CORUSCANT CUSTOMS

Figure and Diorama by:

Blue Snaggletooth

SoME_1.1.JPG (18099 bytes) OK, here is Wald – Anakin’s good little Rodian buddy. This is the first figure and mini diorama set in a new ongoing series titled “Streets of Mos Espa”! With this new concept I wanted to accomplish a couple of things. First, I wanted to build upon a running theme that could be recreated and constructed in smaller segments with the end product being to put these pieces together in order to form a much larger on-growing showpiece. Secondly I wanted a chance to try to make some EP1 figures that I know will never see the light of day. The perfect case in point is Wald. In some circles, Wald is despised as much as Jar Jar. To Blue Snaggy it’s quite the opposite. So he makes a wonderful starting point. This custom fig was made from a couple of different Hasbro figures. I dissected a POTF Greedo and a POTJ Anikin Mechanic and with a little help from “Crazy Glue” reconstructed the pieces to make Wald. After the glue dried I applied a layer of paint to his shirt to make it more two toned and weathered looking.
SoME_1.2.JPG (24172 bytes) Every young Rodian slave needs a well equipped tool box to fix his/her master’s misc. mechanical needs. You never know, Anakin may have borrowed these exact tools to work on his pod racer prior to The Boonta Eve Challenge. Maybe Wald’s father is a well known laborer in the city’s streets and these are his tools of the trade. Whatever the case may be, these tools are some LEGO accessories with a custom paint job nicely displayed in a tool box provided by Outland Peasant Disguise Anakin.
SoME_1.3.JPG (24289 bytes)

At this glance we see Wald leaving his humble home maybe on his way to play and dance in the streets like a miniature green Travolta. From this angle you can see the top half of the diorama. If you look to the left of the door you will see that I’ve used some LEGOs to recreate a front door entry control panel. The pots to the left were made from sculpey. The pots were then baked in the oven and lastly painted.
SoME_1.4.JPG (19007 bytes) The diorama itself took about 2 ½ hours to make from start to finish. I started with a small 10inX10in base (1/4 inch thick) and built a homestead on top with cardboard and masking tape. I then cut out the door and window with a small tooling/utility knife after I had the structure in an expectable fashion I put down some mesh wiring on the ground level to recreate ripples in the sand. I then used some instant plaster strips to plaster heavily the entire piece. The stairs were a little tricky but I’m happy with the final outcome. Once the plaster dried completely I painted the entire structure a natural sandy color. When the paint dried I sprayed the entire ground level with spray adhesive and applied a layer of sand. I repeated this step two more times to recreate a lush sand soaked atmosphere.
SoME_1.5.JPG (30010 bytes) I then lightly misted the upright structure with spray adhesive and lightly dusted the entire structure with my custom sand mix. After dusting off the entire piece of any excess sand I hung the door and inner window cover. I then rounded up my tool box fixings and figured that every so often Wald would have access to one of his master’s service pit droids. My last touch was to incorporate the Lego accents seen in three places on these photos. My ongoing plan is to incorporate a new section to this on-running theme as often as possible and by doing so creating an ultimately huge diorama of the hustling and bustling Mos Espa city streets. Keep checking back for future updates!!!!