Darth Vader Helmet with 1 tone paint job?

[danzig]

Hey,just curious if anyone out there has ever done up a vader helmet without the two tone gun metal and black paint and just did a straight up black paint job? I thought Id heard they did the two tone for the movie because of the cameras reaction to the solid black.But in person the two tone looks a bit odd,so Im thinking of doing my ROTJ up with all black and was just curious if anyone else tried this?Thanks

 

[Michael Bergeron]

Hey,just curious if anyone out there has ever done up a vader helmet without the two tone gun metal and black paint and just did a straight up black paint job? I thought Id heard they did the two tone for the movie because of the cameras reaction to the solid black.But in person the two tone looks a bit odd,so Im thinking of doing my ROTJ up with all black and was just curious if anyone else tried this?Thanks

Just about every retail helmet ever made has the straight black look. It's one of those details that can't be unseen. Just looks wrong to me. :lol

 

[PoopaPapaPalps]

Here, here, Michael! I'm the exact same way.

The only time the Vader helmet was all black in the films was in ROTS, and though prettied-up, symmetrical and idealized, it really didn't feel like Vader (for me, anyway).

 

[Treadwell]

This shot in ROTJ has no gunmetal on it.

 

[PoopaPapaPalps]

This shot in ROTJ has no gunmetal on it.View attachment 414996

Isn't that the stunt mask, though? It's got the frames in the cheeks, that split in the back of the neck, and its color scheme like this:

 

[danzig]

ust about every retail helmet ever made has the straight black look. It's one of those details that can't be unseen.

Yeah.I knew alot of the cheapy retail helmets had this look.but Id never seen a really nice ESB or ROTJ fan made helmet sport this one tone paint scheme.

 

[jkno]

Yeah.I knew alot of the cheapy retail helmets had this look.but Id never seen a really nice ESB or ROTJ fan made helmet sport this one tone paint scheme.

Think this: why would one put an inaccurate all black paint on a cool and pretty expensive fan made OT helmet?

 

[Treadwell]

Isn't that the stunt mask, though?

I don't think so. I see no sign of the perspex cheeks.

 

[OldKen]

Most definitely the ROTJ stunt.

Look at the fat lip.

The upper right cheek. Upper half of his nose and all above his eyes are grey.

Both sides have black tinted plastic for the cheek frontal area.

I don't think so. I see no sign of the perspex cheeks.

 

[Treadwell]

Ok, I see it now. Thanks!

 

[Trooper_trent]

I always thought the beginning Hangar scene in ROTJ where Vader's shuttle arrives had the closest to an all black look.

 

[spacebob]

That's funny danzig because the first time it was pointed out to me I was terribly disappointed with the "harlequin" look.
As as it was just for filming I new the "real" Darth Vader wouldn't be like that so when I painted mine about 6 years ago I adapted it.

(click pic)
Its hard to see but the highlights are just towards the edges of the cheeks, the bridge of the nose and up around the top of the lenses and all of below the tusks totally symmetrical. I also made the mouth grill symmetrical totally rebuilding it. Its ok don't panic it was only a glass cast of the plastic rubies full sized crap.

I'm now in the market for a more true to filming one to do it harlequin but I will always love my "real" Vader

 

[CSMacLaren]

This may help. The ROTJ stunt has been known for years to have a thick bottom lip. Also, notice the perspex lines that are inset into the forward facing cheeks, so the cheeks have double outlines.

- - - Updated - - -

And here is what an ANH might look like as one-tone. It's basically an all-black painted Quasimodo V2, with the eyes and mesh photoshopped in.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of this look at all. I think it worked great for ROTS and that the whole shape of the symmetrical ROTS Vader was entirely a different but good-looking animal.

 

[Treadwell]

I always thought the beginning Hangar scene in ROTJ where Vader's shuttle arrives had the closest to an all black look.
View attachment 415363

It's because the image was flopped so you're looking for the gunmetal in all the wrong places. They got their camera direction wrong several times in the hangar scenes and it had to be fixed in post.

 

[CSMacLaren]

Also bear in mind with the special edition that a lot of colors and contrasts were altered and are significantly different from the original footage.

 

[danzig]

I guess the 2 tone is still the way to go...I may just go with a darker gun metal than some do.Some that Ive seen the gun metal just stuck out like a sore thumb

 

[CSMacLaren]

I understand some people focus on the nearly full-black tone of Vader in the hangar bay, but do consider the floor of the set was all black, and the metallic gray of the face was reflecting a lot of black from the set. Futhermore, the ROTJ film overall seemed to be balanced too darkly in terms of lighting levels throughout. Over the years, a few fans have edited the OT to do lighting and color correction to create more natural skin tones and more realistic illumination levels.

Below is a study I did of ROTJ's two-tone appearance.

 

[anakin]

good stuff Mac!

"I may just go with a darker gun metal than some do.Some that Ive seen the gun metal just stuck out like a sore thumb"

Yes, there are quite a vader buckets out there with too much of a light tone to the gun metal they are using. In fact, I've seen many that forgo the gun metal altogether and go silver. Hence why the RPF so so crucial to vader geeks

Sorry for the poor focus - snapped fast - but the point is obvious. ( Modified DP C/A) The gun metal on the cheek is the exact colour on the neck as well ( and it is quite a subtle colour too). As Mac pointed out - see how the light, based not only on position but the more pronounced parts of vader's helmet, ( cheek) show the same colour but shadow and light play it's "Game."

As to whether a two tone vs a full black gloss a la ROTS, that is what I always envision with vader, and not the production needs of camera + light to break up the lines of the faceplate.

 

[THXBOY]

Totally agree with Mac. Lighting makes all the difference in how your Vader appears. It was for this reason that when I ordered my DU armor and bucket I had bookface do a darker gunmetal for both. In bright sunlight the gunmetal shows up just fine

In dark lot situations it definitely comes off more black but since I troop a lot in my gear primarily I want it to look correct outdoors and not like I should be at a Raiders game.

This was a poorly lit indoor event. If you look close I think the mask looks almost black

 

[danzig]

Yes.The darker gun metal makes Vader look as he should...Gives him that gloss black reflective look,as oppose to an in your face 2 tone paint job as the lighter gun metal (or as one member mentioned,silver) gives off.