Can anyone identify this Stormtrooper Helmet?

[TKDUEUNO]

However, *columbo mode* There's just one thing that bothers me. I keep reading comments from folks saying "nobody could sculpt something that accurately" or "nobody could capture those asymetries so closely"
erm, yes they could. Maybe not me but I've been fortunate to be in the company of many a fine sculpter in my time, mostly while doing my degree, so not prop based but fine art based. traditional sculpting I suppose.
I've seen somone sculpt a bust of a fellow artist and it was uncanny. Every subtle nuance captured, simply amazing. She worked from photos and had the subject sit for her. Now we're basing our arguments on the capturing of asymetry. The trooper helmet is rather clumsy and obvious in its asymetry compared to the asymetry of the human face and head so for people to be able to say it cant be done is bit arrogant isnt it?

Precisely my point.

It definitely can be done.

And again, all the comparisons posted here have no scientific value.

We need a fixed camera, virgin faceplates (no holes), a rig to block the faceplates in the same position, fixed light. Take pics from front, side and top, overlay in photoshop with difference, check and post results. I'll be happy to do that for you, someone please PM me to sell me a TE2 faceplate, I already have a virgin TM.
I'll post overlayed pics and original ones, so everybody can replicate the overlay and chech in the original pic's properties that those come directly from the camera and are not edited.

 

[sskunky]

Hey is that you pablo? Mark from the FISD.

 

[TKDUEUNO]

Hey is that you pablo? Mark from the FISD.

Yes, hi Mark

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

Precisely my point.

It definitely can be done.

And I stand by my assertion that it has yet to be done. There are great sculptors out there for sure, but none of the greats are working on copying every minute detail of a trooper helmet.

I don't see Howard wasting his time with calipers and such trying to capture every minute detail of a Trooper. He spends his talent on kick ass busts.

What would be easier for someone to do? Would it be easier to mold an accurate Trooper helmet, clean off a few tells and then sell it, or spend the many man hours it would take to get a helmet sculpt as close to original as possible? Recasting is the big thing with Trooper helmets it seems. There are a whole lot of characters in it who have the same scruples as one of our former members.

 

[Newbie Doobie]

Recasters have no honor and don't deserve respect. They and their supporters are the roaches of this hobby.

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I completely agree!

 

[TKDUEUNO]

And I stand by my assertion that it has yet to be done. There are great sculptors out there for sure, but none of the greats are working on copying every minute detail of a trooper helmet.

I don't see Howard wasting his time with calipers and such trying to capture every minute detail of a Trooper. He spends his talent on kick ass busts.

What would be easier for someone to do? Would it be easier to mold an accurate Trooper helmet, clean off a few tells and then sell it, or spend the many man hours it would take to get a helmet sculpt as close to original as possible? Recasting is the big thing with Trooper helmets it seems. There are a whole lot of characters in it who have the same scruples as one of our former members.

Ok, but why are you denying the possibility that TM did so?
Why everyone is so sure he took the easy way?

He said that he has been working on that for YEARS.
I'm not saying you must believe him, but you should consider the possibility that he spent many and many man hours to achieve his goal.
He said he made the armor and helmet for himself in the first place, the selling thing came after.

A nice test would be to challenge some talented sculptor like Howard to take a TE faceplate and do his best to replicate it in a max time of a year.

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

Ok, but why are you denying the possibility that TM did so?
Why everyone is so sure he took the easy way?

Probably for the same reason you are vehemently defending him. You can't or won't acknowledge the other possibilty. I never said it was outside the realm of possibility that TM sculpted the parts, I said it that the odds are better he cleaned up and tweaked another mold.

The reason people are so certain he took the easy way out is because that is what people do. I can admit that I do not know the guy from a hole in the wall, and I am not meaning to comment on his character. I am just saying if someone is making money from these items and selling them at will, doesn't it make sense to just cut corners and stand on the shoulders of others as opposed to cutting your own means of income while you "sculpt" another helmet?

 

[TKDUEUNO]

Probably for the same reason you are vehemently defending him. You can't or won't acknowledge the other possibilty.

Damn... why is it so hard?

I'M NOT DEFENDING HIM!!! I'm not denying any other possibility!!!

Infact I'm still asking for more evidence, possibly taken in a more scientific and objective way.

Gino can surely be right, even with his typical arrogance, and I wouldn have no problem admitting so.

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

Damn... why is it so hard?

I'M NOT DEFENDING HIM!!! I'm not denying any other possibility!!!

Infact I'm still asking for more evidence, possibly taken in a more scientific and objective way.

Gino can surely be right, even with his typical arrogance, and I wouldn have no problem admitting so.

You can say that you are not, but your paragraph below comes off as nothing BUT defense.

He said that he has been working on that for YEARS.
I'm not saying you must believe him, but you should consider the possibility that he spent many and many man hours to achieve his goal.
He said he made the armor and helmet for himself in the first place, the selling thing came after.

You are asking people NOT to believe him, but in turn are posting his words here. So you have taken what he says at face value, despite evidence to the contrary, and are relaying that message to us.

As it stands now, there is more posted evidence against the TM helmet than there is for the TM helmet. That is what I am going by.

Please do not take offense at my statements, as none is meant. I am merely calling it like it appears to be to me, and that is you defending TM's work.

 

[TKDUEUNO]

You are asking people NOT to believe him, but in turn are posting his words here. So you have taken what he says at face value, despite evidence to the contrary, and are relaying that message to us.

oh my god...

I just reported what he said.

I don't know if it's the truth or not. Mine is plain quoting.

I still don't have a fixed opinion on this. The only things I can say is that TO MY EYES there are more differences than similarities between TM and TE2 faceplates. He achieved this by recasting and tweaking? I don't know, I can't say, I can't judge. I'd really like to do more tests myself.

 

[TKDUEUNO]

You know what?

I fully understand Gino's motivations: he hates recasters and want to ban them from this hobby.

He said he does this for the sake of truth, to mantain clarity in the origins of fanmade props.

Well, he is more concerned in the lie itself than in the CONSEQUENCES of the lie.

If TM really recasted the faceplate, that would mean that his helmet is more screen accurate and the lineage is somehow preserved.
That should make Gino happier. TM would be banned from here, maybe sell less helmets because he lied, maybe more because his recasted helmet is more accurate.

What I'm saying is that if Gino is right he doesn't have the last word, TM does if he confesses.
The only thing Gino can do is propose evidence, not conclusions, and give people the chance to decide by themselves, with THEIR eyes.

 

[sskunky]

Well this has all gone completely OT but interesting never the less!

It is all inconclusive without a word from TM, it would make this a lot less complicated if we heard from the man himself.

 

[TKDUEUNO]

Well this has all gone completely OT but interesting never the less!

It is all inconclusive without a word from TM, it would make this a lot less complicated if we heard from the man himself.

The only words Gino would like to hear from TM are:"You're right, I'm a recaster."

We're back in the 6th century a.c. , some say the earth is flat, some say the earth is round, and we need a picture from space that no one can provide.

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

The only words Gino would like to hear from TM are:"You're right, I'm a recaster."

Gino says the earth is flat, TM says the earth is round, and we need a picture from space that no one can provide.

I don't think it is something no one can provide. TM can post his images somewhere, if he were so inclined. Odds are good he won't. This is just how these things go. In my opinion, if customer ABC is happy with the work TM did on his helmets, ALL of our opinions don't amount to a hill of beans. Look at Ainsworth's helmets for example. They are not original molds, he did not sculpt them and he out and out recast someone's Trooper armor, but people are still happy.

For me, the history of the item in question is important when it comes to Vader helmets. I could care less about Trooper helmets, and almost bought one of our former member's fiberglass buckets on eBay until I found out the history behind the piece. I'd settle for one of the MR $99 Trooper helmets over that thing, but ask me about a Vader helmet, and I will tell you I want the best thing you can get.

Anyways, digression aside, this thread is educational, if nothing else. I believe that was the intent, soooo...mission accomplished.

 

[defstartrooper]

You can say that you are not, but your paragraph below comes off as nothing BUT defense.



You are asking people NOT to believe him, but in turn are posting his words here. So you have taken what he says at face value, despite evidence to the contrary, and are relaying that message to us.

As it stands now, there is more posted evidence against the TM helmet than there is for the TM helmet. That is what I am going by.

Please do not take offense at my statements, as none is meant. I am merely calling it like it appears to be to me, and that is you defending TM's work.

Thats hardly objective Qui and selective reading at best.

He said that he has been working on that for YEARS.
I'm not saying you must believe him, but you should consider the possibility that he spent many and many man hours to achieve his goal.
He said he made the armor and helmet for himself in the first place, the selling thing came after.

If that's your idea of defending someone it's a good job you aren't a lawyer.

More posted evidence for the TM being recast than not ? your eyes glossed over the posts listing the differences between the TM and others too ?

Again i'm not saying it's a recast and i'm not saying it's not i just wish people would be a little objective and view both sides of the discussion rather than just taking sides and ignoring everything other than what they want to see.

 

[TKDUEUNO]

I don't think it is something no one can provide. TM can post his images somewhere, if he were so inclined. Odds are good he won't. This is just how these things go.

Well, I'm not Nostradamus, but I'm pretty sure that if TM would show pictures of his actual moulds, Gino would say that it doesn't matter what moulds he's using now, because he changed those over the years and the starting mould WAS a recast, and the bump WAS there, and so on.

Back to the starting point again.

 

[GINO]

Seeing some of the people posting like the jury is still out on this is like hearing about people say the jury is still out on whether or not we went to the moon.

Some people don't want to believe. Period.
To say, we haven't seen enough evidence, means there is never going to be enough evidence for you shy of TM admitting it.

What did you think you were going to get, spy pics actually showing the recasting taking place in his basement?

The BEST evidence you could ever ask for in a situation like this has already been shown and it is definitive.

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[TKDUEUNO]

Seeing some of the people posting like the jury is still out on this is like hearing about people say the jury is still out on whether or not we went to the moon.

Some people don't want to believe. Period.
To say, we haven't seen enough evidence, means there is never going to be enough evidence for you shy of TM admitting it.

What did you think you were going to get, spy pics actually showing the recasting taking place in his basement?

The BEST evidence you could ever ask for in a situation like this has already been shown and it is definitive.

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You are just the accusator, not the judge.

You asked what we think about TM faceplate, so WE decide if the evidence is enough, not you.

In a real court you'll last ten minutes.

 

[Bobtherocker]

Again i'm not saying it's a recast and i'm not saying it's not i just wish people would be a little objective and view both sides of the discussion rather than just taking sides and ignoring everything other than what they want to see.

hear hear.
There are people on both sides that are ignoring details that even slightly point to the contrary argument.
I would like to see a definitive answer to this conundrum either way, as stated before I would be dissappointed, I guess duped would be more appropriate, nobody likes to be made to feel duped but I honestly am not letting that sway my judgement regardless of what some mght think.
I'm just not convinced either way....yet.

What was it my Dad used to say? "One man's floor is another man's ceiling"
It seems every argument put forward to try to prove TM's innocence by one person can be used by another to try to prove his guilt. waddya gonna do?

 

[GINO]

You are just the accusator, not the judge.

You asked what we think about TM faceplate, so WE decide if the evidence is enough, not you.

In a real court you'll last ten minutes.

It's called denial.

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