ANH Vader helmet show off thred

[Darth Stone]

I have just spent about 130 hours developing a new ANH Vader dome to replace my old one that I had made. It is just a bunch of bondo and very thick and heavy fiberglass that will serve as a master buck for which a new mold will be pulled from. It is based off my 20th Century ESB dome that has been reverse engineered to ANH. But in the meantime I had wanted to do some photo tests of it to check the size and shape against my screen grabs.

I think that I may be pretty close with the resculpting of the piece. But somehow seeing it on my computer screen always seems to point out flaws much easier. The dome is currently in its first coat of primer. The primmer is a 3 part epoxy and cost about $400.00 a gallon, sprayable. It has a nice shine that allowes me to see all of the imperfections and is easy to sand. In the long run, the money and time that are saved with using this material is all worth the cost of the primmer.

I have found more than one thing that I will need to change before it gets its last few coats of primmer. After that it will receive a few coats of polyurethane clear coat, and then a session with the buffer before seeing the mold rubber.

Here are a few shots of it with my old beat up ANH faceplate. The faceplate is from my trooping helmet that I have been using as a test mule for different set ups of fans and other items that I may add to make it a better helmet. The paint job on it is less than perfect, and that is on purpose. I can't seem to keep a pretty helmet for more than one troop before it gets sold off. So I have intentionally made this one with small flaws just so I can keep a hold of it. :lol But as soon as I can I will be making a better one just so that I can have some pics that I won't be as ashamed to show off such as these. :thumbsup

 

[TOSPHASER]

time well spent...............I am no expert but it looks good to me!

 

[Smiling Demon]

I have found new love for the ANH helmet and yours just stokes the fire for me.

Very nice helmet!!

 

[Too Much Garlic]

I like the look. There's just something with the right brow line on the dome (left in picture), when it bends and goes in towards the center ridge. It seems to be too high in that section, which also pulls up the Y-crease in the widows peak detail more than it should. I don't have access to my photobucket account right now, but will upload a picture later today showing what I'm talking about. You need to pull that part down a bit.

This dome looks nicer than the previous attempt.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Got access.

 

[Clutch]

Dude, you got some skillz!!

 

[SithLord]

Ya not too shabby...the lower flaring edge could have a bit more of a curve to it, plus what Carsten mentioned, and maybe a bit more sharpening to the center ridge, but the overall look is pretty good...

 

[Dann]

Looking great!

Did you take those photos 6 ft back?

Also, CRAZY 'spensive primer! Looks great, though. Almost like you wouldn't even need a topcoat.

 

[Darth Stone]

I like the look. There's just something with the right brow line on the dome (left in picture), when it bends and goes in towards the center ridge. It seems to be too high in that section, which also pulls up the Y-crease in the widows peak detail more than it should. I don't have access to my photobucket account right now, but will upload a picture later today showing what I'm talking about. You need to pull that part down a bit.

This dome looks nicer than the previous attempt.

Ya not too shabby...the lower flaring edge could have a bit more of a curve to it, plus what Carsten mentioned, and maybe a bit more sharpening to the center ridge, but the overall look is pretty good...

Do you fellas mean the eyebrow should look more like these helmets?

Looking great!


Did you take those photos 6 ft back?

Also, CRAZY 'spensive primer! Looks great, though. Almost like you wouldn't even need a topcoat.

These pics were taken from 9 feet back. The focal length of my camera is less than stellar:thumbsdown

Thank you all for your very kind words.:cool

 

[Too Much Garlic]

YES. Those are very good reference, shapewise. However, the Y-crease is almost completely gone on that helmet - ESB Poster helmet. Though, remember... the ESB poster pictures are photographed in such a way that things are focally warped though.

And example of how different the same helmet can look during the same photoshoot, when photographed at different distances and level of zoom, etc.

Your pictures are definitely much better staged and photographed than your usual ones, so that's a plus.

 

[Darth Stone]

For about 25 years now, I have noticed how sometimes the crown of the dome in some shots seems like a smoke stack. And in other photos it appears to be more rounded in shape. I remember reading an article back in the mid 1980's that the author was discussing if the ESB dome was not in fact a completely new sculpt. Could explain the old story of how the camera can ad 10 lbs to an actor.

I have had the photo tent for some time. But just picked up some better lights the other day for this little photo shoot. Am learning more about photography that I had really wanted to. Even I am tired of my normal blurry shots taken on the work bench in the studio. Sometimes taking the extra effort to set up for shooting is not worth it when all that I'm doing is showing a glob of filler on an object. But I will be doing more of these types of photos when I have something nice, (read, free of dust) to share.

 

[Darth Stone]

Carsten

I have been looking at your work on this and have just figured out what you must be seeing. The line that you drew is right on top of the actual line in helmet. I think that what you must be seeing is a sanding mark under the primer that didn't get fully filled in.

 

[darthvaderv]

in some shots seems like a smoke stack. And in other photos it appears to be more rounded in shape. I remember reading an article back in the mid 1980's that the author was discussing if the ESB dome was not in fact a completely new sculpt. Could explain the old story of how the camera can ad 10 lbs to an actor.

.

The ANH is not as round as the ESB/ROTJ. Angles/lights etc play a part. It's a taller helmet.

As for ESB, they are very different, has nothing to do with the camera. Apart from various differences in the crown, cap, flanges, strip, Y-crease, curvature etc it's a bigger helmet overall. It almost is a new sculpt.

 

[Anakin Starkiller]

Very nice work. Your drive to keep getting it right is impressive.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Carsten

I have been looking at your work on this and have just figured out what you must be seeing. The line that you drew is right on top of the actual line in helmet. I think that what you must be seeing is a sanding mark under the primer that didn't get fully filled in.

I was being conservative with the line. It does in fact veer further down than I can see it in your original picture, but judging from the ESB Poster Helmet you posted, the line may go down further than I drew it. It just reads as being too high and not having the curve it should.

 

[Darth Stone]

I understand where you are coming from. On my bare castings the line does go down further than the line that you drew. Just saying that it is something that is catching the light. But yes, it does need attention to put it where it belongs.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Well, with your skills and attention to details, I'm sure you'll get it right. I'd also try to flatten the sides of the dome skirt a bit, as they seem awfully rounded at the sides. Not that it matters, but if you are going for accuracy, then you should definitely do it. But, it looks good as it is.

 

[Darth Stone]

I see what you mean with the skirts, has that ESB look to them right now. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Darth Stone]

It is late here, like 3 am or something. But I had wanted to show off some pics of the new dome that I feel is very close to being called done.

It is not mounted to the faceplate or has any type of mounting device, and honestly it just does not matter as the dome when after is sees the mold rubber will find it's way into a storage tub to be brought out only when needed for new molds. The point is that it is only show here for my own pride in my work. :cool

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

Impressive work, Stone.