August 05 2000

Well I scraped my initial idea and created this new sketch for the Ultimate Sarlacc Pit :) I decided to make a stand alone instead of placing it on the shelf next to Jabba's Palace.

I just did not really have the height I needed to place the skiffs at a proper distance.

Here you can see that the 2 skiffs will be on each side of the Sarlacc Pit and behind will be a custom Sail Barge where I will be able to place Slave Leia at her cannon, R2 Lightsaber and some more guards.

August 05 2000

So here you can see the basic box I created using 5 sheets of foam core. They were bonded using a hot glue gun - the best invention I discovered last year :)

The measurements are 26" high X 40" wide X 20" deep

August 05 2000

Next step I glued foam core rectangles that will act as a support for the wire mesh.

August 05 2000

It's hard to see but the entire surface is now covered with wire mesh. Found at any art supply store, you can wrinkle it to give it a rocky like surface. The Sarlacc Beak is just a mockup for scale - not the finished version - LOL

August 05 2000

Next step is to cover the entire screen mesh with plaster bandages. This creates a base for when it comes time to paint a layer of plaster of paris.

August 05 2000

Here is a close up of the Sarlacc Pit area. I examined and took notes from my jedi laserdisc.

The base is like a trampoline shape, this is where the beak will pop out from.

Above this will be the 3 rings of spiked tongues.

August 06 2000

Now this is the boring repetitive part :( Using sculpy - or your favorite clay like material - make about 100 little balls.

These when squished will become the little "tongues" that surround the Sarlacc Beak. If you pause the video during a close up of the pit you will understand what I'm talking about :)

August 06 2000

After you squish your balls into a tongue shape, Place them in a circle and join them together. This is what the first ring of tongues will look like once hardened.

I added textured details before cooking the sculpy in the oven. This is what will be placed on top of the "Trampoline" base - see picture in Step 006.

August 06 2000

Boy am I sick and tired of making those tongues - LOL - all 96 of them. This is what the 3 levels look like - a lot of work but I think it makes it worth it no?

All that's missing now are the 96 little thorns - oh noooo !

August 12 2000

This is what the tongue circle looks like when put in it's appropriate place

August 12 2000

Now it's time to make the "rock" crater that the Sarlacc calls his nesting place. These rubber rock molds can be bought in any hobby store. They are scaled for miniature train sets but work wonders in the Star Wars universe as well :)

Step 1: brush soapy water into the molds so th eplaster will not stick.

August 12 2000

This is the easy part - LOL. Pour plaster of paris into the molds and wait till the plaster hardens.

August 12 2000

Tada - Like magic we have rocky cliff chunks when we remove the plaster from the molds.

August 12 2000

Now it's time to place all our rock pieces into an interesting shape. Kinda like a puzzle, what piece looks good here, what works better there etc...

August 13 2000

After you decided where all the pieces go, mix some plater of paris
and pour it into the cracks filling the seams and glueing everything together. Also paint a coat of plaster of paris onto the exposed bandages to make a smooth landscape. Now we are getting close to a finished pit - what do you think?