Newbie needs some guidance!

Hi guys!
I joined up tonight, I have been scouring this superb site and devouring the images with passion, I am a HUGE Fett fan. I would love to invest time and effort into making a helmet, and I just wanted to ask a question. I have a pepakura file of a helmet and it looks very good, if I print this off and build it, would coating the surface with Crystacal R (hard plaster) help achieve a hard surface? I have seen you guys use resin and fibreglass but this wont be an option for me.

I just wanna say I wish I'd found this site so many months ago, so so many amazing pictures of people's hard work. I hope to upload my own soon.

Thanks for any interest/guidance/tips in advance.

I dont know that i would use plaster for a wearable helmet but certainly for display it would work...Ive used plaster for making molds but being so fragile when thin

Thankyou Fett 4 Real, I had a feeling I would be asking for trouble doing that to a wearable helmet.
I will experiment I think, just to get a feel for it. I think once I have made my first I will be addicted.

Thanks again

I don't have much experience with pep, but why wouldn't fiberglass work? It's supposed to be fairly easy to apply and can be bought most craft/hardware stores.

Thanks GraphiX, I am now half way through my first bucket-build, and it's going really well. I managed to find some fibreglass and will be applying it to the inside of the helmet to add strength.
I will have to be posting pictures soon

FG is a better bet over plaster... keep us posted of your progress bud! oh and post some pics.. we love pics here.

Yes...thats a beer can in the background.
I just hope the images work

Hey, lookin good. BTW, you seem to have some *broken* pics (red X in box). I don't know if it's just me but check it out.

P.S. where did you get the pep files?

Thanks, I'll have to give my hand on those peps sometime.

I would like to think that I'm in some place other than the states (New Zealand) but sadly no. So... non corrugated? Is it like a thin cardboardish particle board?

BTW, did you use batting helmet method, if so, how well does it work?

It's a rigid board that is used to create the borders around pictures in frames...it's approx 1/8th of an inch thick....it's certainly not like normal cardboard.
Ask for offcuts from a picture framing places, u may get them for free...

I am sorry, what does batting method mean?

Well..... it's taking a baseball batting helmet, cutting it in 1/4ths, using sintra (expanded PVC foam if you aren't familiar with it) to fill in gaps to make it longer, bondo the whole thing.

ah...I got you, I have seen pics but didn't know the term. No, I decided to test out making the dome from mountboard, using the templates and using bondo (car body filler?) to build up the dome in layers, which works out very well, providing you don't mind the dust!!

Good news. Last night I made most of the ears, ready for the filler and sanding. I am so happy, it has started to take shape now...

When you say you made it from mountboard, do you mean in long verticle strips or small squares from a pep file? And yes, car body filler is the same thing as bondo.

I used the Wizard Of flight templates, and yes, I used the verticle strips (and a LOT of p.v.a glue).....if proved a challenge because there are no definitive ways of making this helmet, you just have to find your own way, but they are superb plans.

I did more work tonight: http://evarcha.deviantart.com/art/Bo...-p-2-160857795



I hope you like.....it's getting exciting now

Looks like you're off to an impressive start, bruv.

I agree with my main man Sonik there! Great start bro!

El1te

Thanks Dsonik1! Providing it carries on as it started I will be a happy guy. Painting it shouldn't be a problem as I am an artist in my spare time, www.wayneashworthart.co.uk if you get bored and want to have a look through the site, still under construction....like my helmet

Thanks TehEl1te, I am glad, I was a little intimidated by the community here as you're all superb makers and painters. I am glad I found this site, loads of like minded people!

Originally Posted by Evarcha

Thanks TehEl1te, I am glad, I was a little intimidated by the community here as you're all superb makers and painters.

Well, none of us started out that way, and many of us (me) still arent. lol

BTW - Checked out your site, your paintings are awesome(I urge you other guys to take a look at the link he posted). The Sweeny Todd is my favorite.

So, my next obvious question is..... when ya gunna paint Boba? lol

Also, how much would you charge to do a painting of someone in their Fett? Inquiring minds want to know.

Thanks man!!
I am very flattered you like my work. Sweeney Todd was painted in a really short time frame, the commission had to be finished for the day after, so I had to work my socks off.

Ha, yes, I started work on a Fett painting, I am truly a massive fan and can't believe I didn't know about T.D.H, after looking at the painting half finished I will have to start again, it's really not right!
I will be starting a new one soon actually, maybe a montage, maybe a close-up...we'll see.

I do take commissions on board, if you'd like my email address send a private message and we can have a chat about it.
Doing what you ask won't be a problem.

Sounds like a plan, bruv.

if you want to get in touch try this: info@wayneashworthart.co.uk

Work is incredible. I hate to do this, but I question wether the darth maul up close is a painting (looks like makeup on person. Can't help but notice hem around horns and no signature).

Great work on helmet.

When you put the hem around horns, were you thinking about the way that lucas would actually attach them? By the way, WOW! thats a good painting! Seeing that yes you could easily mistake that painting for a picture, you could take a picture from the side so people could see the texture (wait, it's in oil right?) Also, when you paint it, will you paint the weathering on, or apply through layer and scrape away?

I had a reference photo I worked from, from Empire magazine, and yes, I figured the horns had a base of latex and so I included them in the painting, that kind of thing adds to realism I find.
I will try to obtain a set of photographs from various angles, this all depends on if my old friend has a camera she can take pictures with! I may just have to arrange a visit, after all, I haven't seen the painting in over 5 years now. It is acrylic paint on stretches canvas, VERY large, 100 cms x 80cms.

As for the weathering, I don't know which to go for, this is my first bucket I have made, and looking at it I can't decide which to do, I will probably paint on the weathering and then should I make a second (which is likely) then I'll look into masking the weathering with latex so I can peel away the paint to reveal the metal etc. I sanded and filled the ear sections last night, just needs a bit of re-filling and stuff, I will be uploading more pictures probably tonight.

Actually now that I think about it....... I would suggest painting it on. Assuming you make armor though, I would use layer and sandpaper for that.

Oh, and keep us updated if you have any more paintings. Love to see them =)

hi Evarcha , your helmet is looking really good , put some more pic please when you start painting , I'm going to be ready to paint my scratch build very soon , i choose layering and scraping method :] however not sure if i know exactly how do it correctly :] it may not be easy :]]]

Well, you should layer A LOT, and I personally use a fine grit sandpaper but other people prefer other methods. And, I would suggest (never seen it before) an extremely watered down ink applied to creases with a que tip in order for it to look aged. Just an idea.

I wish you luck on the painting of your bucket, I am still unsure as to the best way to go about painting my first bucket, but I know I will produce a nice ornament in the end, which is what I was after...
Thnakyou so much for your kind comments SnakeThorn, I wish you thr best on your project and pleas upload photos, we like a good photo selecton here

Assuming that you paint the battle damage on, I would just attack the thing with the raw colors first. Then for the battle damage I would build up the out side of each "tear" and than move on to the more central part of the "tear" with different colors and slowly build up the colors inwards.

Hi SnakeThorn! (cool name)
I bought new batteries for my camera, so I can take better photos. I only have the rear grille to make and install, the Vidor to do and the top of the Range Finder then I shall start painting, but knowing how impatient i can be i might start the painting sooner rather than later.

I shall indeed be posting pics, and at the moment I don't know which technique I will be using....because the helmet is far from movie accurate I shall probably go with painting the weathering on...if I ever make another helmet I might try the latex-masking method to produce a nice layered look....

Thats a good idea....I might try that. The thing is, I am colourblind, i am having trouble recognising the colours...i tend to load an image into photoshop and use colour picker to show me if red is present, if it is I know what to do, same if it's not...

Yes unfortunately, although it doesn't really affect my life too much, I am red/green colourblind, which affects stuff like purple (blue+red, I am sure you know) looks blue or purple....(it gets confusing here my friend!)
Mostly I just have to hope I am not mixing stuff up wrong....when I painted my Wolverine portrait I was convinced the paint was green, I still am to be honest, but I only used a tube of black and a tube of white paint....so my eyes play tricks on me. It's an interesting affliction, one I have read a lot about.

I do tend to ask my girlfriend a lot, when I am painting, what colours I am mixing look to her, so that I don't make a huge gaff and paint green where red sould be. I have done things like that when I was a kid, coloured stuff in wrong, green is still brown to me. Apart from when it's green.

Yes I am very familiar with the primaries (red, blue, yellow) mix to create the secondaries (purple, orange, green) and two opposites on a color wheel to make brown (sorry to point out the obvious but just to prove my understanding). Back on topic: Hmmmmmm.......... That's not a very good situation. Can you match the colors of a picture of boba fett for the colors you see to the colors that they look like when you're mixing?

BTW, I am an artist as well except mostly graphite. Unfortunately, I do not have any college education in art due to the fact that I am still in school, but I can post some pics of my more impressive drawings if you like.

I wasn't sure if you knew colour mixing, please forgive me, I didn't mean to sound like a arse.
Yes, it's a tricky one. I just hope I don't mix too much yellow into the shoulders, or get the red wrong on the mandibles.
I am gonna have to just wing it I'm afraid. I'll probably start a thread called 'Colourblind noobie needs some help!!' (keep an eye out for that one)

I would love to see your work!
I have no formal education in art save for what I learned in high school....

I'll sure do. Here, let me switch to my not school computer. And good luck on winging it.

Okay, I think you'll be able to figure out which one is which. The balrog drawing (big beast from lord of the rings) is my original drawing and the one in color is for a game that my buddy at eggplant animations is going to turn into a game. The one that is all the fruit in stuff is my doodle 4 google (search it if you've never heard of it. The eggplant is the black and whits symbol I drew for eggplant animations. The mando looking guy is my own design but then I figured out that no one's head would fit in that helmet.
I would show you some even better ones that I made but they are currently not scanned into the computer. Maybe some other time though.

I checked out your Eggplant stuff, the games etc, I was impressed, there's a lot of passion an talent there!
I loved the anatomy of the Balrog, both versions in fact and you have created a very powerful image in the last Balrog picture, I like it.
The custom Mando would fit my pin-head...trust me.
Ah, the google image is great! (I googled eggplant animations, and yes, very impressive. )
Are you on deviantart?

Actually I don't know how to do video on pm. So I'm sorry but here you are

I think your stuff will go down well on there, there are groups of guys who do the gamedev stuff.
My page is www.evarcha.deviantart.com/gallery if you get on there give me a shout.

The helmet is shaping up. I have been working on the visor tonight, clear perspex with window-tint to create the look, or similar...(I tried 2 layers of tint which made BLACK black, great to look at, nearly impossible to see through!) I'll re-look at this in the morning. Working on the rear-grille, wondering should I fabricate the circuit board too...I probably will cos I am a sucker for detail. I went through Antman's thread, his first bucket and was blown away, it was that thread that inspired me to start work on my own helmet.

I'm dying to paint it now....but must continue prepping.
(thanks man, I want this sig on a t shirt)
(please do!)
(I will look it up, but I am a photoshop user, I have been for about 8 years now....can't use anything else, g.i.m.p is good though)

hahaha!!!
I love them! Brilliant!

If you do get your sig on a shirt make 2 and I'll buy one. And I'm glad you like em. I also have a hand drawn animation which is just me gradually drawing the eggplant animation symbol but the file size is too large. And from what I read, I would say that you need some 2 way glass (can see through one side but not the other)

JFK, what time is it in the big kingdom when you had your last post? for me it was at 6:49 in the evening.

Haha, I am glad u like the Sig. I am sure if I make the shirt I won't be making profit from you, I know a guy who makes stuff, a good guy, I will get a good price, I'll pass that generosity on.
That sounds interesting, 2 way glass...I need to know more...

Yes, it's getting late here, 00:12 a.m. no more work on the lid for tonight....photos to come soon though.

Well then. Good morning in a weird kind of way. I just at dinner not long ago and will be going to bed in a couple of hours. However, for you, you'll be getting up in a couple of hours. Kind of weird to think about. And about 2 way glass. You can get it in all different colors including silver I do believe which looks really cool.

I will have to check that out.
this visor is proving to be interesting.
Thanks again for your interest GraphiX, I am bound for the land of nod...this thread might be quiet from me until I have some nice photos to upload, a week or so I guess.
(get yourself on deviantart, loads of similar minded people on there, despite the name, I never really got the name deviantart!)

Maybe deviant art was originally made for artists that made creepy and sketchy and "deviant" pieces of artwork. Thoughts? Anyway, we don't mind seeing "not nice pics". We like to see anything you have to show us. Although don't go out of your way to provide us with updates. Just keep us pasted at your own individual rate.

and I sure will look into deviant art. Although I don't know exactly when that will be, but I'll give you my home page when I do.

Oh my god. Just checked out your deviant art. Theres some excelent stuff (and some creepy like the "puff the x-wing") You should get a wacom. It's an excelent graphics tablet that you would really enjoy. Here's a link http://www.wacom.com/index2.php (note: the link I gave you is the American link because it has a cooler head page. But feel free to go to the European one.)

BTW, If I don't respond to any of your messages, I'm still on line but I have to do my math homework *I mumble something about Leonardo da Vinci never having to do homework* But I should be able to respond to all your messages in a 1/2 hour to a x squared+7x+9=0. Whoops, math homework is starting to affect me lol. But some where from a 1/2 hour to an hour and a 1/2.

It's not morning for me but, Good morning! Time to check out the 2 way.

hi Evarcha hallo Graphix :] how are You guys , Evaracha get that camera working and post some pic please I'm curious how is your progress , we probably at similar stage my bucket is almost ready for painting need a bit sanding only pic on my thread http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/showt...-scratch-build, i found humbrol paint in my local art shop 2morrow will check if they have colors i need (ESB) hope they do :] then need to buy airbrush and there is a chance i will start painting this weekend :]]]]]

I'm definitely going for layering and scratching method (did some tests should be OK ) and i think you should to :] will look lot better and you experienced painter should be easy for you , BTW your painting are awesome , Darth maul kicks *** :]] i wish i could paint like this , never tried paint but i do draw a bit this days mandalorian warriors mostly ;]]] i will attempt to draw a comic book one day but for now still need to practice my skills .

back to helmet :] i will post some more pic 2day if you can have a look and comment i will appreciate :] , now need to go back to sanding this bucket :]