For the past two years I've been plotting and planning and stockpiling bits to make a Retrogarde vanity figure. I've consulted with Bigbisont and Moosh through countless emails, and at long last I'm ready to show where I'm at.

The big breakthrough was finding a head on eBay that actually sort of looks like me (or at least and idealized action figure version of me):



It was only $6 so I bought it, chopped the hair off the sides, the top off the head (and a few chunks out of my fingers as I was hurrying) and ended up with this test fit:

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

Thats amazing! =D

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MSgt Samantha 'Boltie' Watters
Chief Medical Officer, UKCM
1st Batt. 42nd Regiment - Hadrian's Wall

Area 52 Bioweapons division - Amber T. Alien


"Harsh"

Thanks Samantha! Here's how it looks with some paint:



I'm starting with an OD coat on the cloth camo and will build it up from there.



The webbing for Hicks is the closest match to what I wear, so I started with that. Filling in the bullet hole and removing the graffiti now...



And putting on the tan part of the camo. I'm using Soapy's guide from page 18 of the big NECA thread, but with my own tweaks.



I'm going to look into copying Bigbisont's "arm transplant" guide from his Frost figure as I don't really wear me sleeves rolled as high as Hudson.

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

Looking sharp!

Cheers,
Doug

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A11/TQ1.0.4214
Sgt Doug Phillips
69th Regt. 1st Batt. Homer’s Heroes

"If it doesn't get you dirty, it's not worth doing."

With Bigbisont's coaching (and step by step photos) I successfully pulled off a double arm transplant, twice.

The first step was to swap out the Hudson arms for the Windrix long sleeve arms. I had to keep the rolls from the Hudson arms though (they're like rubber bands).



Next I took a deep breath and chopped off all four arms just below the elbow. No turning back now!



I then drilled into each half, cut the tops off two metal screws and screwed the bare lower arms onto the upper arms, placing the Hudson rolls over the end of the clothed arm. I then reinforced the area and blended it with two part epoxy.

Here is a quick shot of the arms in place:



There's lots more to do, but that was a huge step forward. I really want the figure to look like my Marine, and this is much closer to how I wear my sleeves.

One unexpected side effect of using the Windrix arms was that I've given myself a modest promotion. I was thinking about it a few months back when my Spat BDU blouse arrived, but as I held the X-acto knife up to the Sargent's stripes on the Windrix arm I decided not to cut it back to the single PFC stripe. So now I'm Corporal Matzke, but I'm still just a grunt.

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

Congrats on the promotion, Corporal!

The figure looks great so far! I can't wait for more progress posts!

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Lt. Melissa L. Klassen, ALG
AL Colonial Admin. - Executive Officer (XO) -- 2021-2022
RCCM | Royal Canadian Colonial Marines - Commanding Officer (CO) -- 2021-2022

Read the AL Charter Rules & Regulations: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i3gd9QUyIqI_6rfk8kpxspbKU-JT4MBAjLPxfCkvGJ8

Great project, great idea (to steal). No "off the shelf" headsculpt readily available for my ugly mug, though...

Outstanding! The Hudson sleeve roll really works well as a 'cuff'.

I can't wait to see the base!

Thanks folks! This is pretty fun stuff. I made a VP holster last night too but I can't decide if I'm happy with it. Seeing Bigbisont's and Nick-a-tron's versions makes me not too crazy about how mine turned out...

I'll start posting pictures of the base progress soon too!

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

Okay, so these aren't the best photos in the world, but this is what I'm planning to use for the diorama. The base part is from the Power Loader statue that came with A:CM. I got a second one for $10 so I carefully removed the PL for another project and was left with this piece. I need to trim the two yellow tubes off (they supported the PL's feet) and add a foot peg for my figure.
The background is a piece of metal from a collection of computer and laptop castoffs I scored a while back. I have no idea what it's origin is as it was already loose. I'm going to either remove entirely or cover over the "tabs" on the sides, and I have plans to cover a few other details on it, but overall I'm happy with the shape of it. Once it is painted I will scrape areas of it down to let the metal show through.

The slanted ceiling pieces came from my work and again I don't know what they were before. I'm planning to paint and then scrape back down to the metal to show wear.





This diorama will not be of LV-426. I'm kind of a detail nut so I may decide on the exact location depicted and work it into the details that will "dress" the set. First I just need to secure the whole thing, the two top pieces are a lot heavier than the back piece so I need to support the weight properly. Once it is rigged up correctly I'll take a photo of the figure in the diorama.

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

More small detail work.

Black fingerless gloves and my crotchplate graffiti of Moose Harker: Greek Cowboy.



Delta patch and name tape:



And the suggestion of text on the from of the helmet cover where I have my running list of planets I've been stationed on. Also working on the caduceus on the very front.

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

Tonight I started work on my chest plate graffiti. It's pretty much the Dark Horse Comics logo from the early nineties, but since it is a chess piece it fits quite nicely in the Aliens story (Queen, Bishop, a bunch of Pawns...). So first I had to do the white outline, and then I'll sweat it filling in the black.

While the paint was drying I went ahead and redid the boots. The two-tone brown had to go, so I finished it in black and olive drab. I'll go back and dirty them up a bit, but I'm happier already.

Finally, I made a great discovery: the fuel tank for the Flame Unit is held on by a sturdy peg and bit of glue! I was willing to sacrifice a Flame Unit if I had to in order to add a spare tank to the back of my armour, but knowing now that it can be put back on is awesome!



This past Friday marked the first anniversary of Craig Windrix's death. In honor of this I threw a quick photo together and sent it to NECA. I called it simply "Passing the Torch".

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

Great figure, and I love the "passing the torch" idea.

So does this mean you play with yourself?

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SSgt Kris "Bloodsucker" Kobus, VAS.
A09/TQ2.0.12136E1

Saw that photo on NECA's twitter, wondered if it was your work
Nice idea and great execution

Cheers,
Doug

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A11/TQ1.0.4214
Sgt Doug Phillips
69th Regt. 1st Batt. Homer’s Heroes

"If it doesn't get you dirty, it's not worth doing."

Kris: not only do I play with myself, I also take pictures and post 'em online for perverts like you!

Doug: I didn't think they'd retweet it because it's a custom figure, but maybe they're cool with that!

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

This has been a long-simmering project, but I wanted to document where it currently stands. Here's a comparison between me and my figure:



I've mounted him on a spare Aliens: Colonial Marines base using a small screw through the left foot. I've played around with making a more complex diorama, but for now it's just a nice base.



I sliced the pouch off the dump bag that came with Frost to make the med pack I wear on my grenade straps.



I added the Marine Raider patch to my shoulder tab, as well as my graffiti on my armour and helmet cover, and the red cross on the dump bag.



We'll see what else comes of this!

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

Great work. Like your love for details.

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Sgt. Frank Peters 'reload' Smartgun Operator
A03/TQ3.0.12136E1 "It will be no picknick!"
AL Colonial Admin. - Sergeant at Arms (SgtA) -- 2020-2022
GERCM - Executive Officer (XO)
UKCM Foreign Legion: The Deviant Dragoons