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Sculpting My Own Stormtrooper Helmet
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TK 109
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Joined: 11 May 2007
Posts: 712
Location: Galena, Ohio

PostPosted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 6:44 pm    Post subject: Sculpting My Own Stormtrooper Helmet Reply with quote

Well....

I did the easy parts already, the ears, the back, and the dome, and vacuformed the pieces. What i plan on doing then with the styrene shell is to backfill it with plaster (something tougher than dried clay), and sanding, filling, and doing the final touches for a final form.

SO...

Now, I'm doing the faceplate....

I think I'm doing ok for a rough form. I've got 5 teeth, and the little detail in the teardrop (which is a little pill-shaped feature inside the little teardrop, something discussed elsewhere in the boards). As of right now, I know i have to:

1. REDO the teardrop. the bottom needs to be parallel!
2. Look at the teeth a little closer. i think i need to adjust the spacing.

So, here's the faceplate:




using my AP helmet as a guide, and some pics from the internet, i managed to get this much done!

still needs some work, but here it is!

Enjoy! Very Happy
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CJanssen
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Joined: 17 Feb 2007
Posts: 215
Location: Beaverton OR

PostPosted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 11:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice looking sculpt ! I keep telling myself that I need to do the same thing, but I just keep ignoring myself Mad
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Stomper
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Joined: 01 Oct 2005
Posts: 473
Location: Woodburn, Oregon USA

PostPosted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 2:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

hey, Hey, HEY!!! That's a mighty FINE first rough-in!!!

As for the "artifact" in the tear-drop... Dan Laws did the same thing on his UBER-SHARP mold... but personally, I prefer the "idealized" versions myself.


Again, mighty-fine first start!! Very Happy
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TK 109
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Joined: 11 May 2007
Posts: 712
Location: Galena, Ohio

PostPosted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 3:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yeah the laws bucket is rather sharp!

i'm looking for the idealized look here.

Thanks for the kind words! Very Happy
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jegner
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Joined: 30 May 2003
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Location: Texas, USA

PostPosted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 5:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

+1 for a very well done first pass at the helmet sculpt. Are you using KleenKlay? I suppose you are going for a female mold for the faceplate?

Please keep us posted on your progress!

Jim
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TK 109
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Joined: 11 May 2007
Posts: 712
Location: Galena, Ohio

PostPosted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 6:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks jim!

i have been tossing the idea around for a female mold, but i'm thinking it might be too difficult and time-consuming to be effective. it's still out there, though.

the idea is to form to the rough clay bits, and backfill this shell with plaster or a hydro-cal material, and work out the remaining details to make a final form. Very Happy
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jegner
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 7:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That sounds like a good idea. The clay can be tricky to get perfectly smooth, and working with a harder medium for the final coat is a great idea.

Keep us posted!

Jim
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TK 109
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Joined: 11 May 2007
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Location: Galena, Ohio

PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 7:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's how everything looks now that it's vacuformed:


Back and two ears. The Back was fairly straightforward, and the ears took no time at all...



Close up of the ears. They didn't turn out too bad, they will be fine!


Veiw of the Back. Rough, but no biggy. Wink


Here's the cap. Also, VERY easy, just built a wood core, and built clay around it. something like paul's idea with the cap (blaxmyth)

AND........


The Face:







HOW i got the face out is a good question, I don't even know how! Laughing

the teardrops are different, but i can touch that up... and the the overall finish is something like oatmeal, but its a nice rough draft!

now to get some plaster. Cool

Enjoy, let me know what you think! Wink
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TK 109
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Joined: 11 May 2007
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Location: Galena, Ohio

PostPosted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 9:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

hey, got the parts in plaster now:











hot, greasy, and smooth. this is my first plaster casting experience!! Very Happy

the ears are gonna be tough to bring back, but it can be done.
the face is going to be pretty tough as well to get all the details back, and make it better again.
the back and dome will be VERY easy...

well, with that said, anybody have any suggestions on how the trooper faceplate should look? Confused

enjoy!
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DarthVader1
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Joined: 04 Nov 2007
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 14, 2009 11:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very nice going! I can't wait to see the result of the re-shaping of the plaster casts. As you're a fan of my work, I'm SO a fan of your AMAZING work. Wink

BTW, if I may give you a suggestion....try to add more flare to the forehead area, probably like an inch or inch and a half, that way it has something to grab when it's assembled with the dome piece, which you could trim after that as necessary, and give an option of assembling either the LUKE (HERO) version, or the more traditional (STUNT) version, which only difference is the distance from the "eyebrow" to the top of the eyes.

Also, give more outward filling to the area where the neck should be and the top of the head after the "flare" of the forehead on the faceplate, it could be easier to take out of the mold in a way, just to prevent the webbing or "wrinkling" of the plastic in the corners, which is my goal.

If anyone understands and knows of what I've just said or trying to say, please feel free to comment. No offense taken here, just for educational purposes to each other. Wink

Just my 2 cents.
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TK 109
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Joined: 11 May 2007
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Location: Galena, Ohio

PostPosted: Sun Mar 15, 2009 7:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, DarthVader1. I was planning on adding those bits to the tops and bottoms of the molds, and I'm going to need to add a TON of plaster/bondo to these parts. Ive already REdone one of the ears because the ear detailing was unsalvagable... LOL. But in the end, I hope it'll look nice. I know that the dome, back and ears are the easier parts... It's just the faceplate. Right now, I have a VERY VERY rough idea in plaster... just ready to be... massacred over and over with bondo, plaster, glue, wood, saws, chisels, and sandpaper... LOL. The face is going to be a challange...

I'll have to post pics when I get the chance.... Smile
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GoldCylon
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Joined: 04 Jan 2006
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is there something about this Trooper that lacks sharp detail for a reason? Sorry I don't recall seeing a Trooper like this before.
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TK 109
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Joined: 11 May 2007
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Location: Galena, Ohio

PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 12:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is just a rough cast. I'm working as we speak to sharpen and refine details. I'm down to the face, now. I should really post pics of this, this is kinda old and needs updating... Embarassed Wink
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GoldCylon
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 12:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK so you sand down the plaster and smooth it out that way?
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DarthVader1
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 7:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Before anything, and just to clarify about the plaster....I use HYDRO-STONE...better than any other plaster out there. Wink

This is a really complicated process, which probably you have to make multiple molds/casts in order to do a very accurate and convincing helmet.

As I've read in another forum (TDH perhaps???) stating that the most important thing in a costume when you're wearing a mask/helmet....is definitely THE HELMET. Once people see the face (which has to be as accurate as possible), they will look up and down, but if you don't have a "recognizable face", regardless of how good or bad the rest is looking like, people will criticize about it either in a good way or bad way.

For my ROBOTO project, I WILL have to go to that process since it's not 100% accurate yet; reshaping the molds according to previous results, and sanding/sealing imperfections before vacuuforming. He's just doing a TEST with what he has so far done with the helmet sculpt....OBVIOUSLY he won't be making a helmet out of something so rough in shape.

Now, TK-109.....are you doing the vacuuforming in ABS or HIPS? Just curious.

BTW, nice going, since I'm planning in making ANH armor molds soon as soon as I finish my ROBOTO project (for me to make a SANDTROOPER in the near future). Wink
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