Sculpting the Helmet

Sculpting the Helmet

Sculpting is not really something I can tell you how to do, It simply takes practice and patience. This step however, unlike everything so far, really has no time limit (if your using oil based clay that is)

Here's the life cast that I am going to use to sculpt upon. I first give it a fresh coat of black paint, and about 4 layers of clear coat. Generic Head forms available from Wig Shops will work for this but make sure you build them up some as they are usually a little smaller than a real bust.

Now that the paint has dried, I move the bust back inside and get set up to sculpt. The first thing you must do is create a support frame for the horn. You can go to the hardware store and buy some good heavy duty wire to use,..........or just bend up a coat-hanger like I did.

Now secure the wire with some good'ol Duct tape. Make sure that you get it on straight.

Next you will need some clay. (oil based preferably) I used approximately 10 lbs. on the head.

Here I have roughed out the basic shape.

Just for sculpting purposes the Sensors and the Control Medal are Marbles I made. They are the same sizes as the Chrome plated orbs that I will install as the final pieces. I am using these solid glass marbles as place holders in the sculpture as they wont be damaged at all by the oil based clay.

Once I have the basic shape outline, I begin to block out the different areas, adding and subtracting where necessary.

Here I have blended out the additions, and I'm getting close to having the correct basic size and shape.

From this point on you simply have to keep at it until you make the sculpture look the way you want the final helmet to look.

NEXT: SCULPTING THE BODYSUIT