Upcycle Progress: Cyber Helmet

Hello to those it may concern, I am writing about my progress on my Cyber Helmet. Where we last left off I decided on doing a Power Rangers esk helmet to fulfill my fantasy of being a monster fighting ninja. I chose this aesthetic due to where I think fashion and technology are starting to converge. More and more we are seeing tech integrated into clothing and with new Apple Vision Pro more people are stepping into the wearable technology world. For this project I wanted to use colors and organic shapes to create a futuristic looking helmet that is wearable. I think for some of the main challenges those will come with the cardboard I am using. With cardboard being stiff and hard it will be tough to create the shapes I am looking for. Also the rough texture will be a challenge to create a smooth finish. I may have to work with the medium and use the stiffness to my advantage.

These are some sketches I went through to help myself get a more clear picture of what I am trying to make. With these sketches I can start to make a template and might practice with a small version this week. I think trial and error is going to be key for myself and I need to give myself enough time to go through iterations. Although I procrastinate quite a bit this project has me very excited and I have to see this through. Concerning my design I think I like the top left and very bottom designs the best. The mixture of sharp lines and organic shapes feels much better than one or the other. I want to keep playing with the visor and accessories but I will first focus on how to get the correct shape/form for the helmet piece. Doing it this way I think I will be able to make the accessories and visors to be interchangeable/modular. Doing it this way would lead to much easier customization and something I can continue to build off. This could also lead almost the full mask being able to be changed in a second and create something brand new. Lastly for the accessories I want to make them feel almost other worldly or like they came from the bottom of the sea. Very pointy or wavy shapes that highlight the shape of the helmet or maybe even something simple built in. For the colors I think I am going to go at first with a classic grey or chrome. While I am using cardboard I want to try my best to get a shiny reflection. If I am not able to do that with easy to get paint I might embrace the old rundown look and make my helmet feel like an artifact. The longer that I work on this project I am realizing how close my helmet feels like the Storm Trooper’s helmets. I may use some of that inspiration going forward and maybe even take a page out of Darth Vaders book. Overall I am super excited about this project and hope I can pull it off haha.