- Length : : 22 cm
- Width : : 30 cm
- Height : : 23 cm
- Materials : : Wood, plastic
- Scale : : 1/12
I will keep it in short on this assembly which is not very complicated. The four kits I used here are all from Bandai. These are figurines designed like models. Two models in this diorama : Darth Vader and 3 stormtroopers.
The concept is very interesting : the figurines’ assembly is very like a model kit one. Many parts to assemble together, a large scale allowing a model kit paintjob. I’m not really a good fig-artist like philigore. Therefore I really liked this idea consisting of assembling a figurine like a model kit. Finally, I can insert quality figurines in my dioramas.
Here are the two boxarts of those models :
Stormtroopers assembly
The building is quite long, there are really a lots of parts for a model of this size. Bandai arrange this very well, the fig is fully articulated : elbow, wrist, knees, neck… Everything can be oriented where you want.
Here ares the parts :
The challenge is to choose a pose for the figurine and then I immobilise it. Why immobilising, you’d say ? First, know that I don’t really like people asking tactless questions like that. Who do you think you are, mmmhh ?
Well, where was I before I got interrupted so roughly by myself ? Ah, yes, why immobilising the figurine. Note that it is not unavoidable but if you don’t do it, the joints will remain noticeable and unrealistic. Therefore, I had to drown the joints into a sculpt putty, the Magic Scult. It is a 2 components putty, a resin and a catalyst. You may find it at the excellent adress : Green Stuff World.
You must first mix the two components by beating them during quite a moment.
The result is a easy-to-sculpt putty. It can also be smoothed using water. I have this putty for years now and except the yellowing of the catalyst, it’s in perfect shape.
The main difficulty consists of grouting the joint and the rest of the arm or leg.
The stromtroopers have 3 different poses :
- A dead, deceased, lifeless, liquidated, perished, defunct one
- A stormtrooper in firing position to bring cover to the dark lord of the Sith. No danger at all for anybody.
- The third is walking to reach his firing position behind Vader
Assembly of Darth Vader, the dark lord of the Sith
If this is a consular ship, where is the ambassador ?
Darth Vader
Well 30 years after seeing the movie for the forst time, I still don’t know what “consular” means. But I could assemble this Vader model anyway. The most difficult part was to thread the electrical wires to enlight the two small green LEDs in the belt :
Surprisingly, the wires don’t go threw the legs as you could think at first but in the thickness of the cape.
I had to rework the cape itself with wet glued paper to get a fabric effect. Unfortunaltely I couldn’t make it look slimmer. I’ll do better next time.
The work on the joints was more complicated since I had to recreate the bumpy leather texture. the result is satisfying.
I used Magic sculptu again with a sort of rubber paintbrush like these.
The decor
Nothing complicated here, just a wooden structure and a plastic casing. The main tint is a white lightly colored in purple.
Conclusion
A nice little diorama I exposed 2 or 3 times in Migennes and Cusset. It made me want to try others figurines in this serie since they are a very interesting concept.
by petersteven