Custom Halo Helmet Project - Based off of personal concept art

[mblackwell1002]

So, this isn't really a type of project that one would typically find on this site. In this build, I will be making a helmet of my own design that is intended to fit in the Halo universe. Here's a break down of the build:

At this point in the build, I have mostly drawn the helmet. I still have a few different angles that I need to draw from, but I have the important parts drawn:

(Design iteration is still going on)

This is just a rough sketch, i'll be taking it to digital form later using an Ipad and a program called Pro Create. Once the paper sketch is finished (and there will most likely be several iterations), i'll be tracing, refining, coloring, detailing, all that good stuff in Pro Create.(don't let you mind go to the gutter, i'm watching you.) I find paper a lot easier to work with than a digital medium when i'm coming up with a design. (any other pencil/paint/digital artists out there, give a shout out! ) Digital allows for more detailing when painting, but it's not great for drafting imo.

After the concept is done, i'll make a 3D model of it to make sure the helmet makes sense geometrically. I'll also do some fine-tuning of the shape to allow for easy construction. (the advantages of designing something yourself )

Then comes the indecisive part...I still haven't decided weather I want to pep the helmet or 3D print it. I feel like with as much freedom as I have, i'll go with pep and 3D model the part to be low-res and do the detailing with PVC foam because I essentially get to decide what the details look like.

Then will come painting and weathering. For paint, I plan to go with the weathering style similar to Boba Fett's helmet in ESB and ROTJ. When I say "Weathered like Boba fett's helmet" I mean "Being painted in multiple layers for highly detailed weathering. There won't be a ton of weathering, but it will be significant.

I'll also be doing some -conservative- airbrushing to do some fake shading like Boba's ROTJ jetpack:

Some decals will be made as well to make some custom UNSC-ish decals and stencils to resemble the Halo 5 Recruit helmet's detailing:




Sound complicated enough? Haha, I think it will be a fun build. Thanks for looking! I hope to have some more photos up soon, so stay tuned! I'm still working on my hand cannon HERE, so progress will be slightly hindered by that.

I said it once, and i'll say it again. Thanks for looking! Questions, comments, and memes are welcome.

 

[SI3RRA 117]

Another project? Lol I have to hand it to you. Seems your heart is into cosplay and building. This does look like a cool project and from what I see so far I’d rock that helmet. Looks better then half of the new H5 ones. Now to knock you back down mblackwell1002, your hand cannon HERE isn’t linked lol.

 

[mblackwell1002]

Another project? Lol I have to hand it to you. Seems your heart is into cosplay and building. This does look like a cool project and from what I see so far I’d rock that helmet. Looks better then half of the new H5 ones. Now to knock you back down mblackwell1002, you hand cannon HERE isn’t linked lol.

Thank you, man! I appreciate those kind words more than you know.

And i'll fix the link. Or, maybe i'll just leave it to bug some people...

 

[ReClaimer8015]

Man, how does one keep track of so many projects at once?
Sooner or later your head might burst (like a grunt skull after a magnum headshot)
Your design reminds me of the helmet the Hornet pilots in Halo 3 had......was that intentional?

Anyways, take your time

 

[SI3RRA 117]

Man, how does one keep track of so many projects at once?
Sooner or later your head might burst (like a grunt skull after a magnum headshot)
Your design reminds me of the helmet the Hornet pilots in Halo 3 had......was that intentional?

Anyways, take your time

Ya it made me think of a helmet I had seen before too but I couldn’t place it. It also reminds me of the helmet that Thom A293 did for his build a little as well. I think his was based off some concept art

 

[mblackwell1002]

Man, how does one keep track of so many projects at once?
Sooner or later your head might burst (like a grunt skull after a magnum headshot)
Your design reminds me of the helmet the Hornet pilots in Halo 3 had......was that intentional?

Anyways, take your time

No, that was not the intention. But I can definitely see the similarities. I might incorporate some design aspects of that, though. Glad you mentioned that!

Man, for the most part i'm pretty close to caught up. MC #3 didn't see completion because I traded a guy models for prints. He didn't deliver.

So...moving on with projects. Hit the "Cancel" button on MC #3. I've been focusing on smaller builds lately to hone my skills a little more before going on to big projects.

 

[ReClaimer8015]

Sorry to hear that.....
But MC was done alot already and i enjoy seeing custom props and helmets on this site. Should happen more often. Always inspiring to see what creative ideas other builders have....
Reminds that me i should get off my lazy butt and produce some Stuff myself.

 

[mblackwell1002]

Sorry to hear that.....
But MC was done alot already and i enjoy seeing custom props and helmets on this site. Should happen more often. Always inspiring to see what creative ideas other builders have....
Reminds that me i should get off my lazy butt and produce some Stuff myself.

That you should, my friend. Make some stuff!

I'm not too butthurt about the prints. I only needed him to print the Chest, as he has a much larger printer than I.

 

[mblackwell1002]

Ok, I've decided I want to move towards the H3-Halo Reach aesthetic a little more, with less cluttered surfaces and less detail overall and focusing on making a more appealing design overall. If you guys have any feedback on what you feel looks "Wonky" and i'll tune the design a little bit. If you look at 343's art style, you see far too cluttered surfaces that can make a good-looking helmet super ugly. So i'm going to avoid that. I also think the visor of the helmet could use some detailing. It just looks like a flat plane with no prupose other than seeing. (Which, in the Halo universe, is nonsensical) So i'm gonna give it a good HUD, I think.

 

[PerniciousDuke]

Hmm, I feel like I need to have some words with this "guy," not cool.

My question to you was going to be which generation of suits would you be basing this in and what's your character's backstory? From what I've gathered it sounds like H5 but pulling aesthetics from Reach/H3. My suggestion would to then look hope this has been done. H5 has released Memories of Reach armor sets that pull in from the two styles. If you are able to see where the changes were I this would help yours not feel wonky.

 

[mblackwell1002]

Hmm, I feel like I need to have some words with this "guy," not cool.

My question to you was going to be which generation of suits would you be basing this in and what's your character's backstory? From what I've gathered it sounds like H5 but pulling aesthetics from Reach/H3. My suggestion would to then look hope this has been done. H5 has released Memories of Reach armor sets that pull in from the two styles. If you are able to see where the changes were I this would help yours not feel wonky.

This will be a Mjolnir Gen 1 variant, mostly fitting in with Reach's art style. Rn, i'm kinda removing some detail and working out how to make it look nice without all the detail. And I also need to make sure it fits a human head, lol.

Don't get me wrong; I like Halo 5's art style, but I want this to feel less cluttered than that. You don't always need to "Break up the surfaces" with detail to make a nice-looking helmet. Think of Star Wars and H3, both had simplistic designs and are very iconic in many people's eyes.

Even in Halo 5's Memories of Reach DLC, there were some very significant art changes to make the helmets fit in with the new art style.
Look at the Reach Air Assault helmet. It's simple and sleek.

Then look at the Halo 4 air assault helmet.

The design is actually similar in key detail areas, but the H4 model is cluttered with detail that makes it look much less appealing.

My goal here is to make something that resembles real-world designs and makes a little bit of sense. The H4-5 designs have a lot of detail that doesn't function for anything ither than looks.

 

[mblackwell1002]

Ok, so helmet design has been finalized. New design, full color, all that good stuff.

Tell me what you guys think!

 

[THEdanru]

Kinda reminds me of the H2 Anniversary ODST helmet. Really neat concept!

 

[mblackwell1002]

Kinda reminds me of the H2 Anniversary ODST helmet. Really neat concept!
View attachment 251863

Thank you! It does look quite similar...I guess I've managed to make this helmet feel like it fits in the Halo universe. Considering ReClaimer8015 says it looks like the H3 hornet pilot, and you say it looks like the H2A ODST. I'm super happy about that!

I think I will design some armor for this guy, then i'll actually start building. I'm making a Bungie care package, so i'm gonna make some engrams for them. That means I'm going to work on art in the meantime.

 

[SI3RRA 117]

What’s this bungie care package you speak of?

 

[mblackwell1002]

What’s this bungie care package you speak of?

Engrams, stickers, fan-made stuff to convince them to give me a tour of the studio. Their studio is about 30 minutes away from my house.

 

[THEdanru]

Thank you! It does look quite similar...I guess I've managed to make this helmet feel like it fits in the Halo universe. Considering ReClaimer8015 says it looks like the H3 hornet pilot, and you say it looks like the H2A ODST. I'm super happy about that!

I think I will design some armor for this guy, then i'll actually start building. I'm making a Bungie care package, so i'm gonna make some engrams for them. That means I'm going to work on art in the meantime.

You should be happy . I want to be a concept artist after I finish school, especially for Halo.

 

[SI3RRA 117]

Engrams, stickers, fan-made stuff to convince them to give me a tour of the studio. Their studio is about 30 minutes away from my house.

That’s awesome hopefully it works!!

 

[mblackwell1002]

You should be happy . I want to be a concept artist after I finish high school, especially for Halo.

I would like to do some concept art for 343i as well. I'll probably end up taking classes for the next few years. You need a sponsorship to get a degree in arts like that; that's what 343 is looking for. If you want to do some concept art for Halo now, you can check out Installation 01. It's a free halo game that you could totally sign up for. There's no pay, but it will look good when you go to 343i. Three boxes would be checked (A) volunteer work, (B) Halo designs that fit into the Halo universe, (C) a passion for Halo.

I plan on doing that^ I just need to build up a good portfolio.