As some of you may know, I have been toying with a few different ways to paint an ANH Vader. Over the last week I have been applying a new process that I dreampt up while in the shower.

Efx has just release it's ANH Vader with this dull, and rather washed out look. Not talking about the different castings, just the paintwork here.



They claim to have captured the look from the blockade runner interior seane with the Princess. Just like everyone else I shelled out a few bucks for this helmet and waited well over a year for it with little to no idea what was going on. But I did just learn the the factory in Asia was in the middle of its rainy season when they painted these helmets. Humid conditions will make just about any finish 'blush' or dull down to some degree. Thinking that I wanted it to look just a bit shinier I thought that I would experiment on some "B" grade castings that I had laying around.

What I was going for was simply what if a Vader outfit was worn for several months out on the road doing promotional work. Getting beat up and knocked around. And maybe it was repaired quickly and poorly at some point with the idea of keeping it looking neat until the end of a tour.

So with a bit of artistic licence,...... I give you my aged tour Vader.

I really like how you paint your helmets Kent....looks awesome

Wow! I love some of what is going on here.

Thanks, fellas. That was really very kind of you to say.

This is really a bit of a work in progress type of piece. I have tonight hit a dry buffer over the surface to give the helmet a rougher, toned down look. Before I add the eye lenses I have a few other weathering tricks that I would like to try out.

More photos soon.

Looking nice. For the armor you need to remove the black bars on either side and make them grey and dull the whole thing down for the ANH look.

Whoops, I completely muffed it on that one, forgot my visual reference and just painted it ESB style. Thanks for reminding me, Carsten! I'll have to correct this before I put the bells on and before it goes into my display room.

Here is two shots of the set now that I have done a dry buff using a dirty wool buffing pad. Just about ready to pop in the lens and call this done.

Dont forget to paint the bells black AND gray

Yup, that part I remembered

just a fast shot to show the corrected paint work on the armor.

Really impressiv in what a short time frame you are able to do such quality work. To bad you are living in the US. Would be cool to have someone here in Germany who is able to make such nice paintjobs......thats what i think seeing this thread and what i think every time i look at my 20th century cast you made for me

That is really a very kind thing to say, thank you.

I'm gonna make a confession about the helmet. I actually laid up the casting and had it out, trimmed, and the first coat of black on it all in about 48 hours time. I did hot box the castings to force a fast cure in the same set up that I use to cure my tin cure silicons. But the whole result of the final finish is the process of rushing the drying times on the products to get the final results. Sort of a fast aging process if you will.

Man, that is GLORIOUSLY ugly!

Mind if I send you my helmet for a similar look lol!

Uh, thanks?

Sorry. But currently my little paint shop is pretty much booked solid for the next year or so. And I try not to take on any refurbishing projects these days. All they tend to do is set on the shelves and gather dust.

As much as I'd have loved a Stone paint-up, I was really just kidding anyway. And my ugly comment meant as how great it looks-- just like the real thing.

Oh hey, no problem at all. I'm not offended in the least, and after I thought about it for awhile I did see the humor in it.