Stormtrooper helmet advice sought!

[mortifactor]

Hello guys.

About to start on an RS helmet, can't wait.

Since being on the RPF I've become a complete ******* over accuracy and the like, and based on that I have a few questions for those who have come before me on this matter..

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What shade of white are stormtroopers? :lol
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But seriously, in a world of white paint, which one is right? What type of paint would be the most fitting for the original makers to have used in the 70s? enamel? spray? radiator paint etc?

I would really like the right shade of white + the right texture + gloss, without a gruelling amount of trial and error (I only have access to Japanese of-the-shelf brands in person, which are all hyper/blueish white and very modern looking. I'd be importing any recommended paint, so I wanna get it right!)

Cheers.

Any other colour advice would be great also. (Doing the ESB helmet, I believe I need testors 1138 and humbrol 85 coal satin black)

 

[TK7713Gra30]

If you going for accuracy it really depends on what film.
To be completely accurate really it shouldn't be painted at all, UNLESS, you are representing the HDPE, which in this case the helmet should be HDPE colour underneath anyway. You can paint it this colour, red primer inside and then paint the white but it wouldn't be super accurate as it's still a vac plastic pull underneath representing HDPE.
i wouldn't get too worried about the white, I've done a good couple of dozen helmets, HDPE and normal, halfords White is a good base if uk but generally I leave them in the raw plastic and polish.

SORRY, just re read. For empire you can do both, they reused HDPE from ANH and also pulled some new I believe that would be unpainted in its natural white plastic. There was a good thread somewhere that showed a empire helmet that possibly became the pull for the Jedi lids, the puppy dog look.

it was generally considered that humbrol was used for the grey (Tears and traps) and blue ( tubes) including ab buttons, as these were made uk and we didn't have testers. I do have the tins here I used, I can't find the link but I can dig out the tn numbers as they are still available

 

[mortifactor]

If you going for accuracy it really depends on what film.
To be completely accurate really it shouldn't be painted at all, UNLESS, you are representing the HDPE, which in this case the helmet should be HDPE colour underneath anyway. You can paint it this colour, red primer inside and then paint the white but it wouldn't be super accurate as it's still a vac plastic pull underneath representing HDPE.
i wouldn't get too worried about the white, I've done a good couple of dozen helmets, HDPE and normal, halfords White is a good base if uk but generally I leave them in the raw plastic and polish.

SORRY, just re read. For empire you can do both, they reused HDPE from ANH and also pulled some new I believe that would be unpainted in its natural white plastic. There was a good thread somewhere that showed a empire helmet that possibly became the pull for the Jedi lids, the puppy dog look.

it was generally considered that humbrol was used for the grey (Tears and traps) and blue ( tubes) including ab buttons, as these were made uk and we didn't have testers. I do have the tins here I used, I can't find the link but I can dig out the tn numbers as they are still available

Thanks for the reply! This confirms a bit of what I have found out. The humbrol grey of choice has changed in recent years apparently, leaving testors to be the closest match nowadays. The ESB version is gonna be the repurposed ANH helmet. I think the white of the ABS does look spot on, but I can tell the difference between plastic and paint. Also plastic will yellow differently in paint, I'm probably gonna have this for a while so am future proofing it to an extent, while mimicking the original's creative process.

Wish I got the HDPE pull, but not available currently!


Anyone got any pics of their helmets with the name of the paint brand? Been searching for a while but a lot of threads have dead picture links!