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Patrick Kelly
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 Posted: Mon 16 May, 2005 3:35 pm Post subject: My painted GDFB helm. |
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This was my weekend project.
Period references like the Bayeaux Tapestry show nasal helms of various colors. Modern sources like Osprey also interperate many helms of this era as being painted. While we don't have any surviving examples to prove this concept it seems perfectly logical to me. Helms of other eras were painted in order to provide protection from the elements, and to aid in recognition, and the norman era seems no different in this respect IMHO.
I've seen a lot of painted armor on the net that uses the typical red/black, red/yellow, red/blue, yellow/black color schemes. I decided to be a bit different and use blue and white. I had a bit of trouble finding an appropriate blue. I didn't want anything too dark or too vibrant so I tried to find a nice basic primary type blue.
Considering the current state of my waistline I'm considering calling this my "Old King William" interpretation, since William the Conqueror was known for his corpulence later in life. Maybe I'm doing it in reverse. I've got the gut now I need to conquer a country. 
Still a work in progress.
"In valor there is hope.".................. Tacitus
Last edited by Patrick Kelly on Mon 16 May, 2005 5:06 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Björn Hellqvist
myArmoury Alumni
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| Posted: Mon 16 May, 2005 3:52 pm Post subject: |
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Lookin' good! While I haven't painted any of my helmets (all two of them), I like it when someone takes the step and do that highly authentic thing. Nice pick of colours.
My sword site
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G. Scott H.
Location: Arizona, USA Joined: 22 Feb 2005
Posts: 410
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| Posted: Mon 16 May, 2005 3:53 pm Post subject: |
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 Wow! That looks fantastic! Okay, it does sorta remind me of an awning, but that aside...  How did you paint that thing? Was it a masking tape and spray paint type of thing or were there brushes involved? Very nicely done. BTW: Don't sweat the gut, it gives you a more imposing look.  
edit: Uh....what I mean to say is...uh......what gut? You look very svelte and athletic. Yeah, that's it.
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Patrik Erik Lars Lindblom
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| Posted: Mon 16 May, 2005 4:11 pm Post subject: |
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Really nice look on it now, it's look smaller now in some way and better or more real,
even when you show your mr Johnsson
Frid o Fröjd!
Patrik
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Matt G
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| Posted: Mon 16 May, 2005 4:32 pm Post subject: |
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Nice paint job Patrick! Do you have plans to give it a seasoned, weathered look?
Right now the paint looks so fresh, it gives it that, "First day on the job" appearance.
Good work! Looks sharp!
"Speak what you think today in words as hard as cannon-balls and tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said today."
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882)
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Jean Thibodeau
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| Posted: Mon 16 May, 2005 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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Well we haven't seen any pictures much below the upper chest level so its difficult to evaluate fairly the size of your gut 
The odds are good that you look a lot slimmer than I do when I put on Gambison and Maille at 230 pounds at 5'9".
( Not all fat by the way I have to say in my defence ! OOOOPS, seems like I ended up making this post all about me. )
Really nice paint job, I'm also curious about how you did it.
I wonder if this was so common that a " naked " in the white helm would have been the exception rather than the rule.
A bit like having an unpainted car 
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Patrick Kelly
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| Posted: Mon 16 May, 2005 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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Here's the process I used.
Spray paint was used.
First I primed it and then put on the white base coat. After that dried I quartered it into blue and white by masking it off. No measuring was neccesary because I used the medial ridge on the helmet and the chin strap as references. While that was drying I debated on leaving it that way or taking it one step further. Obviously I decided to start steppin'. When the paint was dry enough I measured each quarter at the rim of the helmet, and divided each one into three sections. I then masked off the middle section in each quarter. I eyeballed it from the rim to the peak in lining up the tape. I then painted the middle section in each quarter the opposite color, white in blue, blue in white. I painted these one at a time. Since I was covering the rest of the helm with plastic I had to wait until it was reasonably dry, so it wasn't a one-step operation. This is the result. When finished I gave it a coat of clear matte finish to cut the glare down.
After I was done I kind of kicked myself. I should have taken step by step photos since it might have made for an interesting topic on the forum!
"In valor there is hope.".................. Tacitus
Last edited by Patrick Kelly on Mon 16 May, 2005 4:55 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Patrick Kelly
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| Posted: Mon 16 May, 2005 4:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Matt G wrote: | Nice paint job Patrick! Do you have plans to give it a seasoned, weathered look?
Right now the paint looks so fresh, it gives it that, "First day on the job" appearance.
Good work! Looks sharp! |
No, I don't plan on artificially weathering it in any way. If it gains an aged look it will come by it naturally. I don't care for artificial aging as it looks so, well, artificial to my eye.
I did have the urge to give it a good whack with a sword to simulate some battle damage. I don't think I'll go that route though.
"In valor there is hope.".................. Tacitus
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Roger Hooper
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| Posted: Mon 16 May, 2005 5:20 pm Post subject: |
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That's certainly one way to identify you on the battlefield --- probably one reason why they painted them.
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Patrick Kelly
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| Posted: Mon 16 May, 2005 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Patrik Erik Lars Lindblom wrote: | Really nice look on it now, it's look smaller now in some way and better or more real,
even when you show your mr Johnsson |
It does look smaller doesn't it? Interesting thing perspective is.
"In valor there is hope.".................. Tacitus
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Steve Grisetti
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| Posted: Mon 16 May, 2005 7:00 pm Post subject: |
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Very cool. It never occurred to me that helms would be painted like that, but it is very logical.
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Patrick Kelly
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| Posted: Mon 16 May, 2005 7:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Steve Grisetti wrote: | | Very cool. It never occurred to me that helms would be painted like that, but it is very logical. |
My main inspiration came from a couple of illustrations in the Osprey books. One of them, in The Normans I believe, shows an Italo-Norman Knight with a phrygian cap style nasal helm painted in a blue and yellow pattern like this. There are numerous other illustrations of painted helms in those books but I've always liked that particular one. In several Brassey books on reinactment there's a gentleman pictured who's helm is obviously a direct copy of that illustration. I finally decided to give it a try.
Thanks for the positive comments guys. There were several times in the process where I asked myself if I really wanted to do this! I figured "Oh well that's what paint stripper's for!"
"In valor there is hope.".................. Tacitus
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Mikko Kuusirati
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| Posted: Tue 17 May, 2005 2:53 am Post subject: |
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Neat-o.
As an aside, those are the exact colors of the Finnish flag, to the extent that you could wear that to a World Cup hockey game and not stand out.
"And sin, young man, is when you treat people like things. Including yourself. That's what sin is."
— Terry Pratchett, Carpe Jugulum
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Kenneth Enroth
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| Posted: Tue 17 May, 2005 3:13 am Post subject: |
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| Mikko Kuusirati wrote: | Neat-o.
As an aside, those are the exact colors of the Finnish flag, to the extent that you could wear that to a World Cup hockey game and not stand out. |
I was thinking the same thing.
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Sean Flynt
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Gary Venable
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| Posted: Tue 17 May, 2005 2:55 pm Post subject: |
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Very Nice....
What kind of suspension do you have on the inside? Also was that Osprery book "The Normans (Elite Series, 9)" by David Nicolle, if so how do you like it? Osprey are such a mixed bag.
Gary
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Chris Lampe
Location: United States Joined: 07 Mar 2005
Posts: 211
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| Posted: Tue 17 May, 2005 4:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Patrick Kelly wrote: | | Steve Grisetti wrote: | | Very cool. It never occurred to me that helms would be painted like that, but it is very logical. |
My main inspiration came from a couple of illustrations in the Osprey books. One of them, in The Normans I believe, shows an Italo-Norman Knight with a phrygian cap style nasal helm painted in a blue and yellow pattern like this. There are numerous other illustrations of painted helms in those books but I've always liked that particular one. In several Brassey books on reinactment there's a gentleman pictured who's helm is obviously a direct copy of that illustration. I finally decided to give it a try.
Thanks for the positive comments guys. There were several times in the process where I asked myself if I really wanted to do this! I figured "Oh well that's what paint stripper's for!" |
I just received "The Normans" yesterday along with 10 other Osprey books I got on E-bay. I haven't read it yet but Angus McBride did the plates and as usual, they are gorgeous. This book was the the first time I had seen a lot of painted helmets from that period. I really like the two-page Battle of Hastings spread.
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Patrick Kelly
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| Posted: Tue 17 May, 2005 4:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Gary Venable wrote: | Very Nice....
What kind of suspension do you have on the inside? Also was that Osprery book "The Normans (Elite Series, 9)" by David Nicolle, if so how do you like it? Osprey are such a mixed bag. |
Here's the suspension system.
Yes, The Normans is one of the books I used as a reference, and it's one of my favorites of the Osprey books. I've been a bit disappointed in the artwork found in some of their latest ones, but The Normans is very well done. El Cid and the Reconquista was another one I referenced.
"In valor there is hope.".................. Tacitus
Last edited by Patrick Kelly on Tue 17 May, 2005 9:28 pm; edited 1 time in total
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G. Scott H.
Location: Arizona, USA Joined: 22 Feb 2005
Posts: 410
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| Posted: Tue 17 May, 2005 5:31 pm Post subject: |
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Patrick, you said that the suspension was glued into the helm (I believe?). Have you considered having it riveted in place? If so, will it have to be repainted/touched up afterwards? I ask because I have considered getting one of these, and now you've got me tempted to paint it if I do. I'm thinking I should probably have the liner riveted before painting. Thoughts? Thanks.
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Patrick Kelly
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| Posted: Tue 17 May, 2005 9:22 pm Post subject: |
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| G. Scott H. wrote: | | Patrick, you said that the suspension was glued into the helm (I believe?). Have you considered having it riveted in place? If so, will it have to be repainted/touched up afterwards? I ask because I have considered getting one of these, and now you've got me tempted to paint it if I do. I'm thinking I should probably have the liner riveted before painting. Thoughts? Thanks. |
Yes, it's glued into place. In the above photo you can see two strips of heavy leather crossing each other in the helmets interior. These are part of the suspension system and are not attached directly to the helmet's interior. These are riveted to another strip of heavy leather that runs around the rim of the helmet. The chin strap is also riveted to this piece. The adjustable part of the suspension that forms the leather flaps appears to folded over this leather strip and is sewn onto it.
I think riveting it would be a fairly easy task. All you should have to do is remove the tie from the flaps and pull them down out of the helmet. This will expose the leather strip around the rim, this is what you'd want to rivet through. If you were careful you should probably be able to drill through both the helmet and the leather band without removing the suspension. Then it's a matter of putting the rivets in place and folding the suspension flaps back into the helmet's interior.
I didn't bother because, as I said intially, it's really glued in there. I did a fair amount of pulling on it when I was first examining it after delivery and it isn't going anywhere. The entire suspension system is sewn and riveted together as a unit, so it's not as if you have several components held in there by glue alone. If I was actually going to use it in some kind of combat I might put some rivets in there for peace of mind. On the other hand, as it is now I suspect that any force strong enough to rip the suspension loose from the glue might do the same with rivets.
I'm sure that I'd have to touch up the paint if I installed some rivets, but I don't think it would be a major deal. It would just depend on how much of a fumble fingers I was.
"In valor there is hope.".................. Tacitus
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This is a standard topic