iconoclasta_88

THX A LOT STEVE! This will be a day long remembered... at least for me. It is a big honor and joy to get the EI Badge! The miles walked by this detachment and its members is a big example for all of us troopers willing to walk that path. Thx for inspiring us and for leading the way. Now... a few more mods and hopefully submitting for Centurion clearance. And THX to all my bros for all your kind words and support. Saludos.

Thx! Saludos.

Oh. And the boots. I had these ones for the submission since a couple years ago. And just got the Chelsea ones a few months ago. But again. I decided to go for the more idealized conservative look for submission for EIB and eventually centurion rather than build a full replica to find out it is not allowed. I pretend to build a real replica with all the bells and whistles and gaffers tape. Saludos.

Thx for your coments. A out The weathering... I have not finished it as it will be. Been trying with different techniques so far I am not really satisfied but decided to submit a cleaner look due to the fact that the CRL won't really allow full replicas. More idealized look for EIB. So... The cylinders... I look at many pictures and decided that there props were not made to meet a specific quality, at least not as high as what we have achieved in the 501st. I saw a few pictures of one blaster with a wonky angle on the cylinders and thought that could be a sort of statement on the look I am going for all around. Hope that was not too much. And about the helmet. Truth is I have picture sets with both of the buckets but pictures with the RS were in smaller resolution. And the directions for posting needed higher resolution so I posted the cap-w ones. If that is an issue, I will post only with the RS. Maybe the evaluation should be of the TM armor and the RS bucket. Leaving aside the Capw one. Thx for you kind comments and for your help and encouragement. Saludos.

TK8800 Requesting EIB Status... 1. Name: Juan Arvizu Gómez Trejo 2. ID: TK8800 3. Forum name: iconoclasta_88 4. Garrison: Mexican Garrison Armor Maker: TM 1.5mm flexible ABS Helmet Maker: RS HDPE Replica Cap-W HIPS All handpainted as a replica Blaster Type: Doopydoos Pipe Kit Dashrazon 40mm pipe PlayfulWolfCub resin Power Cylinders type A Height: 178cm Weight: 78kg Boots: TK Boots Canvas Belt: Troopermaster Hand Plates: Karin's painted latex realistic style Electronics: aker amp + RomFX board Neck Seal: Ladysewforus Holster: Troopermaster Original Strapping and wires: Troopermaster Hovi's for the Cap-W: Keith's Hovi's for the RS: RS ARMOR: MUGSHOT: BUCKET: Cap-W RS: DETAILS: BLASTER: Hope that will do it. My build thread is here, if you anyone is interested in checking it out. My plan is to go for Centurion, and then finish the armor as a full prop replica in the Tantive IV boarding party style. Thx a lot. Saludos.

Great!! I Will follow this thread and enjoy and learn.

I don`t think that will happen. But, you never know, kids say what they see. Saludos

Still some stuff to be done, boots finally arrived here from the states now I need to paint them white. They look quiet good and the used leather looks is perfect. Just a bit short on the ankles but no big deal... I am considering submitting my EIB and Centurion applications with the armor as it is, and maybe then go on finishing it as a replica. Due mainly to the fact that gaffer's tape and I guess some other stuff, are not accepted by those standards. In the mean time, here is a picture of this Halloween going out for trick or treat with my daughter. Saludos

Awesome. Thx Paul. I read something like this some years ago, and have asked this same question a couple of times before but never had a clear answer. Maybe I did not ask a clear question... being the gaffers tape the most visible detail that goes farther than weathering. And now that I have started dealing with a character different from a Sandtrooper, I can see why the SWAT program was so polemic when confronting it's standard to the CRL. I still think the detachment excellency programs should not be included on the CRLs, but oh well. We die hard TDs are too much into screen accuracy off the set vs off the screen. But thats where our pad has taken us. That does not necessarily mean that is the pad the Legion most follow. Actually, I don't think I would like that. Thx for the clarification and back to topic. Saludos my friend.

Great points of view and very interesting ideas! Love this kind of threads. This has to be one of the best and most clear ideas I have read or heard about this issue. Yes, they might not be experts in Stomrtrooper armor, but the public has eyes and know what they like, can compare and contrast and can feel, so how we represent and act the stormtrooper character does has different effects on them. Better or worse, thats something else. Is this true? Then, my game plan has changed... I have not applied for EIB or Centurion since I wanted to apply with a finished replica suit. With all the detailing, prop forgery style. If gaffers tape is not approved, then I think I should post my submission as it is, and only after being cleared I will really finish my armor. I wanted to take my TK to a higher standard than my TD from the beginning... LOL! It is always time for beer... Er. I mean, for group hugs! About some other ideas posted here, I understand where the whole idealized look comes from. Specially when so many troopers here have been in the armed forces and police for real. I understand and respect that. But then, and talking about fiction... for me being a Sandtrooper and being pointed at as the dirty guy is just too cool. In my experience, during troops Sandtroopers always get more attention than clean Stormtroopers, one on one and group vs group (Unless you have 10/1 TKs). Why? I guess because we look more extreme, meaner, bad guys among the bad guys. Our weapons are big, we have lots of gear and an armor with lots of character. We are proud, in a fictional way, of our back stories and combat scars. Not to mention the pride we take on the whole process we go through to make those armors in real life as a hobby. Then again, in this bizarre world of fiction portraying real life, I do think that Sandtroopers are just Stormtroopers in combat gear. They are not wearing their base or gala uniforms, they are all loaded up to go to the field and combat. Just as real soldiers do. Actually, there is this back story supporting the idea that the sandtroopers seen on Tatooine looking for the droids, are the same guys taking over the Tantive IV. Just with more gear. And actually, if I remember that story correctly, the guy in back soft uniform is sent by Vader to personally oversee the mission, so we can asume that he is one of the TDs seen on Mos Eisley... That same story I think is where the whole Davin Felth mithology comes from. So... Anyway, Screen Accurate vs Reality Accurate... movies copy life that copy movies that copy life... Such a rich universe and such an awesome hobby. I will keep on my replica style cause that is what I remember from SW, and what is in my mind after watching the movies thousands of times literally, and reading for hours and hours here and in so many other forums and sites. Good there is place for everyone here! Saludos

I was digging the forum to look for weathering info, posts and tutorials and found this. I am curious as how this discussion took place and why it seems that most people tended to think that idealization or at least partial idealization was the way to go. I think that today, this issue must be divided at least 50/50, meaning the same amount / percentage of ppl go for idealization and screen accuracy, if not more for the least. I personally think that idealization is not the way to go. In my time in the hobby, I have gone from wanting to look spotless, to trying to look better, to looking for screen accurate look and feel, to actually persuing the replica look and finally going all the way and try the Prop forgery "style". I have gone through many techniques trying to replicate looks and finally landed in a place where only original parts or replicas of original parts will make me happy. I still have a long way to go, the list is endless if you aim to get all the exact original parts, but with lots of patience, time and the right money, it can be done. And for me, after trooping for 2+ years in my SWAT TD armor, and almost a year with my unfinished "prop forgery-ish" TK armor, I can say that doing it the way it was done on production, is more comfortable and looks better (IMHO) than any other techniques and styles I tried. And the impact on the public is very noticeable. I dont think they can notice the chipping and gaffers tape right away, but they always point me out of the TD or TK groups... they do notice something on my armor that makes me look closer to what they have in their mind and memories. I think that something, is the fact that my armors are pretty much screen accurate in both looks, style and build. Wonder if as I did, people posting here, and the community in general, have changed their minds towards idealization of the TK armor... Just wondering... Saludos.

Gino lid is great for sure... I own TE2, Gino, TM, RS, ATA and CapW... And I must say that even if the Gino has awesome details, and the TM is a piece of art by itself, the most accurate (of the ones I own) has to be the HDPE RS. Nothing beats the details on it. TM and Gino (the version with all the texture) mi second favs, but I guess if they were made out of HDPE instead of ABS, the details would be even better. That for the Stunt version of course. The best Hero bucket has to be TM's no doubt. MHO. Saludos.

Next step completed. A few months ago I got a pair of Karin's authentic look handguards, and just yesterday got a new pair of chemicsl gloves... So of course one thing took to the next one... This morning ai glued the handguards to the gloves and they are done. Needless to say, the handguards are awesome and look just perfect. Here they are... One step closer... Saludos.

E11 is finally done and up to Centurion standard I hope... I was not able to re locate the lock and butt aim, but ai trust that wont be a big deal since those are really minor details. I weathered it to look like and old and beated gun. Not so much like a prop. I will leave that look for a bapty replica I will be workingon , hopefully, next year. I made the grip look more plastic and added some silver details to the different layers on the grip and trigger. Also, added some weathering to the grip to make it look used. Hope you like it. What do you think? Hope you like it... Saludos.

Grip is painted gloss black and awaiting aging and weathering. No more metallize. Only old look. Saludos.

I did think about that. Thing is a glued it with e6000 but added a little rim of epoxy glue to make it look like soldering. It is solid as a rock on the outside, glued solidly on the inside. It was made to never come apart. I don't want to have my props with the incorrect look or finish. So I did it to stay like that. I guess I will have to wait till my next build. Saludos.

Thx! Saludos.

Tried to remove the butt lock and back aim, to put them where they belong, with no success. I glued them too good, there is no way I can take them apart without using a dremel or something. And I don't know if I want to do that. What I did was ruining part of the weathering so I had to do it again. Anyway, it was a good opportunit to make it better looking. It is drying up st the moment, but I will post pictures soon. Almost there. Saludos.

Thx Bros. I will rework the grip's paint job and will remove and reposition the rear lock. Thx for your comments. Saludos.

Blaster almost done. Will post pictures of the weathered cylinders later today. What do you think? Saludos.

Finally, after ages here, I have once again a TK designation. So, requesting TK status. http://www.501st.com/members/displaymember.php?userID=6867&costumeID=124 Saludos.

Really cool armor. Inspiring for sure. Saludos.

Looks like it. And I real y hope it doesn't or you know I won't be able to sleep well until I put it the correct way. And... Taking it of would be just very very difficult to do without ruining the part. :S Saludos.

Did almost the lastof the mods planned/needed to apply for EIB and Centurion: the D ring. It is now painted flat black and now just waiting to add the cylinders and final weathering. Then, finish the armor's weathering and thats it I hope! What do you think? Saludos

Yes. That is the picture I remembered. Seems like droids were made of white plastic at that time. Saludos.