1 battle droid 

"The B1 battle droid, sometimes referred to as the standard battle droid, was the most widely-used model of battle droid manufactured by Baktoid Combat Automata and Baktoid Armor Workshop. The B1 battle droid saw extensive service as the mainline soldier of the Trade Federation's mechanized armies during the Clone Wars, where it served the Separatist Droid Army of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Following the defeat of the Confederacy, B1 battle droids along with the Separatist Droid Army were deactivated by the Galactic Empire, although they continued to see use on the black market."

Source: Wookieepeida
Read the full article by following this link: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/B1_battle_droid




FialaFernbrugg and I talked about our next plans for future customs the other day. He told me it would be nice to see a well painted Battle Droid next! Commander Vaks was actually next on my list! Luckily I got enough time to work on both over the last couple days! This is going to be a bigger post so I will try to arrange everything as clear as possible.

I've been planning on repainting Hasbro's latest super-articulated version of the Battle Droid, which was first released in The Vintage Collection 2012. As I said before: This is the best version of the B1 in 1/18 scale we got so far for me! But before I dare to paint the few figures I have of this Droid, I rather start with a cheaper/more common one.
And luckily I found some on eBay some weeks ago. Since they ship directly from Asia it took 1-3 weeks for them to arrive here in Germany. These droids are supposed to be origonal Hasbro figures, I even asked one of the sellers, who confirmed it. But since they do not have Hasbro's print beneath theit feet and not even a peg hole, I doubt they are authentic. Anyway I got them around $3 each and they use the same mold as the TVC release with less articulation. In fact they seem to be a copy of the Battle Droid which was released in the Mission Series 2-Pack in 2013:


I do not own this image. All rights reserved to rebelscum.com
Source: http://www.rebelscum.com/Hasbro-Star-Wars/mission-series/Figures/Battle-Droid-212th-Battalion-Clone.asp


It's significant that the packaging shows a red tan Battle Droid, although a beige Droid is included. Maybe all these loose red tan Battle Droids on eBay are leftovers of a running change? Correct me if I am wrong, but this red tan version hasn't been released, yet, was it?

The second Droid that is sold on eBay in quite big amounts is the Pilot Droid. Here I am sure they're copies of the Pilot Droid that was released in this set of the Movie Heroes line:


I do not own this image. All rights reserved to rebelscum.com
Source: http://www.rebelscum.com/MTT-Droid-Fighter-A0920-A0918-Movie-Heroes-Hasbro.asp

So I got 12 of each version so far. Half of them are still on delivery. They're currently (September 2017) sold in 3-Packs on eBay:







Follow this link to see where I got them from:
Just look for "Star Wars (Droid)" entering via ebay.com!

etoyshop: http://stores.ebay.com/EToyshop?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

cutesource: http://stores.ebay.com/cutesource/?_dmd=1&_nkw=star+wars

moresource: http://stores.ebay.com/moresource?_trksid=p2047675.l2563


So based on these two different Battle Droids I am going to make a series of customs. And here is a list of them:

Red Tan:


I do not own this image. All rights reserved to jeditemplearchives.com
Source: http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=JReviews&rop=showcontent&id=2013


Versions:

#1 (Basic): Battle Droid Figure without any paint applications (for comparison)

#2 (Wheathered): Basic Battle Droid with weathering and more detail (e.g. scratches)


#3c (Repaint 1): Clean Infantry Battle Droid completely repainted with Citadel's Layer: Tuskgor Fur (Pre-Version of #3)

#3 (Repaint 2): Infantry Battle Droid completely repainted  with Citadel's Layer: Tuskgor Fur & weathered

#3p (Repaint 7): OOM-series Pilot Droid completely repainted with Citadel's Layer: Tuskor Fur

#3s (Repaint 8 ): OOM-series Security Droid completely repainted with Citadel's Layer: Tuskor Fur

#3o (Repaint 9): OOM-9 Command Officer Droid completely repainted with Citadel's Layer: Tuskor Fur



#4c (Repaint 3): Clean Infantry Battle Droid completely repainted with Citadel's Base: Bugman's Glow (Pre-Version #4)

#4 (Repaint 4): Infantry Battle Droid completely repainted with Citadel's Base: Bugman's Glow & weathered


#5c (Repaint 5): Clean Infantry Battle Droid completely repainted with Citadel's Layer: Skrag Brown  (Pre-Version #5)

#5 (Repaint 6): Infatry Battle Droid completely repainted with Citadel's Layer: Skrag Brown & weathered 



#6c (Repaint 10): Clean Infantry Battle Droid completely repainted with Citadel's Base: Doombull Brown  (Pre-Version of #6)

#6 (Repaint 11):Infantry Battle Droid completely repainted with Citadel's Base: Doombull Brown & weathered


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I do not own this image. All rights reserved to pinterest.com
Source: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c6/1f/d3/c61fd3cbf4cf4534012d5af3348ef1c4.png


So here we go with the red tan versions...

First of all I gathered some reference material:


DeAgostini's chess figures, Wizards of the Coast's Battle Droid, both of LEGO's red tan Battle Droids



#1: Basic Battle Droid:

So there's not much more to say about this figure. It has 5 points of articulation:
ball-jointed head, swivel shoulders and hips.


Here's is the Battle Droid next to the TVC and the (cancelled/Amazon exclusive) LC versions:



Before I started to customize them, I gave them a boiling-water cure to straighten all bent parts like the antenna, neck, arms or legs.






#2:Weathered Basic Battle Droid:


For the weathering I used two pigements of Revell's weathering set: Deep Black and Rust Red.
The scratches are dry-brushed Citadel's Base Leadbelcher.


Revell's Weathering Set - Thank you Christoph!


Left: Version #1 - Basic Battle Droid / Right: Version #2 - weathered Battle Droid


Left: Version #1 - Basic Battle Droid / Right: Version #2 - weathered Battle Droid - front / back


Left: Version #1 - Basic Battle Droid / Right: Version #2 - weathered Battle Droid - left / right


Version #2 - weathered Battle Droid - detailed view



Repaints:


The first coat of primer is brush-painted. I used Citadel's Imperial Primer.
So like at the beginning of every repaint of mine here is "The Black Series" Battle Droid:
 





B1 Battle Droid - Gamut of Colours

I tried many different colours of Citadel's assortment in order to find the most suitable shades.
Because most colours look slightly different once they're dry...I messed it up a little. It was a little late that night and I wasn't so awake than I thought I would be



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HELP! - HELP! - HELP! - HELP! - HELP! - HELP! - HELP! - HELP! - HELP! - HELP! - HELP! - HELP!


Here I need your Help!!

Please, help me decide which of these two colours I should use for the next red tan droids!
Shall I use Citadel's Tuskgor Fur (left) or Bugman's Glow (right)?
Which of the two looks more screen accurate? Please, help me choose the best shade of brown and let me know in the comments below!










LEGO's red tan droids are of very similar colours, too...

Left: 2013 Release / Right: 2003 Release




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#3c (Repaint 1): Clean Infantry Battle Droid:




I painted the figure in this order:

1. Applying the Primer Imperial Primer (Citadel) with a soft hair-brush (see pic. No. 3)
2. Painting all parts with Tuskgor Fur (Layer) by Citadel
3. Correcting the torso with Citadel's Ironbreaker (Layer) and the antennas with Runefang Steel (Layer)
4. Dry-brush of all edges with Citadel's Leadbelcher (Base) to highlight them

(5.) Applying a shade (for example Nuln Oil (Citadel) - I haven't done that, yet.






#3 (Repaint 1): Infantry Battle Droid:




I painted the figure in this order:

1. Applying the Primer Imperial Primer (Citadel) with a soft hair-brush
2. Painting all parts with Tuskgor Fur (Layer) by Citadel
3. Correcting the torso with Citadel's Ironbreaker (Layer) and the antennas with Runefang Steel (Layer)
4. Complete dry-brush with Revell's pigments
5. Dry-brush of all edges with Citadel's Leadbelcher (Base) to highlight them

(6.) Applying a shade (for example Nuln Oil (Citadel) - I haven't done that, yet.













#4 (Repaint 2): Infantry Battle Droid:

I painted the figure in this order:

1. Applying the Primer Imperial Primer (Citadel) with a soft hair-brush
2. Painting all parts with Bugman's Glow (Base) by Citadel
3. Correcting the torso with Citadel's Ironbreaker (Layer) and the antennas with Runefang Steel (Layer)
4. Complete dry-brush with Revell's pigments
5. Dry-brush of all edges with Citadel's Leadbelcher (Base) to highlight them

(6.) Applying a shade (for example Nuln Oil (Citadel) - I haven't done that, yet.



Here are all versions next to each other:





So before I paint the next droid I'm waiting for your feedback. I will paint all other red tan droids with one of the two colours...that was it for today. Thank you for your support!

- Philipp

Pictures are taken with a Canon eos 600D, edited with Microsoft PowerPoint and Paint and added with imgur.com.

[talonreap]

These battle droids are amazing, Phillip! Can't wait to see what you do next! And I may have to try some of those Revell weathering powders for future projects of mine...

[Tamer]

Wow, what a resource! From the custom project to creating this reference thread I can't imagine the time it took. Thank you for sharing it with us. Off to share this.