Going to attack STAR TREK minifigure customs.

[BrickG]

I've still never done a minifigure custom yet. Though I'm wanting to now.

I'm going to attack the 7 main characters in Star Trek The Next Generation first.

Now, Photoshop/Illustrator wise, I'll make some designs and that's the easy part for me (since I'm a paid graphic artist :P). The designs will end up something like these (but actually sticking to the Lego style/rules lol I took some OBVIOUS liberties when I drew these years ago). But whatever I'll tackle that myself.

This thread is more about the physical requirements.

First off I'll be doing the later TNG uniforms.

1. The Legs. Easy. Plain and black.
   
2. The shirt. Not so easy. I want to include the strip on the shoulders. Okay... not sure how easy it would be to get a decal on there. Also I'm not sure whether to make the it the division color (red, gold, blue) or black. If I do black the CHEST is easier. I can just throw a colored decal on the front and back. But then the arms will be difficult because I'd somehow need to color the non-strip part a whole color! If it's decals it could scrape off and I'm not sure how I'd wrap them around the whole arm. If I make them yellow I'd be disturbed by the top's yellow color (I don't feel the print on the front and back sufficient) but the arms would be easier. It could be both (black torso, yellow arms) but then I'd have a heck of a time matching the colors (decal yellow on black vs decale black shoulder on yellow!). So I'm not sure what to do here. Airbrush? How smooth is an airbrush on minifigures? I want these to look professional! :P
   
3. The Head and Arms... okay use that whatever to get the print off the heads so I can decal them up. Easy just have to buy the right stuff... Now the problem... Geordi and Worf. I can't find any minifigure hair that first Geordi. Any recommendations? None of them are close from what I can tell! I guess the visor will be printed on the decal (as much as I'd love a custom on :P). Worf is another story... how the crap do I do his klingon head? I'd need hair that's a decent style for him that gives enough room for his forehead (probably printed on a decal). Recommendations? As for Data I'll probably just use a whiteish head for him even though his skin is white/yellow.
   

So basically the chest area I don't have figured out and how do do Geordi and Worf.

Also if someone could point me to the right directions for a good printer that can print high quality decals :P. Or what's even required for that.

[The Ghost Racer]

They look wonderful

[BrickG]

They look wonderful

Thanks :P.

The faces will change a lot to the traditional style (can't really paint them in this crazy way anyways). The body, besides the top neck rank thingy will be basically the same though (4th row for everyone but Geordi at the 5th and Troi at the 3rd). Just trying to find the best way to do them.

I'm thinking of making the neck part of the clothing (with the rank) tiny decals that wrap around the neck of the minifigure heads. That might work.

I'm thinking if I can match the colors well enough with trial and error that for the chest part it might be the best to have a black body and colored arms. But I'm not sure I'll be able to match the colors well enough. Lego themselves has a tough time doing so.

Edited July 10, 2013 by BrickG

[commodore_legolas]

For Geordi, the hair might be a prob if you want to go purist, a few purist options:

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=92081

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=3901

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=30608

If you want to go custom, tell me and I'll give you some ideas.

For Klingon hair, try this:

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=12893pb01

Hope this helps!

[xboxtravis7992]

Don't forget Ki-Adu-Mundi's hairpiece, if recolored it would look a lot like Worf's head.

[BrickG]

lol Worf isn't THAT bald ;p. I have no idea what I'm going to do for him.

I've mapped out hair possibilities for Riker, Data and Geordi.

Riker:

99930 (but I'd want it in dark brown! Maybe I'll recolor.... though not too keen on that)

OR

62810 Which is a bit more messy than I'd like but comes in a better color.

Data will probably use 91081 or 3901 (the classic one).

Geordi... no great choices. The flat top is just ridiculous.

I'll probably do 3901.

Worf is forever a mystery. Picard is a printed hair. Troi and Crusher are easy.

[CommoScout]

Squee!! This would have been an awesome licensed series to TLG to pickup, a shame they didn't.

I second Commodore Legolas on the 30608 hairpiece for Geordi, I think it fits closely to his original hair.

As far as Worf is concerned, if you wanted to sway a tad bit away from purist, and do a little modding surgery, you could take the front of this piece http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemPic.asp?P=99241pb01 and mold it together with an appropriate hairpiece.

Good luck.

[BrickG]

I'm thinking about making a custom head piece for worf... not sure if I actually will. I haven't done 3d modelling for like 6 years and I'm unsure of how it would turn out physically. I... might... experiment.

[BrickG]

Ordered the parts. They'll probably be here in 1-2 weeks.

I'll be photoshoping some of the prints now. I've got to go buy a quality printer and decals later.

Mysteries to solve:

Worf's head

Deanna Troi's hair

A more idea option for Geordi's hair and visor

Riker's hair (I think 99930 is perfect but it doesn't come in brown)

[CommoScout]

Depending on which season's hairstyle, I believe there are a lot of good options for Troi.

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=92082 - This one might be good for earlier in the seasons.

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=95225 - This one is close to the over the shoulders look she had in one of the motion pictures.

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=93352 - This one might be good, but to be honest I'm not sure how the "Friends" line head pieces work on the traditional mini - and in my opinion that matches Lwaxana a bit closer.

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=92259 - Finally, this one, it's almost too short in my opinion, but it would work for her straightened look for the later motion picture.

I'm not sure how purist you are going, but in my modding, my special or main characters have special hair styles I customize myself. Not sure if you're up for trying that route, but here are a few shots of modified(colored) hair pieces I've tried.

My Flickr- I apologize for the lighting, and lack of a closer view. Once I get my collection un-boxed and find/charge my camera I'll try to get better pictures up.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66677422@N03/6071899198/in/photostream/lightbox/

[BrickG]

Well I've kind of stalled on the prints.

Can't find a print shop that can handle them near me. Don't want to rely on someone else because I fully expect the prints to need adjusting after several "test" prints, and doing those by mail would suck. And printers of sufficient quality are so freakin' expensive I can't get myself to pull the trigger.

I have everything ready for this stuff except a darned printer.