silk screened / screen printed ESB Stormtrooper helmet decals (lots of pics)

[juajn7fernandez]

Hey guys! Hope you all had an awesome weekend!

I've spent the last few days doing some research online for some silk screened / screen printed decals for an ESB stormtrooper helmet. I am surprised, considering how detail oriented this community is and how crazy for ultimate accuracy, how little there is out there about this topic.

This all started after receiving in the mail my RS Stormtrooper ESB helmet. I gotta say its an amazing piece for the most part and I know that as far as the shape goes there isn't anything closer than this to the original. The decals however look rather cheap and not to par with the rest of the helmet. I mean, they are a good place holder as the asymmetry of the shapes is mostly there, but the texture, look build and accuracy are just not there.



The original prop I'm gonna be referencing is the famous patch on the back ESB helmet that we've all seen. I found some beautiful close up shots of the decals on that helmet to illustrate what I'm talking about.

From what I've read ( and please correct me if I'm wrong) the original decals were black vinyl with grey screen printed details on top. This is what gave it the texture and the multilayered look.



(photos source was a member by the name of Paul from another forum dedicated only to White Armors)

In my search I found someone who produced some amazing replicas of these decals. I've tried contacting him but I still havent heard from him and to be quite honest the latest post that I can find about his decals dates back to 2009. So I'm not even sure he still makes them or they are available. Here are a few shots of a bucket with his decals on.



Its not perfect but its definitely a step up from the paper printed decals that are being used on most helmets, including the highly accurate RS.

So my quest right now would be find more people interested in getting an upgrade like this and someone who would know how to fabricate these decals. I think it would be a great opportunity for those of us with ESB helmets looking for top accuracy. I just dont know how to make them or anyone who could make them. So if you guys have any ideas, now would be an awesome time to share them with all of us.

CHEERS!

 

[juajn7fernandez]

Here are some additional screengrabs from a high resolution video that was posted for the ESB Mark-2 that was auctioned by The Props Store recently.

In these pictures we can see the texture of the grey and what a nice contrast it creates against the bit of gloss from the black vinyl underneath.

 

[jkno]

^ Thanks for the pics!

 

[juajn7fernandez]

jkno - No worries man! Thats what we are here for, help each other out!

Now if we could just find a way to get these made..... HHHHMMMMM....

 

[Pedro]

Too bade they never made grey ribbons for micro-dry printers (Alps, Roland, Oki), printing these on black vinyl would be a cinch, though you wouldn't get the screen texture. You could silkscreen them the old fashioned way...

 

[juajn7fernandez]

I'm sure theres gotta be a few members who have experience with screen printing that could help. I work with photoshop all day so I know if needed I could have the correct patterns replicated digitally from reference.

Here is a list of things I think we need to get this thing moving:

- Correct patterns and shapes for printing
- Grey color and paint that would achieve the look and texture when screen printed
- Source for black vinyl to print on
- Silk screen (once the patterns are provided)


do you guys think this would be worths a project run?

Also feel free to add any suggestions

 

[Pedro]

A bit of brief googling for custom screen printed decals, it looks like you can get relatively small runs made (a few hundred) for around a buck or two a sheet (guestimate). Not bad if you can find that many takers!

 

[mortifactor]

I've got one of these on the to do list, so I'd get a set just to see (in that limbo area of whether to go full on craptastic prop or to do an idealised, clean version)

 

[juajn7fernandez]

I honestly thought this would get more interest. Either way it would be interesting to see what we end up with. However I did get in touch with the one person that does make them. I'll let you all know if I get them. He had a project run in the other forum but he closed it a few months ago after years of running it. So I'm not sure if this means he doesn't want to make them in bulk anymore.

 

[Anakin Starkiller]

I think they look really good and I'd love to pick up a set.

Dan

 

[juajn7fernandez]

Ok so I gotta bring this topic back from hibernation since the man from France who was going to suply them has backed out from producing them.


Not sure how we are going to tackle this yet but I'm gonna start working on it. So if any of you are interested or would like to help out feel free to let us know.

I'll update as soon as I have any info.

 

[juajn7fernandez]

I know CFO does his ROTJ in a similar way. However I know shape and colors are different from the ESB decals, but I'm gonna talk to him and see if we can do something. That is unless anyone here has any better ideas.