Bobamaker ESB helmet paint-up using Archive-X acrylics

[MartinSivertsen]

Hi,

This is my first foray into Boba Fett, but not Star Wars Props. I built a Stormtrooper costume (Troopermaster with RS Propmasters helmet) 13 years ago, built two full size Han Solo in Carbonite's in 2013, and have made a few Jedi Training Remotes and Thermal Detonators these last few years.

Boba Fett has "always" been a costume I've wanted to own, but it has felt too expensive, time consuming and intimidating, but last year I decided to at least get a helmet, so I could admire it on a shelf in my home office / hobby room.

I decided to go with a Bobamaker ESB VX, and after a lot of reading both on here and in the Archive-X Facebook group I finally started painting it recently.

 

[MartinSivertsen]

I bought the Boba Fett ESB paint set from Archive-X and made a lot of notes on Jon Bird's (who painted RS Propmasters helmets) approach and tips, as well as gathering tips from other painters here on the forum, primarily Superjedi's.

As many others I started with the back panels.
I airbrushed Dark Grime and then used the excellent stencils by RafalFett to transfer and mask off the damaged area and painted it with a 2:1 mix of Dark Green and Engine Black.

I then painted the rest of the damage topically using a brush, using SP Lark Dark Grey for the grey, Vallejo Model Air Aluminium for the silver areas and the old Citadel blueish grey paint Astronomican Grey for the small areas of blueish grey damage.

 

[MartinSivertsen]

I then tackled the right back panel, this was a bit more daunting due to the large area with a lot of detail, but I just put on a podcast and did it piece by piece.

I'll go over the panels to see if there's any details I've missed before weathering.

 

[MartinSivertsen]

Both back panels finished

 

[BudaFett]

Very nice! I love a good WIP!

 

[MartinSivertsen]

It was very rewarding to airbrush on the light green next. Here I used a 4:1 mix of Light Green and SP Lark Light Grey, then a fine misting of Light Earth with the airbrush pressure all the way down.

Both the colours used, the mixing ratio and the tip with misting Light Earth over came from a post by Jon Bird in the Archive-X Facebook group. I had a really hard time finding anyone who shared what paints they used for the light green, so thanks a lot for that Jon.

People seem to be very secretive of their paint mixes here at TDH, and I remember seeing a post that said that it was "naturally a secret", but it didn't seem natural to me. I can only assume that people that have done a lot of research and trial and error might sit on that knowledge, especially if they paint helmets on commission. "Trade secrets, my friend", as Sean Connery's character said in the movie The Rock.

 

[MartinSivertsen]

Then I started with the damage on the dome, working my way around from the back.

Stencil transferred using graphite paper.

SP Lark Dark Grey painted on

Silver and minor details painted on.