Darth Vader Helmet

system · July 5, 2019, 1:02am

I’m going to try to build a life size darth vader helmet. I did a rough mock up sketch in zbrush from a sphere, and then spent alot of time with retopology in both zbrush and maya so that I could just subdivide the base mesh to get the result below.

I still need to finalize how everything will be connected , and i’m going to try to get a scan of my head to make sure everything will fit.

My original plan was to 3D print it at work but the prints would be really expensive and use alot of material so I’m now looking into milling a mold with a CNC and casting it in resin.

I know you can get really particular about making the helmet look exactly like in a specific film. I wasn’t really trying to make it look exactly like any specific film, more a combination of what I liked from all the different versions. I haven’t done a detail pass yet so I might make it a bit sharper like in the Episode 4 version of the helmet when I do the detail sculpting.

Helmet Pieces:

Zbrush BPR Render + some post in PS

Zbrush Screengrab with wires

Attachments

skdzines · July 4, 2019, 12:51am

Looking Great! You’ll have to post pictures of the molded helmet when you’re done. Can’t wait to see it!

Jerick · July 4, 2019, 12:51am

Yeah, Vader’s helmet has such a distinctive style, it’s a necessity to really study it out. I like the approach of blending the versions into what you like most. All in all, sounds like a fun project, hope you post the results as well as mere updates!

system · July 4, 2019, 11:18am

thanks for the replies, progress has unfortunately been pretty slow. I got a 3D scan of my head so I’ve just been taking a long time trying to get it to fit on my head, and still am not sure about how the attachments will necessarily work.
As far as how I’m going to go about making it I’m debating whether to mill some mdf molds and then vacuum press the external shape, or just 3d print the whole thing at full scale and then build a mold around it to make a fiberglass helmet. Not sure yet.

My brother is a star wars geek like me so for fun I got my model 3d laser engraved into a crystal prism.