Handicraft projects from Essen in the Outer Rim

Joined
Mar 11, 2024
Messages
180
Reaction score
339
Location
Essen, Germany
Hello Star Wars Rebelscum Forum,

started collecting Star Wars figures 2,5 years ago and managed to register for the forum in the last days.
There are so many cool figures already existing in the old series but to be creative again seems to be a wonderful Star Wars passion for grown-ups.
I am so much impressed by the creativity, ideas and realisation of your Star Wars custom projects.

Although the prices are increasing and collecting is a really expensive hobby, I am trying to believe that "collecting Star Wars figures is for everyone", also for kids and fans who have not a high salary.
So I usually choose for my amateur projects affordable used figures, if possible and available and currently no 3d printed items and very rare and expensive figures.

I would like to share some of the results with you and starting this thread.

"Rey as experienced Jedi Knight"
 

Attachments

  • IMG_4939.JPG
    IMG_4939.JPG
    781.3 KB · Views: 103
  • IMG_4940.JPG
    IMG_4940.JPG
    890.1 KB · Views: 62
  • IMG_4937.JPG
    IMG_4937.JPG
    617 KB · Views: 39
  • IMG_4938.JPG
    IMG_4938.JPG
    1.1 MB · Views: 35
"Inferno Squad Member"

First photo was without red stripes on the arms. It was a bit tricky to find the right red colour for the painting.
I was trying to find some 3.75 heads from the characters like Iden Versio but found only one from Australia (this is really Outer Rim!).
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2030.JPG
    IMG_2030.JPG
    1.2 MB · Views: 30
  • IMG_2764.JPG
    IMG_2764.JPG
    1.4 MB · Views: 27
  • IMG_2766.JPG
    IMG_2766.JPG
    1.5 MB · Views: 30
Last edited:
Welcome !! These are all great! Rey looks like a completely different character.
Thank you Utinniii!
It was a bit painting practise again with try and error but now I own a good selection of colours (at first I have tried Revell oil based colours like in the 90s for you model making. It's still not good) and puchased some suitable tools.

Idea finding and afterwards the practical realisation is sometimes not so simple as you thought in the beginning.
 
Agreed that your painting applications are impressive. Love the figures you've shown.
Thank you VaderJay!
In my view usual surfaces are not so difficult to paint. But painting a complete 3d printed face/head will be a real challenge. Maybe need to learn soon how to paintbrush to make a clear first coating.
 
One of my first handicraft projects finishing in March 2022 when I was still painting with Revell oil based colours and was fascinated by all the introduced Mandalorian clans.
Used old and new affordable Boba Fett and Bo Katan figures for creating my own interpretation of the Mandalore Protectors. (the female head is Qi-Ra for testing if she would be a good match)

"Protectors of Concord Dawn"
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0514.JPG
    IMG_0514.JPG
    1.8 MB · Views: 33
  • IMG_0468.JPG
    IMG_0468.JPG
    1.6 MB · Views: 21
  • IMG_0523.JPG
    IMG_0523.JPG
    1.6 MB · Views: 31
I could be wrong here, but oil based paint doesn't always cure on some plastics.
 
„Leia, Rebel Pilot“ with Lola droid.

And creating a handmade 3.75 cardback the old fashion way.
If you are not good with graphics programmes and printing, use old school methods to build a template (with tracing paper, your favourite scissors, a pencil).
For Leia I used an old POTJ Luke figure, Lola and Leia's Lightsaber belong to TVC Obi Wan (Wandering Jedi). The head is from TVC Leia Bespin Escape.

Have a nice weekend!
 

Attachments

  • IMG_7377.JPG
    IMG_7377.JPG
    1 MB · Views: 26
  • IMG_7373.JPG
    IMG_7373.JPG
    1.4 MB · Views: 28
  • IMG_8234.JPG
    IMG_8234.JPG
    1.8 MB · Views: 23
  • IMG_E8235.JPG
    IMG_E8235.JPG
    3.7 MB · Views: 34
Last edited:
I go old school all the time. It takes longer and has lots of imperfections but it is relaxing.
 
That Zeb is a triumph! Everything you posted makes me want to build/paint some customs RIGHT NOW! 🤩
 
That Zeb is a triumph! Everything you posted makes me want to build/paint some customs RIGHT NOW! 🤩
Very good! Start small and try to find the right tools and colours at first.

P.S.
The body used on Zeb is from Ello Asty (very affordable Force Awakens figure and with a bigger body than a usual pilot's body).
Hands, feet, head are from a used Zeb figure from Star Wars Rebels. Also not expensive.
I used a very small drill bit to make holes in legs/arms; and took some cutted paper clip metal for my interfaces: body to hand/feet.
If I remember right you have to mill the inside of Zeb's head a little bit so that it will fit.
In the end the only painting here is the pilot blue suit, the grey cables and some white as a correction.
 
Last edited:
"Three Mandalorians of Mando Season 3"

Two were mentioned in the trailer which was inspiration for continuing creating new Mandalorians.

- female Mandalorian with kept Owl clan sympol -> TVC Bo Katan figure 2021
- Middle: Clan Elder Mando -> TVC Death Watch figure 2022
- male Mandalorian, clan unknown -> Boba Fett The Last Jedi Collection 2017

I think Hasbro plans to issue the purple-orange-helmet Mando but I am not sure.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3604.JPG
    IMG_3604.JPG
    3.4 MB · Views: 23
  • IMG_3377.JPG
    IMG_3377.JPG
    951.2 KB · Views: 16
  • IMG_3380.JPG
    IMG_3380.JPG
    798.7 KB · Views: 15
  • IMG_3381.JPG
    IMG_3381.JPG
    790.7 KB · Views: 22
For Mandalorian enthusiasts. Clan Wren!

Star Wars Rebels mentioned the famous clan of Sabine. I like the yellow grey armor. My painting was kept simple because the armor's ornamention is too detailled. Especially for characters like Ursa and Tristan Wren.

Choosed several affordable used Jango and Boba Fett figures of different series, and a Bo Katan TVC figure. One sharpshooter guard is missing on the group photo and got some weathering afterwards.
Unfortunately I used in this project oil based Revell model colours so the layers of paint are not so clean and fine.

My own special was the arming. I don't like the existing very small blasters of the TVC Mandalorians. So I have taken a very robust and my favourite A-180 blaster (of many Jyn Ersos) for most of the male Mandalorians.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6172.JPG
    IMG_6172.JPG
    1.4 MB · Views: 20
  • IMG_4041.JPG
    IMG_4041.JPG
    1.5 MB · Views: 22
Last edited:
Nice. Is there a particular story or name to this clan given their matching colours?

EDIT:
My bad, I was reading through multiple tabs so I must have skipped your intro blurb. Didn't see that it was Clan Wren as I never saw the Rebels series.
 
Last edited:
Nice. Is there a particular story or name to this clan given their matching colours?

EDIT:
My bad, I was reading through multiple tabs so I must have skipped your intro blurb. Didn't see that it was Clan Wren as I never saw the Rebels series.
Ahhh, okay. It's clear. :)
I can recommend the episodes with the Mandalorians (e.g. first appearance of Bo-Katan who was a former Death Watch and the right hand; also the conflict between The Empire, some different clans and The Protectors of Fenn Rau). Maybe give it a try again.
 
Ahhh, okay. It's clear. :)
I can recommend the episodes with the Mandalorians (e.g. first appearance of Bo-Katan who was a former Death Watch and the right hand; also the conflict between The Empire, some different clans and The Protectors of Fenn Rau). Maybe give it a try again.
I might try it as I do have a friend with a Disney + subscription, it probably doesn't help that Sabine is wearing a more personalized set of armour with colours that don't identify her with her clan so I didn't recognize it at first.
 
"Hera from Star wars Rebels"

The figure is not as good as the new 2024 TVC figure but I have built it 1 year ago when the Ahsoka trailer was shown and this was enough inspiration.
The neck has now the right green colour and quite all the details. The 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th were old photos and are showing the almost finished figure in April 2023.

The biggest challenge 1 year ago was to find a good clear picture of the Ghost Crew logo on Hera's jacket and paint it.
The head is from the only existing Hera Rebels figure. The body is a Jyn Erso figure which I like to use as a base.
The vest is from Qi-Ra and is unfortunately made out of rubber - so it was difficult to paint and dry it. The batches were small prints or drawings, then glued on the figure.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_8040.JPG
    IMG_8040.JPG
    1.2 MB · Views: 18
  • IMG_6615.JPG
    IMG_6615.JPG
    1.3 MB · Views: 17
  • IMG_6653.JPG
    IMG_6653.JPG
    1.2 MB · Views: 17
  • IMG_6661.JPG
    IMG_6661.JPG
    898.6 KB · Views: 18
  • IMG_6665.JPG
    IMG_6665.JPG
    886.5 KB · Views: 24
A long bad office day needs a happy photo post. So here is a 2023 "Liam Neeson (Qui-Gon Jinn) Behind the Scenes" figure.

One of my most colourful projects. I have only waited to find a cheap paper-cocktail-umbrella somewhere.
The umbrella's handle is still awaiting some red paint and maybe the belt could be a little darker. And Georg Lucas is missing.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_7564.JPG
    IMG_7564.JPG
    855.1 KB · Views: 26
  • IMG_7523.JPG
    IMG_7523.JPG
    318.6 KB · Views: 23
  • IMG_7562.JPG
    IMG_7562.JPG
    1.3 MB · Views: 31
Shortly before the beginning of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, I finished „an Eopie riding Obi-Wan“ who received different brown and dark green paintings. Plus the cape and an additional stick weapon. Riding to his film set he asked two Jawas at Tatooine Bluffs about the right direction.

Edit, 23.03.2024: The photos were taken at a children's playground in a big sandbox with a stone border.
 

Attachments

  • B011E405-2B3A-4212-B5AD-ECAAEBBF7625.jpeg
    B011E405-2B3A-4212-B5AD-ECAAEBBF7625.jpeg
    3.6 MB · Views: 23
  • C371CBBB-951F-44A0-A9A8-10CA5E2DD51D.jpeg
    C371CBBB-951F-44A0-A9A8-10CA5E2DD51D.jpeg
    2 MB · Views: 30
Last edited:
Heh, that's a fun little picture. You contemplating building a diorama for future photos?

Hi OutcastJawa,
unfortunately I am not got at creating dioramas. I have some small ideas but the realisation is not so simple in the end and is taking too much time for me and workspace.

Actually I like to be outside and would like to be a better toy photographer than an iphone camera user.

But small concept ideas are in my mind. The last days I have just tried to paint dried beechnuts to design a kind of Felucia flowers and sorting my collection of plastic caps.

Maybe we have to split us custom people into groups like Lucasfilm. Something like
- first concept ideas
- procurement group and good storage(!) ;-)
- Edit and forgotten: Incoming inspection, quailty control, cleaning of used items
- breadboard and prototype figure builder
- production planning, work preparation and project management
- Designers (from concept to realisation)
- Painters and fine paint artists (for faces and details)
- Stage designer and diaromas
- Toy photographer

At the moment most of us are all in one person.
Have a nice weekend!
 
Last edited:
A starship project from last year and some photos of the working steps.

A "Kashyyyk Nu-class Medical Shuttle" of the Clone Wars.

Bought a good used shuttle with a missing cockpit cover glass.
Almost the whole used shuttle got a new paint (except the underbody).
Could not find a spare cockpit cover online so the missing part was replaced by a selfmade paperboard cover with some transparent plastic glass (from a SW figure package) and cutted green styrofoam pieces (from an egg 6-pack).
It was a lot of work and steps due to drying the fresh paint and painting new layers or correcting again.
Added a very small Kashyyyk sticker and big Medical logos on the wings. And a Togrutan bird (concept art by Ben Meng) on the left side of the cockpit.

The interior and a big container (under the shuttle) is still on hold. I only have started to build a container structure.

Hopefully we will get an affordable Nu-/Rho-class Shuttle with 2-3 wings in the future in real 3,75 scale. This would be nice.
In my view one of the most driven and known starships in the Star Wars Galaxy (Clone Wars, Bad Batch, ..).
 

Attachments

  • IMG_E6472.JPG
    IMG_E6472.JPG
    3.9 MB · Views: 20
  • IMG_E7572.JPG
    IMG_E7572.JPG
    3.2 MB · Views: 18
  • IMG_6455.JPG
    IMG_6455.JPG
    2.1 MB · Views: 18
  • IMG_6110.JPG
    IMG_6110.JPG
    2.2 MB · Views: 17
  • IMG_6111.JPG
    IMG_6111.JPG
    1.5 MB · Views: 18
  • IMG_6112.JPG
    IMG_6112.JPG
    1.1 MB · Views: 18
  • IMG_6113.JPG
    IMG_6113.JPG
    3.5 MB · Views: 20
  • IMG_7606.JPG
    IMG_7606.JPG
    1.4 MB · Views: 22
  • IMG_8027.JPG
    IMG_8027.JPG
    2.6 MB · Views: 24
  • IMG_8029.JPG
    IMG_8029.JPG
    3.3 MB · Views: 24
  • IMG_8030.JPG
    IMG_8030.JPG
    3.7 MB · Views: 25
  • IMG_8033.JPG
    IMG_8033.JPG
    1.9 MB · Views: 26
  • IMG_8031_scaled.JPG
    IMG_8031_scaled.JPG
    3.2 MB · Views: 27
  • IMG_7778.JPG
    IMG_7778.JPG
    991 KB · Views: 36
Last edited:
I enjoy your WIP pics and narrative! It's great to see the custom
Thank you very much! Sometimes I took a photo while thinking or drying. In truth it‘s also a lot of try and error and everything is taking longer, night shifts added if you have a really good idea or you are in a good Star Wars handicraft mood, finding the right colour, or correcting and repainting time.
 
Last edited:
Well, sounds like you have your niche which is a good thing.

That replacement hatch for that cockpit was a nice bit of ingenuity. I'd be super interested to see how you approach the interior. My issue is finding an adaptable starship with an interior that I can convert into a semi realistic living quarters without being too massive or looking like a giant box.
 
Well, sounds like you have your niche which is a good thing.

That replacement hatch for that cockpit was a nice bit of ingenuity. I'd be super interested to see how you approach the interior. My issue is finding an adaptable starship with an interior that I can convert into a semi realistic living quarters without being too massive or looking like a giant box.

Hi!
In my view the space in the Republic Transport Shuttle is too small to be creative. Therefore I was thinking about the container under the shuttle like in many CW and Bad Batch episodes when they're transporting a lot of clones. The idea was just to clean the room for a patient bed, a computer with some cables for an oxygen mask and for 1-2 crew members (Scout Trooper and a Medical Droid).

For you search - maybe try a POTF Millenium Falcon. Incomplete or even complete it's very affordable because everyone only needs one Millenium Falcon. You can change the Falcon into individual Y-1300 Corealian Freighter. If you take out all like the interior paperback and the battery compartment (maybe it's actually not working) you generate more space and room(s). I have started 2 years ago but the project is on hold. It's really big and sometimes the concept ideas are gone in my head.

I have a look now in my folders - think I made photos. I created at least one sleeping place. Maybe this is what you are looking for:
- photo 1: before i. e. after taking out everything
- photo 2, 4: with a wall for a sleeping cabin and some room close to the battery compartment (can be used as a restroom, storage room, another small cabin or a lock chamber to enter another rescue pod on the side); transistions of corridors were covered by cutted paperboard.

P.S. My restroom should be there where the circular paperboard is located and would be the size of a paper roll as a max.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_E8763_scaled.JPG
    IMG_E8763_scaled.JPG
    2.2 MB · Views: 24
  • IMG_9199_gedreht.jpg
    IMG_9199_gedreht.jpg
    1.2 MB · Views: 28
  • IMG_9347.JPG
    IMG_9347.JPG
    1.8 MB · Views: 35
Last edited:
I see what you're trying to do with this. I like it.

This Falcon project would be a great way to utilize shampoo and conditioner bottles (cut them up to fit and form the new room walls within the ship), caps from other bottles and foam board to get the various effects you are looking for.
 
I see what you're trying to do with this. I like it.

This Falcon project would be a great way to utilize shampoo and conditioner bottles (cut them up to fit and form the new room walls within the ship), caps from other bottles and foam board to get the various effects you are looking for.

..yes, I am collecting a lot of caps but prints of computers, cupboards and so on would be good.
Think I took a break due to the complexity in this time. Was not sure how to create and design a "high-enough for 3,75 figures" elevator or ramp. A shooting stand is required but more like a high seat with a ladder. I tried to build some kind of air gate to a very used Mini-Rig, the AST-5 (Armored Sentry Transport) and utilize it as an escape pod. And I had no appropriate tools.

It is a colourful Freigther.
Do you know the Falcon Rainbow logo/stickers? The outcome of the hyperspeed is illustrated as the rainbow colours.
 
That's a great suggestion, unfortunately, even the old Millenium Falcons here are in excess of $100 where I've looked. I might consider the Mission Fleet one to create a fun sized one for Dirk's adventures since he's roughly the size of a Mission Fleet figure, and said vehicles are a lot cheaper too.

Thanks for the great suggestion!
 
Had an idea for a strong Falleen guard or warrior.
He could accompany Xizor (the Comic Pack one).

Maybe I will some real hair beard for him. I haven't had any idea for a good holster and blaster yet.
Started to change shoes and add a kind of middle parting on the head I saw on pictures of some CW Falleen characters.

Head/Feet: It's from the cheap Shadows of the Empire Xizor version
Body: Affordable POTJ Jedi Training Qui-Gon
 

Attachments

  • IMG_9885.jpg
    IMG_9885.jpg
    1.5 MB · Views: 27
Back
Top