Tau Helmet Finished...Pics in Last Post

[Brien]

So I have my Ghetto fab lifecast, I have clay on the way but now I am stuck. I know I want to do a suit of armor, starting with the helmet but which one? I have a couple ideas but I want somethig others might be interested in as well.

Here are my choices:

From Rifts:

Deadboy Armor:

Or Warhammer 40K Tau:

Both have the challenge of how to see out though I think I can come up with something.

I am also thinking the 40k IG but I do not have a good shot as I am at work and the military will not let me go to the good sites.

I will eventually start the armor, though I am not sure of my approach on that yet.

Any input is appreciated

Brien

 

[SmilingOtter]

I like the Warhammer helmet, but either would be good.

Whichever choice you make, take pics while you work. I've been thinking of doing a helmet, and would enjoy watching it happen step-by-step.

 

[Jedifyfe]

THE MOTHER OF ALL HELMETS....

 

[Brien]

I have a pretty big head, that one might be a little tight.

 

[Darth Kahnt]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Brien @ Feb 28 2007, 03:45 PM) [snapback]1428710[/snapback]</div>

I have a pretty big head, that one might be a little tight.
[/b]

:lol

I'd say go for the Warhammer helmet, it looks cool to me.

 

[Jimbo890]

Have you done any sculpts before? If not, and you really want a challenge, do a stormtrooper sculpt. I only mention this because, 1.) its challenging, 2.) easily recognizable, and 3.) well documented, with lots of reference images for all sorts of sources.

Although the WarHammer stuff is cool...

IMHO

Jim

 

[Brien]

I used to do a lot of special effects make-up with latex appliances so I have some sculpting experience but that was very organic. The armor thing I think will be more difficult because the techy aspect is less forgiving.

I am not a fan of the old Stormtroopers really. the EP3 clones were my favorite for some reason and before anyone says anythng I saw all 3 original films in the theatre on their first release. I think it was more story related than design related. These guys were supposed to be the terrors of the empire but could not hit the broad side of a barn and the armor could not stop a rock or stick. The clones actually got to kick a little ass. On top of that there are many people doing the troopers already better than I could do it.

That being said, I a leaning toward the warhammer tau helmet. I plan on doing the armor using the MDF methong and the 40K design lends itself more to that method, as far as I can tell.

 

[Jumpin Jax]

Judge Dredd? Spaceballs? V? Cylon?

 

[Darth Movado]

Go with the WarHammer sculpt. I like it better. However, other suggestions for the up and coming sculptor might be..........

1. Predator (I, II, or AVP)
2. Revenge of the Sith Clone Trooper
3. Destro from GI Joe
4. Dr. Doom
5. Darth Vader
6. Kronen from Hellboy

Just my thoughts.

Movado

 

[Supa troop]

PLEASE PLEASE DO IRON MAN

 

[Brien]

So I decided to go with the Tau Firewarrior Helmet.

I am going to have to take some artistic license with some aspects of this helmet. From examining my minis, the heads would not fit too easily, so i will have to expand it a bit.we shall see what happens.

Here is what I have so far. Been mainly working the front.

Thanks for looking, more to come when there is notable progress.

 

[M Bison]

I'm curious as to how you plan to be able to see out of it.

 

[Brien]

Bah, Details...
Actually I think I might be able to only see out of one side. I am reconsidering doing this helmet at all now. The scale is strange when you actually try to fit it on a human head. I am working with it to see how it will work.

 

[Sidewinder]

Same as I did probably, the black faceplate will be clear but have some dark tint material on it with clear green tinted stick on 'lenses'

[attachmentid=12908]

SAS

 

[Kadajiroth]

The Tau has to be my favourite 40k army. I've been collecting them for years, so to see their helmet being recreated full-size? One of the best projects I've ever seen.

Looks real nice, Brien. And hey, same laptop as mine.

I'll be keepin' an eye on this thread.

 

[Linnear]

I am a huge Warhammer 40K fan and like the Tau, though I don't play them (Sisters, Grey Knights, Dark Angels, Blood Angels).

I look forward to seeing your progress, and if you cast any extras, I am a definite buyer.

Alec

http://startrekauction.blogspot.com/

 

[Brien]

I pulled all my clay off the form and am going to restart. I am struggling with getting the miniature head to correspond to a real head. Have no fear, I shall restart soon.

 

[Brien]

Ok, I did not like how the sculpt was going so I started anew. I actually did some more research, came up with some reference photos and tried to make this work better. The problem is the helmets on the minis are sculpted in a way that the actaul head would not really fit in. I am trying to avoid a bobble head look while maintaining the lines of the original helmet. I am making some headway though.

I restarted on one side, the side that was giving me trouble. I have overlaid a tracing of the profile from the miniature, it is pretty close but there are areas to fix. The curve on the back part of the helmet needs fix but that will be easy. It is the cut in on the right side that is giving me fits. I need to work on that more tonight.

Still very rough but not bad for a couple hours work.

 

[Sidewinder]

Keep in mind that the helmet is totally aysemetrical.

Also if you have some of the minis without helmets you can see that the lower part that covers the ears etc. is like a tight fitting balaclava.

SAS

 

[Brien]

It is the asymetrical aspect that is completely throwing me off. I keep trying to make it symetrical and it does not look right. The statue put out by sideshow has more detail and I am going to use it as the final model. It extends the hemet onto the cheeks more than the mini and down the back of the head more. I am already thinking of how I will make the balaclava. My wife is pretty handy with the sewing machine so she will play a part in that.

My major problem is my head is wider than a Tau head, so the front will be wider than the mini. So far it looks pretty good. Tonight I will tryo to finish roughing out the right side of the helmet.

Here is my question. On the minis the antenna looks like it is attached to the balaclava part of the helmet but on the statue it looks like it is attached to the helmet. I think I am going with them helmet so it displayed better. I am not sure how I am going to get this thing on my head, the shape is weird. This thing might be huge on anyone else because it looks Ginormous on me.

*edit*
Overlay of a front view on the sculpt. This has been changed though, going straight from the tracing of the front of the mini makes the helmet look silly. THe original tracing is in red the modified on is in green. I am thinking, since they had to shoot a mini, there is some distortion from the wide angle lens shooting that close, almost a minor fish eye effect. Either way I think this looks better than the original tracing and yet still is obviously a Tau helmet.