Vox
Sr Member
I have tried on the muslin mock-up and sent the modifications back to SMP. Super psyched about the fit so far!
On my front, as I have said in the past, I like to use my builds as a chance for R&D. I wasn't completely satisfied with the way it came out, because it lacked that glint and shine that the helmet from the movie had. So, for most of November, I was researching alternative paint methods for the helmet. Bill Doran of Punished Props built and painted Rey's blaster from The Force Awakens, and I really liked the metallic finish that he was able to get. I invested some time and money in the Alclad paints he used on his piece and tried them out on the test antenna. (I sanded it down to the primer layer first.)
As a disclaimer, I only sanded it down to 320 grit, and could have taken more time to get a more thorough paint application, but I was just going for the general look. I really like how it came out, it looks just like brushed metal, but not for this project. It still doesn't have quite the right finish in my opinion. So I decided that Krylon Crystal Clear was going to be the final layer.
That unfortunately did not turn out to be the best choice! Thanks to a month of sitting around and light handling, the surface of the paint had accumulated oil and spots that were invisible to the eye, that is until you sealed them under a layer of Crystal Clear!
As you can see, the whole thing looks like it is covered in a layer of dirt and grime. For certain parts of it, that works, since I was planning on adding a little weathering anyway. But for the main face plate (nose, cheeks, and forehead areas), and the back of the head, it conflicts with the overall shiny and polished finish I had hoped to achieve. The one piece of good news is the 2 layers of Crystal Clear that I applied a minute apart from one another appear to have given it an extra bit of light reflection, which is what I wanted.
At this point, I am going to paint the details (black and red stuff) and then see how noticeable the imperfections are. If they are still noticeable, I may paint some battle damage over those and sell the piece for what I can (as a battle-worn finished piece), then put that money toward a fresh cast and start over. I hope it does not come to that though.
On my front, as I have said in the past, I like to use my builds as a chance for R&D. I wasn't completely satisfied with the way it came out, because it lacked that glint and shine that the helmet from the movie had. So, for most of November, I was researching alternative paint methods for the helmet. Bill Doran of Punished Props built and painted Rey's blaster from The Force Awakens, and I really liked the metallic finish that he was able to get. I invested some time and money in the Alclad paints he used on his piece and tried them out on the test antenna. (I sanded it down to the primer layer first.)
As a disclaimer, I only sanded it down to 320 grit, and could have taken more time to get a more thorough paint application, but I was just going for the general look. I really like how it came out, it looks just like brushed metal, but not for this project. It still doesn't have quite the right finish in my opinion. So I decided that Krylon Crystal Clear was going to be the final layer.
That unfortunately did not turn out to be the best choice! Thanks to a month of sitting around and light handling, the surface of the paint had accumulated oil and spots that were invisible to the eye, that is until you sealed them under a layer of Crystal Clear!
As you can see, the whole thing looks like it is covered in a layer of dirt and grime. For certain parts of it, that works, since I was planning on adding a little weathering anyway. But for the main face plate (nose, cheeks, and forehead areas), and the back of the head, it conflicts with the overall shiny and polished finish I had hoped to achieve. The one piece of good news is the 2 layers of Crystal Clear that I applied a minute apart from one another appear to have given it an extra bit of light reflection, which is what I wanted.
At this point, I am going to paint the details (black and red stuff) and then see how noticeable the imperfections are. If they are still noticeable, I may paint some battle damage over those and sell the piece for what I can (as a battle-worn finished piece), then put that money toward a fresh cast and start over. I hope it does not come to that though.