Topic: DRS Customs

[dana.raye.smith]

It has been ages since I really did anything like this.  Like since I was 16 or so... I am currently 38... just a few years.
Little time to commit to the hobby and very little luck finding worthwhile paints and such. I still havent got any good paints or brushes, but you use what you must. Basic WM AppleBarrel white paint and craft brushes, along with a very small collection of ModelMasters Acrylics in primary colors of different shades. I have mixed a few colors with varied results
I am on the lookout for a decent set of paints at a reasonable price, and have finally located a decent shop to purchase them nearby.
After seeing many of the customs created by this sites great customizers, I thought that reminds me of my youth... such an explosion of creatiity.
I started planning and putting together little projects... and I soon realized I had much to learn. But you keep trying new techniques and eventually you ought to create something you can be proud of or happy with.
I like to have a set concept and decent visuals to go off of, so I tend to overdo my research and often over-complicate things... you go with what works for you. Unfortunately I dont have any WIP pics, but I do have a few of the concepts and reference pics I used. Hopefully the end product is fairly easy to recognize.
My first posted custom figure will be .... A complete repaint (and as I like to put it) a body transplant. No reference pics necessary. Made about a month after the episode was on TV.

This should be an easily recognized figure and accessories. Echo body(my son rubbed the handprint off his and had to have another, so why not use it) Rys backpack, Thire helmet(he also broke Echo's visor).



Lines are not too straight and the blue paint was a bit thick and dark, so I weathered it a bit and marked it randomly with a craft knife. Afterwards I sprayed the entire figure about 4 times with a rattlecan modelers matte lacquer to dull it all down.

Lastly I swapped the heads and cut off the breather hoses from the head. Not a very good fit, and not screen accurate but i think it is alright. Paint the necknub black and it matches his skinsuit already on his head anyway.

[Jedi Minstrel]

good stuff.  also, good to hear there's another thirty-something on here.  I turned 38 last month but according to my wife, i'm 9.

[dana.raye.smith]

Next I had just gotten SWTCW Republic Heroes...for PS2 no less... and just jhad to try and make one of the characters from the game. It seems everyone has made one and they are all a bit different. Here are some reference pics.


Personally I liked the second image better, plus it was easier to just paint the figure and not have to develope the other accessories. I did skip the headlamp entirely.
Any Ideas??





I painted the armor white and gradually figured how little I knew what I was doing. But about 4 coats later and almost as many hours, I was able to put on the blue in close to what i thought was the correct areas. It ended up being way too dark and extremely shiny... so I again did a bit of battle marking and faux weathering with a craft knife, as well as 4 coats of the matte lacquer sprayed on.
Not the straightest lines or best work, but easily recognizable. My son plays with him too often for my liking, so I may end up either touching-up the paint or making another sometime.

[dana.raye.smith]

These images are from SW.com.... I didnt like how the figure they released didnt have the helmet painted up, so I decided to do it myself last night after getting all hopped-up on turkey and apple pie. Unfortunately I think I didnt go dark enough with the grey and may do it agian in a darker shade. All I painted is the helmet.


Had to be creative with the back of the helmet, not sure it is right. I didnt watch the episode too closely so not sure they gave good shots of it or not.


Lastly, here is a comparison with the stock figure. i think it needs to be a few shades darker, but am too lazy to try and mix a bit more paint now.

[dana.raye.smith]

I really wanted to do a small squad with a Commander, but couldnt choose which one until the end of the Boba Fett storylines brought him back. But now it seems everyone has done one, and they are each a bit different as well.Here are a few reference pics.

There are a few differences between what is shown on screen and in released figures... the wolf on their helmets, the left shoulder pads with only 4 stripes(on toys), and the coloration changed from red to blue. I thought it to be a lighter shade... and i think I made it too light. Im  not very good at judging what the color will look like when dry anymore.

Basically a Cody Figure with an ARC BP Rex helmet and kama and pistols.





This was all done by hand over the course of about a month...a few hours at a time... I had to go away from home for work or it would have been finished sooner. I am pleased with the lines, not sure about the color.
I have not done anything to the head yet. I will probably swap Cody for the Echo head laying around and go from there some day.
It could still use a bit of overall touch up and a bit more spray lacquer.

[dana.raye.smith]

And I said he needed a squad... until i thought about doing the wolfs head on each helmet....

I decided to first try the same design as the red version... almost straight repaint.





I was thinking of doing Sinker and Boost in the same colors,(but not sure I can get it the same again... I have a few of them around), as well as Comet. Here is a pic.

[beige-4]

NICE!!!!

[wraithnine]

very cool    ,i aim to do Comet myself at some point

[darknsour]

VERY COOL!!!!


Love them all !!!!

GREAT JOB!!!!



Rich

[Phatty]

I like them all quite a bit, and you've gotten the FRONT PAGE TREATMENT!!

[hannsfartknocker]

really sweet customs

[lucasclones]

Man!  A great start.  I can see your improvement with each pic! Keep it up!

[artilarytrooper321]

awesome

[Clonehead]

Wow, those are looking good, Dana! you really put your heart into em. Nice job!

[Luke Sprywalker]

Very nice work on some tedious lines for these guys! You must have a steady hand because your lines look great! One tip I have to off is, when working with the walmart paint brands you need to thin them with water, windex or a combo of the two. That paint is very chalky but when you thin it, it doesn't dry chalky. If I am painting armor or an astromech I thin with windex. It gives the paint strenghth and a nice shine when it dries. If I am painting clothes or something to be fabric I thin with water so it doesn't have a shine or gloss look. Keep up the great work and glad to see you here!