How to Make a G.I. Joe Helmet
The phrase "action figure" was coined for the groundbreaking range of G.I. Joe figurines. The G.I. Joe figurines rose to popularity in the 1980s. Ready to battle the evil forces of Cobra Command, G.I. Joe figurines come in a variety of uniforms and with a plethora of equipment. The movie version of G.I. Joe has contributed to the fame of this little plastic figurine. Make your own G.I. Joe helmet to compliment your military outfit. The helmet takes several days to make, so start well in advance of your special event.
Things You'll Need
- Bike helmet
- Plastic wrap
- Scissors
- Poster board
- Masking tape
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp. salt
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon
- Newspapers
- Sandpaper
- Soft cloth
- Paintbrush
- Brown or olive green paint
- Ski goggles or plastic visor
Instructions
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1
Cover the outside of the bike helmet with plastic wrap. With the scissors, cut a 4-inch strip of poster board that is long enough to wrap around your bike helmet. Wrap it around your helmet and secure with masking tape. Cut a second piece of cardboard that hangs down the back to the base of the neck and over the ears. The cardboard piece should be 10 inches long and 3 inches wide. Shape the cardboard like a rectangle with rounded corners at the jawline.
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2
Secure the back piece of poster board to the headband using the masking tape. Mix the paper mache by combining the 2 cups of flour, 2 cups of water and 1 tsp. salt in the mixing bowl. Mix well with the spoon until the mixture resembles pancake batter. Cut the newspaper into 2-inch wide strips and dip the strips into the flour mixture.
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3
Lay the strips over the helmet, headband and back piece. Allow the helmet to dry overnight. When it is dry, cut 3-inch strips of masking tape in half, lengthwise. Paste these around the bottom edge of the helmet as this area is slightly raised on a military issue helmet. Paste two layers of tape all along the edge, over the forehead, around the ears and around the back of the helmet.
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4
Cover the helmet with a second, third and fourth layer of paper mache. Let each successive layer dry overnight. Test for dryness. If a fingernail pressed into the paper mache leaves no mark, you can proceed.
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5
Sand the outside of the helmet with the sandpaper to create a smooth surface. Dust with the soft cloth. Use the paintbrush to paint the helmet with brown or olive green paint and allow to dry. Pull the bike helmet and plastic wrap from inside the G.I. Joe helmet. It will just pull out when the paper mache is dry. Place the goggles over the helmet so that they sit on the front of the helmet.
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Tips & Warnings
Cover your helmet in camouflage fabric if you do not want to paint it. Stick the fabric onto the helmet with white glue.
Embellish your helmet with netting or foliage.
