Halo Reach Commando Helmet Build (Picture Heavy)

[BLACKULA727]

@Octorock, matth101, & Mensrea Prod, Thanks guys I appreciate the feed back. Now I need to get to work on fine tuning this beast. I still need to apply some metal glazing and sanding in alot of places to make it real smooth where it needs to be. Like around the visor opening and in between the chin, nose & side vents as well as the back of the helmet. Well, I guess everywhere on the helmet. Also, I have to carve in the detail behind the cheeks and on the back of the helmet and sculpt the front vents and cheeks with magic sculpt. It still has a long way to go, I just couldn't help but put the two shades of primer on it. I wanted to get an idea of how it would look. Anyways, thanks alot for visiting my build and good luck with your projects as well. Keep building my fellow 405thers!

 

[AbbyWanKenobi]

I... am speechless. Amazing work, Blackula! I'm excited to see the finished product. Will you be doing the rest of the suit afterward? Well, Carter's build, technically. Nonetheless, there's no doubt you'd make the best Commando build I've seen!

 

[BLACKULA727]

I... am speechless. Amazing work, Blackula! I'm excited to see the finished product. Will you be doing the rest of the suit afterward? Well, Carter's build, technically. Nonetheless, there's no doubt you'd make the best Commando build I've seen!

Thank you very much AbbyWanKenobi <-- Love that name BTW. I appreciate the kind words. I really want to do a full suit, but I have 1 or 2 more helms that I want to do first. After that, I may due some others stuff. Possibly complete armor. But, I really want to do an Elite skull sculpt and a needle rifle. I really have a million different ideas running through my head. There is so much stuff out there to make; I’m kind of stuck in limbo right now as to what the next project may be. We will see. Anyway, thanks again for the complement and thanks for visiting my build.

P.S. I love your build as well. It’s definitely coming along well. You got skillz girl!
P.S.S. Love your signature too

 

[BLACKULA727]

Ok, first I want to say, that I should have a progress pic of the helmet up either Saturday or Sunday. I actually haven’t had a tremendous amount of time to work on it recently (Doing Parents, Mine & various other family members taxes this week). I plan on hitting this beast hard starting tomorrow, so I should have some decent progress pics. However, I sketched something at work today, which I was hoping to get some feedback on. When the commando helmet is finally complete I would like to start a scratch build on an elite skull. I’m not sure exactly how I will approach it, but here is a concept sketch. It’s inspired by the elite tooth people seem to have liked.

P.S. I used various images from Google as ref, so it’s a mash up of concepts on what I would think the elite skull would realistically look like. When I get time, after my current project I may try to make a better more detailed sketch of it.
Keep building 405th!

 

[noble 1]

Ok, first I want to say, that I should have a progress pic of the helmet up either Saturday or Sunday. I actually haven’t had a tremendous amount of time to work on it recently (Doing Parents, Mine & various other family members taxes this week). I plan on hitting this beast hard starting tomorrow, so I should have some decent progress pics. However, I sketched something at work today, which I was hoping to get some feedback on. When the commando helmet is finally complete I would like to start a scratch build on an elite skull. I’m not sure exactly how I will approach it, but here is a concept sketch. It’s inspired by the elite tooth people seem to have liked.

P.S. I used various images from Google as ref, so it’s a mash up of concepts on what I would think the elite skull would realistically look like. When I get time, after my current project I may try to make a better more detailed sketch of it.
Keep building 405th!

it would be the coolest thing ever, in fact if i could sculpt i would try it myself

 

[Pipinacan]

for a reference, check out this guy, I remembered him making the legendary elite skull on the replica prop forum, I don't know if I agree with how long it is though

http://www.therpf.com/f9/halo-elite-covenent-skull-predator-style-trophy-98562/

 

[BLACKULA727]

for a reference, check out this guy, I remembered him making the legendary elite skull on the replica prop forum, I don't know if I agree with how long it is though

http://www.therpf.com/f9/halo-elite-covenent-skull-predator-style-trophy-98562/

Yeah, I saw that. I like it. My only issue is its more of a stylized elite skull. Like the emblem used to signify legendary difficulty in the game. I want to do something that is more realistic. But still, that is an excellent example.

 

[BLACKULA727]

Well here is a quick update. Tried my hand at creating some detail on the back of the helm (Took me three times to get it to where it is). Again, I still have a lot of clean up left. Let me know what you think.

Helmet next to the prototype elite skull I may or may not complete (we’ll see)

Keep on building guys!

 

[blowing bomb]

amazing, what to you use to make the detail?

 

[BLACKULA727]

I use a combination of things.

-Paper template an pencil to draw out the detail.
-Tape to tape off the detail before carving and to straighten up the lines at the end using metal glaze (still need to do)
-Dremel w/sanding wheel attachement to create the depth that I want.
-Wood Carving kit to tighten the lines up
-Needle file to go over carved lines
-Exacto knife for fine tuning.
-Popsiclestick for sanding

Hope that helps!

 

[AbbyWanKenobi]

I LOVE the concept sketch! Sweet stuff, man! You're also really good with the detail on your helmet! Everything is so crisp. I say you should finish the elite skull, indeed.

 

[BLACKULA727]

I LOVE the concept sketch! Sweet stuff, man! You're also really good with the detail on your helmet! Everything is so crisp. I say you should finish the elite skull, indeed.

Thank you! I have to go buy a new wood carving tool because mine broke last night. I'm using it to carve the detail. Also, I probably going to finish the elite skull after this build. I need to do some adjusting on it, like move the eye sockets further back & a number of other things. Anyways, thanks again and good luck on your build!

 

[sk8almostbay]

That's incredible detail on the helmet! and I love all of your pics too. Keep it up!

 

[BLACKULA727]

That's incredible detail on the helmet! and I love all of your pics too. Keep it up!

Thank you. Will do. I've been working on the helm, but I don't want to post any pics yet. Should have a progress update by the end of this weekend. Hopefully finished (FIngers crossed). I want to mold it by monday or tuesday.

 

[sk8almostbay]

Will you sell any when you are done? I like the commando a lot, but not enough to build one at the time. So if you will sell them You have yourself a customer

 

[BLACKULA727]

Here goes another round of pictures of my current progress. Still so much more to do, but I think its coming along. Trying to pack in the detail. Still needs so more fine tuning on the lines and overall sanding, but here you go. Let me know what you all think. Keep building all!

P.S. This part (Detailing) is taking me so long. Hard to sand in all these tight areas. Anyone have any tips?

 

[Ronster]

P.S. This part (Detailing) is taking me so long. Hard to sand in all these tight areas. Anyone have any tips?

If you're talking about some of the recessed areas, you could always sand it down to the level you want with a dremel, the inlay some thin styrene or sintra.
Much like what Devin from Blue Realm does with his clay sculpts:

Sometimes flats smooth surfaces are the hardest to sculpt. So what you may want to do, and what I’m showing in these pictures, is the use of poster board in and on the sculpt to represent these flat smooth surfaces. Cut some poster board to the required shape. Then make a groove in the clay to allow you to lay the poster board down flush-then you just cover the edges of the poster board with some new clay to keep it in place. This will give you that smooth surface that may be harder to reproduce by hand.

http://www.bluerealmstudios.com/2009/04/10/sculpting-a-helmet-the-master-cheif-project/
(You can see about half-way down)

 

[BLACKULA727]

Thanks ROnster. I'm going to try a few things, but thats definitely a good Idea. May have to give it a try if I can't get this beast right. Thanks for viewing my thread.

 

[Ronster]

Thanks ROnster. I'm going to try a few things, but thats definitely a good Idea. May have to give it a try if I can't get this beast right. Thanks for viewing my thread.

No problemo dude! I definitely think you have one of the few and best-looking commando buckets on here! Please keep up the hard work cause I can't wait to see it finished

 

[Spitfire22V]

Wow, it's definitely keeps looking better and better! You're almost there, and I can't wait to see how this thing looks when it's finished. You're definitely putting in more detail into the helmet than most people, and I'm sure it will pay off. Keep it up!