1/6 SSC ESB/ROTJ Darth Vader Modification Thread

[Too Much Garlic]

You can't even match a photograph of an original cast Vader dome to those Kershner shots. It's clear they used a weird lens on that camera.

I know the Sideshow dome is definitely too small for the Sideshow face mask, but it looked okay in the Kaiyodo shots. But, I guess having the dome in hand and trying it out makes it easier to determine if it is too small. So I'm gonna take your word on it.

 

[eczamurai]

You can't even match a photograph of an original cast Vader dome to those Kershner shots. It's clear they used a weird lens on that camera.

I know the Sideshow dome is definitely too small for the Sideshow face mask, but it looked okay in the Kaiyodo shots. But, I guess having the dome in hand and trying it out makes it easier to determine if it is too small. So I'm gonna take your word on it.

The Kaiyodo mask is pretty much the same size really. Still think the Hasbro is the best option.

 

[TaliBane]

Great work and interesting discussion to follow.

 

[McHaleyArt]

The dome itself isn't large enough.

View attachment 153626

Here's a profile shot of the Kaiyodo mask with the Hasbro Helmet, back when I took those other shots:

Distortion or not. Inaccuracies or not. Hasbro has come the closest for 1/6 so far.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

I concur. The Hasbro looks pretty damn good shape-wise in those shots. Would be interesting to see how the Sideshow looks in a similar picture without hands holding things together.

Regarding the eyes I just photographed this for reference. I positioned the Kaiyodo at near similar distance and angle and tilt to my scanned from original and rescaled facemask and got this. (The Kaiyodo is looking down a bit more)

The only issue with the Kaiyodo are the bulges above the eyebrows, where there should be an inward curve instead. That's the only thing that needs to be fixed around the eyes.

Other fixes to the Kaiyodo to make it more accurate consist of pulling the front cheek faces forward and adding an additional bulk and curve to the chin just below the mouth.

For this particular scaled down face mask cast I cast in original shaped lenses at the correct depth for ANH. ESB can be slightly further in as there is an extension in the eye sockets for many of the ESB helmets.

 

[eczamurai]

I concur. The Hasbro looks pretty damn good shape-wise in those shots. Would be interesting to see how the Sideshow looks in a similar picture without hands holding things together.

Regarding the eyes I just photographed this for reference. I positioned the Kaiyodo at near similar distance and angle and tilt to my scanned from original and rescaled facemask and got this. (The Kaiyodo is looking down a bit more)

The only issue with the Kaiyodo are the bulges above the eyebrows, where there should be an inward curve instead. That's the only thing that needs to be fixed around the eyes.

Other fixes to the Kaiyodo to make it more accurate consist of pulling the front cheek faces forward and adding an additional bulk and curve to the chin just below the mouth.

For this particular scaled down face mask cast I cast in original shaped lenses at the correct depth for ANH. ESB can be slightly further in as there is an extension in the eye sockets for many of the ESB helmets.

I think your scan looks amazing. I just need mine to have seperate eyepieces because in my experience the paint can bulge a bit in the corners. I agree it might not be 100% accurate but it will look better than the SS mask in any case.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

I wasn't suggesting you should do separate piece lenses. I was just saying that the eye shape mod you did is completely unnecessary.

 

[eczamurai]

I wasn't suggesting you should do separate piece lenses. I was just saying that the eye shape mod you did is completely unnecessary.

I only changed the brows though? Or are you talking about the actual eyes themselves?

 

[eczamurai]

Also, im still fine-tuning the brows. It's a tedious process.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Yeah, the work you did on the brows doesn't look accurate. The original shape of the Kaiyodo eyes were pretty bang on. Only the surface just above the eyebrows were wrong. It shouldn't bulge out, it should curve inwards above the upper eye socket edge.

 

[eczamurai]

Yeah, the work you did on the brows doesn't look accurate. The original shape of the Kaiyodo eyes were pretty bang on. Only the surface just above the eyebrows were wrong. It shouldn't bulge out, it should curve inwards above the upper eye socket edge.

Doesn't this differ with helmet releases? I mean I'm pretty sure all the movies had different eye shapes right?

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Nope. Though there were differences. That wasn't an area that changed.

 

[eczamurai]

I was basing that change of of this picture. The circled area clearly shows you can see his brows from an angled side view as well. I found I couldn't see this enough with the Kaiyodo.

I think I will keep it this way, I think it will look good painted, most things get blown up in these pictures. I appreciate the feedback I'll get back at the eyebrows immediatly and see if it can be toned down a bit. But not too much because I do feel the kaiyodo need a little more. Looking at the comparison with the kaiyodo and the scan I'd say this is correct, but can't be sure unless I see other angles.

 

[eczamurai]

I feel the white clay makes it look weird too though.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Never a good idea to use fan helmets as reference.

Also, I just held the Kaiyodo face mask sculpt up to the screen to match the reference you posted and it is near dead on in its raw state. There is simply no need for a fix in that area.

But of course, it is your work. Just feel it's a shame to make alterations in areas where it's not needed.

 

[eczamurai]

Never a good idea to use fan helmets as reference.

Also, I just held the Kaiyodo face mask sculpt up to the screen to match the reference you posted and it is near dead on in its raw state. There is simply no need for a fix in that area.

But of course, it is your work. Just feel it's a shame to make alterations in areas where it's not needed.

Yea that's true. And well, you have the real deal so you probably know better. Just looked off to me somehow. I fear once I paint this up I will be all "NOOOOOOO"

 

[McHaleyArt]

I'm keeping my Kaiyodo the way it is when I eventually get back to my mod. I don't like to sculpt & cut if I can help it as I like to go for a bit more durability.
The 2 'obvious' things that stick out on the Kaiyodo is the under chin shape (as Too Much Garlic stated) and the asymmetrical slant of the bottom of the mouth is slightly slanted in the opposite the direction of the original prop.

 

[generalgrevious]

so what color should the kaiyodo vader helmet be as I can paint mine once it get here. as I might use the Hasbro helmet on mine

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Might as well paint both at the same time. The originals were painted with Rolls Royce colors - Mason's Black and a yet unconfirmed metallic grey, but it is suspected it is the color called Tudor Grey. Those two are the standard two-tone paint scheme combination on Rolls Royce cars, as far as I know, so makes sense that those were paired.

When I originally painted mine I painted it with Testors flat black and an airbrush only gunmetal grey and then I shot it with a coat of gloss clear (when you are clearcoating anyway, there's no point in using a gloss black, as the flat black covers better and requires less paint for an even coverage and shines up well with a clear coat). It's best to go darker grey than light, even if you don't get the accurate look. But if you can find equivalents to the Rolls Royce paints where you live, then you can use those.

 

[eczamurai]

Gave him a little bit of primer to better determine the shapes of his brows. I'm happy enough with it and still consider the seperate eyepieces a better option.

Pretty sure purists can point out flaws though. ^_^