A Bucket of One's Own

Two years ago, I made an abortive attempt at sculpting a helmet for molding one (or several) of my own. That never got too far. I'm moving along swimmingly now (though perhaps not well), so I'm posting what I've got.

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Size: 85 items

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I started with this.

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 1376

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Wrapped in plaster bandages, filled with plaster. To give me...

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 795

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This. This was ever only designed to be used as a core to build upon. No recasting here. Sorry it's so blurry.

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 819

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And this was the original attempt at putting a layer of clay down. It never got farther than this.

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 828

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Fast forward two years. Here I go again.

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 833

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And with two layers on. You can almost tell what it is.

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 917

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My first real effort was in smoothing out the dome.

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 767

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To feel like I was actually working on a Mandalorian helmet, I scored in the visor area. Waste of time.

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 860

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As I pared away clay, I did it unevenly, since I couldn't tell what was what with an inch of clay down. Unfortunately, I've run into the ear cap on the plaster cast. This is part of the plug I cut away to get at the thing.

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 787

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Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 727

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The culprit.

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 796

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I was afraid the whole core might splinter if I chiseled the ear cap down, but it came off pretty nicely.

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 748

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Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 731

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Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 710

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Filling the hole.

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 669

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Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 758

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Smoothin' it out.

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 786

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Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 711

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After about 12 hours total work.

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 752

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Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 801

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Doesn't look like it should've taken that long, does it?

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 796

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And after about 15 and a half hours.

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 692

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Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 775

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Finding my measurements off, I filled in the visor area again.

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 664

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I found throughout that I had a really hard time seeing things--center, proportion, etc. So I got the toothpicks...

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 716

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Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 743

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Think I finally got the proportions right.

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 774

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Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 685

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Got a little bolder with the face.

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 779

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And then I ran into plaster again. This thing must be really lop-sided under all that clay.

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 755

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Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 651

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Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 673

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Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 781

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And here's where I am at right around 20 hours.

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 664

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Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 857

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Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 757

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Right now I'm working on how lop-sided the back is. And running into more plaster. It's almost eleven now, so I may concentrate on the face and chisel away tomorrow in the daylight.

Date: 06/23/2007 Owner: Joel Tracy Views: 672