The next step was to fill in all the gaps with cardboard (as suggested by the link in the previous post). For the top of the helmet I just generalized the size of cardboard I would need and hot glue gunned one side to secure the piece and made adjustment cuts as I tried to size it to the skeleton.
In retrospect, I realize it would've been much easier to trace the outline with a piece of paper and then cut the cardboard along the outline. In the future, I will do it that way to save time and create a more natural curve at the top of the helmet. I assume (rather, hope) that I'll be able to fix it once I start adding the layers of paper mache and pulp.
Once I finished the top, I added more cardboard at a slight curve to cover the front of my chin and filled in the gaps at the front of the helmet. I used masking tape like before to temporarily secure the pieces and then went over the edges with the hot glue gun to keep it in place. I left a general opening where the visor will be.
I did a little cutting along the bottom because it was starting to look more like a Clone Trooper helmet in shape. It was a slightly angled cut to the back of the helmet. I just used some masking tape to hold that in place. For the fit I imagined how a motorcycle helmet would be shaped along the bottom and tried to cut it like that. It was a very slight angle, but if you cut off too much you can always add more cardboard and reshape. Trying it on several times after adjustments was necessary, and I learned it was even more important during the next step.
The next step involved using a marker to draw a general outline of where the visor was going to be and also the mouthpiece or whatever you want to call it. I would have used an exacto knife but I didn't have one on hand so I just found the sharpest knife I could and carved out the mouth area. Since there was already an area open for the visor, I just used some scissors to cut out the rest of the visor hole. I made adjustments as I did it and compared it to reference pictures (screenshots from the show) and this is what I came up with:
Not perfect, but it looks good enough to me! After trying it on once more I realized that I needed to make the helmet a little bit longer in the front only for fitting my face without having a full view of my head if someone were standing below me (something I rarely avoid since I'm tall), so I just shaped out some more cardboard and added a little bit to curve under the bottom of my chin. I'm not sure if that will take away from the realism of the helmet, but I figure I can make the mouthpiece area a bit longer if it looks too odd.
One problem I have run into so far (which may or may not be a problem) involved adding the cardboard at the top curve of the helmet. If I had used paper to make the cuts perfect from the beginning, then the helmet wouldn't be slightly lopsided. The center of the visor from the front view had to be moved slightly to the left due to this, but it looks fine once the helmet is on. Lesson learned.
It looks good at this stage and I'm very pleased with how it's turned out so far considering this is my first attempt at anything like this. I have a day off work tomorrow so I plan on starting the first couple layers of paper mache. The next post will cover how that goes.
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