activation email

[Bast Qadesh]

I do hope that title got your attention, my bro's and sisters!

This is Bast Qadesh's start of her "Soft Parts". By normal expectations with a mando build, this is not "usual", so enjoy the unusual, "Soft Part" construction thread for Bast Qadesh! She is a Togorian, so that means she has fur. No, she is not cute. She will rip your face off with one hand made up of claws.


For those just joining that might  not be familiar with what I am doing, here is the original thread that has been approved by the app team.

https://mandalorianmercs.org/forum/index.php?topic=147199.msg1839577#msg1839577

Here is the final run down of what we are looking at, if you don't want to go through all of that, as I tend to...write A LOOOOT.   This is Bast in her technical "Lore" form as per SW standards and Wiki measurements. She's pretty big for a female togorian. Qau'Boee (Cowboy) is her brother she grew up with who is one of the few that can hold her up in strength, despite his human-size.

For the real life Bast, she'll be much smaller, about Qau's size, as I  cannot do stilts and to be frank, stilts kind of disproportionate your legs compared to your arms if you are a digigrade creature anyways. To me, who is a proportions-nazi, I want this to look realistically sensible and believable. Also, i want to be safe and mobile.



The fur is hyper realistic, as realistic and as easy, for the sake of this daggum costume and making it easy to make so it doesn't take 5 years, as it gets and s faux fur gets. I have about 6 yards, which is more than plenty and I got it on sale, score! I still need to get her body "Suit" that the legs and arms will be attatched to and the "Vest" she will be wearing as she is a sleeveless and non-flightsuit mando design, for mobility.

[Raene]

Sale! Good job!

[Bast Qadesh]

Sale! Good job!

Thanks! I was very proud of myself for that, lol!

I have some delightful updates! I can now start on the head construction! Yesterday, I went to walmart to buy the foam, which they have, now, put in square "Cushions". Took me a double-take to find what I was looking for. Okay, I suppose. Same price and right size and shape, can't beat that. I have a BUUUUTTT ton of foam at home, but, the walmart foam slabs work better than my huge honkers I have and they are cheap, which makes them easy to slice into and they are thinner. My heads come out lighter and more realistic this way with the thin stuff. Beats Joanns foam slabs which, two yards of 1 inch thick can run you like 50 bucks pretty much, without coupons. YIKES!

This jawset is a taxidermy cast and it was humanely obtained through a donation or purchase of a deceased Ti-Liger. The guy that sells these on Ebay is legit and I have bought from him before. He even modifies and makes his own original jawsets for say a werewolf or a "beast" costume. He does a lot of taxidermy/creature costume stuff. My best bet and figuring is, rather than go to the professional mascot places to purchase a jawset cast, a real-legit taxidermy is probably better and more aesthetically pleasing for the sake of the final product. Also, with my building method and budget, I cannot do resin casting for a more realistic animal-human-head ratio. So a realistic jawset will help the head come out more realistically proportioned and shaped. Supposedly. We'll see what happens.

The balaclavas are what I use to build my bases on for all of my costumes I have done in the past up until now. The difference is, this one will, hopefully, be my most realistically finished one to date. I thought I had achieved this 4 years ago with the TDE, however, I was told my shistavanen sith was too "mascoty' still. So, here we are FINALLY, again, some time later. This had better be IT or I just might be burnt out, which is not good. So, let's get to it!

I will keep you guys updated! Enjoy the pictures!

The jawset will probably be treated first for a "Creepy" gum effect. Found a tutorial about how to make horror DIY at home and one of them was how to make a fake jawset. This is PERFECT! I actually have modge podge for both cloth and the standard default! Wahoo!






 

[Raene]

Wow! Just wow

[JakanOrar]

This is really hype tbh. I was reading through your planning posts a few months back and was really interested in the direction of this build. It's also really cool to see how excited you are and have the skillset required for this type of build! I'm really looking forward to see how you construct the skull and work with the fur, since I may have to do alittle fur work in the future (nothing as ambitious as this, but it'll be helpful to see someone who knows what they're doing at work).

Also as just a side note, in the recent issues of the Thrawn comic there has been an appearance of a Togorian female in action, and there are several great angles. SHE ALSO HAS A TAIL! I know you were very excited to do a tail in the designs but the only references we really had was a character without one, so this is great news if you aren't too far into this to add one! Here's some images to help!:

[Sep Ho'ban]

Appears to have a much shorter/more humanoid snout.   Does have the digitigrade legs, but the feet don't look as extreme.

[Bast Qadesh]

This is really hype tbh. I was reading through your planning posts a few months back and was really interested in the direction of this build. It's also really cool to see how excited you are and have the skillset required for this type of build! I'm really looking forward to see how you construct the skull and work with the fur, since I may have to do alittle fur work in the future (nothing as ambitious as this, but it'll be helpful to see someone who knows what they're doing at work).

Also as just a side note, in the recent issues of the Thrawn comic there has been an appearance of a Togorian female in action, and there are several great angles. SHE ALSO HAS A TAIL! I know you were very excited to do a tail in the designs but the only references we really had was a character without one, so this is great news if you aren't too far into this to add one! Here's some images to help!:

Aww, shucks! You guys keep making me want to cry, you're so nice! I know some people were kind of iffy on the tail, but now that it is CONFIRMED, I'm even MORE excited for this build and to rock it. I will, for the moment, probably keep the tail saved for AFTER approval (It was techinically APP'd for approval in it's concept without one, so I think that's what it means, lol) , just for safety, but you bet your britches, after that approval, that wagging thing is going to be a DEFINITE  THING, lol! Dag-sheezit, I need to start reading the comics! T_T I legit have the room to start collecting them. I have sleeve protectors and a literal 6 inch wide binder I can start chucking them in!

Appears to have a much shorter/more humanoid snout.   Does have the digitigrade legs, but the feet don't look as extreme.

Right, this must be the "New" and "Canon" version of the togorian. Honestly, I like the more "Anthro" or animal-like bodied ones. It screams more "Alien" to me because it's not really as "human" Honestly, I could revisit this, later and make a second version that is more up to par with the "Canonical" version. Like a wookie suit. She's shagged in fluff like the wookie, it looks like, but the tail is a delightful touch and I'm so happy she has one, lol.

The Digi-"Foot" of this togorian is short and more "humanoid", but still "Digi" I like the longer "Foot" and high "Ankle" of the original togorian. It's more pleasing to me and the extremety opens up the door for more of a challenge to make it look like you aren't as human. I suppose I like the shock of making something more animal that looks like it's alive and moving around. Nobody knows how you work as well when you are less human in anatomy, lol. It's fun to hear questions and see people's faces and overhear comments while walking around at conventions.

[Sep Ho'ban]

Did you ever post your original references for the character? I've forgotten from the previous thread.

Edit-- found them, from the KOTOR comics.  It looks like you may need to decide whether you are going canon Togorian, or Legends Togorian... the tail will hang in the balance.

Also worth noting that upgrades after approval still have to be CRL compliant, and are approved by clan Ruus'alor's

[JakanOrar]

I feel that details with the claws and fur maintenance could simply be a personal grooming choice, after all humans have a ton of different hair and nail styles why wouldnt an anthropomorphic species have just as much variation? Since this togorian from the comic is working with imperials in a dojo overseen by them it wouldn't surprise me if keeping her claws short was somewhat of a professional/social courtesy. Don't want to be scratching up the floors and hurting your students accidentally!
As for a mando togorian, well EVERY part of a mando is a weapon, you would want to keep it ALL maintained as such.

I'm sure as long as you stick to the correct (or as close as you can get) anatomy of EITHER the KOTR or recent Thrawn comics, details like that can be a personal choice. Unless of course the app team decides it's alright to mix the two references? Looks like you'll have to bring it up with them again in light of the "new" cannon reference.

[Bast Qadesh]

Did you ever post your original references for the character? I've forgotten from the previous thread.

Edit-- found them, from the KOTOR comics.  It looks like you may need to decide whether you are going canon Togorian, or Legends Togorian... the tail will hang in the balance.

Also worth noting that upgrades after approval still have to be CRL compliant, and are approved by clan Ruus'alor's

Legends because my costume expertise is more "creature" than "humanoid" and I know what I am doing, lol. I was on the phone with a friend and I read him your comment and he said. "The "tail" will  "hang" in the balance?"  I told him to shutup becuase that was way too good of a pun.

I feel that details with the claws and fur maintenance could simply be a personal grooming choice, after all humans have a ton of different hair and nail styles why wouldnt an anthropomorphic species have just as much variation? Since this togorian from the comic is working with imperials in a dojo overseen by them it wouldn't surprise me if keeping her claws short was somewhat of a professional/social courtesy. Don't want to be scratching up the floors and hurting your students accidentally!
As for a mando togorian, well EVERY part of a mando is a weapon, you would want to keep it ALL maintained as such.

I'm sure as long as you stick to the correct (or as close as you can get) anatomy of EITHER the KOTR or recent Thrawn comics, details like that can be a personal choice. Unless of course the app team decides it's alright to mix the two references? Looks like you'll have to bring it up with them again in light of the "new" cannon reference.

My ruu'salor is in full support of taking my own personal direction on my kit, including the tail, after the simple approval, which I was fighting tooth and nail for, lol. I do know there are members that would be bugged by the idea of a tail for  reasons, but if one is standing on feet like that they NEEEEEED A TAIIIL to balance, kick, etc. It is in earth nature lol. Funny the humanoid has a tail, but the beast togorian doesn't.

[Sep Ho'ban]

My ruu'salor is in full support of taking my own personal direction on my kit, including the tail, after the simple approval, which I was fighting tooth and nail for, lol. I do know there are members that would be bugged by the idea of a tail for  reasons, but if one is standing on feet like that they NEEEEEED A TAIIIL to balance, kick, etc. It is in earth nature lol. Funny the humanoid has a tail, but the beast togorian doesn't.

Your Ruus'alor, is also beholden to the CRLs in making those decisions, it is not a matter of their whim, or personal opinion.  And sci-fi creatures, behave in relation to sci-fi physics, not necessarily earth physics.

[Bast Qadesh]

Your Ruus'alor, is also beholden to the CRLs in making those decisions, it is not a matter of their whim, or personal opinion.  And sci-fi creatures, behave in relation to sci-fi physics, not necessarily earth physics.

Ah, okay, I think I see what your saying. As far as I know, I am in the clear though, tailless, at least, so I will keep pursuing that. I suppose I don't see the harm in adding a tail, is all a "because I can-thing" but it kind of confuses me when I am told it doesn't work because they don't have one. But why not? I have high-functioning autsim so I HAVE to disect things sometimes when it comes to star wars, which can even wear me out and I give up because even I think, "Okay, you nerd, it's simply handed to you, it doesn't need to make sense, relax, it's fun and easy to play around with, let it go," lol!

I'll talk it over with my Ruu'salor and see what can be done about that, even if it means consulting with an actual costume judge or the APP team just to make sure we aren't technically voiding or breaking anything/if it can or simply won't fly AFTER I am official.

By the way! Here is a video utilizing this really NEAT technique I found from a simple DIYourselfer on youtube!. It will be painted, accordingly afterwards and "Glossed for wetness! It is a mouth afterall!

Will post pictures to show these in better lightning, soon!
https://www.facebook.com/jhatonna.turner/videos/1885535764790571/

[Sep Ho'ban]

it doesn't need to make sense,

Star Wars Physics isn't earth physics. There's a great load of sound in space in Star Wars.  In real life, those explosions make no sound unless your helmet is physically touched by them, of course, they wouldn't be nearly as bright either. 

Sounds like you've got the right plan, keep your Ruu and the App Team in the loop on the changes    Also, we have no costume judges.  That's an RL/501st thing.  We have the App Team.

[Bast Qadesh]

Star Wars Physics isn't earth physics. There's a great load of sound in space in Star Wars.  In real life, those explosions make no sound unless your helmet is physically touched by them, of course, they wouldn't be nearly as bright either. 

Sounds like you've got the right plan, keep your Ruu and the App Team in the loop on the changes    Also, we have no costume judges.  That's an RL/501st thing.  We have the App Team.

  Okay, I went dormant for a while and, now, I am behind, sadly, lol! This sucks! I'm so stinking tired and DONE with this head, for a bit, until I can look at it again, with fresh eyes. So, here she is, struggling with a Big Cat head-shape, but making the head look smaller. I was concerned that a helmet was not going to fit over this head because the snout was MASSIVE. Well, I don't know what the heck I didn't just hack off the nose in the first place. This is only my third, tinier head that I've ever constructed with a realistic profile, but it's human sized and not like my past work. I'm struggling to adjust my natural urge to build stuff BIG. But I do it, anyways and then cut it down. So, have no fear, she is going to look like a cat.

As much as I don't want to bring this up, are the ears too long? I ask you WHY are they too long and I will explain why I made them that long and it's not JUST because i like longer ears....well...not ENTIRELY, but fur adds volume or it hides and makes a shape buffer or bigger so it doesn't look so immediately distinguishable and small. With her cheek fluff she will have, it will hide the base of the ears, thus, making them appear shorter than they actually are. Her head "Fluff" I will add, will also bush-up her head shape and it will also counter the rise of the ears. I very much know it is hard for you guys to understand or see this, because you are not familiar with how a creature costume finishes when it comes to the fur. People have to build bigger or smaller on purpose than the finished result they want so the finished result looks correct.

Now, if you think I should clip them down, anyways,  I can, because I want to follow the rules. I'm terrible scared I might not like the result of the head once it's completely finished, though, but that's my personal fight and problem, not yours, so I wouldn't be blaming you guys for wanting and helping me to make this as accurate as possible. I'm a picky artist on a lot of things, but the fur-thing, I do really mean and it's not a personal thing, it's a costume fact, for these types of costumes. It's your call, though, APP Team!

[Raene]

Wow the detail in that head is amazing!! What will cover it with?