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[Jabari]

Alrighty: my Mandalorian!

 


(edited to add the current version - Armorer's style, but I'll leave the original Legacy style picture up)
(edited again to add the current version, updated to meet Post-Imperial CRLs as they currently stand)
(edited a third time to add the version that meets the Updated Post-Imperial CRLs)

The armor will be metallic copper with some green corrosion.

Flak vest will dark brown Carhartt fabric, the cape unbleached cotton duck, and I got some buff twill for the flight suit but not enough, so I might have to switch.  The loincloth will be either satin or slubby "silk" in petroleum/Prussian blue.

Leather parts in dark brown.  I have some vintage ammo pouches, and some Blundstone boots that should work (leather ankle boots, no laces, elastic sides).

Accessories: I'll probably use either my Jyn or Rey blaster, and I'm working on a Baby Yoda puppet.   

I'm not sure on the shin armor or the blue leg...whatevers?  Might become half-chaps or gaiters, not sure.

While I've made a lot of soft/leather costumes, and various props, I've never really made armor before, so any help on that would be greatly appreciated.  I'm looking to scratch build at least the chest pieces to make sure they fit.

[Jabari]

Fabric swatches:



I'm not quite sure how shiny I want to go - very shiny except for the weathering, like the thread, or duller and more oxidized like the disks in the earrings.

Brown = flak vest
Buff = flight suit
Cream = cape
Teal = loincloth/ accent

[Nika]

Awesome concept! Armor can be hard to make, but printing out templates helps tremendously. Here is a link to templates available to print: http://mandalorianmercs.org/get-involved/costume-templates/

[Veris Bralor]

Nice concept!
It's not easy to tell in your pic, but with legacy you are going to need a separate collar piece.

[ladylambi]

Following! I love the colours and concept!

[Jabari]

Thanks everyone!

Updated concept: after some tweaking and research, I decided to see what it would look like with the Armorer's style of chest plate instead of Legacy...and I like it a lot better.  I think it will both be easier to fit, and look better on me, as my large chest makes my torso look very short.  This way I don't have to try to cram in ab plates...I just have to hope they do approve this style of armor for generic, I guess... it really does look like the best armor style I've seen for curvy people though. 



Current plan for accessories:



The crinkly cellophane will be the center of a vibro-blade (if I ever get the plexiglass cut, it's being difficult), and I have some construction knee pads disassembled for parts.  They'll have a piece of sintra to cover the logo and change the look.  Hopefully this belt is usable?  The bag is for the baby Yoda puppet.  I have some kind of aux cable jacks to use for the gauntlet weapon launcher, some other random electrical bits to make...things....that will probably go on the leg bands.  Also, some tiny flashlights for greeblie use.  Gloves will  have the leather parts darkened, and possibly a copper hand plate on top.  I have two pouches, and will make a larger (phone-sized) one as well.  For weapons I have Jyn's A-180 blaster already, or I do have Rey's blaster as well (unfinished), and a thermal detonator kit.

I got out my old Blunnies...and discovered the sole rubber is going bad?! so I'll either have to get them re-soled, or get new boots. 

Thanks to a local Mando, I have some sintra, so I'm working on the flak vest so I can pattern out the armor, hopefully before the armor party coming up.

[Veris Bralor]

The exact plates from the mando aren't approved yet. But it is allowable to have a fused chest piece (with or without a carved kind down the middle) and  have it overlapping one ab plate (instead of the multiple that is more common for legacy). Just again, you will need a seperate collar.
Idk on the belt. Often depends on how it looks with the rest of the kit.

[OriKad]

At the current time, you CAN have a fused chest piece (as long as the diamond is clearly present), but you can't have overlapping plates in the modern style.  It would be best to wait a bit for the new TV mando CRLs to come out if that's the style you like.  There were enough different background Mandos in the show that it's a near certainty that the new style is going to be approvable for custom.

[Jabari]

I guess I'm not sure what you mean about the overlapping plates vs fused plates?  Because this should be one solid piece when finished.

As an illustration for my sizing:

The bottom of the chest plate should sit about 1.5-2" below my bust.  The belt is 1.5", and the sash should be about three times that to look right, meaning it will sit 1.5"  above and below the belt.  Since there is only 4" between the bottom of my bust and the top of the belt (which is directly on my waist here), I will almost certainly have less than an inch wide gap between the bottom of the plate and the sash.  I can adjust the sizing to close that gap, but realistically, I'm not going to be able to get another separate plate in there and have it look right.



Quick mockup to show sizing, using Imperial Ground Crew armor:

[Veris Bralor]

That belt is pretty renaissance-y.
Current CRL's state (basically)
Modern plates mean it's in the realm of boba/jango. Collar, chest plates, ab with a gap between each.  It is allowable to do fused chest plates as long as the diamond is clearly there, and there is gap between the collar chest and abs.
Legacy is a subset of modern, where there is a single chest plate (with clear diamond again), overlapping the collar and a couple of abs. I have seen some cases where one ab plate is acceptable if it's all that works with your proportions.
As the CRL stands. You can't use just the armorer armor for a custom, you can do something similar but add a collar and an ab, either with a gap between the 3, or with them overlapping. A new custom CRL is in the works, which may account for the new plates seen in The Mandalorian. You can hedge your bets and wait for the new crl, or try to make something that works with the current CRLs.

[Jabari]

Got some work done on the armor:

First of all, the Armorer, for reference as to what I'm doing:


My pattern:


The rectangle is the reinforcement for the front; the big triangle is half of the bottom edge (ab area).  I do not have pieces cut out yet for the "filler" bits under the bust, or the armhole caps.

Here's what I have so far:


This is just taped together, and needs a lot more shaping and sanding before I can glue it.  It will become one piece when finished.  I also managed to acquire Din's helmet. 

Color scheme for the armor is aged/distressed copper, with this image as a reference:

[Nika]

I like the color scheme of the aged/distressed copper!

[Jabari]

Armor is (mostly) assembled!  I just need the shoulder caps, then filling, sanding, and painting.

 

[Jabari]

Okay, so it sounds like in order to meet the new Post-Imperial CRLs, I need to modify a few things.  First, I'll be adding a backplate and hip plates, and I've also updated the concept image to include my sleeves.  I was rethinking the gaiters anyway, but as it sounds like I need to make this less Armorer-style to get approved, I've eliminated them in favor of some pleating on the legs instead.  I'll also have a blue stripe down the outside of the leg.



Here's what I have so far:  Flak vest is done, top needs a collar still but is otherwise done.  Armor still needs work.  Loincloth needs trim but is otherwise done.  The red sash and belt are temporary, but are the right size.



I have also started on my knees and shoulders (not shown).

[OriKad]

There's been some significant discussion for Armorer style chests in the Ruus'alor board, and the consensus we came to was that it needs more belly plate than the canon Armorer when used as a custom.  That means either a bigger belly plate or trimming down the chest.  In your case, there isn't much torso space left to add more plate, so you may have to trim the chest plate.  In that case, all you'd have to do is cut the bottom a little, perhaps a half inch to an inch, since you already have a little more belly plate than the original.

As an aside, that's one of the best-tailored vests I've seen in the Mercs!  You got it PERFECT.

[Jabari]

There's been some significant discussion for Armorer style chests in the Ruus'alor board, and the consensus we came to was that it needs more belly plate than the canon Armorer when used as a custom.  That means either a bigger belly plate or trimming down the chest.  In your case, there isn't much torso space left to add more plate, so you may have to trim the chest plate.  In that case, all you'd have to do is cut the bottom a little, perhaps a half inch to an inch, since you already have a little more belly plate than the original.

As an aside, that's one of the best-tailored vests I've seen in the Mercs!  You got it PERFECT.

Thanks.

I can try trimming the chest a little, but there's really not much space I can cut out.

[Jabari]

Okay, final (I hope) concept, updated to meet the new standards for Post Imperial!



I'm not entirely sure about the thigh armor, and not all accessories are shown, but basically, this should be it. 

[Urala]

WOW! I love the copper-color scheme for your armor and the colors of the soft parts!! Your drawings are incredible and it is so cool to see how the design changed over time. I can tell that this is going to look sooooo cool!
I just decided to shift my kit to Post Imperial (luckily I was chicken and never started on the armor plates). Definitely going to be following this thread, the breakdown you did of the Armorer's plates was a great way to start and I'll have to try that when I get the courage to start working on mine.
Keep up the good work!!

[Jabari]

WOW! I love the copper-color scheme for your armor and the colors of the soft parts!! Your drawings are incredible and it is so cool to see how the design changed over time. I can tell that this is going to look sooooo cool!
I just decided to shift my kit to Post Imperial (luckily I was chicken and never started on the armor plates). Definitely going to be following this thread, the breakdown you did of the Armorer's plates was a great way to start and I'll have to try that when I get the courage to start working on mine.
Keep up the good work!!

Thanks!

Current progress:

- Pants are half done....just need the energy to finish, haha.  I should be able to finish before the armor party this weekend.  They're basically Jyn Erso's pants in tan, with the pintuck detail moved to the back of the leg instead of the front (because the shin armor would cover it).
- burn-tested the fabric, I think it'll work for how I want to do some blaster damage.  Shot to the thigh, right where that thigh plate should be....I've decided not to do the thigh plate.
- I'm hoping to get the back plate and shoulders cut out at the next armor party.

Also, this character's name is Tracyn Gotal'ur