1:6 Scale Sideshow Old Ben Kenobi

[Deak Starkiller]

Your best yet MF, seriously awesome!

 

[Darthrazz]

Hey Maulfan, your pictures are amazing! If I may ask, what are the tools that you are using?? Are you Mac or PC based? Are you using Photoshop CS3?

 

[MaulFan]

MAC all the way.

Here's my tools of the trade.

HARDWARE

Canon Digital Rebel XTi 10mp SLR
Canon 28-200mm EF Lens
Canon Speedlite 420EX Shoe Mount Flash
Canon Off-Camera Shoe Cord for flash, 2'
Tripod
Various room lights
Various props to block and bounce light
PowerMac G5

SOFTWARE

Apple Aperture - Digital Photography Databasing and Manipulation Software
Adobe Photoshop CS2
SnapNDrag - Image Capture Software (for film stills)

 

[IrishJedi]

The flaws in SSC's ROTS Obi-Wan really stand out next to their ANH.

 

[Darthrazz]

Thanks for sharing Maulfan!


My company just picked up CS3 today. I can't wait to install it!


The wife and I were discussing picking up a digital SLR, how do you like your Canon?

 

[MaulFan]

Canon isn't up to the megapixels of the SUPER pro cameras that are getting comparable to 35mm, but of the Digital brands in the mainstream like Nikon and Sony, I'm extremely happy with Canon in their image quality, ease of use and the overall quality of their product. I've have 3 digital cameras to date. Nikon was my first, then I got a Canon to upgrade and Canon's was more affordable in the MP range I was looking at and features, and now I'm hooked on Canon.

 

[Deak Starkiller]

SnapNDrag - Image Capture Software (for film stills)

I take it to be used on DVDs?

 

[MaulFan]

SnapNDrag - Image Capture Software (for film stills)

I take it to be used on DVDs?

Ya, but it's general image capture software. It can snap an image of the entire desktop, a user specified selection, or the window of a program.

I use the program window mode on the DVD player.

Here's a shrunk down sample of a raw still I took. You can sort of see the grey program window around the image and the maximize buttons, etc. I then drop them into a photoshop file, crop the whole thing to just the movie part and then paste those images out of that file and into the individual files to superimpose the figure into.

 

[Deak Starkiller]

Cool man, is this shareware or payware?

 

[MaulFan]

Freeware, I don't know if there's a non MAC version, unless of cousre your on MAC. Go to www.download.com and punch in the name, it's that simple.

 

[amarcord]

Very impressive repaint Mickey -Especially the eyes

 

[IrishJedi]

My credit card says $72, but I understand your sentiments.

Oops, forget you Cali folk get reamed in taxes.

 

[Deak Starkiller]

Freeware, I don't know if there's a non MAC version, unless of cousre your on MAC. Go to www.download.com and punch in the name, it's that simple.

Yeah, no Mac yet. Bummer. But I appreciate you sharing your insight on the work you do MF.

 

[MaulFan]

Not a problem. I'm sure it may seem silly to pour so much effort into images of collectibles, but in the end it helps me sharpen and hone my skills with the tools and the creative part of my brain, so I get a lot out of these exercises.

 

[Deak Starkiller]

Not silly at all, it's more inspiring than anything.

 

[MaulFan]

I was looking closely at some of the next stills I'll be doing earlier tonight, and I noticed how I can paunch my figure more. I paunched a bit but it's hardly noticeable, but looking at the stills I noticed, he belt is quite low down on his body compared to other Jedi, so I can paunch more where the padding is now, and with the belt lower it'll still wrap around. Odd, I thought usually Old Men jack things up higher, should have his belt at his chest

 

[Deak Starkiller]

Thant's cool, I Erick Estrada'ed mine too ala WorGar along with the Dave Myatt water effect to give him one awesome look.

 

[Matt S]

Ok, finally got my Old Ben shipped today from Sideshow....(darn being 1500 miles from Ca!!!) and I really, really dig the figure, but gotta comment on the paint job.... just looks like Old Ben should be on that Pale Horse!

I mean, he looks sickly and worn out - just a too zombish looking due to the super pale paint apps!

 

[MaulFan]

Interesting, I actually find his overall flesh tone to be one of teh better ones I've seen, on the portrait, the hands seem a little paler. I think one thing that throws the paint off, but Mikey's and Adam's repaints deal with is the skin tone and hair/beard tone are quite close to each other, so there isn't a strong distinction in some lighting. I don't consider that a flaw of it, just a result of translating hair, especially messed up thinning hair like Guinness had, into a solid form like a figure. Mikey's white shade stands out well from his flesh tones, and Adam's attention to the Guinnes look with the darker patch between sideburns and goatee helps define the hair from the skin.

 

[Puay]

Seems like quite a bit happened since I left a note about facial expressions.

Darth Maul had no expression for most of his screen time or is overly expressive compared to 1/6 figure standards in the rest of his screen time. Bespin Luke is one of a few lifeless portraits. Boushh Leia strikes me as having subtle emotion, and Yavin Luke is subtly smiling and showing the content he did on screen.

I love almost all of head scuplts in this line. Only dislike is Yavin Luke, no matter how I look at it or how hard I tried to convince myself... its just not Luke. As for Bespin Luke's Lifelessness, I blame it on the paintwork.

MF your images is something I have always look out for in this forum. Great work!