Latest project: Bioware fun! Bounty Hunter SW:TOR

By neimhaille. 13/06/10, 01:37 am

Hello all, I don't see too many WIP threads but figured I am going to be having so much fun with this crazy adventure that I'd make a great big thread full of my epic fail! Wait actually that'll be the post Sydnova costume wrap up (my nearly finished just gluing last bits project for Sydney Supanova that is ;) it has indeed been full of epic epic fail) Posted this to the Armageddon forums too. And my lj. And all the appropriate fora it could be of interest in ;)

Well after much tooing and froing about what to make for Auckland Armageddon (and Melbourne and Sydney & Adelaide) besides a ridiculously glittery frock (Glinda from Wicked) I finally decided to start work on a project that should be nice and timely :)

Last year I stumbled across The Old Republic website and was really curious about one of the avatars being used. Fairly soon after I spotted the full length concept art for her and it was clear she was art work around the female Bounty Hunter class.

And then the Deceived trailer came out and I was blown away. The cinematic looks amazing and the female bounty hunter just went from "cool" to "OMG I have to make that!" The details in the trailer make the bodysuit a wonderful challenge ;)
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Shae_Vizla

I debated about this for a while as I wasn't sure if I was up to making the armour or if I would get other armour projects done first as a real test. Well it didn't happen and the bug has bitten hard again with the new GG statue just released and the teaser for the next trailer that has just played in the states. The teaser that is, the trailer is a few days away :)

She has finally gotten a name which was also another prompt to get my butt into gear and make it.

Another was my continued allergy to Epoxy Resin. My loathing for plaster (well my current inability to work with it easily which is about to change) is matched only by my loathing of polyester resin also so I get to test some urethane again with parts of this project :)

This armour appeals as I can build it the way I started to build my Female Templar armour last year with sheet plastic and styrene glue. It's how I customised my Mara Jade greaves too.

That project is stalled for a while ;)

And TK shins heavily modded with styrene strips.

I have some amazing rubber coated heavy duty stretch fabric that I have already used for one costume and will use for this. I also bought some more of the heavy faux suede I used for my Leia boots for the leather parts of this costume.

I got a soldering iron for Christmas and have been honing up on my 6th Form physics- electronics and circuits so I can make the jet pack, gauntlet and helmet ear bugs light up. Slightly nervous about this but I have enough LEDs to practice on and ruin ;)

The helmet I am sculpting as it's cold enough that even my budget stuff is nice and carvable in this weather ;)
An hour of slapping plasticine onto a head form (duct taped to my head size)

15 mins with a metal ruler and a little more plasticine on the face.

And felt tip pen on bodysuit for the crazy piecing:

I am trying mostly for the look in the cinematics but am also using images of the statue, t-shirt, concept art and whatever else may come up. Though they do all differ quite a lot!

By Static. 13/06/10, 01:59 am

I cannot WAIT to photograph you in this!! Very Happy

And also examine it in person ;)

By Huntress. 13/06/10, 01:59 am

This is sooo similar to a costume I am constructing. Unfortunately I haven't yet figured out how to work photos on here to post progress. Seems armour techniques are much of a muchness regardless. Any better pictures of what you're working from? Would love to see full-body shot of it.

By neimhaille. 13/06/10, 02:06 am

The progress shots of the chest armour are not what I am doing ;) That was my old Templar armour. Given that there is an entry for the cosplay contest (*nudgenudge* ;) ) I figured it would be tactful to switch projects ;)

Sylvie I cannot wait to get you to shoot me in this ;) Helmet FTW! No worrying about jaw tension! Woot! I can look in any direction! Woot!
And I will be wearing the Sydney costume over here too ;) That will be all kinds of silly fun.

By Le_Saboteur. 13/06/10, 03:46 pm

OH, NO WAY!

This is so awesome. Can't wait to see the progress.

By zephyrine. 13/06/10, 04:32 pm

Oh WOW! I would love to do something like this but wouldn't know where to start! Yaaaaay! Looking forward to seeing how it progresses

By Mischa. 13/06/10, 05:20 pm

She is soooooooooo bad ass! Very cool

By Huntress. 13/06/10, 07:08 pm

I was actually meaning the Star Wars costume (I clicked the link.) I saw that you're working on the piecing on the suit and would like to see the details. I tried googling it in an image search but couldn't find anything.

By Anaria Zar-Rel. 16/06/10, 05:40 pm

Shae is so awesome, can't wait to see you in this! TOR is so full of awesome designs, the armour especially :)

By TinTango. 16/06/10, 07:00 pm

I know! Shae is fantastic, and all the TOR armour is amazing.
If I totally had the skills, I'd do the armour of the republic soldier in the
latest E3 Trailer vid.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y77BsaCoOMk

By neimhaille. 05/07/10, 12:52 am

That armour is so hot.. I love it and will seriously fan girl at anyone wearing some ;)

Anyway.. I have started the templates of the chest armour:

Ihave since then tweaked the underbust and got it fitting properly.

The different art work sources all show different levels of detail. I am insane to try for the cinematic as there are amazing paint effects as well as different metals (brass, copper and steel basically). But you know the saying: Aim for the stars and you'll end up at the top of a tree. Aim for the top of a tree and you'll never get off the ground.
http://swtor.com/media/trailers/deceived-cinematic-trailer

http://shop.starwars.com/catalog/product.xml?topcatID=461;product_id=1321306
The statue, the bodysuit is extremely simplified here.

http://swtor.com/info/holonet/classes/bounty-hunter
Some in game and concept art

http://www.gamesradar.com/pc/star-wars-the-old-republic/news/star-wars-whats-a-bounty-hunters-armour-made-of/a-20100513155423520040/g-20081021163120143024
Breakdown of what the male version is made of. Pretty helpful in identifying the various layers :) Though the cinematic shows quite a deviation in places.

The t-shirt that was available at the Star Wars shop online actually had the very best reference for the abdominal detail, but it is no longer available. Pity.

The soft leather parts show up as very shiny in some art and yet very matte in the cinematic- another reason I prefer the cinematic version :)

Oh yeah and I have just worn a nearly finished other Bioware project: Samara from Mass Effect 2 :) And I am now *this close* to trying to get the game to run on my computer.. I have no idea if it will ;)

I think I will trial making the armour from sheet styrene, Mitre 10 Mega has acetone and I can get to one fairly easily :) Tomorrow I template the back pieces and possibly the belly piece.

By TinTango. 05/07/10, 03:02 am

Reference pics are awesome. That last link you put up, with the male version, also had a good pic of Shae further down the page, which showed better detail than the statue.

I can't see the back of the outfit, but I'm left wondering what that black tube is, that goes from the breastplate and over the left shoulder...

.
Something to do with the jet pack maybe?

Oh my gosh! You 've got Samara?

I am even more in awe of your awesome skills- I cant wait to see it, as ME2
is one of my favourite games of all time!!! I was considering doing a Wrex or Grunt
cosplay, for Auckland next year, with Le_Saboteur and Level 10 thinking about male/female Shepard. Please please please post up some Samara pics for us to worship!!!

By neimhaille. 05/07/10, 03:34 pm

Yeah I'm pretty sure the tube is for the jet pack as it connects to the top of it (if you look at the official webpage under "outfitting" you'll see a front and back view :)
There is another reference pic that shows the back without the jet pack but I haev no idea where I got it from.

Yeah :) I wore Samara to Sydney Supanova :) It was a tad awkward to wrangle into and out of so that's the costume I'm wearing for the DO photoshoot with Sylvie :)
http://pinkdiamond.livejournal.com/tag/s
That is my making of and sharing of other people's photo's :) I have permission to use some so I'll be adding them to my DA account soon :) So far I have used all text links as I have no photos of my own! I'll be begging for someone to use my camera at the DO shoot too and I'll try and be snap happy too.

Speaking of which I need to fix the Samara armour and redo the collar so I am not all strangled next time I wear it...

By neimhaille. 09/08/10, 12:12 am

Massive update. Health has hindered a lot of progress for a long time (I'm on high doses of steroids and feeling the effects of that as well- woot!) but finally:

Helmet progress:
Dumping plasticine on the head form:

Shaping the profile:

Shaping the cheeks and eye ready for first molding and casting:

Cats always help. It's a rule of life.

Chest armour templating (by hand not computer):

Plastic sheeting cut and welded with styrene glue (styrene shavings and acetone):

A Kind friend cut the plastic for me after I scored it all so that I could save my fingers ;) No really- RA will lead to them being fused soon enough ;)

By firecat70. 09/08/10, 04:17 am

That is looking so cool! The helmet looks neat Very Happy

And your cat is really cute - I love it when cats decide to 'help' with cosplay