Plans for Making and Painting the Visor (Some results)

 For the visor I will be following a very budgeted version of this:

You will note that they use a pretty fair sized piece of plastic over the form and an airbrush to paint with.
The video uses .05 PETG plastic, Pebeo Paint thinned with turpentine.

So I did some shopping...a shame how experimenting can become so expensive.

My Alternatives to the PETG Plastic Sheet

 None...I actually hopped onto Amazon and got some .04 PETG plastic. I got a 12" x 48" sheet. Proabably enough for 1.
My other alternative which is a big experiment is the PETG plastic bottle I have from my 2 liter pop. (Or soda...it was Pepsi if you're curious.) Pepsi products still have unshaped 2 liter bottles while Coke products have a waistline.
In my Visor Hate Post I had one experiment with the plastic bottle that was a mighty promising option.

Alternative to the Vacuum Form Table

 I really have my doubts that this will work, but I'm going to do my best to jerry-rig a vacuum forming system.

I have clamps, aluminum turkey baking pans, card board boxes, tape of the duct variety, and resolve. Oh and a vacuum and a pair of cutty tools.

Assembly PLAN

Pan with cardboard taped to top. Holes drilled with power drill because I'm too impatient and use tools like an advanced primate or something. Hole cut into the baking tin vacuum hose taped in. (May double up the turkey tin for pressure. I have some scrap wood in the back of my car from some project my dad helped me with. )

Pray.

Cut another tin in half, use top half as a frame.
Clip plastic to frame and set frame on top of another baking tin.
Pre-heat oven to 250 or 300 degrees or something. May have to look that up. (update: Set to broil seems to be the best advice/Bake at 250 - 320 degrees for PETG.)

Pray again.

Turn on the vacuum just before pulling out the sagging fabric. Push that fabric onto the form like a boss!

Pray it works. Praying is a good thing to do in the process. If it doesn't work, at least you prayed for souls in purgatory. At least that's what I would do.

That's the plan. Results are coming soon.

The Buck/Model form. 

In the video I posted, the artist created a dummy form of her head and then put clay over it. Then she sanded the heck out of it to produce a smooth enough surface.

Want to see how I did this without really sculpting at ALL? Welcome to the sculpting impaired version of Tali's helmet visor or a Quarian helmet visor. Should work in theory.

According to my pepakura test with paper, I have the rough size of what will be seen through the helmet.

I have a no-face chrome plastic mask and a no face styrofoam head. The head is wrapped in Duct Tape because I was playing with a heat gun. Tee hee. (Note: I've also seen the mask at Party City and Halloween Stores and the head I actually got a Michael's or Joann's or Hobby Lobby.)

I put the mask on the head. Masking tape works a bit better than using the string so it doesn't deform.

You could cut off the back of the head to make it lay flat on the table. I don't want to do this so I'm doing a whole bunch more unnecessary steps. I mean. You could do it this way too.

So I happen to have laying around my craft table silicon mold which was meant for another project that I'll never finish. (Because I can't sculpt).
Going for a one part mold using one of the many extra turkey tins I have. (Cut down to size, hot glued to card board. suspend head face down with duct tape.) Mix the mold, pour in

Take out the head and use the mold to cast a buck! I've got plaster of Paris to experiment with. I hope it's tough enough to withstand the pressure.

Mix 2 cups of plaster and 1 cup of water. Pour into the mold and let it set forever.

UPDATE: Okay so I went to mix my silicone mold and it turns out that it expired. So I couldn't mix it.
I'm attempting a plaster mold. I didn't have enough though. So I have to figure out how to make enough mixture for a mold.

Update 2: I've decided I can make a mold from plaster of paris and gauze or gypsona bandages.
I've also remembered I have water putty.
Casting with plaster will work though.

Tinting the Visor

The video used Pebeo Vitrea paint mixed with turpentine then airbrushed. 

Using the many 20 fl oz plastic bottles I have scattered about, I'll experiment with the best paint to use. 

Paint Options

Tamiya Transparent Color. I used it on the image above. It's pretty good. I was concerned however when I couldn't see through my visor made from the safety mask. 

I have some enamel glass paint that I will thin down and try. 

I also think I'll use alcohol ink colors like this blog project here.

Alternative to the Airbrush

So if I go with the Tamiya paint, I don't need an airbrush as it is in an aerosol can. What I DID get from Home Depot is a spray can handle...which is going to be my new love for awhile. (So going to help with the warden project! ) And it was SO cheap. :D So it's like I don't even NEED an airbrush Shah!

Also another alternative that I will try with the paints is THIS: Complete Spray Gun also from Home Depot. Also SO CHEAP. Combine this with the spray handle and we're golden. I'm so excited to try this. 

Results

 So a mix of stamping ink with a makeup sponge + the Tamiya Paint make a nice warm dark purple color that I can see through the PETG sheet. I did test with everything...and sadly I won't need my spray gun for this one. :(

So others can save their pennies on this one.