“Speedster – Flame” a proper Hot-Rod Speeder!

Hello Everybody and welcome to today’s offering and this time it is scorching hot! Well, it is painted in a hot colour scheme…. You may recall I have designed a new Speeder-bike style vehicle based on the BARC Speeder-Bikes and I have shown you a few variants in different colour schemes and model types (the double sidecar for example). Today I felt that I wanted to show off a true “Hot-Rod” styled Speedster with a flaming paint job. I know that George Lucas (remember him? The guy that created Star Wars…before Disney?) had a love of custom cars and hot-rods and so I decided on this version in tribute. Lucas’ first major film was a movie titled “American Graffiti” and it featured a (very) young Harrison Ford and a certain Ron Howard. It was a “coming of age” comedy-drama centred around the culture of “Cruising” and Rock ‘n’ Roll which were popular within Lucas’ generation. It was also produced whilst Lucas was working on his other sci-fi movie “THX-1138”. Anyhoo, I have babbled on about the background and need to showcase the new Speedster, here is Gallery One…..

This Speedster comes in a classic black, trimmed with red and features a neat flame pattern on the Cameo pendent shaped upper fuselage panel and the two outrigger wing plates. I was able to colour match the flame textures to the material I used in Blender on the model textures so they are almost seamless. Whilst I was rendering the images however I discovered I had made a mistake and had created some pictures of an earlier version which has the flames going vertically up on the panels BUT on one or two images I had made a modification which I forgot and placed the flames horizontal. I didn’t want to have to re-render the images so we will have to pretend and imagine the flames aren’t painted but are really pixelated display panels (like you see in window displays and at sports stadiums, you know Diamond Screens)….and the flames react and move in sync with the Speedster’s moves. For example as the Speedster takes off….

Whilst the Speedster is resting on the ground the flames go vertical but as it lifts up and starts to move forward the flames rotate and display horizontally as if blown by the rush of wind! OK? We don’t make mistakes here…we just have (Bob Ross the artist’s) Happy Accidents! Besides I think the streaking flames look good. I hope you do to as I’m afraid this post has to be a short one again and I will have to end soon. Once more I need to re-assure you that I still have much more to come in future posts including the Puss in Boots darkside inspired version, a repaint of a TIE-Defender, another Marvel movie Katana…and a saber based on a very famous landmark building found somewhere on Earth!

And now I have to say my usual big thanks to everyone for sticking by me and FTSabersite through this unpredictable period I have been going through. I’ve not been 100% certain as to whether I was coming or going as I have been so busy, but I still managed to post. As Yoda said, “Do…or do not, there is no try!” So thank you for the support and whether you are a regular visitor/friend or are new to FTSabersite, you are all appreciated! Till next time…..

“Speedster – Flame” is a For Tyeth Editions design inspired by the Speeder-Bike BARC vehicles seen in Star Wars The Clone Wars. The design, nodels and renderings were produced by For Tyeth in Blender 3D and are ©Copyright of For Tyeth/FTSabersite 2016-2023. “Speeder-Bike BARC” and all other names, logos, images and Star Wars related material are Trademark/©Copyright of Disney/Lucasfilm Ltd.

“Tobi Saber” – for the cybernetic boy Jedi

Hello Everybody, today we venture back into the Star Wars Visions universe and take a look at the story of a cybernetic boy scientist who dreams of being a Jedi Knight. This droid is named To-Bi and he works with his creator and father figure Mitaka on a project to “terraform” planets. During the pairs’ experimentations To-Bi makes it known he wants to be a Jedi and also asks what is in the basement of their home. Mitaka tells To-Bi that to become a Jedi he needs to find a Kyber Crystal and construct a lightsaber, which To-Bi starts to search for. He wanted to look in the basement but was forbidden to go down there. .. but he decides to disobey and he sneaks downstairs. Upon venturing into the forbidden room To-Bi discovers an inoperative shuttlecraft which he then begins playing in and pretending he is a Jedi on a mission. Unfortunately the radios are functional and he transmits a message which is overheard by dark forces…namely a Sith Inquisitor. Inquisitors were used to hunt down the remaining Jedi after Order 66 wiped most of them out. Even worse though, the Inquisitor traces the transmission and shows up at the scientists’ home world.

Upon learning that an Inquisitor has arrived Mitaka confides to To-Bi that he was once a Jedi but as he was injured so couldn’t continue (Mitaka had lost both his arms). Mitaka hides To-Bi in a secret hideaway along with his broken lightsaber hilt. There is a bit of a commotion and when To-Bi finally emerges from his hiding place a terrible realisation happens….the laboratory has been ransacked and ….Mitaka has been killed. I think I have talked enough about the story so I had best show you the first gallery of “Tobi Saber”….

This is a rebuild of Mitaka’s hilt which To-Bi takes into hiding with. In the cartoon we don’t get to see really clear images of it as the action is frantic so I had to make some decisions and use artist license as to how it looks but I think it worked. This saber has clean lines with a pair of shroud plates on the emitter which kind of follows the aesthetic of Cal Kestis’ lightsaber from the “Jedi Fallen Order” computer game. Back to the story and To-Bi continues his creator’s work and during this endeavour he discovers a truth…To-Bi is himself powered with a Kyber Crystal! To-Bi manages to repair the hilt but all this renewed activity is sensed by the Inquisitor who returns. Now I had best show you Gallery Two with a few close ups…

Yes! To-Bi was a Kyber Crystal powered droid and it turns out the Inquisitor detected that and tracked back to confront the new source of possible Jedi. Then there was….well I don’t want to spoil the ending so I’ll end here. Sorry folks but I was going to have to end soon as my posts have been cut short recently for security reasons surrounding my on Jedi Mission. Hopefully you will have still enjoyed my posts. And as a treat here is a quick image of To-Bi as he prepares to face the Inquisitor…

I think he looks kinda heroic, let’s just hope that he is successful and defeats the Inquisitor. Check out Star Wars Visions to find out if you haven’t seen it already. And just some quick news, it seems that a second series of Visions is coming to screens very soon (or by the time this post publishes it may be out already!). I am all over the place at the minute and things are disorganised but please hang in there and call back next week as I do have another new design to showcase….a flaming hot Speedster!

But for now I will have to bring this post to a close, thanks as ever for checking in today and having a look. Whether you are a regular viewer or a newcomer it means a lot that you have supported me and FTSabersite. If you have enjoyed today’s offering please comment, maybe leave a like and if you’re not subscribed then consider signing up to get notifications of my latest posts! Stay safe and….Till next time….

“Tobi Saber” is a For Tyeth Editions design inspired by the character of “T0-Bi” from Disney/Lucasfilm’s Star Wars Visions anime series. The design, models and renders were created by For Tyeth/FTSabersite and are ©Copyright of For Tyeth/FTSabersite 2016-2023. “T0-BI” and Star Wars Visions, along with all other names, logos images and related material are Trade,ark/©Copyright of Disney/Lucasfilm Ltd.

“The Last Wish” Saber Antique edition – Inspired by Puss in Boots

Hello Everybody, a month ago I posted a design inspired by Dreamworks Animations’ Puss in Boots movie “The Last Wish” after I saw the trailer for it online. Having later seen a few more clips of the movie and the Rapier sword in question, I realised my original version was a bit “too clean and new” considering it was meant to belong to a cat that was living his ninth and final(?) life…..so I had to rectifiy my model and retextured the saber to better fit a “worn and used weapon nearing the end of it’s uesfulness”. This is the retextured “The Last Wish – Antique Edition”….

I feel that this dark brown/bronze colour better suits an antique than the shiny silver I used on my original effort. The new texture also contrasts better with the black leather wrappings and the illuminated blade and “Cat’s Paw” activation switch. Finally, another benefit is that the “Spirograph” style floral etching on the handguard basket looks much more engraved into the model. Ok folks onto Gallery Two and the close ups and details…

Whilst modifying this saber I also had the idea to make a version based on the possibility of “What if Puss in Boots was a Sith Darksider”? So I also made a third variant which I will be posting soon in a future post so please keep your eyes peeled for that one too. Not only do I have the third Puss in Boots version, but next week we will be returning to the Star Wars “Visions” universe with a design built for a cybernetic boy scientist who unfortunately defies his creator, which brings terrible consequences. However the “boy” continues his creator’s work which leads to a second confrontation!. But for now I will have to end as things still haven’t settled for me and I’m still finding life a bit hectic at the moment….but then I am a Jedi Master and should be ready for anything I suppose!

So I would like to say a big thank you to everyone that has checked this post out today and as ever for ALL the fantastic support I have received. All the comments and kind words do inspire me to keep working on this site (especially as I have seen a few stalwarts shut down their blogs sadly). Please call back for further new material and if you like what you see here, maybe spread the word about FTSabersite to your friends…everyone is welcome and I’d be pleased to see some new faces here. Thanks again and…..Till next time…..

“The Last Wish Saber – Antique Edition” is a For Tyeth Editions lightsaber design inspired by Dreamworks Studios’ character “Puss in Boots” and his rapier sword seen in the movie “The Last Wish”. The design, model and renders were created by For Tyeth using Blender 3D and are ©Copyright of For Tyeth/FTSabersite 2016-2023. “Puss in Boots”, “The Last Wish” and all other names, logos, images and related materials are Trademark/©Copyright of Dreamworks Studios.

TIE Defender Elite “Skerris” – a recreation of the Galactic Empire’s new TIE Fighter

Hello Everybody and welcome to today’s post and before we go any further I need to say fasten your seatbelts! This weeks post we venture back to my “Shipyards” division as I showcase my attempt at building a new TIE Fighter design. The TIE version in question first appeared in the animated Star Wars Rebels show during an episode titled “Flight of the Defender”.

TIE Defender Elite on the left. ©Disney/Lucasfilm

The fighter was a new design developed by Grand Admiral Thrawn, the Chiss military genius (you can read about him in this post: https://ftsabersite.wordpress.com/2021/04/24/tactician-v2-strikeback-thrawns-second-saber/) and was far superior to regular TIE-Fighters and Interceptors. The Defender had shields for a start which other TIEs didn’t posses and the new ship was fast because it had a Hyoerdrive unit built in so didn’t need boosters or Star Destroyers to transport them. But while I watched the cartoon I noticed that the Defender was good but to me looked a bit too slender so I decided to redesign and make some tweaks. This is the result of my efforts the TIE Defender Elite “Skerris”..

My redesign is slightly more bulky around the wing supports but I think the ship still has a sleek aggressive look. The distinctive wings each have two laser cannons plus two laser guided missiles between each wing plate. The plates also have carbon fibre-like solar panel texturing giving it the classic TIE Fighter checkerboard pattern to it’s wings. The fuselage is much closer to an original TIE but with an extended larger rear section. The Defender in the cartoon seemed too small at the back to be able to house the shield generator, Hyperdrive AND it didn’t have the Twin Ion Engines that give a TIE fighter it’s name. So my larger fuselage allowed me to add the Twin Engines (so technically this is a Tri Ion Engined ship!) Here is a picture of the Disney version again showing the rear and how small it is…

This rear fuselage seems too small to accommodate it’s tech. ©Disney/Lucasfilm

And now here is Gallery Two showcasing some up close details…

Hopefully these pics will give you a good idea of the shape and build of my version – I think it retains the sleek aggressive shape but looks more solidly built. In the last image you can see the lower two “exhaust ports” for the Twin Ion powerplants but you can clearly see the extra central exhaust and slotted vents arranged around it. These extra ports work like the Vectored Thrust nozzles on modern fighter jets like the American F22, F-35 and Russia’s Sukhoi SU-30 and 35 planes. This starfighter is also very agile as a result.

I named my fighter the “Skerris” variant after the Galactic Empire’s Ace pilot, Vult Skerris. Skerris was an instructor at the Empire’s SkyStrike Academy where the “topguns” of the galaxy trained. After working on developing the Defender Skerris was given the command of Defender Squadron One leading a mission to apprehend Senator Mon Mothma.

These last two images show the Defender out and about both in deep space and in the hangar of the Star Destroyer I designed a year or two back. I’m pleased how my tweaks on this ship turned out and feel the ship would be formidable against the Rebels. Luckily the Empire don’t own any of my variants!

And with that I must end this post, again I can’t divulge too much about my current situation but I hope you will call back next week to see a modification to my Puss in Boots themed saber. Thanks so much for visiting today and supporting myself and my site, all of the interactions motivate me and keeps me designing. Till next time….

“TIE Defender Elite Skerris” is a For Tyeth Editions design inspired by the TIE Defender seen in Disney/Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars Rebels”. The 3D model and mods were modelled in Blender 3D by For Tyeth/FTSabersite and are ©Copyright of For Tyeth/FTSabersite 2016-2023. The “TIE Fighter” and all it’s variants are Trademark/©Copyright of Disney/Lucasfilm (as are all names, logos, images and related material).