Resumed a Rookie helmet based pep based build up. Pep then Smooth-on Plasti-Paste. Mostly on the inside to strengthen the pep. Not good to use on outside (unless using new plasti-paste II) as the old version leaches oil to surface makes it unpaintable. New version is paintable. Then Bondo and two part epoxy putty to fill it out.
This is picture of Helmet and vacuum forming table for visor. Built a big table for future larger items
. Pulled visor from a 12" by 12" sheet, table can handle nearly 24" by 24".
This is first attempted vacuum pull. Not too terrible but learned a couple things for next attempt. Using 0.063 PETG for the plastic. Got enough for six attempts for less than $20.
Here is helmet with visor (held in place). Planning silver or gold visor depending on tests of various painting/tinting techniques. May ultimately reassemble visor cut-out section (used for vacuum forming) and have this helmet become plug for a mold, not sure. Or this may just become a stand-alone high detail display piece and I'll use learning from this and build a new one.
Next steps on helmet are final touches of detail in bondo and finish sanding. Then Primer filler and more finish sanding. One thing I've decided is to leave some random imperfections and base wear patterns and scuffs scratches around them. Then final paint colors and effects and visor work. Will probably pull one or two more visors and see if I can perfect the process and result. That will also give me multiple test beds for tinting though all scrap PETG is being used for that before any visor gets paint on it.
Here is helmet in primer grey...
New progress update. Painting and painting and painting. Also moire vacuum forming and decided after trying many paint techniques to use dying technique to tint visor. WAAAAYYYYY better outcone in terms of look and visibility. Stumbled on a couple tricks which I'll show too.
In this pic the helmet is through first pass at weathering still need to scuff, dry brush etc. Also need to do internal padding work on helmet.
Here the visor in close up (temporary affixed). You can see the octagon detail in the dye. This was accomplished by fist misting the visor with light coat of silver paint over the hand placed octagons in vinyl cut on a silhouette cameo. Then when I dyed the visor that acted as a masking agent on one side. I then used a plastic safe polish to polish visor and remove the paint leaving the neat pattern behind.
Here notice the UNSC logo on the top pf helmet. I hand cut this stencil in vinyl under a magnifying glass lamp setup. It is 1.5 inches wide. When I placed stencil and painted it I sprayed it in black. When I pulled the stencil off some of the black came off but what also happened is it removed all but the silver base layer too in some places leaving black or red in others. I was concerned about how to weather the stencil this accident left me with a weathered look I really ended up liking. Problem solved.
Detail of logo below. Now it's on to the final steps and tweaks on helmet and then other armor pieces.
Weathering completed (I think). Sanding, dry-brush. Also added ghosted silver image of ODST crest to helmet. Only inside cushioning left and some detail clean-up on visor seal, and on to next armor piece.
This is picture of Helmet and vacuum forming table for visor. Built a big table for future larger items
. Pulled visor from a 12" by 12" sheet, table can handle nearly 24" by 24".This is first attempted vacuum pull. Not too terrible but learned a couple things for next attempt. Using 0.063 PETG for the plastic. Got enough for six attempts for less than $20.
Here is helmet with visor (held in place). Planning silver or gold visor depending on tests of various painting/tinting techniques. May ultimately reassemble visor cut-out section (used for vacuum forming) and have this helmet become plug for a mold, not sure. Or this may just become a stand-alone high detail display piece and I'll use learning from this and build a new one.
Next steps on helmet are final touches of detail in bondo and finish sanding. Then Primer filler and more finish sanding. One thing I've decided is to leave some random imperfections and base wear patterns and scuffs scratches around them. Then final paint colors and effects and visor work. Will probably pull one or two more visors and see if I can perfect the process and result. That will also give me multiple test beds for tinting though all scrap PETG is being used for that before any visor gets paint on it.
Here is helmet in primer grey...
New progress update. Painting and painting and painting. Also moire vacuum forming and decided after trying many paint techniques to use dying technique to tint visor. WAAAAYYYYY better outcone in terms of look and visibility. Stumbled on a couple tricks which I'll show too.
In this pic the helmet is through first pass at weathering still need to scuff, dry brush etc. Also need to do internal padding work on helmet.
Here the visor in close up (temporary affixed). You can see the octagon detail in the dye. This was accomplished by fist misting the visor with light coat of silver paint over the hand placed octagons in vinyl cut on a silhouette cameo. Then when I dyed the visor that acted as a masking agent on one side. I then used a plastic safe polish to polish visor and remove the paint leaving the neat pattern behind.
Here notice the UNSC logo on the top pf helmet. I hand cut this stencil in vinyl under a magnifying glass lamp setup. It is 1.5 inches wide. When I placed stencil and painted it I sprayed it in black. When I pulled the stencil off some of the black came off but what also happened is it removed all but the silver base layer too in some places leaving black or red in others. I was concerned about how to weather the stencil this accident left me with a weathered look I really ended up liking. Problem solved.
Detail of logo below. Now it's on to the final steps and tweaks on helmet and then other armor pieces.
Weathering completed (I think). Sanding, dry-brush. Also added ghosted silver image of ODST crest to helmet. Only inside cushioning left and some detail clean-up on visor seal, and on to next armor piece.
