Dieseldog1
New Member
Wow, I thought it would be good but that's exceptional.
Quasimodo Darth Vader helmet - Version II
- Thread starter bookface
- Start date
ataru72ita
Sr Member
W.O.H.A.!!!!
Fantastic!
Regards,
Alberto
Fantastic!
Regards,
Alberto
CSMacLaren
Sr Member
Guys, thank you so much for your encouragement. I was very nervous about unveiling this, as this is a big deal for ESB fans. Back in the day, I was limited in what I could do to properly recreate Vader, because they were basically modification and resculpting projects where I had to address dullness of features, structural, size and proportional issues, warpage and all kinds of other nightmares. With the V2 project, I could finally focus more on sculpting something over something that was already quite decent and focus instead on recreating the character.
I'm not going for "screen accuracy" or "prop accuracy" although many of you know where I'm coming from, and those with a trained eye can see what I'm trying to do. Rather, I'm trying to make the character as believable and as present as possible. I've seen idealized and attractive helmets, but for some reason, despite what they have going for them, something of the character of Vader is lost, leaving me wanting more - and wanting more than just a helmet or replica.
Let me put it this way: In my early days in the replica prop community, I remember having a Don Post Deluxe on my desk (a boon after being cheated out of a lot of money on bad eBay helmet investments) and it radiated such presence of character that my mind boggled thinking, "OMG, that's Vader's frickin' head on my desk!" and was having a total geekout as a grown man. Most would look down on a DP DLX nowadays with good reason. I realize that how believable a Vader is can be very personal and subjective. But what awe I had, I eventually lost amid all the community political fighting in the Vader hobby over things like lineage, superiority, and accuracy arguments.
My quest with Quasimodo V2 is to try to find that presence of character again - that movie magic that drew me to Star Wars in the first place. And so hopefully this is a step in the right direction towards that. I'd like to share another shot with you:
And thank you, bookface. This could not have been done without you. His work with the paint has been absolutely incredible, given how different the paintwork of ESB is compared with ANH!
I'm not going for "screen accuracy" or "prop accuracy" although many of you know where I'm coming from, and those with a trained eye can see what I'm trying to do. Rather, I'm trying to make the character as believable and as present as possible. I've seen idealized and attractive helmets, but for some reason, despite what they have going for them, something of the character of Vader is lost, leaving me wanting more - and wanting more than just a helmet or replica.
Let me put it this way: In my early days in the replica prop community, I remember having a Don Post Deluxe on my desk (a boon after being cheated out of a lot of money on bad eBay helmet investments) and it radiated such presence of character that my mind boggled thinking, "OMG, that's Vader's frickin' head on my desk!" and was having a total geekout as a grown man. Most would look down on a DP DLX nowadays with good reason. I realize that how believable a Vader is can be very personal and subjective. But what awe I had, I eventually lost amid all the community political fighting in the Vader hobby over things like lineage, superiority, and accuracy arguments.
My quest with Quasimodo V2 is to try to find that presence of character again - that movie magic that drew me to Star Wars in the first place. And so hopefully this is a step in the right direction towards that. I'd like to share another shot with you:
And thank you, bookface. This could not have been done without you. His work with the paint has been absolutely incredible, given how different the paintwork of ESB is compared with ANH!
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CSMacLaren
Sr Member
Now, onto some comps (comparisons).
First is Darth Ugly vs. Quasimodo V2 ESB:
Darth Ugly on the left is done very well and serves as a respectable, economical Vader as a starting point to collecting.
Quasimodo, on the other hand, looks almost like I took a screen capture, cropped only the helmet and pasted it in Photoshop it into the image, but it's not - you can see details of bookface's shop in the reflection of the ESB helmet. This was simply a shop shot, taken on his wooden bench with card paper behind it. Not bad for not being a studio shot - all thanks to bookface's paint work. He has made the Quasimodo helmets evoke the character and presence of Vader better than with any of my projects in the past, and in a way I had always wanted in a helmet.
Next, ANH vs ESB:
Once again, bookface is very much a part of the artistic process. Even as I'm sculpting and sharing progress shots with him, we were discussing the paint for ESB to capture the essence of the character. I view Vader as going through a development arc from ANH to ESB to ROTJ, so beyond just capturing the prop's look or mimicking paint schemes, features and so forth, I wanted these helmets to emanate a sense of his rise of importance from the front lines to being in command of his own personal flagship (as Vader may or may not have commanded the Star Destroyer that captured the Tantive IV, but regardless the Star Destroyer is a pea next to the Executor!)
I'm very proud of how both of these turned out. For each, Bookface has created the "stepped off the screen" look (and, once again, I know that is highly subjective, but you can tell I'm chuffed!) and all that work pays off with strong presence of character!
EDIT: The last photo, the left was mislabeled "Darth Ugly" in the image. It's now properly labeled Quasimodo V2 ANH.
First is Darth Ugly vs. Quasimodo V2 ESB:
Darth Ugly on the left is done very well and serves as a respectable, economical Vader as a starting point to collecting.
Quasimodo, on the other hand, looks almost like I took a screen capture, cropped only the helmet and pasted it in Photoshop it into the image, but it's not - you can see details of bookface's shop in the reflection of the ESB helmet. This was simply a shop shot, taken on his wooden bench with card paper behind it. Not bad for not being a studio shot - all thanks to bookface's paint work. He has made the Quasimodo helmets evoke the character and presence of Vader better than with any of my projects in the past, and in a way I had always wanted in a helmet.
Next, ANH vs ESB:
Once again, bookface is very much a part of the artistic process. Even as I'm sculpting and sharing progress shots with him, we were discussing the paint for ESB to capture the essence of the character. I view Vader as going through a development arc from ANH to ESB to ROTJ, so beyond just capturing the prop's look or mimicking paint schemes, features and so forth, I wanted these helmets to emanate a sense of his rise of importance from the front lines to being in command of his own personal flagship (as Vader may or may not have commanded the Star Destroyer that captured the Tantive IV, but regardless the Star Destroyer is a pea next to the Executor!)
I'm very proud of how both of these turned out. For each, Bookface has created the "stepped off the screen" look (and, once again, I know that is highly subjective, but you can tell I'm chuffed!) and all that work pays off with strong presence of character!
EDIT: The last photo, the left was mislabeled "Darth Ugly" in the image. It's now properly labeled Quasimodo V2 ANH.
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Happy13178
Well-Known Member
That. Is. Awesome. Seriously, sitting at work with a giant grin on my face, that's freaking gorgeous. It hurts a little looking at this and my own meager work, like a kid painting a picture standing next to Van Gogh's work....I loved the process and the learning of mine, but yours is just art. I'm saving for a matching armor and Quasi, your work is totally worth the wait.
eifion
Sr Member
Great to see the ESB finally and it looks spectacular. Your first image reminds me of a shot of Vader in his meditation chamber, the propotions, the finish, the menace . . . it's so remarkably alike . . . nailed it! I'm already putting a little money aside when I can towards one of these.
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Happy13178
Well-Known Member
I have a question for CS, based on the pics posted, pardon if its a n00b question. In the ANH helmet and the ESB Ugly, the ridge on the upper "cheek" is a downward curve, while the right side is more of an S shape, ending in an upward curve. On the ESB quasimodo, both sides look to have that S shape curved up. I know you weren't going for total accuracy, just wondering why you made the choice to do it like that? It doesn't take away from the look of the helmet in the slightest, its gorgeous, was just looking at it and noticed it.
That's actually just a reflection trick. The mask pieces are exactly the same other than the enlarged chin cut out on the ESB. The helmet is so glossy that it picks up light sources and throws them back in odd ways. Good eyes though!
CSMacLaren
Sr Member
Happy,
Your powers of observation are as good as anyone else. You had me worried there because I didn't sculpt it as an S-curve.
Change the angle of photography slightly and voila...
Your powers of observation are as good as anyone else. You had me worried there because I didn't sculpt it as an S-curve.
Change the angle of photography slightly and voila...
CSMacLaren
Sr Member
Here are some new shots from facebookface...
The armor is given a finish complimenting Quasimodo so there is more work involved. Let us know what you think!
The armor is given a finish complimenting Quasimodo so there is more work involved. Let us know what you think!
CSMacLaren
Sr Member
Thanks guys. And here is a great example of how much fun I'm having with bookface at the helm painting the helmet (pun sorta intended there). Just now in Post #95, you saw this:
Now simply removing the background and removing some of the colors reflected in the dome, neck and armor, rotate the dome slightly (as it wasn't sitting right), I get this:
You can see why I'm chuffed! Minimal Photoshop work, and the paint speaks for itself. The walls of Bookface's shop are off-white, but you see a a white jar or bottle here or there to get a sense of how white a white color would look in the context of this lighting.
Also, on his bench, Bookface is doing up a Darth Ugly ESB for someone, so here is a side by side comp:
The one on the right was a rescue from its days looking like a compressed, melted ugly brown booger, but despite cutting it up into strips and re-piecing it together, I am still limited by the dimensions and proportions inherent from its original starting state.
Quasimodo on the other hand gave me a great deal of freedom to sculpt and not be hindered, which allowed me to focus more on organic subtleties and to focus on him being more real and present. I find in some director commentaries of films how actors, once in makeup and costume, had not only a better time playing off their looks but emoting through the makeup to portray the character. In like fashion, the Quasimodo project has allowed me and Bookface to make an artform out of bringing the character of Vader from our work through sculpting and painting so that he evokes a sense that Prowse might still be wearing it while portraying the ol' Dark Lord.
BTW, for those of you just tuning in, Quasimodo V2 ESB may simply be referred to as Quasimodo ESB.
Now simply removing the background and removing some of the colors reflected in the dome, neck and armor, rotate the dome slightly (as it wasn't sitting right), I get this:
You can see why I'm chuffed! Minimal Photoshop work, and the paint speaks for itself. The walls of Bookface's shop are off-white, but you see a a white jar or bottle here or there to get a sense of how white a white color would look in the context of this lighting.
Also, on his bench, Bookface is doing up a Darth Ugly ESB for someone, so here is a side by side comp:
The one on the right was a rescue from its days looking like a compressed, melted ugly brown booger, but despite cutting it up into strips and re-piecing it together, I am still limited by the dimensions and proportions inherent from its original starting state.
Quasimodo on the other hand gave me a great deal of freedom to sculpt and not be hindered, which allowed me to focus more on organic subtleties and to focus on him being more real and present. I find in some director commentaries of films how actors, once in makeup and costume, had not only a better time playing off their looks but emoting through the makeup to portray the character. In like fashion, the Quasimodo project has allowed me and Bookface to make an artform out of bringing the character of Vader from our work through sculpting and painting so that he evokes a sense that Prowse might still be wearing it while portraying the ol' Dark Lord.
BTW, for those of you just tuning in, Quasimodo V2 ESB may simply be referred to as Quasimodo ESB.
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rebel scum
New Member
The ESB version looks fantastic and I hope to get in on it!
Chris
Chris
