A Start...

To start my process, I have been doing lots and lost of research and reading. There is a wealth of information avalible through the R2 Builder Club. It makes the project so much more approchable, but also at the same time a little overwhelming. So many choices as far as how to construct pieces, and where to buy parts etc. There's definately no shortage of information. It's just a matter of compiling the right information for your droid and what you want to do with it within your budget etc.

To give myself a start to getting a real feel for where parts go in relation to one another (something I fine invaluble) I decided to construct a drawn mock-up of R2-D2 on a F size, Sterilite columnar trash can with a domed lid. I started out using some front view reference shots in the club galleries and used a pencil and bendable ruler to get down the basics of the front panel.

My 4 year old daughter LOVES the trash can projects, and has already claimed the finished project as hers. She insisted on "trying it on." I was informed that she would wear it for Halloween, except that she wouldn't be able to walk well in it. So she informed me that she will either wear her Ahsoka or Queen Amidala costume. We have experience with the walking droid problem from this past Halloween when she dressed as a GNK. She won the local festival's home-made costume contest, but had trouble walking when we went trick-or-treating, and after the first half hour changed into something easier for a 3 year old to manage.

But back to the project at hand... last night I spent some time using Sharpies and coloring in the areas I had lined out in pencil earlier in the afternoon. I was really rewarding to do this, as looks a lot more done than with just the pencil lines. I wasn't able to do the silver portions since that pen had dried out, but it was still enough to get my daughter very excited this morning when she saw it.

One mistake I have already made: The domed lid fits down over the top edge of the can. I forgot to take this into account and start the body design below this point. So when the dome is on you lose the top part of the design on the body. It's always good to learn these kinds of lessons on an inexpensive $10 trash can mock up rather than on a much more expensive droid construction. Plus, it doesn't seem to make any difference to the eventual owner. :-) I haven't yet decided how to address the legs on this- whether I want to do a foam core type build, or if I want to just draw them on, or do something else. I still have a lot of drawing work left on the body and dome before I have to really worry about that though.