Created by Scott Holden for the recent Zone Ball in Sacramento, this Tauntaun not only looks great, it actually walks. Scott modeled out the original plan for the behemoth costume using SolidWorks, and then built out a stilt mechanism to stand on while walking around in it. And no, those aren’t the rider’s real legs dangling there on either side – they’re actually hidden inside standing on the stilts.

He built the Tauntaun’s main body using PVC pipe and fabricated custom stilts with snowboard bindings to hold the wearer’s feet and legs in place while walking.

Scott created a custom silicone mold for the head, and airbrushed the details on a final foam cast form. To give the beast its fuzzy coat, Scott covered it with layers of faux fur, fastened to the body with zip-ties.

Check out the video below to see the costume in action:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

You can check out the complete build log here. All I can say is wow.

[via Make:]

The tauntaun’s belly apparently zips up, to keep poor Luke nice and toasty warm. But does Luke look happy about it? No. But really, would you? We’re talking about bedding down in smelly guts here; you do it if you have to, but it’s not like you YouTube that business with pride or anything.

Poor Luke. You just want to give him a good wash hug.

[My Paper Crane via Geek Central Station]