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[EricL]

Cat hair doesn’t seem to follow the regular rules of space-time, it’s a real pain. Kit looks awesome! The cape looks great, and just thinking that the documentation is key for the App folks to see that the weathering is indeed there. Thigh pockets are very nice, like a different model from wherever Boba would get his haha, but really they’re nicely filled and not in the way of anything. Sigil on the chest is awesome, plates seem to seat nicely, and love the backplate.

Only thing that caught my (unofficial and inexperienced) eye is that the cod assembly looks a bit off center compared to the torso, and also wider than the span of the chest plates. I can’t remember ever seeing the width be an issue, just an observation.

[Second Son]

 I'm an action figure now!  My brother does custom and mash-up GI Joe figs for fun with his boy-child.
He did this from a pic I shared in the sibling chat. He even added the Danger Stripes.


Also, I got pre-app feedback so the project can continue on the right path. It doesn't feel like a whole lot, and I'm proud to see that the pre-app review included the word 'impressive' in reference to my progress!

Some of it I can probably attribute to kitting up issues and how I'm standing but there's a good bit of work left to do.
So far I've been able to do some additional soft goods weathering while Mrs. Second Son and I do some TV time after the spawn are in bed.

Front, overall


some close-ups. 
I shortened my double sleeve to mid-bicep and it definitely looks better. Also gave me a chance for some topstitch details and a place to catch some Space Grime.

Added a 'repair' in a few spots (upper thigh, some of the pouch seams) by just running a satin stitch in heavy linen thread and dropping on some extra stainage around it.

I've been working with the knee plates attached so I know where to start and stop, and I've kept the lower hems less dirty, as I've decided that i like my pant legs tucked into my boots better.

Rear, overall


Some close-ups. Added more backsweat staining


I'm strongly considering adding a kama so I've held back on the areas that would cover - I've done some subtle stuff and my butt and back of thigh wouldn't gather as much wear and dirt if they are covered most of the time.



Again, boots tucked in so lower hem is cleaner but my calves and up to behind the knees are going to get some grime accumulation

AND THE CAPE!  I think I've gotten a handle on making it look dirtalicious in person and still have it photograph ok.

Outside



Inside



What do you think, vode? Right direction on the soft goods?
I'll try to kit up again soon to see how well it blends my level of wear across the kit.

[Aster Veris]

You're definitely heading in the right direction vod! Congrats on being an action figure 

[Cattriss Wren]

Everything looks great!! Awesome action figure

[HinRed]

The action figure is amazing. Weathering is also coming along really well! Your kit Is looking awesome!

[Second Son]

Thanks for the kind words, vode.

You're definitely heading in the right direction vod! Congrats on being an action figure 

  Thanks vod - I'm still aspiring to match the weathering skill of the CEO of Socks.  The Monarch of Mud? 

Another micro-update - following up on a pre-app fix list item. They said I needed to add some weathering to the buckle and the pouches, so I spent a while griming up my cloth pouches and adding some to the cleaner of my leather pouches. 

Oh and I made a nice cover for my belt buckle.  This was planned for a future upgrade, but if the buckle already needs work for base approval...
 Two layers of .060 brass, the back plate is patinated.  I rolled them to match the curve of the buckle. Riveted together and to the buckle blank with some solid brass rods passed through and peened over from both sides.  I countersunk the holes first to allow the rivets to hold & for them to be filed flat to keep them low-profile and mostly invisible.




Hopefully this meets the spirit of the review note. I will let the buckle age naturally from now on and occasionally buff the high points.

[Aster Veris]

I'm still aspiring to match the weathering skill of the CEO of Socks.  The Monarch of Mud? 

Another micro-update - following up on a pre-app fix list item. They said I needed to add some weathering to the buckle and the pouches, so I spent a while griming up my cloth pouches and adding some to the cleaner of my leather pouches. 

Awe you flatter me! The key is just acrylic paint! And speaking of weathering you could use more on the black holster, it feels too new compared to the pouches. I would recommend watered down brown/light brown and do a wash or two on it.

[Second Son]

I've been on the fence about the holsters, they're the first ones I've made and I'm still leery of damaging them. I'll go for some more (light to start) weathering as the guru of grit suggests.  Touch of wire brush on the corners first. A bit of 'splatter' at the bottom and scuffs on the strap to show repetitive use. A little bit of brown wash accumulating in the tooled linework. 

[Aster Veris]

Sounds like a good plan!

[Second Son]

One of my pre-app feedback items was to fix the 'float' of my cod plate. So I patterned out a lower part for my cod to follow the line of a classic Fett style but I did it in leather lined with cloth, because comfort. Hopefully that doesn't make it no longer considered a 'solid' cod plate.  I added some strapping to complete the full bobathong. I've also made myself a kama; I've directly attached it to my sash so I can put it all on in one go. The mounting stud heads just visible on the front of the cod have been painted since I snapped the progress pic. Please don't judge my safety pins, it's still in progress.




Not strictly required, but I felt my side closures weren't quite right, so I added some buckles and straps.  I used scraps from the vest materials to make the straps, and painted aluminum buckles which I've scuffed up and brown-washed.  Then I went nuts on the fresh new straps with Space Grime. These look and feel better, and I'm glad I used fabric instead of nylon webbing, it lust looks better this way. There's some webbing on my shins, I may have to swap it out for canvas straps like these...


I also wasn't satisfied with my right shoulder plate, it felt too plain. My brothers and I regularly refer to one another by our number, and as I am the Second Son....



That's all for now. I've got a few fit items to wriggle. I spent some time weathering my holsters and  re-working spacing on my front armor, we'll see if it is an improvement when I get some more full kit pics snapped.

[Vercopaanir]

Nice work!

I like the solution you came up with for the floating plate.  Since soft cods (like biker scouts and some Darth Vaders) are allowed you will still be good regardless of how it ends up being classified.  I'm tucking that one into my solutions bonnet for later.

[Second Son]

Verco - Thank you. I tried to let it be free but the cod needed to be contained. Honestly putting hard plates against the softest parts of our bodies isn't much fun if there's no actual space war happening. This solution is my stab at keeping a hard cod (brigades are on my mind after I get OM and do some troops) and also being comfortable. By all means use the idea, I think I owe you one since I've been taking notes on your work.
 
On to the update!
Pictures happened. Maybe one last round of considered weathering and tweaks?  Careful kit-up will be the thing regardless of whether I make any tangible changes.
 I'm aware that my backplate looks wonky, I think my stance and the weight of my cape is putting it out of whack. That's going to be a focal point of my last push to application photos. I've been looking over my pre-app feedback and I think the things that stuck out most as stumbling blocks for approval are addressed.






additional shots:




I welcome honest and constructive feedback, I want to make this kit as good as I can.

[Vercopaanir]

Looking really good! 

I see what your saying about the plates and the cape drag.  I think there might be couple things you can try to help with that when you go to take your app photos.  If you look at your head-on photo you can see how that whole shoulder plate is actually sitting lower then the other side which is cape weight.  My advice is to make sure when you taking your photos for the front that the cape is fully resting on your backplate for them (if possible).

Another thing that might help with that is giving the whole vest a tug forward and down.  If you look at your side photo you can see the vest is nearly an inch lower in the back then the front which will increase the drag of the cape on the whole kit.  So if you grab your collar plate and give a lift and tug forward and down that will help even that out and put the cape attachment more squarely on the top of the shoulder versus the dragging so far on the back.  (Helps with the fight with gravity).
That tug forward will also help with the very slight bunching in the vest you can see on the pouches from the back photo. 

Another thing I found when taking my own personal app photos is that how you stand makes a big difference.  I never square up to a camera so taking my app photos was hard.  I always want to put one foot a little further forward and tip my body ever so slightly to the side, but that skews the whole perspective.  Took me a couple rounds of photos to realize I was doing it.  So my advice, whenever I am helping take app photos, is to always check your feet.  If you're standing square the odds are better that the picture will look better and of course it makes it easier on the photographer to help you position the rest of your body correctly.  I personally tend to lower my left shoulder and put that foot forward.  Doesn't look like your doing it here but just throwing that out as something to be aware of.

I absolutely love that belt buckle  and the stylized two is a nice personal touch.  As daughter #2 I can relate (#2 of 7 girls) to being called by number sometimes. 

[Second Son]

Solid advice, thank you.  It's tough to get that precise type of feedback and institutional knowledge without being able to do armor parties. I'll have to remember to brief my usual photographer (ad'ika #1) on the best ways for me to stand. They are 8 and absolutely will not hesitate to tell me what to do and remind me of the things I've said.

Now I'm thinking about putting an eyelet on my right shoulder and a little hook on the corner of the cape, to turn it into a short cape until I get a jetpack, whose weight would hopefully pull everything into place better anyway. Then I'll just drop it down into a classic shoulder cape (or pass it on to another kit and go aerial assault? who knows). I could also make another mounting plate, I have another plate just like it I can use.

I think that a big part of my wonkyness is rushing to kit up and not paying attention to what I'm about. I seem to end up looking like I've been trooping for an hour by the time I get to taking the pics.

[Cattriss Wren]

Wow great job vode!!! Your kit looks awesome you did such amazing work with your armor!