Steampunk firemaster's helmet

[TomBanwell]

I put some pics of my latest helmet on my Flickr site

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tombanwell/3090344296/

[Kowboyboots]

That is absolutely amazing!

[TomSwede]

Never cease to amaze me Tom!!!

I'd like to have a look inside your mind one day and I'm quite confident I'd learn something!

Keep it up!!

Tom

[Beaverslayer]

You do amazing work Tom, love this helmet, and also the others on your Flickr site.

Ken

[TomBanwell]

Thank you, Tom and Ken. I have been told before that my mind doesn't work like other people's. Heh-heh!

[Dags3777]

Never cease to amaze me Tom!!!

I'd like to have a look inside your mind one day and I'm quite confident I'd learn something!

Keep it up!!

Tom

I'm with you Tom, there must be some strange cogs and gears, going around Tom's head. Darryl

[leatheroo]

another great piece tom, i love to look at your etsy site!!!

[twinklestarchild]

I have been trying to piece together a steampunk inspired maskof a similar fashion to a couple on your flickr page, and as I am (elbows?) deep in the process right now, I must tell you that I am very impressed! Beautiful work all around.

[TomBanwell]

I have been trying to piece together a steampunk inspired maskof a similar fashion to a couple on your flickr page, and as I am (elbows?) deep in the process right now, I must tell you that I am very impressed! Beautiful work all around.

In case it helps I'll let you know how I come up with the patterns. For a full-faced steampunk mask you can start with a doll's head, and add clay to it sculpted into the shape of the mask (like the gas mask for instance). Then cover it with masking tape, mark where the seams go, and cut the tape apart along the lines to get the individual patterns.

Tape them down onto cardboard and trace around them. Then you need to enlarge them to full size. I scan them and work on them in Corel Draw, smoothing the lines out, adding seam allowances where needed, adding holes for rivets and buckles, etc.

Most all of my work is handstitched. I space out my stitching slots as needed so that abutting pieces match. I stitch the pieces together while damp (veg tan) so that the leather can stretch or compress as needed to give smooth lines.

Using this technique you can get a pattern for just about anything. For my firemaster's helmet I filled a hardhat with plaster and then shaped it using a Surform to get the crown shape, taping it up the same way to get the pattern. Hope this helps.

[twinklestarchild]

Very helpful, I hadn't thought about starting micro and then going macro with the patterning. Starting with a doll head is not a technique I have heard of anyone using before. I am trying to acquire a good face-form, I think that will help my process alot. The tips for stitching the pieces together (getting the rough incision scar style stitch lines, cannot think of a better way to describe) will be veryuseful, I really dig that style. Many thanks!

[SelfTaught123]

Very helpful, I hadn't thought about starting micro and then going macro with the patterning. Starting with a doll head is not a technique I have heard of anyone using before. I am trying to acquire a good face-form, I think that will help my process alot. The tips for stitching the pieces together (getting the rough incision scar style stitch lines, cannot think of a better way to describe) will be veryuseful, I really dig that style. Many thanks!

I have been thinking about a face-form for masks my self. My plan is to make one, my self, using a body of Foil (great, mailable stuff for heat resistant body fill) toped with Super Sculpy, coated with hard epoxy (i also use that to coat wood carved projects, when they need to be waterproof) to ad strength and rigidity. I am not sure how it will work out, but my first mask on it will be a Green Man mask with glasses lenses built in (as a prescription wearer, I have trouble with masks) for FantasyFest... some year.