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[Catika]

  Hi I'm Cat and I'm doing all the kit upgrades I've been meaning to do for two years so I can re-apply!!

My first WIP is super old and full of broken photo links, so I figured I would start fresh. I'm also going to be documenting my progress on Instagram (@jatneisbest).

Here is where I'm starting with my first approved (now retired) kit, Ren Mavlaar (approved July 2015).



Bucket off~


Here are my plans! This new kit will be based off of my Mandalorian character Jatne.

1) New flak vest. The black vest was made by me. I don't like the black. The vest itself is shoddy construction. The zipper is broken. But I know how to do zippers now lol
2) Repaint. New kit, new character, new colors. I'll be doing a dark red, with greyblue accents (design tbd, but I'm kind of partial to the chevron pattern).
3) Flightsuit. I like the color I have, I don't have solid plans to replace it, but it's not very stretchy and it's honestly a bit uncomfortable to wear. Who would have thought my flightsuit would end up being the most uncomfortable thing on my kit? 
4) Pouches. The army surplus green pouches just aren't cutting it for me. I will either purchase or attempt to make leather/pleather pouches. New belt too. Probably will add a girth belt and nix the loincloth thing which was a late addition to hide my codpiece (I don't like the way I cut mine).
5) Gauntlets. Ren Mavlaar was built to be a medic. My new kit and new character will be a Sniper. So I will need to either make new gauntlets or take these apart and redo them.
6) Weapons. I have twin blasters ready for modification that I got at Walmart ages ago. I will also need a big ol' Din Djarin style taller-than-me sniper rifle.

Smaller details: new strapping/attachment for thigh plates, new knees (probably), new codpiece, holsters, and if I'm really feeling adventurous, a cape.

Question for you all. Keep a scarf (in a new color)? I always got compliments on it!

Thanks for reading, I'll be back soon with updates!

-Cat

[Joren Kal]

Welcome back!

To your question on the scarf....if you're going for the sniper brigade I think you need some kind of ghilli suit or something...you may need to wait and see how that works or doesn't work with the scarf.  OTherwise, if you like it, keep it! 

-Joren (Brian)

[Fenn Beviin]

Welcome back!

To your question on the scarf....if you're going for the sniper brigade I think you need some kind of ghilli suit or something...you may need to wait and see how that works or doesn't work with the scarf.  OTherwise, if you like it, keep it! 

-Joren (Brian)

Better yet, what about a ghili scarf?? Also I like the color scheme you had planned out. Just my 2 cents but I would say adding in the Mando chest paint type patterns such as the ( ), < >, and [ ] from open seasons would be a cool subtle nod to more Mando referenced things. I'm biased about adding in all those subtle Easter eggs though 

[Roninzx14]

Really liking the sniper concept color. Do the CRL's stipulate an extra long rifle or is that a personal choice? Happy building vod!

[The Unknown Mando]

Interested to see this transformation

[RC-3141]

Death Watch sniper rifle from Clone Wars, depending on when your are thinking about having your kit be from it is definitely possible that to have acquired one of these (If I remember correctly commando droids used something similar but I don't know if it's the same). Lots of canon sniper rifles though.


I also second the ghillie suit or camouflage idea, but that might just be because I like camo.

[Catika]

Joren, Fenn thanks for the warm welcome back vode! Can't wait to troop with you both! I'm realizing I can't find (or I don't have access to?) the BRLs for Snipers, but I will keep the ghillie suit in mind. I took another look at the Brigade options and I'm wondering if one of the other options might be better for the character I have in mind.  But I am definitely going to go for an unreasonably sized rifle. Also Fenn I am thinking about doing something more 'in universe' for my accent symbols... I'll look at some Mando art and see what I find too. (It's been FOREVER since I read 'Open Seasons' omg)

Really liking the sniper concept color. Do the CRL's stipulate an extra long rifle or is that a personal choice? Happy building vod!

The extra long rifle is most definitely a personal choice! I'm not that tall so it shouldn't be that hard to make a rifle look huge next to me 

Interested to see this transformation

Am I allowed to say 'me too'? LOL

RC-3141, I'm liking the idea that the rifle could be a commando droid trophy or something... in my head this character was involved in the Clone Wars so that would be cool!

I'm getting sick. :< So tonight all I did was try out the new Mando Builder.



The greyblue pieces would probably not be entirely greyblue, but red with the accent color. I've been fervently searching for new scrub options--they make tapered/jogger style pants now which would be soooo helpful, but not in dark khaki. So I am toying with the idea of doing olive, which might be a little weird (Christmas-y?) with the red. Or it might look cool. idk (Edit: I gave olive a whirl in Mando Builder and I kinda like it?)

Currently I'm ripping up a blazer I got at Goodwill to use as a pattern for my vest.



Which will go onto scrap fabric to be fitted and then patterned onto my duck cloth!

[Fenn Beviin]

Personally I like the red on tan flightsuit. The kit vibe gives off somewhat of a Rav Bralor vibe but also doing your own thing with it. Also you could also do more of an urban sniper vibe with those colors and just use muted/dull colors like other assorted hues of grey and tan along with the red accent colors and stuff

[Kol Varek]

Welcome back!!!

[RC-3141]

The red and green could be interesting in terms of camouflage, perhaps intended for a planet like Felucia


Edit: I forgot to ask, what is this Open Seasons?

[Ordeyn]

So good to have you back.

[The Unknown Mando]

Open seasons is a 4 issue comic based around jango fett....great read and illustrations....highly recommend

[Skel'aDor]

Cat, aint it great that can change up your color scheme fairly easily? Go bold!, You kinda remind me of a Cuy"val Dar named Rav Bralor , I believe. She also had a preference  for dual blasters, and as hard as a coffin nail. Me ,I like shemagh , very kool look, a tad warm on hot days, just keep it a little loose to get alittle ventilation up
in ur helmet. Now , I'm kinda new and just posted my WIP too, so these other folks have way more cred.  Anyway keep ur mind open, keep improving...This is the way!
Skel'aDor

[Catika]

Personally I like the red on tan flightsuit. The kit vibe gives off somewhat of a Rav Bralor vibe but also doing your own thing with it. Also you could also do more of an urban sniper vibe with those colors and just use muted/dull colors like other assorted hues of grey and tan along with the red accent colors and stuff

These are good things to consider! I think my preference would be to not reference a canon(ish) character and kind of do my own thing. But since my vest material is grey, doing a dark grey flightsuit might work? I'm still thinking on this. I have time lol

Welcome back!!!

So good to have you back.

THANK YOU BOTH!! Always good to see familiar faces after so long 

RC-3141, that's a good thought about the red plates/green flightsuit being a good camo for a place like Felucia! And I highly recommend the Open Seasons comic, like Unknown Mando said!!

Thank you for the feedback, Skel'aDor! My shemagh can get a little hot, but I'm pretty used to it. I'll probably pick that up last, once all of my colors are figured out. The only thing is, I kind of want a cape, and I'm wondering if a scarf + cape will be too bulky... We shall see  Good luck with your build!!

I have a few updates! I finished sewing my flak vest mockup and it needs some major adjustments. But since the weather was good this weekend, I decided to take the plunge and paint.



One last shot of the old colors before I ripped the plates off my vest. My attachments are such a MESS but I'm hoping I can clean it up a bit on my next vest.



Silver base layer. Used masking fluid on the edges and put the color on. Racing against the sunset and dropping temperatures today. 



Red paint for my flashy Mando Jatne!

I practiced on this knee piece first because I was very unhappy with my weathering on the first kit. Wanted to go more minimalist on this stage, and then I'll use carbon and acrylic washes for weathering.



Hoping to make progress on my vest next. I didn't touch my gauntlets yet, I'm still trying to figure out what to do with them colors-wise. I have a two week trip to Italy at the end of February and I might get busy with preparation, so my updates might be sparse for a bit. Until next time: happy building!

[Kol Varek]

Nice paint chipping! Good to see you still at it and getting things knocked out slowly but surely!

[Catika]

I'm baaaaack! They let me leave Italy, but now I'm stuck in my house on self quarantine for 14 days. 

I have no pictures, but some updates:
-Almost done with my flak vest mockup.
-Ordered scrubs for my new flightsuit!! [Link] [Link] [Link]
-Hoping the weather cooperates to paint my helmet today... we shall see.

I am reconsidering the weathering on my paint scheme. The idea I had in mind is that my Mando, Jatne, is kind of a slob/ditz and her armor is so worn that the red has worn away on 1/3 of the plates, so the silver base coat would encroach on the edges quite a bit more? I am waiting for better weather to do some experimental painting with the knees, but I thought that would be a cool idea. Jatne is a bonafide Mess(tm) of a Mando.

Hopefully I will have some more progress here soon, just wanted to say I'M BACK and they wouldn't let me stay in Italy. 

[Kurz]

Hopefully I will have some more progress here soon, just wanted to say I'M BACK and they wouldn't let me stay in Italy. 

Was it that terrible?

[Catika]

Was it that terrible?

It was WONDERFUL. There was no panic at all the past two weeks. We only missed out on a couple of places that had closed in Venice and Padua because of the virus. We got home Saturday 3/7. However, on Monday 3/9, they issued a country-wide quarantine/self isolation decree, and people can't leave their houses. So we just missed that. We arrived the last week of February (2/23) before the outbreak started in the Lombardy region (where we arrived and stayed for 3 days in Milan and Padua), then we went south to Florence and Rome. We really dodged a lot of close calls on this trip, but everything escalated after we arrived and there was really nothing we could do but enjoy it! 

[Catika]

The tiniest update. My flak vest mockup is done. Idk what happened to the front, but that's what mockups are for.



I have a flightsuit on order too! I went with olive green and a dark grey undershirt, I'll post pics when it arrives.

Next I'll transfer the mockup to duck cloth. If all goes well I'm hoping to have it mostly done by the end of this weekend. Painting has been put on hold due to it being 40 degrees and raining most of the week. 

So what I have left:
-Paint helmet
-Add weathering to plates
-Repaint gauntlets
-Finish flak vest
-Attach pieces to vest
-Belt, girth belt, holster
-Blaster mods
-Weather flightsuit

Not too shabby.

[Havelock]

CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!  Welcome back!  I'm so glad to see you're working on a new kit.  And I really like the direction you're taking.  I'll be eagerly watching your thread for more updates!  Yay!

[Catika]

CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!  Welcome back!  I'm so glad to see you're working on a new kit.  And I really like the direction you're taking.  I'll be eagerly watching your thread for more updates!  Yay!

HAVELOCK!! Look at you, you are like a magical Mando teacher now!!      YAY

It's good to be working on my kit again (finally)!

[Kol Varek]

HAVELOCK!! Look at you, you are like a magical Mando teacher now!!      YAY

A lot has happened in a short period of time. I'm glad you're coming back to experience the future.

[Havelock]

HAVELOCK!! Look at you, you are like a magical Mando teacher now!!      YAY

It's good to be working on my kit again (finally)!

It's been an interesting time lately.     I'm glad to see you back.   

[DBagdonas]

I love what you're doing with the kit and I look forward to seeing how this turns out. I am working on starting my kit too (after putting it off for five years) and love to look at people's WIP to see how they're doing to help encourage myself along.

Better yet, what about a ghili scarf??

To add to his, I think it's a wonderful idea. A ghillie scarf would be kinda beastly, honestly, so that you don't have to worry about trying to do a full ghillie suit but the cape still gives you a sort of camo covering. And I love the idea of the  bigger-than-me rifle. Can't wait to see how that turns out, too. Any ideas on what base you're gonna start with?

[Catika]

[places a baby Yoda plushie in a circle of republic commando action figures to resurrect this thread]

I love what you're doing with the kit and I look forward to seeing how this turns out. I am working on starting my kit too (after putting it off for five years) and love to look at people's WIP to see how they're doing to help encourage myself along.To add to his, I think it's a wonderful idea. A ghillie scarf would be kinda beastly, honestly, so that you don't have to worry about trying to do a full ghillie suit but the cape still gives you a sort of camo covering. And I love the idea of the  bigger-than-me rifle. Can't wait to see how that turns out, too. Any ideas on what base you're gonna start with?

Good luck with your kit too!! I am personally not a fan of the ghilie look, but I think my cape will add some camo like you said. I am not 100% sure what I'm doing for the rifle yet... TBD!

YOU GUYS IT HAS BEEN A MINUTE.

What have I been doing?
1) Cleaning my house
2) Listing my house for sale
3) Buying a house
4) Painting my Mando

That's... yeah, it's been A Month, let me tell you.

Here's progress:

Pretend I never mentioned a princess seam or using a smelly blazer from Goodwill as a pattern because I gave up and used my old vest to pattern a new one. I also gave up on a two color vest.



I repainted most of my armor pieces. I am going for a very worn down look because my Mando, Jatne, is kind of a mess. I'm dubbing this 'redneck Mando.'  You can see I did a layer of burnt sienna on the collar piece (and the knee pieces). I also have charcoal to add carbon scoring and I'll top it all off with a matte finish.



I laid everything out with my scrubs, vest, and my old belt and... I kind of love it. Still need to weather the shins, but I got brown half chaps to wear under them!



The only color I have not added yet is my blue accent, which will be Krylon's Aqua.


What do you guys think about the weathering so far? My tentative plan is to paint a blue stripe across the front [like a sash] over the plates as they are, as if my Mando put the stripe on recently without touching up her plates. That stripe would still get a brown wash and carbon on it so it's not so 'fresh.' In character, the stripe is to honor her dead father (because what's a Mando without a dead parent?  )

I have no idea what I'm doing with the helmet. It's got a silver base coat on right now. It will be red, with the Krylon aqua on the 'eyes', and possibly silver on the upper cheek.

Idk though, I'm trying to visualize how I want the weathering to look on the helmet. If you have any recked-looking weathering to share on your helmet, I'd love to see it!

thanks for your feedback and continued support during this time.