Polaroid Photo

Tue
16
Dec '08

Remaking a helmet

Cheap spartan helmet Sometimes when dealing with props I can’t find the real thing or even a replica of it, so I just have to make it. In this case, we needed a Pictish helmet as one of the apparitions in MacBeth. The halloween stores had loads of helmets, but were strangely lacking in anything Pictish. Spartan on the other hand… those were everywhere. So I picked up the helmet in the photo for $9.00. It’s cheap vacuformed plastic and only vaguely the right shape.

The nice thing about this type of material is that it cuts easily. I began be trimming it into the shape that I needed, which was pretty easy to do with a pair of scissors

Trimmed with braidNext up, I used basic braid to create the decorative flourishes from my reference photo. The spiral patterns I did with a judicious use of hot glue as a design element.

Meanwhile, inside the helmet, I ran a hoop of armature wire to stiffen it and get rid of the woogedy-woogedy movement. Seriously, if you’re a warrior, you don’t want your helmet quivering.

Painted helmet To finish it off, I spray painted the whole thing bronze and then spattered it with a little black to give it a patina of age. Ah… I love it when a plan comes together.

7 Comments »

7 Comments

  1. Mike F Mike F on 16.12.2008 at 12:14 (Reply)

    Woogedy-woogedy is another puppetry term, right? I learn so much from the words you use. :) Actually, I get a good visual of what you mean from those words.

    1. Mary Robinette Kowal Mary Robinette Kowal on 16.12.2008 at 16:16 (Reply)

      I’m glad to be expanding your vocabulary.

  2. Steph Campisi Steph Campisi on 16.12.2008 at 16:15 (Reply)

    That is the helmet of awesomeness. And I could definitely imagine woogedy-woogedy being some sort of attribute for a item in World of Warcraft or something.

    1. Mary Robinette Kowal Mary Robinette Kowal on 16.12.2008 at 16:49 (Reply)

      When I started, this was the Helm of Woogedy-Woogedy +2.

  3. David Loftus David Loftus on 16.12.2008 at 16:46 (Reply)

    You’re a magician, I tell you, a magician!

    1. Mary Robinette Kowal Mary Robinette Kowal on 16.12.2008 at 16:49 (Reply)

      You should watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat.

      1. Kelvin Kao Kelvin Kao on 17.12.2008 at 03:10 (Reply)

        Or helmet.

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