Production:
The helmet
Building the Form Vacuumforming
Details and finishing Painting
| Production began with
a handful of sketches and a Spanish Army helmet (patterned on the WW2 German
helmet). My concept was to create a helmet with a Japanese influence, but
cruder and more brutal in appearance. Something that would be imposing but
functional reflecting a warlike culture. |
|
1. Building the form: Before I could start building helms I needed a solid form to shape the plastic on. After ripping out the liner the helmet was fixed to the top of a 2x4 with a screw through the top and a bit of construction adhesive. A base was cut out of plywood in the shape I wanted for the bottom of the helmet and attached to the base of the 2x4 with screws. Blocks of foam were added around the 2x4 (glued to the board) and carved to form the lower half of the helm. |
 |
 Foam bricks glued in and carved. |
 Covered with bondo and sanded flush. |
|
After a bit of cleanup this was covered with bondo and sanded smooth. This was repeated until the Bondo layer was flush with the edge of the steel helmet. This took about 3 layers, lots of sanding, sanding, sanding. Form finished! |