Starwars Stormtrooper Helmet Using Eva Foam

I was first introduced to starwars when I was in my 6th grade class. there was this drawing contest where everybody needed to draw something. then there was Edison, he didnt just drew something he made a starwars poster! Naturally, I was fascinated by the guy in the black helmet who looked like a robot. Back then there was no google so I had to ask everyone for information.
Stormtroopers are one the most recognizable and iconic characters of all time, so with the aid of google I found this: http://paper-replika.com/index.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26id%3D7472:stormtrooper-helmet-with-eva-foam-pepakura%26Itemid%3D200144 the pep file is an excellent replica of the original helmet. unfortunately I only have half inch thick eva foams, but I wanted to make one, so I needed to make do of what I have.

***Update****

someone asked if I could make it like a zombie apocalypse type of thing. well since I have some free time and a lot of red ink lying around might as well do some coloring. more of the details on the last step. Thanks again for viewing.

Step 1: Print and Trace the Pattern.

For this build we need a few supplies:

1. Eva foam 1/2" thick or if you got anything thinner like 2mm that would be great. The ones I got come in 12" x 12" sheets, I used up about 6 pcs of those.
2. spray paint white
3. spray paint any color (optional)
4. instant glue
5. acrylic emulsion
6. sand paper 280 or higher
7. pencil or anything that can write over the foam.
8. scissors
9. paint brush
10. Elmers glue
11. tons of patience (when cutting the pattern you'll need a lot of it). :)

Let's start.

I originally planned to glue on the pattern, but the paper did not want to stick to the foam and wrinkles started to appear as the glue started to dry. So I just traced the cutline and started cutting them up using scissors. it pays to have the pep files on the computer opened as i learned the hardway, i ended up making mistakes when joining parts up. I use instant glue as it easily welds the pieces pretty fast.

Step 2: Assemble It Part by Part

Large pieces on the file usually fit together. When I saw the helmet taking shape I was so excited that I didnt notice that I have not curved the bottom portion well enough and that 2 integral pieces of the jaw to the mouth pieces doesnt seem to fit. well instead of tracing another set of pieces, I just went ahead and removed the 2 connecting pieces and slap the mouth piece and the jaw together.

Step 3: Filling / Coating With Glue

I knew the eva would soak up the paint like a sponge, so i needed something to seal the surface just enough so I can cover it up with a thin coat of paint. Did not bother dilluting the glue with water, just poured it all over and coat everything up usng my hands. let it dry for about 2hrs.

Step 4: Paint to See Seams (optional Step)

If you were able to cut the foam properly, you dont need this step. this step is for the lazy people like me who used scissors to cut a half inch thick foam.

I painted the helmet red since that's all i have available. i did this to see the seams. I sanded the helmet roughly just to smooth out the seams.

Step 5: Spray Paint White Primer and Brush on Acrylic Emulsion

I was thinking of using the primer and some sanding to hide the seams, but alas the porous nature of the eva foam prove to be difficult to work with. so i just spray painted with primer paint and sanded it off lightly. i then brushed 3 coats of acrylic emulsion to seal off the foam surface.

Step 6: Spray Paint Flat White & Add Details

I decided to paint it using flat white. I wasn't able to smooth out the seams as I originally planned, so the flat white would add some finish but will still allow me to work on it again.

originally, i just gonna leave it plain white. but then it kinda look boring. so I was set to paint on the black details on it. I was on my way on doing that when I accidentally knocked over the bottle of black ink. I saw how the ink flowed on the helmet and liked the effect. so I poured a few more ink to complete the look.

***Updated for the bloody trooper***

When I heard of the suggestion of making the trooper bloody, my first thought was how can a trooper be bloody when all weapons are either lasers or light sabres. well, since I also wanted the trooper to stand out might as well cover it with blood.

I started by dripping more of the black ink so it would look like dried up blood. Then I mixed red ink with acrylic emulsion and painted the thing over.

Overall, I was quite happy with the outcome. it's light, wearable and could probably take a lot of play time.

some afterthought:

The half inch eva foam proved to be better as the helmet did not require any reinforcement and held up the shape quite evenly. Only thing I would do different is to properly cut the foam and look at the pep files when doing the assembly.

It's an entertaining project for kids and not so young people. ;)