Gladiator Helmet Prop

I had made a gladiator's helmet prop! The reasoning as to why I had made it was because I believe it would be something fun to make, as it allows all sorts of creativity when it comes to building something like this.

Materials:

Foam (a lot of it)

Gold or Yellow Paint

Red Spray Paint

Bristles of a Broom

Tools:

Scissors

Hot Glue

Exacto Knife

Box Cutter

Ruler

Foam Cutter

Paint Brush

Sandpaper

Start by measuring the foam to its correct size of your preference. I had measured it to be 8 inches by 8 inches, giving me room for adjustments if any mistakes were made. Once finished measuring, use an exacto knife or a foam cutter to help create a square shape. It is important to be careful when doing this part so you won't create unnecessary damage to your foam. It is up to you on how tall you want the foam to be stacked up, but I decided to go with 5 layers. Then, use hot glue to anchor the foam down.

Tip: I didn't fully make each length and width of the foam to be the same, as some are 7.5 inches rather than 8. This will be helpful with the next few steps.

***If you decide not to make a foam head, skip to step 3.***

Try using the foam cutter to create a shape that you want to work with. It is genuinely advised not to create a full circle with what you will be creating, as there would be a way to have it stand up on the foam. Remember, this is a prop, not a wearable helmet. Once finished with the foam cutter, begin sanding down the corners to give you this smooth texture with sandpaper. It may take some time but patience is key!

Before continuing further, make sure you either have scraps to help you build the gladiator helmet or find something remotely similar. It is important to have a curve to have this helmet look, as well as the crest or the crista. What the crest and crista is is this tall center part of the helmet, where the plume goes on. Once acquired, you would have to cut it in the shape, as there generally wouldn't be this perfectly shaped gladiator helmet lying around. You would have to make two of them, as you would be needing to hot glue them together or else it would be too small to have on top of the foam head you created earlier (if you did).

Optional: Just imagine any gladiator helmet or go on google, as this can give you a general idea of what the end product would look like.

Using foam (once again), start by using a ruler to measure the desired length you want. You don't want it short, as that wouldn't be pleasant to look at. Try to go for 6 inches, as that is what I did to create my gladiator helmet prop. Try and create this curved shaped piece, as that would go under the helmet. Have it spread evenly apart, trying not to have it too close and trying not to have it too far.

Start by painting the entire helmet gold or yellow, whichever should be fine. This may take a day or two, as you would be needing to double coat it to give it a clean and fully covered gold helmet. It is advised NOT to spray paint it, as the spray paint wouldn't stay on the foam really well. It is best to just use paint, as I believe it will give you a better outcome/result.

Next, you would create a crest. There are many ways you could try and make the crest, such as using yarn and strings, even feathers. But what I decided to go with was the bristle of the broom, and let me tell you why. The way the bristle feels are perfect for a gladiator's helmet, as it has this soft texture; it even gives it the gladiator's helmet look. If you already have a broom with red bristles, then it sure will save you time. If not, use a red spray paint to help you give you a perfect gladiator's crest look.

***For your information, it seems the chemicals from the spray paint did stiffen the bristles.***

This is a quick and easy step, as all you need to do is to create a hole; this hole will help you place your broom head in. Once you've created a hole, use hot glue to hold down the broom head.

And there you have it. You've successfully created a gladiator's helmet prop!