Unless you've been living under a rock for the last year and a half, you know that Star Wars: The Last Jedi is almost upon us.
So there's no better time to work on a Star Wars project!
If you've known me for any amount of time you know how much I love toys.
And I've known myself long enough to know that it can be dangerous to start collecting anything TOO specific... as a recovering completionist (curse you, Funko Pops!) I have to be very choosy about what I add to my shelves.
There's nothing Star Wars does better than toys, but I'd managed to avoid them all, most specifically The Black Series line of figures and Jakks Pacific's line of over-sized action figures.
I was proud of myself, I'd done it! I'd beaten the collector inside of me!
Until I stumbled on BB-8.
I saw him (her?) from a distance. Across the crowded Dealers Floor at Dragon Con.
I thought I'd never see him (her?) again, but then he (she?) showed up in Target stores.
I fought the urge for a week or so, but the force was strong with this one...
It was probably the size of the figure that pulled me in, he (she?) looks and feels like an expensive piece, under-sized to be a replica, yes, but still really cool.
So I caved, as I always do, and threw him (her?) in the shopping cart.
BB-8 took his place on the shelf for well over a year, overlooking the living room and the other collectibles, and he's still the thing people talk about most when they come over.
BUT he still looked like a toy; a little too bright, not enough hard edges, and definitely WAY too squeaky clean.
He became one of my "I'll get to that one day.." projects, and stayed on his shelf gathering dust.
BUT The Last Jedi has taken over the internet and I can't go anywhere without seeing BB-8, so it was time to rough this cute little guy up...
I borrowed (stole) some painting and aging know-how from a few of my hyper-creative YouTube inspirations, mainly Cosplay Chris and Adam Savage's TESTED, which is essentially coating the entire figure in paint then removing most of it, leaving behind stains and seemingly random areas of wear and tear.
And a little work went a LONG way, the difference is astounding.
It's amazing what a little paint can do!
All in all, it was a pretty simple re-paint. Took me just under an hour and only cost me a few bottles of black and brown acrylic paints, a handful of paint brushes, and two rolls of paper towels.
Still busy over here, but winding down for the Holidays, I'll be back soon!
May the Force be with you,
Avery
