wsmarkert

Awesome.  If this guy is the Director of ISB hopefully this movie will give us ISB guys some long-overdue recognition instead of constantly being mistaken for grand admirals or Death Star Wait Staff (don't forget to tip your busboys).

Awesome.  If this guy is the Director of ISB hopefully this movie will give us ISB guys some long-overdue recognition instead of constantly being mistaken for grand admirals or Death Star Wait Staff (don't forget to tip your busboys).

Awesome.  If this guy is the Director of ISB hopefully this movie will give us ISB guys some long-overdue recognition instead of constantly being mistaken for grand admirals or Death Star Wait Staff (don't forget to tip your busboys).

You could try No-Sew Fabric glue and brush a thin layer on the inside of the collar.  I used it to hem the cuffs of my daughter's staff officer uniform and it stiffened the fabric a bit.  I HAVE NOT tried it on the collar though and it might discolor the fabric so you might want to test it out on scrap fabric first.

We actually just finished the boots tonight. We made them out of eva foam and under guidance from the DL, agreed that the cover should appear like the same leather as the rest of the boot.

I'm not even going to address the "armor."  The uniform is okay.   I think the collar is too high and they could have done a better job with the insignia on the collar (I don't even know how you would add them on without sewing).  Also isn't the collar supposed to be the same color as the lighter gray?   As far as color goes, I think it should be blacker, this appears to be a dark charcoal gray.  The lighter gray areas are about right (shoulder pads could be a little rounder at the bottom) but I don't like the material.  I think a gray suede would look pretty cool against a black gabardine.

It's nice to get the opinion of a GML.   That helmet did seem a little off to me I just couldn't pinpoint it.  tk30309 from the Dutch Garrison looks to be scratch building one that looks better with a lower dome.
 
And so long as they maintain AT-AT Commander instead of General Veers as a face character I'll continue to argue for the generic types over face characters.  I know we haven't seen another ISB agent yet but, then again, show me another visual reference of an AT-AT Commander not portrayed by Julian Glover.  Logic dictates the Empire had hundreds of ISB agents like Kallus.  The only thing that would distinguish him from other ISB agents would be his facial hair (I don't imagine it to be standard Imperial Issue) and the AB-75 bo-rifle he pulled off a dead Lasan Honor Guard.   So I would agree with the sentiment to make the generic ISB agent for L1 and require mutton chops and a bo-rifle for L2 or L3.
 
But then maybe I'm just being selfish because I'd like to build an approvable Kallus but I could never pull off his perfect hair without a dumb looking wig (I could do the mutton chops though).

In all honesty it should be proportionate to look correct with the armor.  There are provisions in the CRLs for Juno Eclipse if the rank bar looks too big on smaller women.  Is the rank bar attached to the AT-At Commander armor "regulation" size or is it larger to look better on the armor?

The bottom on for ISB looks to be fan made (though really cool).  The outer border is the same as the official shield of the Federal Bureau of Investigations.  Which works in my mind as I've always kind of equated the ISB to the FBI.
 

Which brings up my pet peeve for this issue.  We only ever see one "AT-AT Commander" in the movies, General Veers, yet the 501st CRL is for a generic "AT-AT Commander" and not General Veers as a face character.  If the only ISB agent we see is Kallus and CRL reflects it as a face character then it stands to reason that the AT-AT Commander should be General Veers as a face character since he's the only AT-AT Commander we see.  OR vice versa.
 
Sorry for the rant.  My mind craves consistency.  You can imagine my feelings on Imperial Military Rank Insignia. 

Which brings up my pet peeve for this issue.  We only ever see one "AT-AT Commander" in the movies, General Veers, yet the 501st CRL is for a generic "AT-AT Commander" and not General Veers as a face character.  If the only ISB agent we see is Kallus and CRL reflects it as a face character then it stands to reason that the AT-AT Commander should be General Veers as a face character since he's the only AT-AT Commander we see.  OR vice versa.
 
Sorry for the rant.  My mind craves consistency.  You can imagine my feelings on Imperial Military Rank Insignia. 

I'm not even going to address the "armor."  The uniform is okay.   I think the collar is too high and they could have done a better job with the insignia on the collar (I don't even know how you would add them on without sewing).  Also isn't the collar supposed to be the same color as the lighter gray?   As far as color goes, I think it should be blacker, this appears to be a dark charcoal gray.  The lighter gray areas are about right (shoulder pads could be a little rounder at the bottom) but I don't like the material.  I think a gray suede would look pretty cool against a black gabardine.

It's nice to get the opinion of a GML.   That helmet did seem a little off to me I just couldn't pinpoint it.  tk30309 from the Dutch Garrison looks to be scratch building one that looks better with a lower dome.
 
And so long as they maintain AT-AT Commander instead of General Veers as a face character I'll continue to argue for the generic types over face characters.  I know we haven't seen another ISB agent yet but, then again, show me another visual reference of an AT-AT Commander not portrayed by Julian Glover.  Logic dictates the Empire had hundreds of ISB agents like Kallus.  The only thing that would distinguish him from other ISB agents would be his facial hair (I don't imagine it to be standard Imperial Issue) and the AB-75 bo-rifle he pulled off a dead Lasan Honor Guard.   So I would agree with the sentiment to make the generic ISB agent for L1 and require mutton chops and a bo-rifle for L2 or L3.
 
But then maybe I'm just being selfish because I'd like to build an approvable Kallus but I could never pull off his perfect hair without a dumb looking wig (I could do the mutton chops though).

I actually think it's more think the new Armored Combat Driver without the faceplate.  There's a guy over at the Armored Cavalry Detachment who scratch-built the whole set.  A new paint job and a mounted rank bar and you have Tarkin's armor.  I just wish Kallus' armor was a little more standard.
 

 
I personally like the idea of officers in armor.  I had more respect for Veers than any of the high ranking Naval officers because he strapped on that armor and got into the thick of the fighting.

David White has made a Helmet kit and is taking order right now for a run. 
themandalorianarsenal.com/kallus.html
 
 

 

Well, I've started making a model of his helmet. I'm not sure yet if I'll try to get it printed or just use it as the basis for a scratchbuild. I'm pretty happy with it so far though. I think I need to tweak the faceplate and I'm having some trouble getting the holes in the raised dome sections to work the way I want, but overall I think it's headed in the right direction.
 

 

 

I'm still not totally sure where I'll end up going with the helmet, but I did spend some time this evening mocking up the chest armor in a decidedly more old school fashion, with cardstock and lots of masking tape. I think I need to make some tweaks, possibly letting raised pieces come just a bit farther down the chest, but I'm happy with the general shape. As cropped awkward mirror selfies (sorry about the quality by the way) , these probably aren't the most accurate picture of what it looks like in real life, but they're all I have for now. I'm thinking I'll make the real thing out of lightweight cardboard which I'll fiberglass and bondo.









I think it looks much better when not poorly taped onto my shirt as well.

I’m trying to rationalize the difference between Kallus’ uniform and the ISB officer uniform in my head (I know, the animators didn’t why should I).  I’m starting by equating the ISB with the U.S. FBI although the ISB is a bit more militaristically oriented.  The missions are similar, root out domestic threats from spies, saboteurs, and terrorists (the Rebel Alliance).  I would imagine that if Kallus had a paper-pushing desk job he’d be sitting there in an ecru tunic and black jodhpurs.  But Kallus, being a special agent field operative would be the equivalent of a S.W.A.T. team leader and so his combat armor and underarmor-uniform reflect that role (just check out what a fully outfitted SWAT member is geared up in).  So in my whirly-swirly little brain, Kallus is an ISB officer in what amounts to Imperial SWAT gear.
Stop me anyone if I’m over-thinking all this.
 
As a CRL is developed for this my wish would be for it to be for a generic ISB field agent instead of Agent Kallus as a face character (sort of the way the ACD has it as an AT-AT Commander and NOT Gen. Veers as a face character eventhough Veers is the only “AT-AT Commander†we ever see on screen (I blame Kenner for sloppy labelling.  Anyone remember “Walrus Manâ€)).  I could pull off the mutton chops but I’m not blonde and I’m a bit too thin (read- balding) on top to pull off his hair without a stupid wig.  I’m sure it’ll end up a face character just because of the chops but one can dream though.
 
Going back to Kallus’ “underarmor†I’ve noticed a bit of a discrepancy in the shoulders.  Most shots show that the shoulder portions are part of the “fabric†of the uniform almost like a “quilting†sewn into the fabric.  Other shots like this one (not sure of the source or if it’s even canon) show that the shoulders appear to be armor of some sort (Biker scout? Stormtrooper? Painted black).
 

This is the only pic I've seen with what looks like shoulder bells but I am in agreement that whatever he's got under the armor would be like an UnderArmour suit that NFL players would have under their pads and jerseys.   How it comes together in the front is the hard part.  There is obviously some sort of yoke that is a different shade than the rest of the uniform but whether it's an ISB yoke or staff officer yoke is up to interpretation.

Thanks.   I'll have to take a closer look at the McCall's pattern tonight.  Those extra "outer" seams may be under the arms in the pattern.  I may have to tweek it.
 
List of tweeks I've identified so far on the McCall's pattern for anyone keeping score:
 
1. Straighten the yoke extension so the bottom aligns with the top and does not end in the direct front. 
2. Attach the yoke extension to the pattern piece before cutting fabric so it is all one piece and the will be no front seam.
3. Add front dart to the yoke/left front pattern piece
4. Cut sleeve pieces to add back seams to sleeves.  Ensure they line up with back princess seams.
5. Attach two back pattern pieces together before cutting fabric so there is no center back seam
6. Cut back side pattern pieces to create second set of princesss seams to back.
7. Extend left front skirt pattern piece so that it lines up with bottom of new yoke/left front piece.
8. And of coarse add modesty panel to inside of collar.
 
Not bad overall.

My 7 year old daughter is probably the most fanatic Star Wars fan out there today.  We got a puppy for her birthday.  A pure bred Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.  We registered him with the American Canine Association.  My daughter picked the name.  Check out his official papers.
 

 
but he loves his ewok.

My 7 year old daughter is probably the most fanatic Star Wars fan out there today.  We got a puppy for her birthday.  A pure bred Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.  We registered him with the American Canine Association.  My daughter picked the name.  Check out his official papers.
 

 
but he loves his ewok.

My 7 year old daughter is probably the most fanatic Star Wars fan out there today.  We got a puppy for her birthday.  A pure bred Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.  We registered him with the American Canine Association.  My daughter picked the name.  Check out his official papers.
 

 
but he loves his ewok.

If you are the parent of a young daughter then you know that last Halloween every single little girl on the planet wanted to be Disney Frozen's ELSA <sigh> .  I am proud to say NOT MY DAUGHTER.  Over the course of a year I have been able to convert her from a mindless Disney princess to a Star Wars fanatic.  She told me she wanted to be a princess for Halloween at first I feared the worst.  Did she want to be Elsa? NO.  Did she want to be Anna? NO.  Which princess?  LEIA!  And not just boring old Princess Leia in the white dress.  She wanted to be butt-kicking Leia in bounty hunter disguise.  SO I embarked on a 3 month journey to build the most complicated 7 year old Halloween costume devised by man.  Flashing green LEDs, screen accurate voice changer, bubble tank, and light up thermal detonator.  She was powered by no less than 4 9-volt and 2 D batteries. Between the hot glue gun and soldering iron, I effectively burned my own fingerprints off.  The helmet ended up a little big but it was perfect in the sense that it made her look like a baby bobblehead Boushh.  She was a HUGE hit.  afterwards she told me that I should make a Star Wars costume for my self....hmmmmm... so here I am starting my first build.
 

 
I love this last shot of her with all the Elsa's

 

I've submitted her to the Galactic Academy but haven't got a response yet.  I've  started working on my ISB officer (hat is done, I have the patterns for pants and tunic, just need to alter them).  She mentioned that she wanted to wear this Leia again this yer because she didn't get to trick or treat in it but she also wanted me to do an Ahsoka Tano costume for her at some point.

If you are the parent of a young daughter then you know that last Halloween every single little girl on the planet wanted to be Disney Frozen's ELSA <sigh> .  I am proud to say NOT MY DAUGHTER.  Over the course of a year I have been able to convert her from a mindless Disney princess to a Star Wars fanatic.  She told me she wanted to be a princess for Halloween at first I feared the worst.  Did she want to be Elsa? NO.  Did she want to be Anna? NO.  Which princess?  LEIA!  And not just boring old Princess Leia in the white dress.  She wanted to be butt-kicking Leia in bounty hunter disguise.  SO I embarked on a 3 month journey to build the most complicated 7 year old Halloween costume devised by man.  Flashing green LEDs, screen accurate voice changer, bubble tank, and light up thermal detonator.  She was powered by no less than 4 9-volt and 2 D batteries. Between the hot glue gun and soldering iron, I effectively burned my own fingerprints off.  The helmet ended up a little big but it was perfect in the sense that it made her look like a baby bobblehead Boushh.  She was a HUGE hit.  afterwards she told me that I should make a Star Wars costume for my self....hmmmmm... so here I am starting my first build.
 

 
I love this last shot of her with all the Elsa's