Patrick Gallagher

So first off I wanted to start with the helmet because I felt it required the most time and detail. I created templates for the top, bottom, profile view and straight on view from the in game model and tracing over it in illustrator. These are cut print outs that i measured to fit my head.

Next I traced the shapes onto some tracing paper to serve as good guidelines. I had to figure out how to cut these with notches that would allow the pieces to all interlock with one another

I decided to use MDF board, easy to cut, cheap, and light weight. the notches were cut and thankfully everything was perfectly measured.

Here I have interlocked the boards and secured them with gorilla wood glue. Im creating a sort of skeleton to stuff and sculpt on. After this the helmet will be molded in silicone and slush casted in plastic to create the hollow helmet.

I picked up some insulation foam and cut pieces to fit in each of the spaces on the skeleton to help buff out the shape. One thing I learned is it would have been better to have all the blocks go to the same length instead of catering it to the specific spot. would have saved me a bit of time and filler work later. But hey, its the first helmet Ive made like this.

Here you can start to get the idea of what Im talking about

At this point, its difficult to even see what it is supposed to look like. but the MDF board will sort of play as a guide mark. Where i cut and sand all the excess foam off, the boards will be easier to see and tell where im supposed to do what.

You have see that its starting to take shape here. This is after using a coping saw and belt sander a bit.

After I got the rough shape down I began to coat the foam with acrylic paint because bondo and clay dont tend to stick well to the foam. the acrylic gives it a better surface to cling to. Or so im told on prop building fourms

front shot after 3 coats of acrylic. Now I can start applying bondo and filling in spots that need it

Here is the first layer of bondo. I made the mistake of waiting to long and it hardened and it was pretty difficult to sand down. Luckily its just hard to sand and not ruined. Next i will use spot filler and apoxy sculpt to help build the shapes and details i need. Then sand, then spot filler, then sand, filler, sand, filler...