I don't know how accurate it is (assuming pretty accurate) but you really are doing a great job capturing that cartoon feel!
Discussion on Captain Rex within the Star Wars Costumes forum, part of the Star Wars Universe category; I don't know how accurate it is (assuming pretty accurate)
I don't know how accurate it is (assuming pretty accurate) but you really are doing a great job capturing that cartoon feel!
here he is looking all nice and even grey:
the 2 different angles show how different it looks when tilted a bit.
That looks really sweet!
Beautiful! Can it get any better??!! Surely not!
I've said it before and i'll say it again. Great looking Rex!
All I have to say is WOW!
David.
the ear bumps are on. i made the new ones a little bit thicker... about another 3/32" or so. not much, but i think it makes a difference.
2 coats of primer on it. one more wet sand tomorrow and then its done. the silicone fairy stopped by today and i now have the rubber needed to make the mold.
here are a couple of shots of the just-about-ready bucket:
Nice! It looks like the visor is set deeper into the helmet too?
a little bit, more by way of a side effect of other work than anything else.Originally Posted by Skupilkinson
the biggest change really is that it's slimmer overall, and has a receding finline
Wow, how did I miss this, outstanding work as usual Brian
wow, just wow
So here it is, pull #1, aka my new Rex helmet. I'll try to run through the changes...
The fin starts further up the forehead (think receding hairline). The flare on the sides is less pronounced. The ear bumps are bigger. The flared bottom edge is not at such an extreme angle. The chin is shorter.
The undercut around the bottom edge is bigger. This means the head opening is quite a bit smaller, but it makes for a more solid feel, and exposes less of your face underneath. This change could be rolled back for someone with a bigger head by just cutting the opening larger.
The side really shows the shortened chin. The back is raised up more... a lot more. I probably took an inch off the bottom rear edge, with all of the reshaping that comes of something like that.
You can also see the change in angle on the lower flared edge really clearly here.
The RF topper is now tapered on the front and back. It used to be Fett style where it was angled in the front but a straight line on the back.
I also extended the part to the left of the stalk about 1/8", making the whole thing longer.
The changes all came from just having more reference materials now than when I started.
I'll be painting up this one tonight / tomorrow. Fun fun fun!
Wow Brian... that is one beautiful helmet, and you keep making it better!!!
Am I ever glad that I've held off getting in on one of your runs. But let me know when this new version will become available.
You are a madman!!!!!
:thumbup:thumbup
The changes look awesome!!!
WOW! That's just too good!
Wow what you've done to this helmet is amazing!
I agree... fantastic stuff!
Here it is... The shiny new filthy Rex helmet, version 3. The new one is on the right. I had a visor for the new one, but I snapped it during the install (DOH!). So I had to tear out the one from the old helmet.
I also reshaped the RF topper, now that a top view shot of it is available.
I even went so far as to reshape the RF stalk to be more like the animation:
this has got to be the best rex ive seen vod good job!
No doubt!
Just tell me when this new version will be made available Brian, cause I'm still in the market for one of your helmets to make my Rex!
I'm not a huge fan of the animated version of Rex, prefuring a real world interpretation. That said, I can't deny that this is impressive work and it looks great. Very cool.
here's the helmet actually on the armor:
next weekend i should be pulling the new ab plate. very exciting!
Love it!!!
Pretty freakin' sweet, Brian!
Great work Brian. The new helmet looks really good.
Awesome!!! The T-Visor on that helmet is precise. I actually like these versions in the show way better than the AOTC film. The animated T-Visors look way more Fett derivative. Great work as usual sir!
So... what happens to the old helm? You're giving it to me right? (that was a jedi mind trick BTDubs{BTW})
i'd be happy to give it to you... in exchange for a pile of money
i had to pull the visor out for my new helmet. so as soon as i get a new visor fitted i'll be selling it.
last night i cut the chest armor to allow for the new animated style ab plate i made. i need to get some elastics / snaps / velcro / etc... to put it all back together, but in the test fit i did, it all looked cool.
It looks a bit funky laying on its back like that on the floor, but I was too lazy to put it all back on after painting it!
awesome! your new helmet looks fantastic!
Kinda reminds me of those empty tortoise shells you see every once in a while!
It looks a bit funky laying on its back like that on the floor, but I was too lazy to put it all back on after painting it!
It looks really good but, I think maybe the helmet should be taller, it seems a bit squat to me, maybe cut one of the casts horizontally and add a few cm's to the overall height. Nice paint job btw
Oh wow, the craftsmanship on this is just amazing. Seeing the evolution of the helmet was really nice, too. I like the realism of the v.1, but v.3 is amazing and a much needed change from the v.2.
Rex is one of the things I really like about the new Clone Wars, and you're capturing him perfectly. I can't wait to see it all on you, again.
hrm... while that may look better, i'm not sure how well that would work on my head. it's already got about 1.25" of padding in the top to keep it up off my shoulders, and i'm sort of looking out through the middle of the T. i think if it was taller, i'd be looking out of the frownIt looks really good but, I think maybe the helmet should be taller, it seems a bit squat to me, maybe cut one of the casts horizontally and add a few cm's to the overall height. Nice paint job btw
i might try that on a cast of it like you suggest, just to see how it looks.
but while i'm here...
Love it! Do you have any close up images of the pistols all weathered?
Not really... I need to re-do the pistols. I made them in white resin instead of black, so the paint keeps scratching off.
The next pair will be molded black to avoid that!
I hear what you're saying, I scratch built an animated helmet, the cartoon proportions are pretty wacky, I had to make mine large so you can see out of it, without your nose sticking through the front, even then it's still a mission to see out of... Pretty much like every other star wars helmet design :p Hooray for idealised anatomy!
I love those pistols!! That ab plate is stunning too!
Bloody hell! Looks absolutely amazing! I love Rex so much and you really have done him justice! Fantastic job!
Wow! That ab piece looks great!
Beautiful job man!:thumbup
wow this progress is great I loved it all, there are so many talented artist on this site your rex is off the hook! great job!
Super Rex the Man
Woman love him
Men want to be him
REX
rex and denal out at a parade...
Wooow StormtrooperGuy!! I love your work with REX, excellent talent. I hope to start building my own Rex soon
Congratulations!!
Deskabezado!
I don't know the helmet looks a little flat, but its truly beautiful!
Flat? No way!
flat how? i know it's shorter than the cg, but that's intentional.
the features aren't as exaggerated as the true cg model... it's scaled and adjusted to fit an average head well and not stand out too badly against "normal" clone helmets. rather than being 100% accurate it's meant to be a solid real world interpretation. a bit of my own creative flair if you will
that being said, it's still longer front to back than an aotc bucket, so i'm interested to hear in what way it looks flat? i'm sure i'll be doing a 3rd rev at some point, so i'm all for input!
"Rex appeal!!!"
hrm... while that may look better, i'm not sure how well that would work on my head. it's already got about 1.25" of padding in the top to keep it up off my shoulders, and i'm sort of looking out through the middle of the T. i think if it was taller, i'd be looking out of the frown
i might try that on a cast of it like you suggest, just to see how it looks.
but while i'm here...
Rad, totally Rad
Truly awesome bro, keep up the good work.
--Mandalore--
Very nice job on that
lookin good, as always brian!!!
I had too look twice to see that it was real. good work man!
are you going to put the head lights on the helmet
Looks great. I was wondering, is your RF stalk resin or aluminum? I'm planning on doing an ARC trooper and trying to find an aluminum stalk has been a royal bizitch!
eventually... i have them, just gotta mount 'em.
aluminum. a friend of mine makes 'em.
busy day at the clone workshop today!
the bad news was that when i opened up my pack of supposed 0.090 hips, i got abs instead. this wouldn't be all that bad, 'cept that i've never pulled abs, so there was a bit of a learning curve, resulting in really bad pull and a couple of barely ok ones. abs is much more... rubbery... when heated.
but eventually i got the hang of it. i've got a lot of plastic left, and the rest should work out fine.
my fellow neg clone garrett also pulled some parts for his suit while we were at it. we were being cautious with garrett's pulls... since we were having nervous about his even thicker abs, we went with 1 piece of forearm on each one.
You do some great work, and I am jealous.
here's how the shin sculpt came out, all painted and weathered:
the one on the right was the atin kit piece that i had modded as much as possible.
i just moved the scratch built knees from one to the other. i haven't made vac formed knees yet, so it was a bit of a hassle to install them. once something is made to fit, it will go much easier!
i've also made good progress on the codpiece and butt...
this has since gotten a few good coats of bondo.
and this is now sanded smooth and ready to carve the lines into.
the tall lip around the top is for mounting the belt. i want the ab plate to tuck in to the belt and allow relatively free motion. at least i think that's how it will work. time will tell!
the perspective on the cod shot is strange due to the angle my iphone was at. the lip does NOT flare out at the top like that. the lip is straight up, and the actual codpiece flares out in the opposite direction. i'm not sure how i managed such a bad angle
I just uploaded a video of me weathering the other shin. Could I get any dorkier?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL1hCz8QuH8
Lol Brian...great vid! Think the only way to fully achieve true dorkness would be if you did a vid of you doing your entire armor
Absolutely amazing stuff you have here... I am exceedingly jealous
As of tonight the codpiece is ready to pull and the butt is on its final sanding pass.
Here are some shots with the newest helmet and shins in place. I've also padded out the chest a bit to give me more of that barrel-chested look they have.
My goal is to have the armor sculpting done by the end of July. It's a lot to do, but I think it's doable... thighs, chest and back.
WhoahAs of tonight the codpiece is ready to pull and the butt is on its final sanding pass.
Here are some shots with the newest helmet and shins in place. I've also padded out the chest a bit to give me more of that barrel-chested look they have.
That first image looks like you're CGI as well! That is amazing! Way cool!
Bitchin dude! Dig it!
I love seeing the progression of your armor! and grreat video! thanks for sharing!
Outstanding Brian!
Great weathering job and awesome job all around!
Pretty fantastic stuff...
must... have... updates...
whoops!
the back of the belt is also now carved out, and both the front and back of the belt have had their bondo coats.
the idea is that the belt will be formed front and back, and the boxes will cover the seams, since the toon clone boxes are basically on the sides. that way the back of the belt will be nice and smooth, with no closure visible.
looking great. keep up the great work.
Sounds like a cool idea Brian, but my concern would be for those who'd like be able to convert from a Rex to a standard clone and back while utilizing the same armor. How do you intend to attach the holsters to the belt, and is it possible to have them removable ( with no visible holes or mounting points ) for those of us who'd like to do the afformentioned conversions?
Surely you can mount the holsters from behind the belt? Then unhook them or something if you no longer need them?
I can't see the pictures on my work computer, which is where I am right now... but from what I can remember, I think that Brians plan was to have the belt attached to the cod and butt plates. That would make it difficult to attach to the belt from behind as you wouldn't be able to acess the back from the bottom of the belt.
His last pic post seems to show the belt as being seperate from the cod and butt right now?
Great work, as usual, and thanks for responding to my request for updates
whoops!
the back of the belt is also now carved out, and both the front and back of the belt have had their bondo coats.
the idea is that the belt will be formed front and back, and the boxes will cover the seams, since the toon clone boxes are basically on the sides. that way the back of the belt will be nice and smooth, with no closure visible.
the belt will be attached to the cod/butt in the sense that they will be connected with velcro / snaps / something. they are molded separately though, for just that reason.
i want to be able to switch off from rex to a 501st grunt too, so i wanted to be sure that would work.
there's a lip around the top edge of the cod/butt... about 2" tall. the belt will mount onto that lip via whatever system makes sense.
I've done a bit more fiddling with this stuff. I went back and redid the ab plate, as I was completely unhappy with mine.
I've started the masters for the knees (mine were scratch built from sheets, not formed), and done the test pulls of the cod/butt/belt.
The belt master needs some tuneups before it's ready, but the cod/butt worked out well.
I ended up retooling the ab plate pretty significantly.
Before:
After:
I've only rough sanded it. Tonight I'll do the pretty, detailed sanding.
And have pulled the belt / butt armor:
Sunday afternoon was spent in the barn killing brain cells. The results?
I think the new belly is a success. I'll know for sure once it's fitted in, but I like the look MUCH better.
The new hand plates were a minor thing. The old ones were too square, and that was about 20 minutes' effort.
The belt was a challenge, but it worked. Good stuff!
I can`t wait for see it done, gorgeous work!
More progress... the new chest is nearing completion!
Chest is almost done!
Gotta clean up the armpits and do the final sanding, but it's close. Tomorrow night I should be starting on the back.
And here is how it's looking at present:
Also of note since the last post:
My official 501st roster pic for it. Animated Style Captain Rex has been approved for Legion membership. I don't just mean my suit... since this was the first one submitted, this was the "is this costume type in general 501st acceptable" type suit.
freakin awesome man!
Yeah, awesome work Brian!!
wow awesome job and nice props in the back round of your first pic
This is some nice work amigo. I hope to get a EP II helmet soon.
-G
mann sweet i so want one
Here is the prototype chest, all painted and fitted to the suit:
I have to pad the shoulders up and out a bit, but otherwise I'm VERY happy, especially considering these are almost exclusively bad pulls I'm wearing! The chest, belly, belt and codpiece are all parts that I'd have been angry about had I gotten them from someone else.
I also had to make a new mantle, since the old one didn't fit the new armor at ALL.
The base is black marine vinyl. To get the thickness around the edges, I used a single length of 14-2 electrical wire. I cut the vinyl about 3/4" bigger than I wanted, then glued the wire to the inside where I wanted the final edge to be. I then clipped the seam allowance so that it would follow the curves I wanted, then folded over and glued it. The end result is that the vinyl appears to be around 1/4" thick on the edges. The plates are 3mm sintra, mainly because I have a ton of that stuff in my garage. I heated it and shaped it to the curves I wanted then Gooped it to the vinyl. I'm concerned about the hold, but so far, so good.
On the inside is industrial velcro holding it in place.
bad *** suit you got there. He's my favorite clone and I wouldn't mind having one of these if I wasn't trying to get a Jango
And finally... after a long, long time... I put on my ENTIRE KIT! I've been wearing the thighs from my original AotC suit this whole time, and only just now assembled my own thighs for myself.
WOW!!!! Looks amazing Brian!
Awesome job mate! I love this set of armour, and you totally nailed the look!
Amazing...
if you think its amazing, you should see it in person!!!
just curious, but did you happen to be at the SW Concert at FoxWoods casinos over the summer?
Nope, that would most likely have been Madmartigan on here from CT. Same kit, so our suits look a lot alike, though he has one of Kev's helmets now.
oh cool, I was just going through pics over the summer on my old camera and I was gonna say your suit looked just as incredible in person. Both of your guys suits are awesome though
Yup, that was me. Still was using my WCA v2 helmet at the time:
As Brian mentioned, the kits looks very similar. I consider mine an homage to his.
Made some changes since then -- like trimming the biceps and cutting, reshaping, and adding returns on the shoulders to improve the look. And I did add Kev's helmet, though I'm strongly considering asking Brian for a v5 to paint up just for kicks and consistency.
oh cool, well it was an amazing night and I had a great time seeing everybody in their suits and you guys really made all those kids nights taking pics with them all evening. I'm actually talking to Kevin over at the clonetroopers.net as well about getting a Rex bucket. Since you guys are the Rex experts, any ideas as to who I could possibly contact to get it painted?
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