Stormtrooper pepakura - TERRA RETURNS! WITH PICS!

[terra1]

the past monday i stumbled across the RPF forum and the whole PEPAKURA method of mask/object making, i used a primitive version back when i was in my mask making prime but i was stunned as to how far it has come!

i simply couldn't resist getting out my old surgical scalpel and glue again :lol

DAY ONE
i thought id jump in at the deep end and go for the classic STORMTROOPER helmet! the PEP file was created and i presume exported to PDF for us MAC users by the creator (SPACECOWBOY)

i started cutting right away, i did however notice that the UNFOLDED PDF'S had no glue tabs!!!

i had to figure them out as i went along.

after i got home from the printers on the monday i managed to get the dome finished and was pretty happy and enjoying the process.

DAY TWO
woke up early tuesday morning and continued cutting... and cutting... and cutting...

i realised that id totally messed up the under eye overlap, i had it all recessed back into the head, should have been recessed at the bridge of the nose and gradually overhanging the cheek as it heads towards the sides.

DAY THREE
woke up early and cracked on with my toxic glue and window wide open and fixed the eye error, it left the cheek bones too narrow which also effects the eyes being to sunk into the head.

looks not bad tho, i didnt want to stick to the PEPAKURA too much as its pretty pointless if you plan on RESINING and using BONDO (known as DAVID's P38 for UK folks) as you lose fine folds.

that afternoon i cycled up to HALFORDS and picked up some DAVID's FASTGLAS RESIN & GLASS TISSUE, also a tub of DAVID's P38 (BONDO) and then raced home!

DAY FOUR
after coating both the inside and out with a coat of RESIN i used some GLASS TISSUE as its a bit easier to wrap around curves. what a stink!!!

DAY FIVE
another coat of GLASS TISSUE on the inside and a a first layer of BONDO, seemed to go on well and without any worries.

hand sanding with cheap sandpaper is a waste of time, spend a few quid on real sandpaper (i got mine from a pound shop and it fell apart after a few strokes)

to be continued...

 

[terra1]

Re: Stormtrooper pepakura

DAY SIX
spend the whole day sanding and reapplying Bondo layers.

eyes and cheeks need lots of work, i'm totally missing the second (higher) bulge either side of the nose and mouth.

all in all tho i'm happy with the shape and symmetry, i'm not going for a screen accurate version, more of a refined version using the unwritten laws of art and design, hopefully the end result will prove it to be a valid first attempt.

 

[VitaminZinc]

Re: Stormtrooper pepakura

Pretty awesome for only 6 days of work. Subscribing to see how it comes out. I look forward to seeing future updates. =D

 

[terra1]

Re: Stormtrooper pepakura

thanks VitaminZinc yeah i picked up a bit of speed but slowing down now lol

DAY SEVEN

added some Milliput to fill out the face a little, 3 hours until i have to sand again

 

[Darth 123]

Re: Stormtrooper pepakura

Wow that looks nice!
Unfortunately I don´t have the skills for something like that.

 

[Atlanthia]

Re: Stormtrooper pepakura

That is the nicest PEP file I have seen so far of the trooper lid. Especially where the dome meets the front mask. A lot of them have a 45 degree angle where the top frame of the eye lens holes are but this one actually steps in at 90 degrees, like the original.

Great work, Mate and I am following with vested interest!

 

[terra1]

Re: Stormtrooper pepakura

DAY SEVEN CONTINUED

thanks for your comments Darth 123 & ATLANTHIA, they are most welcome.

added some more Bondo (P38 in the UK) over the Milliput and sanded, think the shape is finally getting close, the shape of the under eye part needs work, it looks far to even a single curve, should have a definite turning point between to slight curves i think.

 

[diamonddizz]

Re: Stormtrooper pepakura

looking great bro, i use a mac, so ive never had the opportunity to use pepakura, where did you get the files for this?

 

[SpaceCowboy]

Re: Stormtrooper pepakura

You're doing a fantastic job! I'm stoked to see someone using my template. Sorry that the tabs were deleted - but the idea was to do it in newsboard instead of paper. Those wanting tabs can always load the metasequoia files into Pepakura and generate the templates themselves.

I have a couple recommendations for you. From the profile, the chin tapers in a little too much - just along the rims; you can probably keep the same concavity in the middle.

I'd also suggest that you fatten the bumps on the cheeks some more. Notice in the photo below how high the cheek bumps are built up in front of each "tear drop" on either side of the eyes. From certain angles on an original ANH helmet, these cheek bumps really gives the helmet a "fat face" look.

I hope these suggestions are helpful and I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product! Keep up the great work!

 

[terra1]

Re: Stormtrooper pepakura

diamonddizz http://files.myopera.com/spacecowboy1/files/ANH Stunt Stormtrooper Helmet-Pepakura.pdf?1312183632
i hope the creator of the file SpaceCowboy doesn't mind me passing this on, this file has no glue tabs tho so i had to manually add my own, SpaceCowboy states above that the glue tabs can be added but you need a working version of Pepakura to do so, its a great template someone with a PC should add those tabs for us P hint hint SpaceCowboy )

SpaceCowboy hahaaaa the creator himself!!! glad to have your input friend.

yeah i'm hopefully going to be doing some work on fleshing out the cheeks today, once the cheeks are right il be adding the under eye part.

i'l have another upload later today if i can afford more Bondo and Milliput.

 

[diamonddizz]

Re: Stormtrooper pepakura

thank you soooooo much lol! im going to have alot of fun/stress making this lol. ive always wanted to give pep a go!

 

[diamonddizz]

Re: Stormtrooper pepakura

did you use paper or card for this?

 

[SpaceCowboy]

Re: Stormtrooper pepakura

Sorry, I don't have the Pepakura printout with tabs because I was only using the FREE version of Pepakura, which allows you to upload and print templates from 3D models, but not to save your working files. In hindsight I should have bought the working version to save my work, but this was my first and only attempt at Pepakura - it was my intention to use the pep printouts to hand-design a smooth template, but I've never had the time to finish it (the inspiration was the Boba Fett helmet at dentedhelmet which I built for my son and first got me thinking of using cardboard/newsboard for a base and potential fiberglassing). If I have the time I'll go back and do a tab version. You can get the 3D files for the helmet (Metasequoia, which is easy to learn and free) and the FREE version of Pepakura to print out the 3D model with tabs, the links are all here (not sure about the MAC limitations):
SpaceCowboy - Symmetrical ANH Trooper 3D model for use in Pepakura
Someone else was modifying the 3D files, which is great because I don't have much time to work on this, adding the depressions where the labels go on the dome, etc., but I can't find the forum posting any more.

 

[terra1]

Re: Stormtrooper pepakura

did you use paper or card for this?

i took the pdf to the print shop and got them to print it onto A4 (21 x 29.7cm) card, i didn't bother printing the card board inner section that makes up the early pages of SpaceCowboy's pdf, the card i printed onto feels like a poor quality business card lol, not as firm as expensive business cards but not flimsy as paper.

i used some quick toxic super glue (use with rubber gloves and with your window wide open)

good luck as it was great fun to build, jigsaw puzzle but good.

i manually added my own glue tabs as cut it all out, you will have to do likewise but its pretty easy once you figure out what parts your looking at on the card.

i didn't score and fold any parts (apart from the eye and nose areas) i just glued the tabs and let the card naturally bend, saved lots of time too!

PHOTO UPDATE COMING IN THE NEXT 8 HOURS.
... fleshed out cheeks, refined nose, eye bags & ever more Bondo!

 

[diamonddizz]

Re: Stormtrooper pepakura

awsome!!! so are thes print outs to scale, i.e can u wear it when done or have u resized? great job so far cant wait to see more!

 

[terra1]

Re: Stormtrooper pepakura

diamonddizz i just printed them straight onto the A4, i didn't resize them.

once the helmet was assembled i first thought its big! lol, but then when i think about it what did i expect?! lol, if you pick up a motor bike helmet and your not a motorcyclist the first thing you think it huge! but if you are a motorbiker its normal sized, same with the stormtrooper helmet, its big but thats how it is )

once its built up you can put your head in it fine, to get your eyes the right level you have to put a bit of 2-3cm thick foam on the roof inside.

after a few days working with it it feels a great size, any smaller would feel like a kids version )

 

[SpaceCowboy]

Re: Stormtrooper pepakura

The screen accurate helmet is actually much bigger than you would expect. If you hold it level its width, height, and depth are all roughly 12". Sounds big, but when you wear it, it looks right, while the store versions look like a pea-head when someone wears it with armor (same with the store version of the standard Vader helmet, which is MUCH smaller than the screen accurate helmet)

 

[SpaceCowboy]

Re: Stormtrooper pepakura

One more quick observation: your helmet has the back side of the dome connecting smoothly/flush with the back of the head. On the screen helmet, the back side of the head extends out farther than the dome a bit, sort of a ridge. It is flush where the ears are, but the ridge tapers out as you get to the back. The ridge has soft, smooth edges, not sharp. Also, the back of the screen accurate helmet has a slight curve to it. Check out this line drawing (on a one inch grid) and maybe it will give you an idea. Hope this helps (fyi the grid is one inch by one inch)!

 

[terra1]

Re: Stormtrooper pepakura

DAY EIGHT

added some Milliput to flesh out some areas.

finally starting to look about right, eyes bags need some shaping and a few other small refinements here and there.

SpaceCowboy yeah the brow level lip around the back needs added, il probably try do that next i think, then make some ears.

i plan on drilling, cutting and grinding out the cheek and head indents on the last stage.

 

[Atlanthia]

Re: Stormtrooper pepakura

Hi Terra1. Firstly, Again, I have to say that you are doing a fantastic job!!! Regarding the head indents, if you read my thread: "Tutorial how to build a stormtrooper helmet for under 10GBP, you will find a great cheat that will save you a lot of time makinig them. You will need page three. The other inaccuracies that SpaceCowboy correctly pointed out are also easily rectifiable so if you want ANY help just PM me as I've been there! Good luck Mate, it's a cracking build so far!
Darren