1:6 Darth Vader 3D Laser Scan & Print Project

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Re: 1:6 Darth Vader Project

wow. I really admire your dedication to a project like this. Excited to see the progress :)
 
Re: 1:6 Darth Vader Project

The second part of the project - that will complete the ANH and the special projects and other projects - will be printed soon. It's gonna be great.

A small teaser:

ScansAdditionals2_zpsaezvryd7.jpg
 
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Re: 1:6 Darth Vader Project

Nice start but to be brutally honest, the Sideshow version seems more accurate

Yeah, wonder why all this trouble when you already have a better figure with Sideshow?

Height issues aside, even Sideshow version 2 of Vader has something off about the helmet sculpt, along with the dome still being too small. It's better overall than Version 1, and both versions look incredible as a quality figure in-hand, but it is not a bullseye in terms of capturing the elusive Vader helmet look.

It's great that Too Much Garlic has taken this on, with this attention to detail. Interested to see how this progresses.
 
Re: 1:6 Darth Vader Project

To tell a little about the history of this project, then I started out by trying to convert a Kaiyodo vinyl kit, but never felt satisfied with the sculpt and knew I had to basically sculpt everything from scratch to get it to the level I wanted. I tried that. But after receiving really high end Vader helmet and armor casts and getting interested in the new technology of 3D laser scanning and printing I set out to try it out for myself. Of course, it is mostly a very expensive process, both the scanning and printing, but I found a cheaper and pretty decent scanning alternative to professional hand held scanners, sought out permissions from the people I received the Vader casts from and got to it. It took a long time, both scanning and assembling the scans; aligning and tweaking until the end result was passable.

Of course, if I had had any electrical or mechanical know-how I could have constructed a better stepper motor to make the scan smoother and in higher resolution - meaning sharper and more detailed, but printing the 3D models in sixth scale sorta obscured the shortcomings of the scan detail.

Some parts were just modeled digitally, such as chest and belt boxes, belt buckle, sabers, saber hook, grills, and tusks. And I sculpted the cods myself, based on reference and advice from people who know more than me.

Eventually I'll end up with finished statues of both the ANH and ESB Vader. The RotJ never really spoke to me, and can easily be converted from the ESB to make a passable RotJ - but not something I'd spend much time on.

Even though this project has taken many years, lot of grief and wasted efforts, it has also been fun, rewarding, and blown my mind more times than I can count and I've witnessed awesome talent from others helping out and saving the project when I was about to give up. I owe them a lot. And it has given me a taste for 3D laser scanning. I just love it. So I'm definitely going to explore that more.

And I really can't wait to be able to show off the finished sculpted statues, which I'll continue work on when I get the master casts back from the mold maker, who molded them in order to make the armor kits we are gauging interest for now.

Hope to have something to show off soon.
 
Re: 1:6 Darth Vader Project

I've sent you a pm with some info.

I don't want to discourage anyone but I don't feel comfortable discussing sales since I haven't taken the time to check out the forum's rules thoroughly on the matter and wouldn't want to unknowingly be breaking the rules in case I'm not really allowed to do so. But anyone can just pm me for more details if they want.
 
Re: 1:6 Darth Vader Project

This looks excellent! I can't believe anyone would think the Sideshow Helmet and armor looks better.

Too Much Garlic, if I remember correctly, you also have a set of the Marmit Vader armor. How does your set compare with that one?
 
Re: 1:6 Darth Vader Project

Well, the Marmit Vader is slightly bigger, which is natural for prototype pieces for vinyl production. I don't think any production samples were ever created, so I really have nothing to compare it to, but know that the sculpt and initial prototypes are generally made larger because vinyl shrinks considerably. Detail-wise the Marmit is Pretty damn good. Of course, my set is one of the early prototypes, so not fully detailed. Several things are lacking that is seen on later prototypes and the finished near production ready figures they made.

For sculpts, they got some things really close and other things are off.

I was actually thinking of doing a side-by side lineup once I get all the pieces back from my partner again for completion of the statues.
 
Re: 1:6 Darth Vader Project

I would love to see a side by side line-up. I would be cool to include the kaiyodo pieces if you still have them to give an idea of size differences.
 
Re: 1:6 Darth Vader Project

My project fits EXACTLY with the Kaiyodo Vader. You can see the dome fitting it perfectly in the last image of the first post. Everything I've made scales well with that vinyl model kit.
 
Re: 1:6 Darth Vader Project

We are ready to print the second batch. Everything is ready and scaled properly, so hopefully I'll have something to show very soon. :)
 
Re: 1:6 Darth Vader Project

I'd be interested in this based on pics. Can't wait to see all the pieces together and ready to go.

Might want to get a move on if you will be selling these as a kit. The HT Vader is a foregone conclusion and will be announced at some point within the next year, likely more in the next six months.
 
Re: 1:6 Darth Vader Project

Well, we can't move faster than we are. But I'm excited to seeing it close to completion after having worked on it for so long. And I'm excited about the news that Hot Toys are making Stormtroopers and Vader. Heck - would be kinda cool if they acquired my Vader project for their release. Oh well, not gonna happen... but it would still be cool.
 
Re: 1:6 Darth Vader Project

Just a little additional info on some of the pieces. The two trooper helmets are pretty special - the ANH style is scanned off the actual "Set For Stun" screen worn helmet used during ANH, whereas the RotJ style is scanned off of a cast from an original RotJ helmet (has not been screen matched though), so they are as accurate as you can get them.

The Chloe Moretz sculpt was commissioned by me from Sean Dabbs and he did an excellent job. I was allowed to print a slightly larger version of the one they produced for myself. The Prowse sculpt is a sculpt that was scanned, then Sean Dabbs altered it to my specifications, and again, he did excellent work on that. I will be using that for recreating the following particular pose.

D6wfxYt.jpg


The Schwarzenegger is from a digital file I was kindly allowed to use for a personal print.

The ANH Vader dome was scanned from a cast off the original and will be featured on my ANH statue, once I finish that.

Thanks for listening.
 
Re: 1:6 Darth Vader Project

Just a little something to soothe the palate until we get this in hand, mold it and thinking how awesome this is:

RotJ to the left and ANH to the right:
64losbX.jpg
 
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