AT-ST Imperial Walker - from card model to costume

[DJStratoArt]

This is kind of a unique post in that, it's not a standard card model, but it is made of paper - of sorts. I'm building for my two boys, ages 7 and 9, a Halloween costume of the AT-ST Imperial Walker from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.

Basically, I upscaled the superb plans from the AT-ST designed by Shunichi Makino of SF Paper Craft Gallery: http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~sf-papercraft/sf/atst.html

I'm currently working on the waist or hip section. Now, I had to make modifications apart from the original paper card model plans so that it would fit my kids. I had to add heavy-duty suspenders to the hips section. I got that idea from the costume that Tom Judge created: http://www.geekologie.com/2011/10/cardboard-creations-sweet-atst-costume.php

Like him, I used the card model plans from Makino, but mine differed in certain ways.

Here's a few pictures of my work in progress.

 

[DJStratoArt]

Here's more pictures of the build. This was just a test to see if it was wearable and light enough. I just hope my son doesn't trip over his shoe lases, or it's going to be an ugly fall, just like the logs tripping up the walker in ROTJ.

Now

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

This is a REALLY COOL IDEA!!!
It looks lie it is really coming together nicely!!!
I am looking forward to seeing how it will turn out.

 

[DJStratoArt]

Thanks!! I ran out of hot glue sticks, LOL!! So payday is tomorrow and I'll be making a store run tomorrow to stock up on those and a few more cardboard boxes from Home Depot.

I finished most of the build for the waist or hip section. I used heavy duty suspenders that I got from Amazon.com and my boys (and myself) can wear it well.

Though, the thing is, it doesn't fit through the door well. haha! But that's okay, it comes in pieces. One piece is the head, then waist, and then two legs/feet.

I guess the trickiest part was scaling up the AT-ST card model. So what I did was that I brought the plans into Adobe Illustrator and sized up in there. Then I just measured my 9 year old, then after scaling up the plans within Illustrator, I created guidelines all over and took my measurement cues from that.

I used aluminum tape in areas where I thought it would be weak (edges mostly).

 

[DJStratoArt]

I cannot say that I'm the original thinker of this idea of scaling up plans from the AT-ST card model. My wife saw this video:

And then I saw that a designer named Tom Judge made their own costumes based on that same AT-ST card model, and both of us said "Why not?!?"

 

[DJStratoArt]

Of course, my AT-ST walker will be stunted in growth because my 9 year old is, well you know... "Aren't you a little short for a..." walker?!

 

[Revell-Fan]

"Extra Large" & "Fragile" - that fits!

The idea is ingenious but the execution is even better than shown in the vid. Keep up the great work; I'm looking forward to the result!

 

[Cybergrinder]

This is looking so cool! You could always do an AT-AT and get them both into one model!

 

[DJStratoArt]

thanks!! yes, my boys are already asking for an AT-AT "fort" :nailbiting:

 

[DJStratoArt]

Here is my continued work on the large AT-ST walker costume for my kids. I've been constructing one of the legs. Since my kids are short for the thing, I have to make some modifications. This whole costume is a scaled up version of a paper card model found here: http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~sf-papercraft/sifi.html

 

[DJStratoArt]

Update! Sorry it's been a while, been working on the legs which are kind of hard to do. I had to downsize them so that this costume could fit my boys. But even as it is, when they put it on, it's pretty much in squatting mode or something, LOL! It looks great when it's taller. I should have downsized the head a bit more, oh well. At least they can grow into it, if it stays intact for a couple of years.

Here's some progress pics. I gotta get this thing done before Friday! umpkin

AT-ST in squat mode, waiting for the feet to get done and some misc. details added and then painted. I used some pvc as the pivot points, I'm just going to leave them in there like so, painted so that I can easily dismantle it to get it into the car for a costume party, which I hope I can...



There's a huge AT-ST stomping around in my living room!! (update: got one foot done, and I already finished the other one, but didn't get a picture of it).
I'll post more when this thing has the other details added and then when it's all painted and when my kids are in it.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

This is really coming together nicely!!!
It looks COOL!!!
One thing that you may want to do, is coat it in resin. The resin will help with waterproofing and make it stronger and last longer.

 

[Revell-Fan]

Fantastic work! I'm enjoying the whole process very much.

 

[DJStratoArt]

This is really coming together nicely!!!
It looks COOL!!!
One thing that you may want to do, is coat it in resin. The resin will help with waterproofing and make it stronger and last longer.

Thanks! I've never used resin, is there a particular product I should get for this? is it fiberglass? I hear that stuff is pretty nasty.

 

[DJStratoArt]

Fantastic work! I'm enjoying the whole process very much.

thank you!

 

[DJStratoArt]

Update! Almost done with the walker. I put an MFD (Multi-functional display) in the cockpit which is actually the kids Android Tab 2 tablet they play their games on. It's camera looks out the viewport and they can see quite well that way. Whoever is in it can actually see out better more so than through the two "eye" windows up front. Of course they can peek up through the hatch as well. I just have to paint and detail the torso and legs tonight. Cutting it close! It has to be done tonight all the way. My youngest son is a bit too small for the whole walker, but he can wear the head by itself, so he still gets to enjoy it. Keep in mind that I had to reduce the size of the walker legs from the original plans considerably so that my kids could actually wear it. But if I or my wife wears it, the legs actually stretch out nicely and it would look closer to the real thing with an adult. For kids, it's more in "crouching" mode.

 

[Revell-Fan]

Cool!

 

[DJStratoArt]

I just got it finished!! here is the video and some pics. My kid was actually watching "Curious George" in it, using a stool to sit down on, he didn't want to leave it, LOL!

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

That is COOL!!!
I like the video.
You did a GREAT JOB on it!!!

 

[Revell-Fan]

This is absolutely brilliant! I'm sure your kids will have a great time with it!