I simply created a template for a visor and cut out several masters out of .20 gauge hobby styrene, available at Hobby Lobby or most craft/hobby stores.
I then installed them using 2-part Loctite plastic bonder.
After I let the glue cure for about 24 hours, I was ready to lay down a base layer of paint.
I gave the whole helmet a quick sand w/ VERY fine grit sandpaper (400 grit). The helmets are so slick that I felt I needed to give it some "tooth" so the paint would stick.
I chose a simple tan color and used the new Valspar Plastic spray paint.
I was very liberal with the coats - about 6 or so total.
It turned out pretty well.
After everything was dry, I removed my tape mask over the visor.
Next step will be the first layer of camo, which I'll probably begin tomorrow.
i think the drop in visor template is a great idea. i know that if i was a kid, i'd have wanted the narrow lenses like we see in the movies, not the dopey "safe" thing!
Yeah, that digi-camo is sweet...and I have no idea how I would pull that off. Over in the Kashyyyk Trooper thread, MrBungle has a pretty cool scout lid that he did in the kind of "sloppy" camo that I think you're talking about...I think I could pull that off.
Personally, I'd highly recommend against painting any sort digital camo pattern, it's way too much with a ton of masking to get all of the individual pixels. If you wanted a digital camo like MARPAT or UCP I'd recommend skinning it over painting it, by skinning I mean buying the decal like stuff that you can buy that's used to cover guns, ATVs, and the like. I forget the actual name for the stuff but I'm certain that I've seen the stuff in digital patterns but I can only seem to find hunting patterns for rifles and shotguns and not large sheets.
If you can't any sort of wrap or skin I did find a site with a tutorial on how to paint a digital camo using stencils and spray cans. The tutorial is for painting a rifle but I'm sure the techniques can be easily applied to painting your bucket. Here's the URL: http://www.scribd.com/doc/6285685/How-to-Paint-Your-Rifle-Digital-Camouflage
Here's a link showing a technique that would probably work very well for painting the bucket.
I just found a way of painting your bucket without actually painting it. I saw a paintball forum where people had simply glued camo fabric to their masks and from what I saw it didn't look too bad although the bucket might look a bit odd with the fabric texture showing though.
Another way of doing this would be to get a digital copy of the camo pattern and print it onto some self-adhesive vinyl and stick it on the lid. However, an 8.5x11 sheet by itself wouldn't be large meaning you would have to have it custom printed at a larger size but there's still the problem of getting it to fit without any wrinkles.
For hand paintable patterns I recommend looking up some WW II German patterns, they had some nice looking patterns that might be fairly easy to reproduce by hand. For a more modern look it would be even easier to duplicate the current German flektarn pattern.
Go with digital camo, either ACU'c or Marpat. In the clone wars CG movie there are two scouts that seem to have digital ACU camo. The part when there going after the bounty hunters on that cliff