Star Wars Acklay Puppet Cosplay
Velma Rippstein
https://www.instagram.com/velmaripp/
For SDCC 2022, Velma paired a custom early crusader Mandalorian cosplay with a puppet-style Acklay costume. This incredible pairing won best original concept and best in show.
The Acklay is a creature that was prominently featured in Star Wars Episode II during the big battle in the Geonosis Arena.
The puppet is made almost entirely out of pink XPS foam. She started the project off by planning the build with some paper cutouts, then sculpting the head piece using a combination of Pro and Crafters tools.
Next up were the arms and legs. It has 6 limbs in total, each one including articulation.
The puppet attaches to a PVC pipe skeleton that has all the necessary articulation built in.
With all the pieces cut out and the details sculpted, it was time to add the finishing touches. Velma coated the foam pieces with All Purpose Foam Coat mixed with Bounce for added protection, then painted it to match the original Acklay.
The puppet was puppeteered by Velma’s friend, Tori Pence while Velma wore the Mandalorian costume. The costumes and performance were a smash hit at the SDCC Masquerade!
“It’s funny because the only reason I created the puppet was because I thought the Mandalorian would be boring on stage alone – so the showstopper of our number is actually just a fancy prop!!”
Video of the performance:
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