Check out this link.

http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... &start=140

This is probably the best work that I've seen in ANY helmet. (maybe ANY armour!) The final sketch gives you an idea as to how the piece fits in with the entire suit.

Truly remarkable craftsmanship!

Yeah, Ugo's work is nothing short of 100% completely fucking badass awesome. That helmet is easily the single most impressive modern piece I've ever seen.

Serrano is the new Negroli.

Whoa, I better sit down. holy crap.

Truly functional art.

He sketched the scorpions on the outside of the helm, but did he re-sketch them on the inside as well? How else could you tell where to 'knock out' the metal to form the scorpion shapes?

Other fellow armourers should take note of the use of sketches as a final road map. Instead of just aquiring random pieces, or slapping stuff together, first sit back, and actually plan what you want, and go from there.

Repouse usually involves working alternately from the inside and the outside of the piece. For all I know, it may be possible to do everything from the outside. The way I've had it explained to me, you typically bump out the initial mass of the form (from the inside) and then chisel in the detail and refine the shape (from the outside).

EDIT: I found this page describing the technique. It appears you line the piece from the outside and then flip it to work from the inside. Then you have guidelines to proceed from.

I still don't see how outlining the outside would help see the pattern from the inside. You would really have to whack some lines into it. Maybe your first suggestion is closer. (bulging out a larger pattern, then knocking smaller parts back into shape as required.)

If you look at the blown up version of the second bracelet picture, you can clearly see the lines from the "feathers" on the "wing" from the lines that were made on the front. Granted it's probably a 22 or 24 gauge sheet of gold which is like play dough, but the principle is the same for steel. The pitch backing up the piece of metal allows the vast majority of the force of a hammer blow to be applied directly to the point of contact instead of having the force disperse through deformation of the entire plate. I don't think it would be that difficult to make a line that would be visible on the back of a 16 or 18 gauge piece of steel.

If I get a chance, I'll try to sneak into Stephen's studio at lunch today and do some testing.

Having done this prossess on copper and steel the process is like what eric said. Start on top make an out line. Then flip over and start bulging out. Its all a back an forth thing , if you go to far then you just flip over and compress the metal back down. but the key is support , if you dont have some kind of support for the metal , stroung to hold the object in place and soft enough to not chip with hit with shaping tools and to let the metal move at a controlled pace. I use chasers red german from Otto Frei, its about the base you can get online with out calling northwest pitch works (which is good stuff but pricey). Also I use pewter some times FOR REALLLLLLY crisp details , some people use lead , but they have about the same working qualities so why not use the less deadly of the two. If any one wants to learn more aobut it, I can show you the prosess in my studio at LSU and show you how to make the tools.

in service

Squire Stephen Blades

OMG

That guy's head is wearing another guy's head!

Damn, that is freaking impressive! Intimidating in a surreal way as well. I think you could simply stare down an opponent with that helmet. Crom smiles on him!