Just realized I forgot to post progress pictures :facepalm
I did not take many picture like with the mask or chest because its just the same bondo,sand as usual.
I did about 4 layers of bondo, then about 4 layers of filler primer.
I used a foam ruler I made when I made the Dino Trux helmet to draw the outer lines that I later notched then scribbed to round. I tried to use the ruler to make the 3 arching lines the run through the middle but I could not get it to look even. So I made a templet.
Then I carefully used a cutoff wheel on the dremel to trace the lines I drew out. I try to be a straight as possible but it will all be sanded a lot later so some waves I didn't mind.
I used the trusty tiny flat head screw driver here again to etch the lines deeper and wider. Again I screwed up on a few spot but the sanding later will fix them.
Next I used a sanding drum on the mini dremel to knock down the areas inside the lines. I had said before I don't like to use power tools to sand this smaller stuff because you run the risk of sanding to much if you don't pay attention. Well I didn't pay close enough attention and had taken a little too much off in a few spots. After stepping back to decide if I should put a thin layer of bondo over it, I noticed that it will probably make some interesting weathering patterns. I did of course hand sand it all back to minimize and deep valleys. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of the bottom half, but your sharp, you get it I'm sure.
4 layers of the filler primer. After it was totally dry (1 hour in the sun) I rubbed it down with some 0000 steel wool to smooth it out instead of wet sanding. Then I wiped it down with a damp paper towel before I sprayed the color.
I of course used the same bronze spray paint as the chest. The can is intense, I have to spray from 3-4 feet away to get the first few thin layers because it has a powerful spray.
Now the part I hate because I never know just how the weathering is going to go. My wife always asks, "it's so pretty, now you have to make it ugly and old?" haha.
Yes, yes I do. I just used a burnt umber acrylic paint and add water a little at a time until it's really runny. This time I used a 1" chip brush to paint the whole thing at once, and did about 6-8 passes of paint it on let it sit for a few seconds, then with a damp paper towel to wipe it off leaving paint in the lower spots. After doing this a few times, I switch to a small paint brush to apply thin layers for the watered down paint to select areas in certain patterns. That sits just a bit longer until its almost dry, then with the same damp paper towel start removing small amounts of paint until it looks right. When I'm happy with how it looks I let it site for an hour or more to let the acrylic paint totally dry before I add a few coats of the satin clear.
