The basics of cardboard helmets (tutorial)

[featherweight]

ok lately i've been asked alot for advise on helmets so i thought it warnted a tutorail keep in mind this is only a genral guide to the basics feel free to get as creative as you need with it to make whatever it is you need

using this mathod as a base i've made theese
http://images.cosplay.com/showphoto.php?photo=908362
http://images.cosplay.com/showphoto.php?photo=679827
http://images.cosplay.com/showphoto.php?photo=648963

Matrails you'll need
cardboard
hotglue
bondo
paints

Tools you'll need
cuty things
a hotglue glue
paint brushs
a pen or penceil

ok lets get started than

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2.../tuts/ht01.jpg
1) Cut four 1" by 12" pieces of cardbaord

2) Cut two of the strips of the to fit around your forhead and glue them togather with a thrid strip to fitted to over the top of your head but be sure to leave a half inch sapce at th frond and back

3) Cut a cricle 2" across than bend the disk till it has a slight domed cruve
after that hot glue it to the bottum middle of the over the head strip

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2.../tuts/ht02.jpg

4) Cut the 4th strip fitted in two pieces to the side of your head from the middle glue it on to the dick than on to the band agian leave a half inch space from the bottum edge on of the head band

5) Cut two pieces each as wide as half the cruve between two of the head strips (they should be about 7" long but thats not realy important). Bend one of the pieces untill it good and fexilbe ( don't worrie if it looks abit beat up). hold the piece agnust the inside of the over the head strip and trace the line than mirror that line to the other side of the piece afterword cut the shape out. Glue the tip to the disk and the bottum to the band agian leave a half inch gap to the bottum of the band (cup away extra if you have to)

6) Bend the second piece as you did the frist than trace the lines from the inner edge again. Cut the shape out and glue it in tp place just like step 5

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2.../tuts/ht03.jpg

7) Repeat steps 5and 6 till the cap is all filled in

8) Fill the cracks of the gaps with hot glue

9) Cut a rectangle that fits around the edge of the cap and glue it to the rim it should go almost all the way around just leave a gap for your nose

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2.../tuts/ht04.jpg

10) Cut away piece fro your eyes and neck as needed

11) Cut slits out as seen here

12) Pull togather the sides and glue them in place with tabs on the inside

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2.../tuts/ht05.jpg

13) Make and glue a strap for the chin (make sure to leave enought room to get your nose in and out)

you might get something the looking like this at this point
http://images.cosplay.com/showphoto.php?photo=903080

NOTE: after this point your pretty much have a good base to build out from and make anything you like so the fellowing steps are realy only a basic exmaple to finshing soemthing with it

14) Build what ever details you may need

15) cover the cruved srufaces witha smoothing agent
like bondo than sand and of crose paint as needed

hope this has been helpful love to seen what your all able to make with it

[Okami Yokai]

Featherweight strikes again!
another simple and effective tutorial*nods*

[Enitram]

i agree with okami yokai, t is really simple steps to follow and i'm sure it looks impressive(as all of your other stuff you did)

[Tayels]

just what I needed <3 will be using this guide as a base for my space paranoids sora helmet-y thing xD

among heaps of other things...

EDIT: featherweight ftw! n_n;;

[ChrowX]

Aww.. I'm part of a collective botheration that made Featherweight do something! I feel good.

Many Thanks as always.

[Najica]

Thanks for another fabulous tutorial! You rock as always!

[Crimson Firefly]

If I was looking to build a robot with a TV shaped head like this, would you still recommend a base that fits securely around the head like yours (so it's not sliding down and isn't loose)? And if so, how would I attach it to the overall structure of the box?

[Contra_Mundi]

Would this idea work for making a hat? like this one:
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n...ontest02_b.jpg

[ellax]

thank you very much for the tutorial.. help me a lot..

[Okami Yokai]

Originally Posted by Contra_Mundi

Would this idea work for making a hat? like this one:
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n...ontest02_b.jpg

you could probably use the tutorial to create the metal looking base and maybe the curvy part if you cover it in fabric.

[Contra_Mundi]

Yup! Do you think Gold-paint would do the job?

[FullMetalSam]

As someone said... featherweight strikes again.

I've had the chance to witness the "full might" of the Strike Gundam cosplay you pulled off at CNAnime 2006 and it blew me away. Since then I've been looking at the various tutorial you've been posting on these boards... and you're just awesome.

You're the god of cardboard

Thank you for passing on your knowledge.

[Ikariya]

Thanks for posting this helpful tutorial Featherweight! I was just about to start on a full head helmet and you had just posted this. Keep it up!

[fightstar]

featherweight-san

Just wanted to let you know that I plan on doing this tutorial at some point. I am amassing a load of cardboard and I have a crazy idea for a costume. Thinking of doing Jagi, http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e20/dep8648/HNK/ , from the "Fist of the North Star" anime/manga. I just need to figure out how to do the front "grill".

[Devi 1313]

Oooh, I'll definately be using this to make my Lucy helmet! What painting techniques did you use on your Dr. Doom mask?