the beginning of my build

Post by **Darth Voorhees** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 10:49 pm

Hello all, ive been talking to Cylon-Knight a bunch and feel like i should be yapping more in public rather than to just CK. He has been very helpful so far. though and we will contnue our conversations. ok So i was thinking of starting with the undersuit, since it seems like the biggest pain in the butt lol. . I saw Nashhash's build and think i can pull that off. I have some sewin skills. here is some of my thoughts on it..

I just watched the first episode of BSG (streaming netflix on the ol xbox)and the cylons undersuits look very dark grey. Im not sayin they are not plum, but they look grey on film. I usually do my builds to look like "what they were meant to look like" rather than what they actually were for filming. Cuz thats usually what fans will remember. However im still going to see what i can do about that grey/plum fabric. Though i may go with a charcoal grey color. It looked so grey in those close shots of the cylons talking to boltar after they destroyed the colonies. Im guessing the plum was a camera trick to get them to show up better on film. SO i was assuming that it was determined that the undersuits were plum because goldcylon has a couple of screen used suits. Is it possible the fabric faded to a purple? Not that im doubting any of the research here, just a thought. I have had black fabric that has done this over years.

Also is the piping supposed to be shiny vinyl like material or just black fabric. In scenes when the cylons are shown close up talking to the imperious leader, the neck piping looked shiny...and again the fabric looked very dark grey. thoughts?

Post by **GoldCylon** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:15 pm

The material is plum but gray or black is a common thought what the eyes see because of the lighting. Go watch the snow shots from "Gun on Ice Planet Zero" you will see the plum then.
A welting cord wrapped in a grayish black vinyl is used for the piping.
You did take on maybe the hardest part of the suit on 1st. Nash did make it look some what easy. Hope you have as much luck as he did.

YouTube · Post by **Cylon-Knight** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:55 pm

You are right Darth the suit is plumb but seems gray on screen. Lighting/Cameras/Post Production, all that has them color shift from actual costume to the final broadcast screen footage.

-Original Cylon that was up for auction you can see the plumb clearly
-Original promo photos - you can see the plumb near the armpit/chest area and around the waist
-Red Eye from the Lost Warrior ... clearly more "gray" in this final footage (and Red Eye is even in a "better lit" area than most Cylons).

I think of the movie "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" when talking about this and how they massively re-colored everything to give the movie it's look and feel. Like you said Darth V. its the intent rather than a 1:1 costume you are after, that's cool.

For the Vinyl - I think it had a mid range gloss to it. The studio lights gave it more of a glossy look.
The color for the vinyl is correctly matched to be the same gun metal gray as the skirting and side panels on the helmet.

Post by **Darth Voorhees** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 6:44 am

Thanks GC. Im not questioning what it actually is, im sure you guys have researched this more than i have! I was just saying it completely LOOKS grey. Im going to try and find a place that can dye lycra. I work in a book store for a college that specializes in fashion. i see fashion people everyday, and im working in the fashion district in NYC. I bet someone knows someone or something that can be done. Or maybe i can find a resource locally..who knows. Ill keep everyone posted if i find out anything.

i also was thinking i may be able to find a medium grey lycra and have it dyed plum over it to give it the washed out plum/greyish look...or vise versa...find a plum suit and dye grey over it. something like this color perhaps...with a grey dye job..
http://www.riversedgedancewear.com/squarnectanu.html

Yea i did start with the hardest part...i figure everything after this is a breeze lol. Im pretty skilled at assebling armor from my 501st experience, so im not too worried about that. I may even make my own pieces based off those templates for the paper parts, and then mod them till they look right. then take molds and cast pieces in Fiberglass or make Vac-forming bucks i still need to set up my vac table though. Hope to have it done by summer..the vac table that is heh.

AWESOME thanks CK! those ref pics are excellent!that will help with the undersuit and the armor if i decide to make my own. Did you notice in the listing there it says "black spandex undersuit" lol

Also it looks like the ribbing is on then "pants" and it is pulled up almost chest height. Looking at the pic from the back. i may try and go this route,

This will be a LONG project, but i think it'll be worth the wait!

YouTube · Post by **Cylon-Knight** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 9:21 am

Darth Voorhees wrote: Did you notice in the listing there it says "black spandex undersuit" lol

Maybe they cut and pasted the listing from a Command Centurion (Gold) costume. It would have a black under suit... strange! Good eye for detail Darth V.

Darth Voorhees wrote: Also it looks like the ribbing is on then "pants" and it is pulled up almost chest height. Looking at the pic from the back.

We Cylons love to SUIT UP! Be sure to dig around the By Your Command forum - AND - the gallery...
There are all sorts of gems around here... like this one.
(You'll have to scroll left and right for the huge image)

P.S. Cylon dude on the right - you can see the plumb color on his chest pretty well - out in the sunlight - no studio lights/camera/post production to alter the true color. cRaZy StUfF

Post by **Darth Voorhees** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 9:27 am

Nice! Ill def check that out!

Haha! Suit UP! Lol

ya know i just realized this was in the "halo" section..please feel free to move this to its proper forum lol whoops!

YouTube · Post by **Cylon-Knight** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 9:29 am

Halo!?! Dude - lol.
*moves topic*

YouTube · Post by **Cylon-Knight** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 9:30 am

OH - and PLEASE keep us posted on the fabric seach - VERY VERY VERY COOL (really, that's cool).

Post by **Red Eye** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 11:08 am

Good luck with your build!

It makes sense to start with the undersuit, since it's indeed the most complex part of the costume.

Take my build for example: The armor is almost finished, but I'm still waiting for my undersuit...

Whereby I have to say that it's the second attempt now, since I've waited on it for almost 5 years, without receiving any progress reports.

For the second attempt, I've ordered it from Shadow Dale. But their way to deal with their customers isn't much better, since they rarely reply to any requests. The waiting period is already a year now, by the way...

Post by **Darth Voorhees** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 11:53 am

Red Eye wrote:Good luck with your build!

It makes sense to start with the undersuit, since it's indeed the most complex part of the costume.

Take my build for example: The armor is almost finished, but I'm still waiting for my undersuit...

Whereby I have to say that it's the second attempt now, since I've waited on it for almost 5 years, without receiving any progress reports.

For the second attempt, I've ordered it from Shadow Dale. But their way to deal with their customers isn't much better, since they rarely reply to any requests. The waiting period is already a year now, by the way...

i will def keep everyone updated on the fabric search!

Wow redeye thats alot of waiting! Id be so aggravated at that!

Yea i figured it would drive me nuts to have everything ready and then start on the jumpsuit. Id be afraid id rush it and mess it up. This way my excitement wont get the best of me and i wont rush.

Tho my excitement may get the best of me with the armor and i may just buy a set while im working on my own sculpts.

Oh and that auction pic is great to see the piping on the back. Im def doin that!

Post by **Red Eye** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 1:13 pm

Darth Voorhees wrote:Wow redeye thats alot of waiting! Id be so aggravated at that!

Indeed it is! I really hope all is coming to an end this year... so keep your Cylon fingers crossed!

Post by **Darth Voorhees** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 7:26 am

Ok guys, well some old demons have come back to haunt me, so i wont be able to do this build as fast and smooth as i thought. I was going to get armor from Hand Schaub. But now i wont be able to do that in a reasonable amount of time. However, with the skills that i have i thought i might give making my own armor a go. i dont have enough clay, or the money to get more, to sculpt anything substantial so that route would be too costly. Ive seen the bazooka joe templates and think i will start there. The completed one i saw on youtube looks pretty good. i can build those parts and then teeak them to get them as accurate as i can. im already compiling info to build a basic vac table so by the time these templates take shape, i will have the table done for a while. If these come out well, who knows maybe ill supply my fellow centurions with armor

Ill update as i go along. Now..i need some printer ink :frak:

Of course i will still work on the undersuit as well

Post by **GoldCylon** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 9:07 am

Hey that sounds awesome going the Bazooka Jo route. Do a little pictorial if you can, or even a video.

Post by **Darth Voorhees** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 10:11 am

GoldCylon wrote:Hey that sounds awesome going the Bazooka Jo route. Do a little pictorial if you can, or even a video.

definately! I want you guys with me every step of the way! i did this method with a fett helmet and it worked out very well. There are a few things i couldnt fix with the main master due to alot of it still being posterboard, but the mold came out great. I can fix the few imperfections on a master casting and make a new permanent mold for and ill be happy with it. Hoping the same will hold true for the cylon armor and helmet.

Ill keep you all posted!