Iron/War Machine Helmet: Completed Build

[Jeprachaun]

Hello RPF! I'm new to the forums and just recently jumped into the world of costume building and Pepakura. I thought I would share my work on here and hopefully get some feedback. I chose to start with Iron Man and based my build off of the series. The helmet isn't perfectly by any means, but I am fairly happy with the outcome given the method that I used. In the future I will add the LED eyes. Since the photos below were taken the helmet has been waxed which significantly improved its shine.

A greater photo collection of the WIP is available here, as well as a tutorial I wrote for the Instructables community. Feedback is welcome on the tutorial as well! Thanks for your time. I look forward to posting more in the future!

O'Malley

 

[clancampbell]

it's definitely a promising start and quite a nice finish!
I'm gonna get smacked in the mouth for this, but, i would have spent a wee bit more time sharpening the details and cleaning the mask up prior to paint, but, (and mine is a big but!) ....
,....it's still very impressive and a great first post!!!

Rich

 

[Jeprachaun]

it's definitely a promising start and quite a nice finish!
I'm gonna get smacked in the mouth for this, but, i would have spent a wee bit more time sharpening the details and cleaning the mask up prior to paint, but, (and mine is a big but!) ....
,....it's still very impressive and a great first post!!!

Rich

I actually couldn't agree more with you :lol. After several days of sanding and the contest deadline right around the corner I decided to move on. Bondo can work magic, and people have done helmets out of it before, but it isn't a cure all. For a project like this that used Pepakura I don't think it would have ever been possible to get all of the details I wanted. Next time I will try my luck at clay and mold making. Thank you for the feedback Rich.

O'Malley

 

[izabel]

Hi there. can i ask why are the ears screen?

*runs & hides~ wah!

 

[Jeprachaun]

The screens are simply for detailing. I wanted to put my own brand on the theme and decided they were a nice touch. I realize this is not a movie accurate replica, but it is heavily based on the series. After all of the work I put it into it I decided that I wanted it to be my creation. As a result there are screens and other alterations to the helmet detailing.

O'Malley

 

[Havok69]

Great first attempt, however it definitely needs some more sanding. You might want to invest in a Dremel tool with attachments to be able to sharpen up some of the lines with precision.

 

[Jeprachaun]

Havok, what lines are you unhappy with? I used a dremel tool while sanding and feel that the lines that are meant to be crisp are. The chin area and the top ridge are the main areas that I feel should be sharp. Keep in mind that this is not a movie replica, I took some artistic liberties with it. I am unhappy with some ridges, mainly those around the cheek area, but the lines are consistent on both sides of the helmet.

In part I think it is a limitation with the method. More time invested in the project would have yielded better results, but not perfect ones.

O'Malley

 

[Havok69]

Probably the most noticeable spots to me would be the eyes.

I don't think I agree with your assessment about the method, and how it could never be "perfect"; it's a different means to an end, but you will have other issues with other methods that would require alternative solutions. Really it boils down to attention to detail and finishing skills. Take a look at the guy from Puerto Rico and his Iron Man suit to prove that point...

Don't get me wrong - I like the helmet, and the screen mesh goes very well with the color scheme. All in all, I like it! Plus, if you're wearing it and those actually act as vents, then it's especially a good idea as wearing a helmet for a while can get uncomfortable without adequate ventilation for breathing.

 

[Jeprachaun]

With any hand made product it will be difficult to impossible to get it perfect, and I agree that it boils down to attention to detail and finishing skills, but with bondo and using it over large areas it becomes increasingly difficult to spot those imperfections. I decided to go the route of laying bondo on heavy, and ran into issues with the overwhelming amount of sanding that was needed to refine the shape of the helmet. If I did this in the future I think I would rely more heavily on the Pepakura model.

Your point is taken about the other suits. I am most impressed though by the people who took molds of their suits. The final product to me stands apart from the Pepakura method. This isn't an attack against Pepakura, I would use it again with a few modifications to my process.

I appreciate the feedback. It's why I posted it here! I just wanted to get down to the nitty gritty details to get a better sense of what needs to be changed for future builds. Thanks again.

O'Malley