Topic: Custom Vehicles by Glorbes (Mos EisleyV-35 Courier p. 3)

[glorbes]

Hi everyone.  

I guess I'll give a brief rundown here.  I've been customizing action figures for several years now, and started posting them online about five years ago.  While I mainly worked in Marvel Legends scale, I eventually drifted towards Star Wars 1:18 scale...especially when I started making vehicles about three years ago.  My primary medium is styrene, but I've been known to throw in some plumbing parts and other junk as well.  I should tell you that I am not really a purist when it comes to recreating exactly every detail when I'm making a vehicle...I tend to take artistic license here and there, and I love drawing inspiration from the conceptual art and design from the original and prequel trilogies.

Guess I'll get started posting my work! Thanks for taking the time to look things over, and feel free to offer up feedback and criticism.

[glorbes]

Desert AT-ST (completed 2008)

Works In Progress:

Back wall of c0ckpit:




Exterior:



Back detailing:


Top:


Chin Mounted Laser Cannons (a mini project all its own):


And a scale shot:


Let me know what you think, and thanks for looking.

Final Product



A few details that I added were the bedrolls/supply tarps, as well as a hinged storage container for things like weapons and supplies.  This was born from elements that I always enjoyed about toys when I was a kid...battery compartments were converted to storage spaces 



Detailing the back was fun.  The cooling fans were particularly tricky:


The storage containter:


Its difficult to see the detail that I added to the c0ckpit, but I love the fact that its there...I feel it adds a certain richness to the final product.






The AT-AT driver was the most appropriate figure I had to display with this thing...and he sure is a goofy looking figure:


One thing that I'm really proud of is that I managed to engineer two points of articulation beyond the ball jointed head.  The legs have mobility at the top where they connect with the body, allowing some extremely limited posing:


Leg and bottom detailing:


And an outside shot:



Let me know what you think, and thanks for looking!

[glorbes]

Conceptual Design Sketches:



Very much derivative of the Y-Wing, Snowspeeder, and one of Warren Fu's unused Jedi Starfighter concepts, I came up with this very simple design profile.  The name is of course stolen from Episode II, and I think it fits the design pretty well.

Basic construction:


C0ckpit Details:


Puttied and sanded basic form (before detailing)


Landing skids and bottom hull greeblie-cation:


Pontoon/auxillary engine/laser cannon detailing:


"Sandwich" filler detailing (back of wing):


Astromech Port (classic SW feature):



Detailed and primed:


Spray painted sections and detailing (before weathering):


With the exception of the main engine exhaust behind the fuselage (plumbing parts) everything else is scratch-built...this took a VERY long time to build and detail. 

Finished product:



The paint job was done with a basic spray of river rock and burgundy.  I took an emery board to the burgundy striping to wear away some of the paint, and did a heavy black/brown wash, which was then wiped away.  I added a few knicks here and there, did some spot weathering, and then drybrushed the whole ship with white.





The paint scheme was a tough thing to decide on...I wanted to keep it pretty simple, but I think I could have upped the ante a bit more.  As it is, I think the markings are appropriately Star Wars-ish.




The bottom of the ship was given special attention...I usually ignore detailing the bottom, and wanted to reverse that trend of laziness in my work.  The idea was to make a ship that could function as a toy, but also have adequate detailing to seem like a production model (I'm not quite there...but I think I'm getting closer).





Interior C0ckpit:




Janson seems pretty happy with his ride:


With Artoo in place:


Let me know what you think, and thanks for looking.

[glorbes]

I haven’t come up with a snappy name, but it’s armoured, it’s Imperial, and it’s for battle, and it’s a speeder.  I initially thought Imperial Battle Speeder, but the acronym would be IBS, and that may make some people think of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  I’m still working on it.

 

I really had no set plan or sketches…in fact, I ended up combining two failed concepts into one, literally gluing one abandoned scratchbuild to another, working out the kinks, and playing around with it until it looked like something decent.

Top View:


Everything is scratchbuilt except the usual plumber fittings for the engines.  I wanted something that was both streamlined and boxy, evoking the landspeeder while also being vaguely reminiscent of an AT-AT…and I wanted it to be small, because I knew I didn’t really have the luxury of time to really fill out a larger scale vehicle with adequate detailing.




I imagine this machine being used for short range ‘urban pacification’, deployed from a garrison in the middle of a city to crush opposition…almost like a compact car version of a larger troop transport.




The c0ckpit is where I really dropped the ball.  I just didn’t have it in me to really go all out like I have in the past.  It’s too bad, because I really liked the basic layout and design…it actually feels more like an old Kenner toy than my previous projects.  But really, if I had another few hours back, I’d probably greeblify the hell out of the panels. 




The blaster cannon is what I’m really proud of.  It swivels 360 degrees, and has an up and down joint, so that it is as poseable as a real turret mounted machine gun.  It was made from the usual styrene rod, tube, and card.

 


The bottom got some half-hearted detailing…not nearly as much as the Saber Dart, again because of the amount of time (the detailing on the Saber Dart took as long as this whole project from beginning to end).  I wanted to make this thing look like it was hovering, so I created a couple of small platforms, and tried my best to position them so that they wouldn’t be visible from as many angles.  I think the effect works pretty well.

 

With the Saber Dart:


Joy-ridin’:


Let me know what you think, and thanks for looking.

[glorbes]

The intent was to create a cobbled together piece of junk that’s used by some poor trooper in a forgotten Imperial outpost somewhere in the Outer Rim.  This is what I came up with.

Basic structure:



A few more elements added:



The finished beastie:





Some greeblies and a greasy paint job pulled this little fella together.




With a rider:



Let me know what you think, and thanks for looking!

[glorbes]

I've been thinking about this project for a couple of years now.  Last week, I said "The Hell With It" and decided to start in earnest.  Now, understand that I've been trading sleep for smashing together this basic structure.  I have no idea what possesses me to make this stuff, but I know that I'm pretty excited.  As usual, I looked more to the conceptual art than the final design for inspiration, which allows me wiggle room, creative license, and plenty of opportunities to cheat and cut corners.  But it also allows me to explore some nifty ideas in terms of design.  Anyway, McQuarrie and Johnston's concepts are the starting point:


And my design sketch (notice the boxier features, which are easier to create in styrene):


After many late nights, I managed to assemble the basic profile and structure:


Because it's stupidly huge, I opted to make portions of it removable (otherwise I'd risk being murdered by my wife):

It measures in at 25" tall, and 30" long.  I have no idea what sort of pace this project will progress at...getting this much done was no small feat, and I may need to break from it.  Any ideas, crtis, and feedback are welcome.

Further progress!  It's going to take ages to add greeblies and bric-a-brac.

One side panelled:


Other side nearing completion:
 

C0ckpit wall details (may need more work):


Hinged door that stays up!  The one below it opens as well:



The top section will be removable to access the troop bench (not installed yet) and speeder bike garage:


Bottom detail shapes roughed in, awaiting putty and greeblies:

[glorbes]

Well…the bastard’s done.  In the middle of working on this, I found out that Hasbro are pretty much assured to be making a biggy of these for release this year.  While slightly annoyed by this news, I also enjoyed working on it.



This behemoth is 26” tall, 30” long, and 8” wide.  I built it with the intention of adding some nifty features, combining the look and feel of the final design from the films with some of the earlier conceptual design features.
Sides:



This thing could fit quite a few figures, has opening hatches, and is completely collapsible.  When I was a kid I always liked toys that had compartments and space for figures…projectiles and electronics were a secondary interest to me.



The cockpit is quite heavy, and I am the most worried about this section of the finished model for long term display.  I reinforced it with a beam made from styrene, which I think will do the trick.  It seats three figures (I just need to find me two of those Legacy Collection AT-AT drivers…all I have is the POTF2 driver from the AT-AT vehicle).

 
Opening eye flaps (like the AT-ST)


Access!
 
Interior:


The main body separates into two sections, and has various hatches and access points.
Hatches!



This one on the top is my favorite by far…the engineered hinge worked out really well:



Sections separate!



Lower section interior has a troop bench and a speeder bike garage that holds two speeders:


Upper section has gunner station and removable wall panel (ignore the unpainted edge):

Umm…I still have to paint the console buttons:


Computer terminal in upper section:


Underbelly detailing:


Back wall exterior detailing:

Detailing beneath cockpit section:


Scaled comparison with AT-ST and old AT-AT:



Scale picture with Sandtrooper:



Detail of body and leg:



With a few other models (note: McQuarrie Snowspeeder is being reworked) :


This thing was a lot of work…and seemed to take forever!  But I’m happy with the result.

Collapsed form:


Let me know what you think and thanks for looking!

[lambonspit]

Glorbes that AT-AT is magnificent as is that AT-ST!! Saw the AT-AT on another site and was just astounded by it!! Welcome to the shipyards, and i believe your AT-AT will give Hasbro's BAT-AT a bloody good run for its money!!

[StenHunter]

WOW... My jaw has officially dropped... Everything was amazing and the ATAT is like something from angels... All the vehicles are amazing...

It makes me want to go out and buy a house, purchase a table... get the supplies and start building things!!

My hats off to you man.. Would you make a Full scale falcon next?  =)

[RedLeaderOne (00fire501)]

I'm lost for words, that ATAT is amazing and your other vehicles are superb, Well done.  And again that ATAT is  amazing. 

[TheCloneCommander]

all hail Glorbes!!! those are the best scratch built vehicles i have ever seen!!! a Huge welcome to the shipyards mate!! i bow down to the master

[Clonehead]

Somebody slap me, that is some of the best scratchbuilding that I have ever seen! I offer you a very hearty welcome to the shipyards, Glorbes! I don't know where to start but the details on these pieces are just stunning. Your drive twards incredible creativity is awe inspiring. I had to put this on the front page!

[spudafett]

I love scratchbuilt vehicles... I've only ever been able to pull of small things, the best being scratch built speeders.  I have attempted a few larger items but never had the patience for it.
Your work is astounding and mind blowing. 

I have been toying with trying to make a screen accurate, accurately scaled at-at walker for a little while now, as I think I'll wait to see what hasbro produces (I'll probabl wind up jsut getting one of theirs and customizing it!) I will definately be looking at yours for inspiration!

[FialaFernbrugg]

omg  , extremely awesome stuff Glorbes

your custom (or better scratch build) vehicles are the best. My favorite is the AT-ST you made, that thing is amazing

10/10

[glorbes]

Fellas, thanks so much for the warm welcome.  Seriously, it's much appreciated! 

The most amazing thing about these vehicles is that the process is much easier than you think.  I basically use sheet styrene that I purchase at a plastic supplier (in 4' X 8' sheets), as well as model cement and the occasional screw to hold larger sections together.  The best way to describe it is making a series of boxes and gluing them together.  I know that there is more to iot sopme respects, but that really is the essence of what I do. 

Thanks again guys!