It first started out when I found out I had a VJ performance at my College. Then I thought, hey, I've always wanted to get on stage as a DJ. Why don't I make an act, like wear something nice for the show right? Then I thought, DAFT PUNK. Oh wow, I thought I wanted to dress up as Daft Punk for the show. (There were other performers as well. And I was hoping to steal the show.) But unfortunately, due to limited resources, I couldn't make the perfect Daft Punk costumes. So I had to improvise.

Heck, not only did I improvise, I also wanted a challenge. Only starting to build the helmets the night before the performance. And supposedly before my bedtime.

"Cardboard Master" as my friend calls me. I am the cardboard master. Over the years since I was a kid, I'd been playing with toilet paper rolls and random cardboard boxes that I could find around the house. Manipulating them and turning junk into toys. Fun toys for my roleplaying needs. And then who knew, I grew up to be someone who's good at manipulating it. At least that's what they think.

Now on to the instructable.... Note that this is my first instructable since I joined in 2009.

EDIT: I want to thank the editors who enjoyed my Instructable, I am now even more motivated to do more projects. Thank you!

Step 1: Getting Started.

First I started working on the sketches. I was thinking of hybrid Daft Punk helmets, something, boxy yet appealing. I took my usual Creative Sketch book and started sketching!

First picture, Initial idea. I took the Guy-Manuel helmet pretty extreme. It was different and original. Thomas' however, was a little bit unoriginal.
Second picture, further tweaking of Guy-Manuel's helmet.
Third picture, further tweaking of Thomas' helmet, Which I still wasn't satisfied with.
Fourth picture, An expanded view of Guy-Manuel's helmet.

Step 2: Step Two? Oh Gosh. Okay, Let's Get the Materials First.

As I've mentioned on the first page, people call me the cardboard master. Pretty cute, but my friends have seen all my cardboard costumes and they loved them all. So, cardboard was the main material obviously!

Shopping list (Sort of)
1. Cardboard boxes, loads and loads of them
2. Masking Tape
3. Spray paint

Tools
1. Pencil and eraser
2. Cutting knife
3. X-acto knife
4. Spray Adhesive.
5. Okay well, Spray paint.

Then I started with the basics, the main body. I first started on GManuel's helmet (since I'm the one who's gonna be wearing it, and the fact that I was still thinking about Thomas') It' was easy simple, I followed almost as accurately to the drawings of the exploded view. With minor changes. But the ideal and initial idea was still there.

Step 3: Foundation, Main Body. You Know.

Then I started with the basics, the main body. I first started on GManuel's helmet (since I'm the one who's gonna be wearing it, and the fact that I was still thinking about Thomas') It was easy, simple, I followed almost as accurately to the drawings of the exploded view. With minor changes. But the ideal and initial idea was still there.

Obviously, I started off drawing out the imagined parts. Carefully making sure of the bends what not. Then I cut them out with the X-acto Knife. Once I had the clear cut pieces, I then went on curving the parts that are supposed to be curved. Using a bending method I've been using for years now. I do it with my nails as a kid, carving down the line. Now I use the back side of the knife and a long metal rule to guide it.

Joining the pieces: The main source of glueing and sticking is the Spray Adhesive. And to give it more holding strength, I used masking tape.

Step 4: So I've Thought About Thomas' Helmet.

After thinking about it, I threw away the eye piece from the original Thomas helmet. And just went Medieval. And apparently, my partner likes medieval stuff. So, yay goes for the idea. Oh yeah and it sort of looks like a Gundam robot thing, and he likes Gundam too. Haha.

Just the same old procedure:
1. Draw
2. Cut with X-acto knife
3. More cutting with cutting knife
4. Bending the meant to be curved parts
5. Spray the insides with Spray Adhesive.
6. Strengthen with tape.
And that's that.

Step 5: Visor Time.

Like I said, I had limited resources. So I simply said bye bye to see-through glass visors. I actually bought Acrylic glass for this project but, I couldn't find any Nite Shade sprays around my small country. Maybe it's because it's forbidden or illegal because the purpose of it in stock is to spray the backlights of cars, or how do you explain that.

Anyway, same material, just carved eye parts for viewing obviously. I made it look cool but yet Medieval. And now that we're done, time to spray paint!

Step 6: Spray Time!

Personally, I am bad at colours. I'm a sketch artist and colour makes my eyes burn. But, colour is good. So... Colour away!
I coloured the Visors Black, I used Shiny Metallic black. Well because I think it really suits it. Eh. Then Chrome Silver for Thomas' hat. Chrome Gold for GManuel's hat. I couldn't get the floor wax to give the hat a nice shiny reflective Chrome. Sad. But will do for the time being.

I did the first coat lightly, made it wait for five minutes, then resumed to spray the second coat, also lightly, waited for ten minutes, then added the last coat for the final finish. And when it was done, my partner called me to ask about the status of the helmets. I sent him the finished picture, and he was just mesmerized. It's gonna be a blast!

Step 7: Suit Up, and Get on Stage!

Okay well not yet. Testing how we look on the helmets on the first pic. At this point, he was too excited to put the helmet down. But, as we've promised, it was going to be a secret. And nobody, not even our closest friends knew about it until the start of our performance. As for the apparel, I went digging in my wardrobe for classy suits, and I told him to do the same. So basically, our first idea was to make it full on weird, wearing just singlets. The idea was dropped and exchanged for suits.

And then the music starts. The wild crowd cheered at us, most in surprise of our untold dress-up. We did a neat entrance starting from the back. Nobody saw us coming. It was amazing. I have a video of it, but it belongs to one of the owners of some of these pictures. I'll try to get the video up on youtube.

Photo Credits: Various Photographers.