Amateur Captain Phasma helmet pepakura build

[RedForty]

Howdie Folks,
I'm super new to the scene and this is my first replica project. I'm trying my hand at building Captain Phasma's helmet.

I'm trying the method of pepakura > resin/fiberglass > sculpting > mold > cast > chrome
Hopefully I'll learn a lot along the way. I'm currently at the sculpting step.

Here is the first batch of images:






Here is the extended album:
http://imgur.com/a/HYQ54

 

[Halliwax]

That looks awesome so far! If I had a unlimited pocketbook I'd have a complete phasma. Are you planning on doing armor as well?

 

[RedForty]

Eventually, I'd love to. But first I just need to get through this bucket. haha

 

[RedForty]

Buildup of epoxy sculpt to smooth out the facets. I'll sand a ton as soon as it takes up. The more intricate details will be done with bondo body filler.

 

[blue2k]

Please tell me you tried this on your head before you went through all the fiberglass/resin/apoxy stages? It looks very small to me in those images.

 

[NachyoChez]

Please tell me you tried this on your head before you went through all the fiberglass/resin/apoxy stages? It looks very small to me in those images.

Imgur album showed his g'f trying it on during multiple parts of the paper stages to ensure fit!

 

[RedForty]

Haha yes, I fit in on my gf before the heavy lifting. I actually tried it on myself and it is a TIGHT FIT. Here's one for the lulz:


While the epoxy sculpt is drying today, I went back to maya and cleaned up the model I was using for Pepakura. And while I'm at it, I'd like to comment on my process from the start.

I started with the original model by Rundown over at the 405th.

But I couldn't handle all the detail of that helmet. I printed out all the sheets and started cutting them out, but those grooves that run along the rim were a NIGHTMARE and my hands are not small nor nimble. I gave up after one sheet.

I decided to take it back into maya to reduce the mesh.
I ended up taking out the tiny grooves around the edges, but I left in the raised striped over the top - the subtle "mohawk." I also left in the large number of facets on the dome and jaw. I thought I needed them to keep this thing really round. Boy was I wrong:


This amount of detail was STILL too much for me. I just couldn't take that tiny ridge along the top (It was inconsistent in depth). The channel around the nose was also pretty difficult to get in and glue. ALSO, it turned out I was using some crappy "cardstock" from Staples that was like 45lb or something. It was super flimsy and couldn't hold up under it's own weight:


So, I took it back into maya and reduced it further
until I got to this:


Which I thought was good! And I pepped it and got all the way to epoxy sculpt. Buuuuuutttt...... I dunno, I'm hung up on the design a bit. The skirt around the jaw seems really rounded. I think I went too far in evening out the topology that I lost some detail. Nothing SUPER egregious, but it bothers me nonetheless. I'll see if I can make the changes in the sculpted version.

But anyway, long story short, while the epoxy was drying I went back into maya and cleaned up the model further and even tried truing up the design with the Phasma helmet toy I just got (It's a half head helmet):
http://www.slashfilm.com/star-wars-the-force-awakens-dialogue/

Here are some grabs:






Would anyone want me to upload the maya file? Here is the OBJ if that helps. I'm interested in any criticism of the design/proportions/topology. Thanks!
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/36633/Projects/Cosplay/Phasma/maya/CaptainPhasma.v007.obj

 

[blue2k]

Imgur album showed his g'f trying it on during multiple parts of the paper stages to ensure fit!

Ah, I didn't see the Imgur album link. Thanks for the info.

 

[RedForty]

Bondo time! I forgot to take pics of the first application, but I got some after I sanded it:


Again, more images in the full album:
http://imgur.com/a/HYQ54

I did get some pics after I started the second layer:


My workspace :<
http://i.imgur.com/yBpnUbe.jpg

 

[RedForty]

Alrighty folks, I have a question for you. As I'm in the bondo/sanding process, I noticed I needed to re-shape the front of the helmet skirt just a bit. I can dremmel the cut-in, but how do I go about building out an area?
Here is a pic for context:


Do I fiberglass a piece of card stock and glue it on? Or glue on a piece of foam-core and build up some apoxy sculpt on it?
In the end, I intend on using this to make a silicone mold, so I don't really care what happens to the inside.
What process have you guys used to fix something like this? I'm interested to hear. Thank you!

 

[YdurSolrac]

You could definitely epoxy on some fiberglass and build the bondo on to re-create the shape. Also its great to see another person from Burbank in here!!

 

[JaxAndTheMoon]

Alrighty folks, I have a question for you. As I'm in the bondo/sanding process, I noticed I needed to re-shape the front of the helmet skirt just a bit. I can dremmel the cut-in, but how do I go about building out an area?
Here is a pic for context:
View attachment 526735

Do I fiberglass a piece of card stock and glue it on? Or glue on a piece of foam-core and build up some apoxy sculpt on it?
In the end, I intend on using this to make a silicone mold, so I don't really care what happens to the inside.
What process have you guys used to fix something like this? I'm interested to hear. Thank you!

It depends on what you're trying to do exactly. If its a specific shape that you want to build up and its relatively tall, you can take card stock and build up and then go over again with bondo to reform. If its a small build up, then you can tape off the area that you want to leave as a shallow spot and then bondo around in layers, slowly building it up as the layers add. Then just shape it the way you want with any tool you like. There's a series of videos on Youtube of a guy name Boochieboy who does a great Iron Man helmet, and his technique is slow, methodical, and damn good. He talks in depth in his videos of his process and walks through it as he's creating the helmet. I recommend them for learning good bondo technique.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuPylfcP_Hc

This is the last video in his process, but you can go through and see what techniques he goes over. Hope this helps!

 

[RedForty]

Burbank represent!
Thanks for the suggestions! I didn't have time to do a resin/fiberglass pass, so I took the chance and barged a block of wood that I cut to form the edge. This is what it looks like now:


I ended up building up more epoxy sculpt on that and I have it sitting overnight. While that was drying I started the process of detailing out the lines along the top and even marking out areas that need more bondo or more sanding:


I got a contour gauge! yay!


I'll dremmel off the bits that need to be straightened along the bottom tomorrow. And then onto more sculpting. I'm pretty sure I need to get the dome symmetrical before I add the brow and mohawk ridge. Otherwise I'll just be fighting it the entire time.

I had not realized this would be the majority of where my time is spent. Bondo/sanding for days. Haha

 

[Elegant Force]

Hey, I would love for you to upload the simplified model file! I really want to make a model of Phasma's helmet from pep but I've never done it before and was worried about the details being too much for me to handle.

But I also don't have the ability to convert maya files to pep files. You said that you turned it into a pep (obviously, I suppose). Honestly I'd be willing to pay you for the pep file itself.

BTW: It looks amazing so far, just like letting you know.

 

[Fabric8er]

Nice work on the modifications. How
did the final lid turn out? I completed the Rundown Pep helmet last year but plan to alter for more accurate details for this year's DragonCon. Take a look if you get a chance.