Arco Thyel Soft Goods WIP
[AR-koh THIGH-elle]
Key points of interest for this build’s soft goods:
- Post-Imperial detail stitching
- Aiming for Beast Tamer brigade (feline centric)
- Aiming for Light Melee brigade (throwing knife centric)
- Faux leather
- Scratch-built gloves
- Spats
- Kama
- Bandolier with rifle and beskad attachments
- One million knife sheaths
Su’cuy everyone, I’m working on my first build! I am new to all of this, so I greatly appreciate any constructive criticism. Don't be shy if you'd like to suggest alternative crafting methods or mention any lore considerations I may not have noticed. I'm here to learn!
I am still working on my overall concept and am more active in my concept thread (http://mandalorianmercs.org/forum/index.php?topic=200446.0) right now, but since I wanted to begin working on my gloves, I’ll go ahead and get this thread started up with some WIPs.
My kit is Post-Imperial, and as I build for OM, I’d like to keep my intended brigades in mind: Beast Tamer and Light Melee. As far as soft parts go, the only brigade requirement to be concerned about for OM is the Beast Tamer track’s heavy weathering. Lots of fun possibilities there!
Here’s my current plans -- things are subject to change, but I'm attached to the general concept. Soft parts not included on the MandoCreator concept are the spats, a beskad sheath on the back of the bandolier, and throwing knife sheaths on the arms / belt / bandolier / any available surface that could be improved with the presence of knives.
(https://i.imgur.com/wMI4MA4.png)
[Update 4/2/23: here is my revised kit breakdown for app. The above breakdown is still relevant for upgrade inspiration.]
(https://i.imgur.com/zUZQBGo.png)
Weathering Considerations
For weathering reference, Arco breeds narglatches and tooka / loth cats:
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c9/c4/07/c9c407e77501ac9388a673458cb13c06.jpg)
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e9/60/8c/e9608c55407b86c1dc5057edb239aed5.jpg)
Aaah, the three-clawed beasts! Mandos beware…
With these beasts in mind, I intend to have quite a few claw marks and hand-sewn repairs. I could be covered in fur from an affectionate loth cat or slobber from a narglatch. Cubs from any of these species may consider parts of the kit like the kama / sash / cape to be fun chew toys. Ever had a puppy steal your shoe or a kitten pounce your toes? Had a puppy drag you by your jeans or a kitten climb up to your shoulder, shredding your outfit the whole way?
My parents recently got a four-legged labradorian strill pup, a chaotic beast who takes great joy in slobbering and chewing on anything within reach. I expect she will gladly help with weathering my kit or turning the curtains into reference material. And by that, I mean she's already ripped a hole in the curtains to teach me what authentic bite marks look like! ???
Another key idea to help with weathering is understanding the biome Arco works in. I want it to be similar to my own so I can get nice pics! I live in an ecotone in northeastern Kansas, a transition between deciduous forest and tallgrass prairie biomes. All four seasons are expressed, with a rainy spring and snowy winter.
I’ll have to take some reference shots of my own when I go to the parks I want to get kit pics in. For now, here’s some online references that give an idea of these biomes:
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e2/39/31/e23931f47a60285922609664707a4b80.jpg)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E0Z4BunWQAIvqPp.jpg)
I’ll have to consider the shades of dirt I see at local parks. These biomes have a lot of wildflowers, grasses, and spiky weeds, so perhaps there could be grass seeds or burrs on my kit. (Unless seeds from real plants are too Earth-y?)
Soft Parts
Here are the primary pieces for this WIP thread! The list may be added to / subtracted from as I get going.
Flight suit
I have espresso-colored scrubs that require some editing. Post-Imperial flight suits have distinctive detail stitching, and I’d like to incorporate some of that into the design -- plenty of research to do on that front.
I may scratch-build a more canon Post-Imperial flightsuit in the future, but that's for a version of me who actually has sewing experience!
Cape
This’ll be the last part of my build and subject to change, but I’m thinking a gray cape with Din-style pleats. As much as I'd love a cape, I've grown to love the amban rifle and beskad at my back more -- if I can't get them both to work, I may scrap the cape.
Boots
Boots are tricky to find! I would rather not buy leather, but am a bit flexible regarding secondhand leather if there are no other options. I went to all the thrift stores in the area over several months and tried on so many boots, and these are the only ones that semi-fit. I have no concrete plans, but I will make something like spats to cover the laces / red soles and will add sintra plates to cover the embossed logo. I’ll need to do something to make them more comfortable to wear, too. I’ll keep an eye out for comfier/laceless options as well.
(https://i.imgur.com/yFrNyry.jpg)
Gloves
I didn’t find any at thrift stores, and I don’t like how the ones at the hardware store fit (most options were leather anyway), so I’ll try my hand at making my own! I have zero sewing skills, so hopefully that works out. I’ll be using this faux suede with the pleather as details. The armor piece is a paint swatch with the chrome and gold I'll be using for reference, don’t mind the super weird shape it's cut into. :laugh: As you can see from the image, the pleather sands nicely, but the backside is unrealistic, so I’ll have to work with that. The suede on the other hand is reversible and stretchy.
(https://i.imgur.com/jHVBB0L.jpg)
Waist items
Belts, bandolier, sash, and holsters! Not much is set in stone here.
Since I’d like an amban rifle, I have reference images of Din’s bandolier in my concept thread, and I’ll have to keep the cape in mind for mounting.
I didn’t find any thrift store belts I liked (and again, most were leather!), so I believe I’ll try making my own from the same materials as the gloves.
I’d like a sash that drapes down and is more tattered than the kama, so I’ll need a more delicate material. I like the texture of this hopsack linen, and it can be dyed as needed.
(https://i.imgur.com/n1XIVHm.jpg)
Flak vest
Flak vest will be black duck cloth with brown trim, and that stretchy hex fabric as detail panels. Not sure if I’ll have the detail panels on their own for flexibility or on top of the duck cloth to prevent stretching. I’m not set on closures, but I think I’d like side buckles. I know it's not really seen in PI canon characters, but dangit, I love buckles!
(https://i.imgur.com/gmrsyaG.jpg)
Kama
I intend for the fabric to be the same as the flak vest, but this may be changed if needed -- flak vests are stiff, and although I'd love them to match, a flowy kama takes priority over color. For the overall shape, I’m really smitten by the eagle-tail motif of Altaďr's robes from Assassin’s Creed. I'd love to have a long double-layered kama like this if it passes CRLs, but even if not, I will most certainly take inspiration from it:
(https://www.absolvergame.com/forums/uploads/editor/k8/8dfer6pheyns.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/2GbzzFm.png)
Dang, looking at those images, I may use him as inspiration for belts and leathers too. Bye guys, I’ma go replay ACR.
Anyway, I’ve begun work on the gloves, with the flight suit and flak vest to follow shortly. Progress pics to come!
Arco'thyel Wyshla Build Thread Index
Planning thread (http://mandalorianmercs.org/forum/index.php?topic=200446.0): A planning log that includes swatch tests, template development, reference screenshots, and lore considerations.
Soft goods thread (http://mandalorianmercs.org/forum/index.php?topic=204271.0): Includes in-depth build process of soft goods such as flight suit, flak vest, kama, leathers, and accessories. [you are here]
Hard goods thread (http://mandalorianmercs.org/forum/index.php?topic=214240.0): Includes in-depth build process of hard goods such as armor, helmet, gauntlets, weapons, and accessories.
Also serves as a master thread by sharing key updates from the planning log and soft goods thread.