WARNING: Hot glue gun is required so some adult assistance is recommended.

• Paper
• Poster Board (1 large sheet)
• Scissors
• Elmers glue (or glue stick)
• Sticky Tape
• Aluminum foil
• Hot glue gun
• Black acrylic paint and thick brush
• Old rags or cloths

1. Print out these 2 pictures: Shape 1, Shape 2. Cut out the shape in red and fit and glue the two pieces together to make a shape like Figure 1. To make sure that your printer has printed it the correct size, the measurement of the long straight section (where the eye is) should be nine and three quarter inches. If it isn't (or you don't have a printer), use this picture with the grid in it (the squares are inches) to draw your own shape. Note that you can click on this image for a larger version.
   
2. Transfer the picture onto a piece of card and cut it out - that will be your template (and you can easily use this many times over).
3. Get a large piece of paper that is at least 11 inches by 25 inches; you may have to tape several sheets together to get one this big. Fold it in half and place your template with the straight edge along the fold and draw around it, then cut it out.
4. Try this paper pattern around your head to make sure that it is a fit and that the eyes and nose shield are in the right places. Now is the time to make adjustments before you transfer the design to the poster board. Fold the paper in half again to make sure that any adjustments you made are even on both sides.
5. Open up the paper pattern and lay flat on the poster board to either copy the design or you can glue the paper pattern right on and then cut around it (Figure 5).
   
6. Fit the helmet around your head making a mark where you need to tape it together. Before you tape it, it is easier to draw the design while the card is flat but remember where you marked the back so that your design flows across the back when it is taped together. Some design ideas are swirls, laurel leaves, Greek geometrics, mythical creatures and gods or columns.
7. When you are happy with your pencil designs, go ahead and tape it to fit your head. While it is on your head, place a sheet of paper on top for the crown and draw a circle that is the shape of the ring. This will be the top of the helmet.
8. Make a circle of card (larger than the one you have drawn) and cut a slit that goes to the center point. Making a very small overlap - quarter to a half inch - that you tape together to give it a small rise. When it's ready, trim it to be the same shape as the circle that you have drawn and tape to your helmet using tape inside and out to secure it. OR you can make it an inch larger all around than you need for the top of the helmet and cut slits in it at one inch intervals (or more) up to the size you need - this gives you something to tape or glue to the inside of the crown (tape on top, too). Either way works well.
9. With a hot glue gun (parent may need to assist here) run lines of hot glue over the design that you made until it is raised. Also glue gun a line of glue around all the edges and along the top rim of the helmet.
   
10. When the hot glue is set you can start to glue the aluminum foil on. Tear the foil into smallish pieces - 4 inches by 4 inches approx - that you can handle when they're all sticky. It's better to tear it by hand (than use scissors or the cutter that comes on the aluminum box) because it doesn't then leave a hard line when it's layered on. Put glue on the dull side of the foil - a glue stick works best- and stick it to the helmet, working in the foil to all the crevasses so that it isn't "stretched" anywhere over a gap or it may tear. It doesn't matter how wrinkled it is - it just makes it look better when it's painted. Make sure that you overlap the edges and glue it to the inside of the helmet. It's not necessary to put foil all on the inside, in fact it is more comfortable to wear if you don't. For added comfort you can even glue cloth inside (a dark colour would be best). Let the glue dry.
11. Mix some black acylic paint with a little water (it doesn't need to be too thin) to make a black wash. Using a thick brush, paint the helmet in sections, working in the paint to all the nooks and crannies. After about 20 seconds, dab off most of the paint with an old cloth, leaving the paint mainly in all the cracks. If you put too much paint on and it dries, you can wipe it off with a wet cloth. If you wipe too much off, paint and dab again until you are happy with the results. When it's dry, you can always buff it up on the smooth places.
12. Add any other decorations like feathers.
13. This method of "aging" can be used effectively for other metal pieces like shields or armour.