Yoda replica statue
As a business full of Star Wars fans, we’re happy to let the May the Fourth observance continue the whole month long. For a special post this year we’re focussing on one character from a galaxy far, far away, and one member of the team from here in Windsor.
A fan favourite appearing across the Star Wars anthology, Yoda has left Designworks over the years in the form variously of intricate chess pieces, an illuminating game figurine, and a sample for an optical illusion Holopane product.
Making a Master
Along the way, Modelshop’s sculptor, modelmaker and Star Wars fan Andrew has been developing intricate digital sculpts of the lovable Jedi Master’s head, hands, feet and even his ‘gimer’ stick to now integrate into an amazing 1:1 scale statue.
There aren’t many characters from the Star Wars universe that Andrew hasn’t sculpted for business or for pleasure, but never to this level of detail.
“Judge me by my size, do you?”
At 16” wide at the ears, the various test maquette versions of the head were fabricated from multiple filament 3D prints and assembled, a process we use more typically for product prototypes enclosures. This approach delivered the necessary size with modestly sized prints, and without sacrificing surface finish quality to print supports. Consequently, the countless wrinkles and details in the digital sculpt of the character’s 900-year-old visage could be vividly brought to life.
Like many of the sculpts Modelshop have provided for licensed action figures in the past, this Yoda has a range of accessories to hold, so sports several swapable hands in different poses. The finger and toenails were printed in clear resin then painted and lacquered for the appropriate translucency.
The statue’s arms articulate with aluminium armature wire. A more straightforward approach than for one of Modelshop’s action figure or doll sculpts which might include swivel, socket, double-hinged and mushrooms joints.
“For 800 years have I trained Jedi”
For the hair on the character’s 900-year-old little head, Andrew sourced yak fur to achieve the appropriate colour and texture. Unlike doll hair which is bundled and punched through the scalp, Yoda’s had to be meticulously glued into place one strand at a time.
The eyeballs Andrew crafted for the Yoda statue are his most intricate yet. As with prior eyes made for plush toy samples and prototypes, the tiny crypts of the iris were hand-painted. This time capillaries were included also, made from different hues of fine thread fibres carefully organised and lacquered into place.
"Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter"
After an initial green coat, the character’s skin was spattered with a toothbrush and washed with a host of earthy hues to achieve the appropriate look for aged alien skin.
“Mine… or I will help you not”
Audiences and even fans may not have noticed that in his first appearance in 1980, Yoda sported quite a range of accessories. Alongside his ‘gimer’ walking stick. He had a pouch on his belt, another around his neck and a flute-like pendant. The character also briefly made use of one of Luke Skywalker’s multiple torches.
Not to make a half-job of anything, Andrew built them all, including working illumination in the torch and a nifty magnetic closure on the belt pouch.
Most often, the clothes for Modelshop’s figurine and statue work are sculpted and moulded into the plastic, which is more cost-effective and repeatable in production. Sometimes though tiny softgoods clothes are produced, adding a different level of tactility to the action figures and dolls.
Scaling-down textiles can be challenging to pull-off, but luckily at 1:1 scale a lot of the difficulties and limitations of making tiny clothes were negated here. Additionally, Yoda’s outfit is rather loose-fitting, so easier to put onto something that can’t cooperate to dress itself. Once sewn from Andrew’s custom patterns, the tunic and robe were distressed and dirtied to reflect decades of use living on a swamp planet.
Click on an image below to have a closer look at the finished article…
This extraordinary demonstration of skill and dedication will now join Andrew’s collection of many other replica props and costumes from the Star Wars franchise.
