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[Dresdon Acacin]

that looks better

[seugtai]

Hmmm.... Is that belt line, like, your real life belt line or your Mando utility belt line?

Looks to be at the natural waistline to me. I like it's placement, looks spot on to me.

It's coming along! Looking good. Now come give me a kick in the -censored- to get that much done!

[Zophar Ptay]

Hmmm.... Is that belt line, like, your real life belt line or your Mando utility belt line? I'm likin' that side piece, I just hope it's not going to be a movement inhibitor.

It's my real life belt line.  More or less... you know.. it can go down about 16"-18", depending on how cool I want to look *wink*

I don't know how accurate the placement is on that, actually, but I measured from my armpit to my belt as I was wearing it at the time, then marked that on the droid to give me a reference point.   I may have to trim the lower ab plate a little.

The side plate will almost certainly hinder movement no matter how I make it, given that the back plate is full-sized.  The only way I see it not hindering would be if I connected it to a half-back plate and made a 2-piece back as well, which I don't really want to do.  We're wearing costume armour, mobility limitations are to be expected.  Now, whether those limits are reasonable and bearable is entirely up in the air until I get it on and troop it for a day.

The inspiration for the side panel design finally came when looking through the WIPs that I bookmarked before I started working on my own and came across Talos Kot's again.  He had a similar front/back setup and I love how he solved it, so I took his idea.  I'll texture/sculpt it appropriately foe my kit, but I love the thought that went into his "triangles" design.  I keep debating if I want to extend my base-height sides to give me an inch or so lip below the raised chest, and lower the abs to keep the ½" gap the way he did.  That would stop the upper chest from looking so abrupt I think.

As always, constructive and honest criticism is always welcome.  I know the common consensus seemed to be to ditch the chest and start over when it was shown by itself, but I wanted to see it in context first.  I'll get some more pics up in the next few days with the sides and abs mocked up with paper and cardboard, and get the shoulders shaped in and modded the way they need to be, and we'll see.   If the consensus is still that it looks too feminine then I will start over on the chest using the same base that Talos used since that has the same general look that I was going for but in a lower profile. 

[Serim Merec]

It's my real life belt line.  More or less... you know.. it can go down about 16"-18", depending on how cool I want to look *wink*

That's what I thought. I think, considering the tape as the middle of your future utility belt, you should move it up 1-2". I don't know if it's different for Late Crusaders but most Mandos (atleast the modern era) have their belts more up to their belly button. I just mention this because it seems to be what people make mistakes on. They put their wide utility belts where their regular life belt goes and this slightly throws off the look and shape of the plates. But if one raises their belt up 2" to about their belly button it makes the whole kit look better. Again I don't know if it's different for Late Crusaders but I'm just here to make sure you think over things and make the correct decision for yourself.

[Zophar Ptay]

Alright.  The visible changes from the sneak peak are minimal, but here is where I am now and where I'm leaving it for the time being.   I want to step away and see what I see when I come back to it in a couple days.  The hashmarks are areas that will be raised to match the level of the chest plates.

[Hondo Karr]

Lookin good!

[Kel Toi]

I think youve done a great job so far mate, nice one

[Zophar Ptay]

LOL.  In the process of giving ZAPPA a neck and head to get the helmet at the appropriate height:



 I made a startling discovery:  ZAPPA is an IG-88!



LOL

[Dresdon Acacin]

roflol...heheheh

[seugtai]

I never had issues with the chest done the way it is, maybe because I saw them ending up like Jas'ika's of the BVC. I think having them like that can either balance a person out or give the illusion they are much bigger, a larger than life feel. The only thing I'm not really feeling is the side connection between the chest and back. It just doesn't seem to flow to me. I don't know, I just seem more drawn to the side it doesn't have it. But, that's just my personal opinion and what you do in the next stages with it may change that entirely.

[A'den Ca'tra]

*looks at back plate mock up* Turtle?

 

Honestly, I don't think I can give you much advice at the moment. But it is looking much better than the previous incarnation. The chest plates look more masculine and I'm digging how the chest works well with the shoulder plates. Uhm...there is though an oddly shaped gap between the chest and top ab plate. I'm wondering if that  might throw people off a little.

Alas, until you've got more done, I can't give a more solid yay or nay...

[Talos Kot]

from your new photos its all coming together quite nicely .... i think the only issue others had with the chest is that it seems to look much broader across from side to side than your actual chest/ body .. so that it covers your arm pits  thus maybe restricting your movement :
http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/zopharptay/Zophar/fittings/2012-04-20182632.jpg
 and when acctually worn could chafe when you move/ lift your arms out in front ......
do not scrap it !!!!!  that chest looks great but have you considered scooping the sides a bit .... i had to do this with mine to free up movement . i know we are making costumes and not real world armour but you have to think ahead .. you will be wearing this / trooping in it, and it has to be comfortable for You,  and making it more wearable / user friendly goes a long way to making your kit come to life giving the illusion of a feasbly real useable set of battle armour that would work ..... the mannequin -FRANK- is a great tool to have so you can work on your armour in wile on you body but acctually not,  but we need to see it on you  ......... its all coming together great tho !!!!! KEEP IT UP

[Zophar Ptay]

To those not directly quoted below, thanks for your input.  Even a "looks good" helps keep me on track; I start thinking people stop replying because they don't want to tell me it looks bad.   Thanks for your time looking it over and keeping me in line.  I've never done anything like this before so I know I'm kind of asking you vode to hold my hand along the way, but I appreciate your patience with me.

I never had issues with the chest done the way it is, maybe because I saw them ending up like Jas'ika's of the BVC.  I think having them like that can either balance a person out or give the illusion they are much bigger, a larger than life feel.

People should be required to post a link to either their WIP or at least their application pics in their signatures...  I went to Jas'ika's profile, pulled up all of his posts and, naturally, the pics were on p7 out of 16... LOL  I see what you were saying.   I was thinking that by bringing the abs flush with the raised chest in front and taper down to flat on the sides it might help hide my... jolliness that I've put on in the  recent year or two.  His does look really good with flat abs and raised chest though.

The only thing I'm not really feeling is the side connection between the chest and back. It just doesn't seem to flow to me. I don't know, I just seem more drawn to the side it doesn't have it. But, that's just my personal opinion and what you do in the next stages with it may change that entirely.

Thanks for the suggestion.  I was hoping by adding in the side I would avoid the Mando-bra look, but perhaps with the abs in place that is already handled.  I'm going to step away from the torso for a couple days and get work done elsewhere, and see if things look different when I get back to them.

*looks at back plate mock up* Turtle?

 

grrr.... yoouuuuu.....    I actually thought it was flatter until I saw it on the dummy.... hard to tell how curved it is when it is on your own back   I think I'm keeping it that way though; an air gap between the back and the plate should allow at least a little air circulation and reduce sweating... maybe.. don't know.  initially I was going for a back-pack but I thought this might help mitigate the mando-bra thing, and this would be much faster to get done as I am still hoping to get this in by C6, then I can upgrade the back to a pack later if it comes to that.  It will sit in a bit tighter once it has the weight and structure of the fiberglass on it... right now it's pretty poofy.  Technical term, that.  Poofy.

Uhm...there is though an oddly shaped gap between the chest and top ab plate. I'm wondering if that might throw people off a little.

Classic case of measure thrice, cut eight times... I traced the curve onto a sheet of paper, traced the paper onto cardboard, decided I didn't like the sides so I traced THAT onto another piece and so on... and in the end I lost a bit of the original curve.   It'll get fixed.   I had an even ½" gap which followed the bottom of the chest initially and lost it along the way.
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from your new photos its all coming together quite nicely .... i think the only issue others had with the chest is that it seems to look much broader across from side to side than your actual chest/ body .. so that it covers your arm pits  thus maybe restricting your movement :
http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/zopharptay/Zophar/fittings/2012-04-20182632.jpg
 and when acctually worn could chafe when you move/ lift your arms out in front ......

Yes, that was definitely a problem when that picture was taken.  I raised the chest a little so the widest part sits more towards shoulder level and it fit better.  I'll have to try it on now that I have a backplate to see what kind of mobility I am left with.  Here is a detail shot from head-on to show where it sits now, with the white paper pressed flush with the side for better contrast.  I think that might be enough of a difference to make it work.  As you said, I'll have to try it on to be sure.

do not scrap it !!!!!  that chest looks great but have you considered scooping the sides a bit .... i had to do this with mine to free up movement .

I'm not sure I follow, sorry.  Do you mean to cut a bit away from where it would chafe?

[seugtai]

People should be required to post a link to either their WIP or at least their application pics in their signatures... 

I do...
You just have to click my signature...
Do I get a cookie?

But I agree, that would be helpful if everyone did as well.

[ConDar Ward]

Do you know how big my Sig would be if I did that ? 

[Zophar Ptay]

Do you know how big my Sig would be if I did that ? 

one line longer than it is now... LOL

seugtai - yup, I'll get it to you in Orlando

[Dresdon Acacin]

What talos means by teh scoops, is to cut out small semi-circles were the plate messes up your movement. Basicaly, by cutting a semi circle about 2-3" inward were it hits the arms on yours.

[Zophar Ptay]

That was what i thought, but didn't notice it so much on his kit

[A'den Ca'tra]

*smiles sweetly* For the back armor, air flow is a good idea. It's the largest nearly flat part of the body, and it sweats a lot too. Hmm... Might I suggest some kind of venting portals along the bottom to help more with air flow? Alas, I'm unsure how it would affect structural integrity... Maybe even you could possibly throw on some greeblies and such and make it look like a kind of environmental system? Kinda cheat a little lol

Oh the copy and cut method! lol Gotta love it! lmao Can probably fix that fairly easy with an added piece where it's needed. Attach an extended piece, secure it really good. Ugh... just reminded me how much I hated messing with the inverted triankle on brow of my bucket... first it snapped off, then I had to attach art board on the back and glue it to my bucket, then re-bondo... Oh fun... 

But you're kit is moving along fairly well If only we could see you in what you have so we can get an even better idea of how it would look on you aside from your metal tape mock up lol

[Zophar Ptay]

looking for a suggestion of a better way to do this.  I want to bring the abs flush with the chest as mentioned and my best thought was to tape some floral foam, drop a plumb line, file it to match and use that shaped foam as a template to build from.  it isn't coming along quite so easily and the mess and noise aren't working out in my living room.  so better thoughts other than fill it up with bondo and sand it flush, which would weigh quite a bit.   NOTE: there is no intention of leaving the foam as part of the kit in any way, it is only to build a template to work from.

[Dresdon Acacin]

Aww c'mon-you no-wanna pull a Dresdon and make it 75% out of bondo like Dresdon V2? 

[Zophar Ptay]

I have some 5mm corrugated plastic laying around I think I'll try to use as the template.  A heat gun and a razor knife should be enough to get it formed without nearly as much trouble or mess I think.  If anyone has a better suggestion, I'd love to hear it.

[Dresdon Acacin]

You could alwats grab a scrap segment of I-beam and a 32 oz. ballpean hammer and make the ab plates out of metal you know....

[Zophar Ptay]

while not entirely WIP-related, I booked my vacation time at work for C6 and bought my Bday Bash tickets today.  PLUS I have enough airmiles that our flights are going to be "free"... so all I have to cover is the resort.   YAY!

[Dresdon Acacin]

gooooooood......gooood....all is prosceeding as I have forseen.......NOW GET TO WORK ON YOUR 'GAM!