Amazing work as always. I was hoping you hadn't shelved this project, and I'm glad to see it's moving forward so well. Thank you for the tymely update.
The headpiece is cage like and seems to encase the whole of your head? So is the piece in two pieces or did you cast it with with some sort of rubber so that it'd stretch over you head?
The helmet is worn as two solid forms in rigid resin, clam shell style front to back;
The jaw is separate for articulation.
The back was originally cast as one piece. It took me both hands AND both feet to demold--(and all my strength and a steady flow of maledictions. I tore that mold asunder and as I held the shreds of the ruined form over my head I felt like a predator.) I separated the two processes at the back of the helmet only recently in preparation to make a quality mold. I am not concerned with selling copies; I want the experience of making a functioning complex mold.
In the photos above I am wearing the painted master helmet. I prefer to use a fibreglass reinforced gold resin casting for the final costume piece.
When I saw what you were making I thought, no way this is gonna pan out. I was dead wrong! That is some truly inspired and artful work. I hope I grow up to be just like you!
I remember you showing me some of your "beetle" sculpts a couple years ago, as well as what has become the helmet. I'm glad to finally see the final product come alive! Well done, my friend.
I bring a teaser image of my EWIP*, Darth Bane, Architect of the Sith. It is hard to describe how much of myself is in this suit. I chuckle to think how much cannot be seen and assure myself that it is all worth while.
This image was taken at 5:00 am today, with just enough juice in the camera for 6 images. More images to come as the project develops.