For Halloween this year, I decided to go all out and make an oversized, wearable Optimus Prime helmet. As a huge Transformers fan, I’ve always wanted to build a life-size Optimus Prime, and making his head seemed like a good place to start. The end result was an awesome, comfortable helmet that I can’t wait to wear trick or treating with my kids.
Sizing Up Optimus Prime’s Head
There are many different materials you could use for a helmet. I’ve 3D printed many helmets before and that can be a really great way to make a prop helmet! But this time I wanted it to be lighter and easier to wear, and since it was going to be VERY BIG, I decided to go with cardboard. The next problem was that I didn’t know how large the helmet really needed to be.
Using reference images, I calculated that Optimus Prime’s head is about 9% the size of his total 22-foot height. After some quick math, I determined his head needed to be right around 2 feet tall to be to scale. Having the precise dimensions before cutting anything was crucial to make sure the helmet would come out accurately sized.
Constructing the Helmet
With the size figured out, I was ready to start building it. I found a papercraft template online that gave me a great Optimus head outline to build from. After scaling it up over 200%, I used my laser cutter to precisely cut all the pieces out of lightweight cardboard. I was even able to use the laser to score the areas that would need to be folded.
I love how fast and accurate the laser cutter is for jobs like this! The template went together surprisingly easy, despite the larger scale. Once assembled, I sealed the cardboard with lacquer to protect it before adding surface details (don’t use Mod Podge, it will pucker the cardboard).
Adding Details and Mounting Points
Now the fun began – making this thing look like the real Optimus Prime. I used spackle and styrene to smooth out the surfaces and hide the corrugated ends of the cardboard. Then came a coat of filler primer to lock everything together. Once that had dried, I taped off different sections of the helmet and got to adding the iconic blue and silver, and it REALLY started to look like Optimus. I also 3D printed an insert to add detail to the symbol on his forehead.
To make it wearable, I had to problem solve mounting points. In the end, attaching it to an adjustable welding mask head strap worked perfectly. I had kept one around for just such an occasion and I’m really glad it worked out so well. This allowed me to securely wear the massive helmet while keeping my head comfortable.
Illuminating the Eyes
The first thing to figure out was how to hide my face in the visor of the helmet. I needed to be able to see without being seen, but also wanted it to be breathable. I first tried some fabric that I had dyed black, but it was a little to opaque. I then found a black needlepoint canvas that worked PERFECTLY. It could easily be bent or folded, held its shape well, and could be easily attached to the helmet.
Then came the glowing eyes! I settled on flexible electroluminescent (EL) panels with a blue film overlay for the perfect look. The panels could easily be cut with a utility knife to the exact shape of Optimus Prime’s eyes. The EL panels provide a nice subtle glow that works great for nighttime wear, and with fresh batteries they can even be seen in moderate sunlight.
Roll Out!
This build was a blast from start to finish. The final helmet came out looking so accurate to the real Optimus Prime, I was stunned. But what really excites me is how surprisingly wearable it is thanks to the sturdy but lightweight build and comfortable mounting setup.
I can’t wait to light up those eyes and walk around as Optimus Prime this Halloween with my kids! Remember – with the right planning and skills, you can create almost anything. Now, go out there and make awesome stuff!
