Just keeps getting better & better. I have a question on those super fine sctaches: did you actually scratch those in with a razor or something similar, or did ya paint em??? Again, SUPER!!!
D
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Just keeps getting better & better. I have a question on those super fine sctaches: did you actually scratch those in with a razor or something similar, or did ya paint em??? Again, SUPER!!!
D
For the fine scratches, I use a sharp compass point.
It doesn't take much pressure at all to scratch thru the paint, and I can guide it pretty easily.
Amazing job! This is gorgeous!
I love this thread. Great tutorial on the stripes, may use that on the next one. I am digging the fine scratches as well. So, you scratch them right down to the gelcoat, then they stay that way or you paint them in silver? Oh, and I noticed that your gray looks darker on the dome than on the mandables. That's how I perceive it and paint as well. Are you just darkening down your SP lark dark grey a little for the dome? I seem to find that using that grey, the color changes dramatically depending on how well you mix/stir it up. Seems the better you stir, the lighter it comes out. The enamel boxcar red does the same to me. It can be a pain if you paint part one day, then part the next, or do touchups.
eric,
all i can say is that u have painted ur helmet w/ such great skill! and how u have captured all that tiny detail is amazing! :thumbsup
~ glad the MQ-1 bracket worked out for ya. great job on that :)
i agree. the boston screws work alot cleaner than the Tee-Nuts. if i had some i woulda prefered those :thumbsup
Thanks all! It's certainly been a busy few weeks painting this helmet up. Still more work to do, but the brunt of it is behind me. :)
mrgr8ness,Quote:
Originally Posted by mrgr8ness
When I do the fine scratches, I go down to the gelcoat layer and just leave 'em like that. No silver added.
And yes, the gray on the dome/lower cheeks is a slightly darker shade than on the mandible areas. You're exactly right that I darken my SP Lark Dk Gray with a few drops of PRR Brunswick Green until the contrast against the PO Green is more evident.
I have had good results with both enamels (Floquil) and acrylics (Polly Scale) on my helmets. With the exception of the Boxcar Red. . . the enamel just looks so much better (to me.)
The Floquil paints are very 'pigment heavy.' So if they sit on your bench for a while, they can settle quite a bit. I always give my paints a good stir before using them. Not just shaking them, stirring them.
Ahh... Stirred not Shaken Mr SJ... *strokes white cap on lap* :lol
This is one awesome Paint up bro.. I've been following from the start.. which by the way only seems a few days ago! :suprise
Love the Kill-Stripe tutorial... deffo gonna give that a go! I was going to airbrush, but I like the fact it would leave a fine texture from the sponge (Nips up stairs to raid wifes make-up case).
With soooo little ESB reference material have you taken 'best guess' from screen caps and used a reduction on say.. C4 reference material?
Well, that's pretty much it. There are TONS of pics from the exhibits over the past few years. It's easy to see some of the stuff that happened after filiming, such as the famous 'crack repair' in the corner of the left eye.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mojo-Fett
By comparing the exhibit pics to the screen caps, I sort of weed out the stuff that isn't in the screen caps.
Here's an example:
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...-07-10_51a.jpg
If you look where the arrows are pointing, there's lots of scratches and stuff on the exhibit helmet that aren't on the screen cap. Also, all those little black scuffs between the dent and the killstripes.
I'm getting excited to see you finish this Eric...:thumbsup
great stuff..:cheers
I'm getting excited to finish, too! :D
UPDATE: November 27th
Weathering Stage 1 complete. I did some weathering with pigment powders in several shades. I used an ash gray, a tan 'dust' shade, weathered brown, and sooty black for some of the darker shading.
Most of this stage of the weathering is for the dome and lower cheeks, although the upper cheeks received a bit of a gray/brown mix. Here are a few shots after today's progress.
First, the lower cheeks. They received a random mix of ash and dusty brown, very subtly altering the pure PO Green color. A darker brown was applied along the line between the lower cheeks and upper cheeks and then feathered into the center. The very bottom got a blend of dark brown and black, fading up into the base color.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0219.jpg
Note: This part of the weathering is pretty subtle. Not sure how well the shading will show up in these pics.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0220.jpg
The dome received the same mix of ash and dusty brown, breaking up the evenness of the dome. I used the darker shades to make the blast residue around the dent. It may not show up well, but it streaks back above the gray/silver chipping.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0221.jpg
In several places on the dome, I kind of scrubbed in some of the darker brown with a small stiff-bristled brush to lay the foundation of those greasy looking brownish stains. I'll go back over these areas with some Citadel inks to darken them a bit.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0223.jpg
On the back panels I used mostly black, dusting the powder on with a soft brush and letting the color build up slowly. Like the dome, it helps to break up the darker blue-green color and give some variance.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0224.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0225.jpg
Haven't really touched the mandibles at all yet. Those will come later! :)
Hello ESB!....Nice bro...love the attention to detail!
Stay safe,
Tim.
Outstanding work, this is really going to help me with my FPH, I was going to get 'someone' to paint it, but I really want to have a go at it myself, thanks for the inspiration :thumbsup
Thanks! It's getting down to the nitty gritty now. :)
UPDATE: November 28th
Weathering stage 2 complete. For this step, I took some lightened versions of each color, and an old toothbrush, and did a whole lot of flicking.
For each color break, I remasked the rest of the helmet to confine the weathering to the area I was working on.
For the dome and lower cheeks, I mixed some Concrete into some Panzer Olive Green and thinned it way down till it was very watery. With the toothbrush, I flicked tiny droplets all over the place. On the cheeks, I concentrated on the center portions, and on the dome, I did it more on top, then kind of faded it down toward the red band.
It kind of gives the effect of the paint being more faded on the top of the dome, and breaks up the overall evenness of the green.
It's kind of hard to make out in these pics. Maybe I need to upgrade my camera. . . again! :doh
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0231.jpg
I used the same technique on the 'red' areas, using Polly Scale Rock Island Maroon. This gave some variance to the Boxcar Red. (In all these pics, the final tan spatter has been added as well, so the red spatter is probably not even visible.)
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0230.jpg
The same was done to the darker blue green panels on the back of the helmet. But the effect is so subtle, the camera couldn't even get the different tones. :(
As I mentioned above, the helmet received a tan spatter as well. This is mostly concentrated on the front portions.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0229.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0233.jpg
The next stage will be to rework some of the silver areas. The dullcoat obviously dulls down the silver, and also gives it a very slightly mottled, oxidized appearance. I'll go back with my 3-0 brush and stare at the reference pics again until my eyeballs finally go on strike :lol, and repaint a lot of the silver to bring out some of the shine again. I'll also rescratch some of the very fine scratches that were dulled down due to the pastel and other weathering.
Whew!
Oh yeah! I almost forgot. My little girl Falula loves to hang around while I'm doing hobby stuff. She just chills out in her little bed.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0227.jpg
She always does wacky stuff with that pillow. Sometimes she hides her treats under it to save them for later. :lol Kooky dog!
As always, Eric, beautiful work. Your build up threads are what helped me through the weathering process of my lid!
love your dog!!!
Looking great. I can't wait to see it with the ears on and the visor installed!
First FPH painted, ESB ESB, no messing around ;)
Oh man. . . you guys would not BELIEVE the scare I just had. I thought I lost all my pictures that I had on my computer!!!! Not just my personal pics, but all my pics. . . :doh
Geez, I think my heart has finally started beating again.
I think there must have been some kind of power surge earlier, cuz my computer flipped out a little bit. My monitor went black for a few minutes, and the lights on my external hard drive went out. Everything came back on, but then the computer wouldn't recognize the external drive. I panicked a little bit, cuz that's where ALL of my pics are stored. But then for some reason, the computer had decided to rename the drive. Up until tonight, it's always labeled the external drive as the K: drive. Now all of a sudden it's reading as the L: drive. (??????? Crazy computer.)
Then, my photo program wouldn't work. It said several library files had been damaged and I should "repair" the program.
Um. . . me? Repair a program? I don't know such stuff!
Anyway, I had to completely uninstall my photo program, and redownload the 30 day trial version until my wife can find the discs for my old program.
Sheesh!!! Anyway. . .
UPDATE: November 30th
I'm very close to being done with this puppy. As I mentioned before, I went back and repainted over some of the silver areas, giving it back some of the "glint" of metal. I didn't do this to all the silver, just in certain areas matched to the reference pics.
I also went ahead and added the weird pale color on some of the damage areas. It took me a while to decide to do this, but I really like how it came out! I searched through my whole supply of paints and tested them by putting small dabs onto a piece of plastic I had painted silver. I tested some pale grays, light greens, and light blue grays. I finally decided on a "craft acrylic" by Delta called Blue Wisp. I think it's a really close match. It also changes appearance depending on the lighting, which is precisely what this color does in the reference pics.
Here's some examples of how the appearance differs.
First, the right mandible. In the first pic, the pale color almost blends in with the silver background. You can notice it more toward the visor area, where the light starts catching it at a different angle.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0247.jpg
With the camera at another angle, the pale shade is more apparent.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0248.jpg
Next, the dent. In the first pic, you can make out some of the pale shade.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0250.jpg
But with more indirect light, the extent of the shading becomes more clear.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0249.jpg
And finally, the back. There's some of this shade just to the left of the keyslot area, and small specks within the keyslot area itself. But it's most apparent on the right panel. The first pic shows how it blends.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0252.jpg
This next shot shows how it becomes more visible under different light.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0253.jpg
I'm pretty pleased with the effect! :D Not sure if I'll weather it down a bit or not. I may apply just a dusting of grayish pastel powder over these areas. I'll have to test that out to see how it looks.
The only things left to do on the helmet now are the white thumbprints, and the "grease stains" around the back of the dome. :thumbsup
Absolutely awesome SJ... :thumbup
I'm currently trying the layered technique myself... but seeing yours I think I shall go for topical too as you seem to get much better flow between colours (if that makes sense) ;)
sweet jeebus i never really noticed the "pale" color was different than the silver...i always thought the silver was dull in spots from being weathered! 8)
looking REAL sweet Eric :thumbsup
The "blue-wisp" addition is what really setting it off for me! I did the exact same addition to my own with a custom blend...it took me forever to make a batch that matched. With the light changing just like you said, sometimes it is completely undetectable, or blatantly obvious.
A true master in his element! :thumbsup Awesome job!
Do you plan on doing any "washes" with it? Still just a tad too clean...
Looks AWESOME so far, man!
Yeah, that "extra" color is interesting. The more I look at it, the more I like it.
DL44, no, no washes on the bucket. With the pastel powders and spattering, that's all she gets. :thumbsup
UPDATE: December 1st
Wow! I can't believe it's December already. . . how weird.
OK, the helmet itself is done. :) I added the thumbprints, and a mix of brown and yellow inks for the greasy looking marks. They reflect differently too, so they look darker or lighter depending on the angle.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0259.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0261.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0262.jpg
I've also begun detailing the ears. For the RF ear, I used Floquil Earth. The gray damage is SP Lark Dark Gray, just like on the rest of the helmet.
I tried a different technique for the black arch (and the white arch on the left ear.) I wanted to try to paint them this time! Instead of using vinyl decals, which give me heart palpitations when I try to line them up and not ruin them :lol, I marked the arches by scratching through the paint with my compass, then masking along the lines. I painted the black arch with Floquil Engine Black, which is the nicest, smoothest flat black paint I've ever used. The white stripe within the black arch was a part of a white decal. I didn't want to risk masking over the Engine Black to spray the white, only to have the black pull up.
Here's a couple of shots.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0258.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0257.jpg
I stopped at this point to dull coat the parts, and tomorrow I'll mask them off and paint the portions to remain raw metal. I'll use Testors Metalizer Stainless Steel for that.
I used the same technique to mask and paint the white arch on the left ear. For the damage within the arch, I applied some liquid mask before spraying the flat white.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0256.jpg
For the black symbols, I used rub-on transfers. I used 2 capital Es, and 2 'dots' from question marks! :) Then I added scratches using a brand new X-acto blade. The T and circle on the RF ear are also rub-on transfers.
So, now I have to do the gray and red damage on the left ear, and some silver on the RF ear, and that will pretty much be it! :D
impressive as always :suprise :thumbsup:thumbsup
Man!
Those ears look ridiculously good. Rub on transfers you say? I'm going to have to go hunting for these......Most excellent work! Love this bucket!
Josh
Bbbbbbbfffttt...aaaabrrrrrr...Can't..form..words.. .awesomeness of detail too amazing!!!!
:lol :lol Thanks!
UPDATE: December 2nd
OK, apart from attaching the ears, and waiting for my new green welders visor to arrive, the helmet is soooooooooo close to being done! :drool
I completed detailing on the ears today. For the left ear, I added the gray and red damage. I used Testors Camoflage Gray and Polly Scale Rock Island Maroon.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0264.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0265.jpg
For the range finder ear, I added the little silver chips and scratches, and masked off and sprayed some Testors Metalizer Stainless Steel for the exposed metal sections.
Once that dried, I buffed it with a soft cloth to bring up the shine, and began adding more dry transfers to do the detailed markings.
The symbol on the front facet of the lower ear piece is made up of a D, a V, and 2 'dots' from question marks. They were then scratched with a very sharp #11 X-acto blade.
(NOTE: After carefully studying one of the reference pics in our very own TDH Image Archive, I'm fully convinced they used rub-on transfers to do these markings. It's apparent that the vertical V part overlaps the horizontal D portion!)
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0266.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0267.jpg
On the upper ear cap, the 9 lines were made with capital I transfers. I scraped them before rubbing them onto the ear cap. I took one of the ref pics and mirrored it so I could do the damage backward. :) Then I flipped the sheet over and rubbed them down.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0268.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0269.jpg
The only thing left to do now is add some brownish pastel to the left ear, and do the tan spatter to both ears. I'll describe how I add attachment bolts during the week.
Oh yeah! I also bought a hardhat today at Home Depot and put the liner into the helmet using industrial strength Velcro. It is now wearable!! Huzzah!! :cheering
Uhm, I think I see a mistake dude ... ?
<points to the helmet in a disjointed fashion, at nothing in particular, but acting as if I just showed you what it was>
I think you should start over. I'll send you a fresh pallet man. I could send a couple of them in case you mess up again ... I got your back man.
Just ship that one to me in return, and I'll try to fix the mistake for you :lol
Good grief Lucy ... you're a talented guy :thumbup
FP
Dang, Chris. . . I think I see exactly what you mean. (Stares at a completely blank wall.)
I'll rush the helmet right out to you for repair. I'll just stick a couple of stamps on the dome and scribble your address on it with a Sharpie. . . it should make it there OK.
:lol
Thanks man! I've really enjoyed working on this helmet. Couldn't have done it without you! :cheers
OK, this is it! I'm still waiting on my visor, and I'll need an RF stalk. . . but the painting is done! Woo hoo! :cheering
Also, I have to give big thanks to my wife for showing me that I didn't have the settings correct on our digicam. She showed me how to increase the pre-set resolution to "superfine." So all the pics I've taken till now have been on the normal "fine" setting. :o
So until my visor comes in, this will be the final
UPDATE: December 4th
The ears are installed, using small bolts epoxied into each ear, then attached from the inside with nuts. The upper RF cap is temp installed until I get a stalk. Once I get one, I'll epoxy a bolt into the outer ear cap and it will go through the stalk pivot hole and attach inside the helmet.
So here are my final pics. These were taken out on my balcony, with the camera set properly this time!! These are in natural, indirect sunlight.
First, a couple of overall shots from the major angles.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0276.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0277.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0278.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0280.jpg
Next, a few different angles and detail shots. Here's a high angle of the dome.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0287.jpg
The left ear and kill stripe area.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0281.jpg
A rear angle showing the staining on the dome and color variation on the back panel.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0285.jpg
The RF ear cap and left ear.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0289.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0290.jpg
In a couple of these shots, it's easier to see where I went back and brightened some of the silver after dullcoating.
Thanks so much to Chris for manufacturing such an amazing helmet! :thumbup And thanks to all you guys who have been following the thread! I hope I've provided some useful info to at least one of you! :thumbsup
Wow thats nice work.
I love this thread so much, thanks for showing and sharing.
Eric, you have DEFINITELY raised the bar here. Future works SHOULD be measured against THIS piece...
Unbelievable work SJ... :thumbup
So many questions to ask! dunno where to start? :lol
I may weep openly. This is soooo beautiful. Absolutely breathtaking work. Thanks so much for posting this progress.
Awesome work!!!!!!!!!!!
I really like that you painted it screen ESB without all the black marks between the dent and kill stripes, and all the other marks from mis-handling the real bucket. :thumbsup:thumbup
i dont no what to say!.............
ur helmet came out so darn beautiful eric! :thumbup
man-o-man :drool
great job!!!
what about a visor??
I have got to see this with a visor!!
I have a visor on the way from RJSafety.
Hopefully it'll get here within the next week or so and I can get it installed. :)
Whatever you do, do NOT kill the pics in this thread! These closeups will come in very handy when I do my own paint-up. :)
Eric, awesome job, man. Very thorough tutorial!
Do what I do, oh master of the keyboards. :lol Copy all the pics to your hard drive. I've got a collection of three paintup's from Supes. :thumbsupQuote:
Originally Posted by batninja
LOL, well I don't have any plans to get rid of any pics. :lol
Unless something terrible happens to my external hard drive or Photobucket, they should be around for a good long while!
dudddee. that's good.
Eric, you'd make the ILM prop guys jealous!! Great work!!
Amazing work SJ, your attention to detail and sublime skill with the paintbrush is awe inspiring. This is easily the nicest looking ESB helmet I have ever seen, and a FPH no less 8)
As I keep coming back to this thread for reference it makes me want to try the topical method on my FPH, or perhaps a mixture of both, great work!!! :thumbsup
stunning Eric, absolutely stunning. can't wait to get mine.
cant wait to see the visor installed!!
MAN FP!! look at that sculpt....with the paint on as ACCURATE and beautiful as it is it really looks spot on!
AWESOME JOB FP and ERIC! putting the skills of the two of u together really makes this thing look like its the real deal......couldnt have asked for a better first look at a paint up!! :thumbup :thumbup
I noticed you didn't do the gray overspray on the ear cap, was that something that happened after the movie or did you just not want to incorporate it on your bucket? Great job on the painting BTW
Hmm. . . gray overspray? Not sure exactly what you're referring to. :?Quote:
Originally Posted by zombierepellent
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1.../354361463.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...i/51654564.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...getti/6552.jpg
It's actually in quite a few reference shots but subtle enough to look like a shadow but I dont think it is
Ah! I see now. Well, I don't know if there are any clear enough screen caps of that angle to say for sure if it's something that was there during production, but it certainly seems that it is not "incidental" damage.
I'll have to check my batch of pics, and if it's something that looks doable, it's a simple matter of scrubbing on some gray pigment powder.
You've got a good eye for detail! :thumbsup
NOTE: December 7th
My welding visors came in the other day, and I had gotten one of them trimmed to fit the helmet. I'm glad I ordered 2, cuz I messed up the first one a bit at the bottom! :o But the second one fits like a champ.
However, the visor attachment method didn't work out like I'd hoped. :doh
I had gotten some aluminum screw posts, similar to Spideyfett's T-nut method, and JBWelded them onto the inside of the helmet.
I went to attach the visor a little while ago, and one of the screw posts popped right off! :suprise I've used JBWeld on a lot of projects before, and would have thought this was practically impossible. ("That's not true! That's impossible!!" :lol)
So tomorrow, it's back to Ace Hardware to get some pre-formed picture hanging brackets and some plumbers' putty to go back to the installation method I used on my good ol' MS1 helmet. It'll be semi-permanently installed, but it will definitely be more secure.
man that suxs!....the aluminum screws worked fine for mine. :doh
Quote:
Originally Posted by superjedi
Actually I didn't pick up on it until I recieved my TF helmet and that's how he had painted it, I thought he missed a spot but after looking thru reference pics, it's there.
Haven't had a lot of time to study the reference pics, but I imagine I'll add some gray pigment powder to the edges of the ear cap. But for the past couple of days I've been concentrating on getting the visor installed.
UPDATE: December 9th
Visor! :cheering I initially had a problem with the JBWeld sticking to the interior, but after some advice from JLuck (thanks, man! :thumbsup) I roughed up the surface a little with a Dremel sanding drum, and changed from JBWeld to JBKwik. Wow, that stuff sets up fast!! I only had enough working time to do 2 screw posts at a time. It worked really well though, and now the visor seems to be very sturdy.
It's a grade 5 green welding visor from RJ Safety. I set up the helmet stand with a black sheet draped over it to simulate how it will look when it's being worn. It looks green when you can see through it, but "as worn" it looks very dark. I really like it! :D
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0341.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0340.jpg
Of course, Falula is a ham, so I moved the black sheet so she wouldn't drag everything off the table, and set it up again for her. She loves to help me. :lol
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_0309.jpg
The only thing left to do now is get an aluminum RF stalk and decide how to mount the RF to it. :)
looks really awesome eric! :thumbsup great job, looks like the real deal.
did u use the aluminum posts at the bottom of the mandibles as well?? id love to see a pic.
I put the posts in, but there's no screws securing the visor at the bottom. The posts sit at an angle because of the curve of the cheeks. Just the angle of the posts keeps the bottom of the visor in place.
I'll try to snap a pic later. Getting ready to run and do some Christmas shopping. Sssshhhh!! Don't tell my wife. ;)
Incredible, you have done an AMAZING job there, really really impressive!! :thumbsup
This thread makes me sick to my stomach. Every time I come back to read an update I want to throw-up because it makes me realize how much of an amateur I really am.
Great work!
I think I can confirm it isnt a shadow and was there during filming. I had been researching this too. In the only shot of the back of the ESB during shooting it appears too. I was going to incorporate in into my paintjob to wow you all with my attention to detail but I've been beaten to it!;)Quote:
Originally Posted by superjedi
Well spotted.
I take it as overspray from when they were weathering the rangefinder stalk and had only the lower ear piece off the helmet. Because the gray isnt on the helmet there or on the ear cap.
Fantastic paintjob by the way superjedi. I think its the best I've seen so far. And that's saying something.:thumbup
Hey, thanks again guys. I have a line on an aluminum stalk, so hopefully it won't be long now till this baby is finished!
I'm so terribly sorry. Please let me know your address and I'll be happy to mail you some Rolaids or Kaopectate. :lol ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by suspect86
Great job bro, that visor just brings it together man! Get some beauty shots in natural light to really shot this puppy off!
Super job Eric! :thumbup
VERY LAST UPDATE: December 23rd
Hi gang! Well, I was waiting for a bit until my aluminum stalk came in so I could finally finish up the last bit of work on my FPH, and it got here a couple of days ago. I wound up going with one of BKBT's excellent solid alum stalks. Very nice piece! :thumbsup It's the second one I've gotten from him and it really looks terrific once installed.
Here are a couple of overall shots of the finished helmet!
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_1075.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_1067.jpg
I did a bit of work to the stalk before installation. I used some fine grit sandpaper on the wider faces to scuff them up some, then took a couple shades of rust acrylics and a microbrush and added rust stains and spots.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_1072.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_1073.jpg
I Dremeled a depression in the outer ear cap and used JB Kwik to epoxy in a bolt big enough to form a pivot for the stalk. (No plans to do any servo work to this helmet.) The outer ear cap then holds the entire ear assembly/stalk onto the helmet.
For the RF top, I just primed it and used Floquil Engine Black. Being molded in seperate pieces, this couldn't have been easier! Nice kit engineering, FP! :)
I drilled out the pre-marked circles for the LEDs, and inserted them from the inside. Non-functional.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_1070.jpg
I then glued the black Polaroid part onto the clear insert, and glued the insert to the RF body, and it was done.
To attach the RF to the stalk, I drilled a small hole through the "T" shaped top of the stalk and used a grinding bit to allow the screw head to be countersunk. A couple drops of threadlocker, and I screwed it into the RF top. Nice and secure! :D
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t/IMG_1074.jpg
So. . . it's been a fantastic helmet to work on, and it's proudly displayed as a centerpiece to my prop collection.
Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas! :cheers
Eric
I call dibs on whatever Boba Fett helmet that was previously the centerpiece of your collection!
Just kidding! I call dibs on this one.
Just kidding! Seriously though, can I have this one? :lol
looks absolutely amazing!
I stumbled onto this forum looking for a complete fett costume and read your entire thread on the process of that project. I signed up so I could tell you how amazing your work is. simply amazing.
I wish I had half your talents.
:cheers
Thanks, guys! I hadn't even looked at the thread since I put up those final pics. :o
Count D: um. . . OK, sure. I'll throw a stamp on the helmet and stuff it in the mailbox. Wait. . . I meant--No! I'm gonna keep this one. :lol
Fett1972, welcome to TDH! And thanks very much! Hope you'll find lots more useful stuff on the board. :cheers
Awesome work! Thanks for sharing your WIP pics, it has been a source of inspiration for me!:cheers
FANTASTIC buildup !!!! :suprise
As my first official post, I would like to say that you have some extraordinary talent. That is the best helmet I've seen.
EXTREMELY VERY LAST UPDATE: January 27th
OK, sorry to add more after my last "very last update" :lol but just had to share this.
Today I got to attend the Phoenix Cactus Con as a guest of the 501st Dune Sea Garrison. Thanks so much, guys!! Had a blast at the show, saw all kinds of wicked cool stuff, and more SW costumes than I've ever seen in one place before. Just a tremendously fun day! :)
There were a whole slew of celebrity guests, including Star Trek actors Walter Koenig, Tim Russ, and Wil Wheaton. Lou Ferrigno was there (!!!), many comic and graphic novel artists, and of course, Star Wars personalities Peter Mayhew and Jeremy Bulloch! Woo hoo! :cheering
I brought my FPH up to the show to let the DSG guys check it out. . . but someone else was checking it out, too.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/IMG_0043.jpg
(Forgive my poor tired eyes. I had been up since 5:00 AM.)
Not only did Jeremy check out my helmet, he also offered to add some finishing touches! :thumbsup
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/IMG_0042.jpg
Guess he's a bit of an artist as well. But what did he add????? :suprise
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/IMG_0053.jpg
Well it's an autograph of course!!! :lol
It was an absolute thrill to have Jeremy sign my helmet. It will remain a cherished centerpiece of my collection.
I have a ton of other pics from the Cactus Con. I'll be posting a new thread in the Pit for those. What a great day!!
sweet man! thats too cool...thanks for sharing :thumbsup
DUDE ! Soooooooooooo .... whud he say, whud he say , whud he say ?!?!?! Anything ??? :lol
I haven't seen this thread in a while. FANFREAKENTASTIC my friend. You did a phenom job !!!
It's awesome that you got his autograph in there. In case you didn't know, it's a form of highest respect for him to sign the INSIDE without being asked to do so. Most of the time he'll sign the outside of the dome. So take it for what it is ;)
Just awesome ! Great day indeed !
FP
AWESOME ERIC!!....Jeremy looks good.
I hope you told him you'll be painting his Sidearm for the JB project??;)
Yeah, I couldn't resist dredging up this thread for this update. What a rush! :D
Chris, really?? I didn't know that actually. That's very cool indeed! I had showed it to him a while before I asked him to sign it. There were several 501st folks who are also TDHers, and we got him to come around to the area they had set up for a Mando group shot. I wasn't in costume, but they had me grab my helmet and jump in for a pic. Afterwards, Jeremy asked, "Did you build this helmet?", and I said no it was FettPride from TDH who built it, but that I had done the paint work. He sort of patted it on the dome and said, "Beautiful." :lolQuote:
Originally Posted by fettpride
Alex, before the group photo, I had introduced myself as a TDH member, and he got very animated and had only great things to say about the board as a whole, and said that he was thrilled to be receiving a suit of his own. I told him that the people working on his outfit felt the same way! He asked if I was actually doing something myself, and I told him, "Well, since your suit is going to be ESB, I'm painting the sidearm." He said, "Oh, great!"Quote:
Originally Posted by Spideyfett
I'm so glad I brought the helmet up there with me! That's only the 2nd or 3rd time I've ever gotten to meet Jeremy, and he's truly gracious. A classy fella indeed!