Darth Bane, Full Orbalisk armour

I have shared my progress on this everywhere but here. And since folk have asked about the suit's progress in my other threads here on The Dented Helmet, I thought it tyme to start a progress thread. This has been the project I fall back on when my other projects settle down. He has been with me for ages now.

Darth Bane was first mentioned in the novelization of Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menance. His bizarre appearance was first visualized by artist Jesús Redondo.


Darth Bane as interpreted by Michael Sutfin, 2002. This is the third Lucas Film Licensed illustration of Darth Bane, and the inspiration for my costume in progress.

In brief, Darth Bane's armour is a colony of symbionts called Orbalisks. They are impervious to most all attack--even lightsabre, a significant advantage in the Star Wars Universe--and are very difficult to remove. They also cause the wearer interminable agony. To stop the colony from growing over his face as he sleeps, Darth Bane wears a protective cage-like helmet.

To begin this project I made sketches to understand the character;


And then I began to sculpt:


What resulted was the most difficult mold and casting I have ever worked on;


But I am happy with the results so far:


I studied entomology for two years in college as an elective. I approached the anatomy of the Orbalisks with isopods, chiton, and certain beetles in mind.

This has been a tyme consuming endeavour;



Inspired by the deadline set by the 2008 Rebelscum Halloween Costume Contest, I turned my focus to arriving at a wearable version of my beloved Darth Bane costume.

I consider the image above to be a test fitting of the work in progress, with several components left to fabricate and others to finish. I so look forward to having a new suit to wear to events next year.

Be well,
Thomas

Thomas, thats astounding man...truly masterful!

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well done my friend.

That's beautiful Thomas! Really nicely done.

Unbelievable. Thats amazing.

masterpiece, awesome job!!

To say that this is amazing would be an understatement! Great work!

Wow! Exactly how I pictured it when reading the book.

Wau man, fantastic!!!!!!!!without words!!!!!!!!!

Thomas, you never seize to Amaze!!! Incredible work as always!!!

G-Fett

Yep. Still hate you.













Looks awsome Thomas.

Great work as always Thomas!

That is stunning!

Phenomenal work,Thomas! It turned out fantastic! Hope to see Lord Bane at DC09.

Thomas, I keep coming back to this thread to read the new replies. While I'm here I take a look at the pics again, I'm really impressed with this!

I have a question though, The headpiece is cage like and seems to encase the whole of your head? So is the piece in two pieces or did you cast it with with some sort of rubber so that it'd stretch over you head?

Wow, this is amazing! It's beautiful!

wow interesting concept but great to see you achieving your goal

:thumbup:thumbup:thumbup:thumbup:thumbup:thumbup:t humbup:thumbup:thumbup:thumbup:thumbup:thumbup:thumbup:thumbup:thumbup

WOOOOOT!
KANDOSII, NER'VOD!

You have just made Darth Bane much, much cooler!

Amazing work as always. I was hoping you hadn't shelved this project, and I'm glad to see it's moving forward so well. Thank you for the tymely update.

That looks amazing! He is definetly one of the best Sith ever! Very awesome job!

Thank you TDH, you support is invigorating.

I prefer to hold off posting to my own progress threads until I have new images to share. The following comment supplied an opportunity;

Originally Posted by Skupilkinson

The headpiece is cage like and seems to encase the whole of your head? So is the piece in two pieces or did you cast it with with some sort of rubber so that it'd stretch over you head?

The helmet is worn as two solid forms in rigid resin, clam shell style front to back;

The jaw is separate for articulation.


The back was originally cast as one piece. It took me both hands AND both feet to demold--(and all my strength and a steady flow of maledictions. I tore that mold asunder and as I held the shreds of the ruined form over my head I felt like a predator.) I separated the two processes at the back of the helmet only recently in preparation to make a quality mold. I am not concerned with selling copies; I want the experience of making a functioning complex mold.

In the photos above I am wearing the painted master helmet. I prefer to use a fibreglass reinforced gold resin casting for the final costume piece.

I hope to make the Orbalisk neck seal next;


Be well,
Thomas

Thanks so much for the explanation and more pics Thomas! I'm even more stunned and amazed by this masterpiece now!

It's beautifully done, the symmetry is fabulous too. You're a master craftsman my friend. I can't wait to see your neck seal.

Very, very cool!!!!!!

I enjoyed the Darth Bane books, think it is one cool dude!

Congrats with the result.

THAT IS INCREDIBLE! The amazing craftsmanship, the time and dedication. I have so much respect for this costume. I love it!!!

that is freaking awesome! Your work is always amazing Thomas!

Dude that is ridiculously cool, excellent work!

Awesome!

Very impressive. Nice work on the armor and mask.

When I saw what you were making I thought, no way this is gonna pan out. I was dead wrong! That is some truly inspired and artful work. I hope I grow up to be just like you!

Exceptional! Well executed!

I love the entomology! Your suit looks killer as always, cant wait to see the neckseal

I remember you showing me some of your "beetle" sculpts a couple years ago, as well as what has become the helmet. I'm glad to finally see the final product come alive! Well done, my friend.

Stunning.....amazing......You should really consider making one for sale...then contacting me first

If you're planning a run of these...

+1

-A

Good afternoon,

I bring a teaser image of my EWIP*, Darth Bane, Architect of the Sith. It is hard to describe how much of myself is in this suit. I chuckle to think how much cannot be seen and assure myself that it is all worth while.

This image was taken at 5:00 am today, with just enough juice in the camera for 6 images. More images to come as the project develops.


Click to view the Darth Bane project gallery.

Be well,
Thomas


*Eternal Work In Progress.

That costume is just insane. One of the coolest I´ve seen to date. You sir, got talent

WOW! I can't think of anything else to say!

That is soo awesome, and that mask is wicked. Your patience in this costume has definitely paid off!

As usual look awesome

Excellent stuff. I think I stumbled across this a couple of days ago on deviantart and I was wondering who this was lol

well done sir!

Wow Thomas, that´s indeed a fantastic costume! Awesome craftmanship you have put into this! Do you plan to make pulls of that mask?

I'm pretty sure he said at the beginning of the thread that the moulds were trashed whilst removing the cast parts?? I could be mistaken though?

woowwww....!!!!
that awesome!!!
just wonder how great are you in sculpt.
Nice.

insane man great work!

In honesty the costumes that have parts and details you cant see are a part of the old Star wars logic. Going the extra mile in trying to convince others your no longer in a costume, but you are that person.

An Amazing reproduction of Darth Bane. You have great gifts when it comes to props and I'm glad I share a Hobby with the likes of people who represent it as well as you.

Good afternoon,

Still working on this, and several other projects. I rather suspect/hope that shall be the case for a long, long tyme. Thank you to TDH for your support. I'd like to share some images of my Darth Bane costume as recreated by others;

Darth Bane, Star Wars Legacy 5
Dark Horse Comics
illustration by Jan Duursema
costume modeled by Thomas Spanos


Darth Bane, Fan Days III Sketch Card
sketch by Tom Hodges
costume modeled by Thomas Spanos


Darth Bane, Custom one/sixth scale action figure
Created by Nick Gagnon of "The Underground Studio"
http://theundergroundstudio.net/darthbane.html
Based on my costume.


As to the inquiries about reproductions of these pieces being made available I'll comment that I hope to be able to. I am still working on the hard masters. For instance the form of the helmet is there, but closure mechanics need to be engineered. At some point I'd like to make a new mold and produce a shatter resistant version of the helmet. When I achieve this goal, I will have ability to offer reproductions.

Sigh. I have wanted to offer my costume work, but lack of studio space, start-up funds, and not wanting to jeopardize my standing with LFL with license violation has proven to be quite an obstacle.

I almost had a licensed deal with one of my other costumes, the Imperial Knight armour from SW Legacy.

The company--let's call them Mr.--holds a license to do high end SW costuming. After much research and initial soft-goods development, Mr. contacted me with a fabulous offer, expressing interest in producing my Imperial Knight armour as their first EU product. However, before this project could occur, they need to get approval from LFL.

After the initial presentation, LFL was quick to point out that Mr.'s contract--while covering all characters from SW movies, video games, television series, animated movies--did not extend to comics. For this reason LFL canceled the project.

No matter. I have costumes to build and refine.

Be well,
Thomas

Darth Bane, WIP Orbalisk Armour;

The continued progress of my Darth Bane and his Orbalisk Armour. (Seen here without helmet, cape, and hair cut.) This weekend I completed the shoulder bells and fitted closure straps to the back the gorget.

I am now set on articulating and fitting the whole upper body in Orbalisks.

Be well,
Thomas

Fantastic Thomas! I love what you're doing there. The eyes, contacts or Photoshop?

Thank you. Eyes are Gothika, Red Wolf.

I won them in a contest two seasons ago. I cannot believe this was the first tyme I tired them on.

Be well,
Thomas

Nice, thanks for the info. Keep up this fantastic work.

Excellent beyond words.

Looking at the Hasbro action figure on my shelf right now... and all I can see is Thomas. Fantastic work!

This is a piece of art! Bane is one of my favorite characters from the EU which made seeing this post that much greater. Keep up the great work.

Thank you kindly,

Right bicep encasement in process, before painting.

I look at the tyme that passes between updates and for a brief moment, I despair and wonder when I shall ever finish. Then I recall the projects I work on in between the updates on this project and realize I am on "schedule."


Benefit for the Wild Claw theatre. Photography by Sophia Rapata.
Chicago, February 2010

I do expect update activity to ramp up in preparation for Jedi Con, Düsseldorf.

Wir sehen uns bald,
Thomas

Absolutely amazing, man!
Your costumes never cease to amaze me

Biceps now seeded.

Be well,
Thomas

More excellence!

Darth Bane costume debut
April, 2010, Jedi-Con, Düsseldorf, Deutschland


I have recently returned from my journey in Europe. The first stop was the Jedi-Con convention in Düsseldorf, Deutschland. I was determined to make this the debut of my Darth Bane armour.

The process, or at least my process, of preparing a costume for a majour debut involves buying and playing an unrelated video game through to completion two weeks before the event, going for thoughtful walks, the gym, posting on forums, shopping, thinking about eating, staring at my ceiling crying, stressing to the point that my back muscles spasm and I need a cane to walk, a visit to the doctor and pharmacist, staying up twenty-four hours cramming on completing the suit, stressing over packing, airport security, lack of sleep and an extended flight in a seat place not designed to accommodate my size, working in the hotel room to finish, and VIOLA! Done. It really is that easy.

Be well,
Thomas

After all the hard work and stress, it really does look worth it. It is more than a costume, it is an inspired work of art. Very well done.

Wow, I am shocked and amazed at how great a job you have done as always!

I'm not surprised at all. Thomas always delivers. Each update far exceeds the last!

Well done Thomas, you are an artist.

That is a simply stellar bit of work - you are a master craftsman! So, what's next?

Truly amazing work. I remember seeing some of your stuff first hand back at Celebration 3. I can only imagine how awesome this looks in person.

Incredible as always, Thomas. Thank you for sharing the video! I was hoping to see something from Germany soon!

This is really great stuff Thomas. I think it is great. Soon you will have to do a recreation of his lightsaber

This costume won best in show for the CV costume pageant on Sunday.
Its far more impressive in person i have to say.

I met Thomas on Thursday of Celebration V... He wa swearing the Ganner Krieg suit... It's stunning. I even got to take a pic in person!

Saw this at CV - It is so amazing... pictures do not do it justice.

Thank you kindly,

Darth Bane at the Star Wars Celebration V Costume Masquerade. (Best of Show);


(Photos by Photo Knight / Andrew Siguenza)

This ICE is nice.

Be well,
Thomas

Great Job, Thomas! In all the confusion, I didn't get a chance to congratulate you after the contest. (I'm the Bossk guy who won the "Best Star Wars Villain" category. It was a pleasure meeting you at C-V and "hats off" to creating such a unique costume.

The Bossk was also well done!

Thomas, just a word of encouragement, if you want to make it into the 501st, all you have to do is have some reference material that outlines the whole outfit and then submit the pics. I can try to help you in any way if you would like. my email is darththaddius@gmail.com

Thomas, this one is AWESOME and super creepy! Reminiscent of the Dracula armor from from Bram Stoker's Dracula!

Dear Bossk, I too was very impressed with your work. Back in the day, I was more stoked to receive my Bossk mail-away figure than*gasp*my Boba Fett.

Thank you Art for the observations. I thought of your work as I improvised lighting to go with my ancient mid-range second generation digital camera.

Originally Posted by DarthThaddius

Thomas, just a word of encouragement, if you want to make it into the 501st, all you have to do is have some reference material that outlines the whole outfit and then submit the pics. I can try to help you in any way if you would like. my email is darththaddius@gmail.com

I might try out for the 501st with this costume. But as I said before I understand the guy in charge of Legion approvals is a real SOB. Very hard to please.

In the meantyme, I have a couple more nice shots to share, this tyme from Wizard World Chicago. I forgot part of the cape, so I decided to go it topless;



Be well,
Thomas

Originally Posted by The Clone Emperor

Dear Bossk, I too was very impressed with your work. Back in the day, I was more stoked to receive my Bossk mail-away figure than*gasp*my Boba Fett.

Thank you Art for the observations. I thought of your work as I improvised lighting to go with my ancient mid-range second generation digital camera.



I might try out for the 501st with this costume. But as I said before I understand the guy in charge of Legion approvals is a real SOB. Very hard to please.

In the meantyme, I have a couple more nice shots to share, this tyme from Wizard World Chicago. I forgot part of the cape, so I decided to go it topless;



Be well,
Thomas

I dont think he realizes that you are the officer in charge of approvals

Kudos! probably the most impressive costume creation i've ever seen.

Thank you kindly.

Still working on this suit. In this image, I am wearing a new second rebato (big colar.) I am still not 100% happy with the look, but the suit is "nearing" completion.
One day.

Be well,
Thomas

Best and possibly most detailed costume I've seen yet. Wow... and yeah... will and time can trump $$$ as this shows.