Custom "Eggtrooper"

I have been brainstorming cool easter projects I could do this year, and while I already settled on a particular photo project which is currently in the works, I found this cool "egghead" blank vinyl figure while I was out shopping. I thought it was the perfect opportunity to do a cool little something for easter ahead of my main project, while at the same time taking my first tentative steps into the world of custom vinyl figure making. I have been wanting to make a custom vinyl for a while now, ever since I saw my Flickr friends photos of her making a custom Mighty Mugg. And of course, if I'm going to make a custom vinyl, I have to do a trooper! lol.

Click here to visit my set on Flickr documenting Eggtrooper's creation.

This little guy was fairly straightforward to create, actually. And while it was challenging, it was not nearly as hard as I envisioned it might be in my mind. I started by sketching lightly with pencil and then after I had an area finalized (the head, an arm, the front of the torso) I would then finish it with a fine tip sharpie. A troopers black and white color scheme kept things easy; the figure was already white, and I drew in black ink. No problem. And it just so happened that one of the colored pens that came in the figure's set was exactly the right shade of blue for the helmet vents and the little cylinder on his back. How perfect was that? Perfectly lucky haha. There were a few things that I had to sketch out to make sure I knew what I was doing with the design. In some of the photos you can see the template sheet where I worked out how I wanted to do the torso armor and arms, and how I wanted to draw one of the main features of his back. If I had it to do again, I would have done the legs, the left one in particular, a little differently. More simply perhaps. But I'm still really happy with the way they look. No actual regrets.

Creating this little guy was a blast, and I'm totally in love with him! He's so awesome! Considering this successful first vinyl project, I really want to get one of those Disney Vinylmation blanks and make a Mickey trooper hehehe. Yes, I know they make a trooper version already, but why pay $14 when I can pay $5 for a blank and have one of my own design that I made myself? Besides, mine will be drawn to look like he's wearing a mouse ears hat LOL.