Decals: How do they did?

[Verne]

Since we have awesome pictures of original ROTJ helmets, we can clearly see that the decals are far to be smooth and seems to be made out of several layer.

 

For exemple:

 

 

 

According to me, the design (colored layer) was added on a sheet of black vinyl. As you can see, the black outline isn't regular (random cutting by the ILM crew I guess).

The colored layer seems to be thick and textured (seems rough.)

 

It looks like a kind of paint or a transfer.

 

Any advices?

[pandatrooper[TK]]

Not sure if you're asking for confirmation that they're decals? If so, I believe the original ROTJ helmets were decals

 

http://www.starwarshelmets.com/Original-RO...mor-helmets.htm

 

TK-4510 makes replacement decals that match the original screen look if you're looking to buy some

 

http://members.cox.net/appstronaut/ROTJ_helmet_decals.html

[Verne]

I bought decals from TK4510 but those aren't similar! I know that he made a great work on research, but according to me, they aren't accurate.

 

But I thank you for your advice!

[JoeR]

I bought decals from TK4510 but those aren't similar! I know that he made a great work on research, but according to me, they aren't accurate.

 

But I thank you for your advice!

I think they are grey humbrol silk screened onto black vinyl with an adhesive underneath

[troopermaster]

Definately silk screened, but I thought they were paper not vinyl, or was that just ESB decals?

[Verne]

Thank you for your advice Joe.

 

I found the black vinyl paper. Now I have to find how applicate the paint with a correct making. Because on all ROTJ decals, this layer is similar (no gap, deformations, etc...)

 

[JoeR]

Thank you for your advice Joe.

 

I found the black vinyl paper. Now I have to find how applicate the paint with a correct making. Because on all ROTJ decals, this layer is similar (no gap, deformations, etc...)

 

Paul my esb/Jedi helmet was paper you are right, don't know about Jedi but it looks like vinyl. I will be commissioning mike to do ultra accurate decals for my upcoming helmet run. Should we try paper for ESB/background and vinyl for Jedi?

[troopermaster]

Should we try paper for ESB/background and vinyl for Jedi?

 

Absolutely

[Verne]

Paper for ESB style decals???

 

It's true that those seems to be less thick than ROTJ decals, but it's hard to believe

 

On many pictures, these decals looks to have been made exactly like the ROTJ decals but less thick!

 

But it's hard to know. Since I've never seen an extreme close up of one of these. And I can believe Joe who had these decals in hands.

[NAZGÛL]

Great thread! Thanks for sharing the knowledge guys!

[NAZGÛL]

I have always thought of the decals as glossy in apearence, on the pic above it appears rather flat.

 

Is the ESB also flat?

[Verne]

It would be nice to know what Jez think since he touched both helmets.

[TK-4510[501st]]

When I saw the helmets at CC they looked like screen printed black over white vinyl. The tube stripes are white and blue. I think they would have been done at the same time. They also appear to be cut out by hand and not die cut. The only way to duplicate that would be to do it at home, low budget style. The screen is a low linescreen level as well, so you really see the cross patterns easily with the eye. My ROTJ decals are not as accurate as I had hoped. They are screen printed at a higher resolution. I think that the matte lamination killed the color as well. The printer will only credit me half the expenses on a reprint, so I opted to forget it for now. Next time no matte lamination. I also would have liked a better helmet to scale them on as I think Matt's helmet had been modified...In the mean time they still look great.

[Verne]

Hey Mike, all my respect for the work that you made (and still make).

 

I agree with you, decals were cut out by hand (the black liner isn't regular from an helmet to another).

 

I think that ILM used a different technique to make these decals than the one for your decals.

 

Check this link for a small part of the history of Matt's helmet http://forum.whitearmor.net/index.php?showtopic=8957

[JoeR]

Here's a RF helmet showing the black underneath on the rear decal.

 

 

Joe

[JoeR]

Here's some from my ESB/Jedi helmet, these were papery to the touch, very poor quality. These are the same as the ESB helmets. More proof that they were made at the time of ESB and not Jedi as per TM's theory.

 

 

 

 

A friend of mine has scans of these but I haven't heard from him in a while.

 

Joe

[Verne]

Here's some from my ESB/Jedi helmet, these were papery to the touch, very poor quality. These are the same as the ESB helmets. More proof that they were made at the time of ESB and not Jedi as per TM's theory.

 

 

 

 

A friend of mine has scans of these but I haven't heard from him in a while.

 

Joe

 

Thanks for these pictures Joe. If only you would be able to get these scans, that would be awesome

 

Were these decals well fixed on the helmet?

 

I bought a vynil paper on ebay! It looks like paper but it's adhesive. I guess it would be nice in order to make ESB style decals.

 

What was the real color? Grey or blue???

[NAZGÛL]

Great pics Joe!

[JoeR]

Thanks guys, as Mike has said before it is a touch bluer than the grey humbrol. Mike has the exact details from when he did the match at the recent con. They were re-attached during the restoration so I am not sure how they were attached, there was glue all over the helmet though!

 

Joe

[Midnight Trooper]

Wow! Love the new and improved version helmet in your avatar TM! Sent you a PM.

[Verne]

I don't know for the background ROTJ helmet (which have ESB decals) but it seems that ESB decals were printed on black stuff:

 

[Nassik]

These look similar to how my decals are on my RoTJ helmet. For my decals TE cut the black areas out of the decals and then put the decals over black vinyl. This gives the decals a slight 3-D effect.