Lalaith the Elven Princess

The full Helm's Deep Elf Armor Costume was on display in the reception area and she recieved permission to capture the details of this incredible work of art! As kind and generous as she is, she has emailed me the pictures for use in creating the armor and gave me permission to share it with all of you. I'm starting a Thank you thread in the forum where you can give her your adoration and warm gratitude!

Update January 2005: While Daniel Falconer was the primary designer of the elf armor, at an Alan Lee book signing in Philadelphia, Mr. Lee confessed he had a large bit to do with the designing of the helmet.

The top fins have different shapes as well. On the left, rounded down to the brow. On the right, indented at the brow.

There are also hooks on the tips of some fins, center two, and not on others, far left.

I have been contacted by several people (Thank you!) as to why the helmets are different. The concenses is the costumers wanted to give a more realistic portrayal of armor during this age - it having been made by hand and over a long period of time. That would allow for the differences.

1 - 1 Cap used for support and shape
2 - 1 Crown
3 - 2 Cheek Guards
4 - 1 Fin
5 - 2 Back pieces - connected in the center
6 - 2 Forehead Guards
7 - 2 Eye Shields

1 - Cap

Take out the button on the top of the cap and seam rip the bill off of it. Then using the paper templates, trace where they will go and cut out the material you will not need.

For best results, tape on all the pieces of the template and make adjustments according to your face and head size. The images of the Elven helmets indicate they were not all exactly alike and they did not fit each Elf in the same way.
Keep at it until it's perfect, the template creation is the most important, most time consuming and most challenging part of the process, but also the easiest to redo.

2 - Crown

Using your template cut out 1 crown piece from poster board and cut in to the center. Cut out 5 pieces of news print making each section 1/4 inch larger than the template.

3 - Cheek Guards and 4- Fin

Using your templates, cut out 2 cheek guard posterboard pieces and 1 Fin.
Then cut out 10 newsprint pieces 1/2 inch larger than the cheek Guards and snip in around the edges up to the template.
Cut out 5 newsprint pieces 1/2 inch larger than the fin and 2 newsprint pieces 1/4 smaller than the fin.

5 - Back, 6 - Forehead
and 7- Eye Guard

Cut out 2 pieces of poster board for each. Then cut out 10 pieces of news print for each template.

2- Crown

Coat the posterboard with Mod Podge and layer the newsprint pieces on it. Smooth the flaps around the edges carefully and press out any wrinkles from the surface. Then, before it's dry, glue the crown to the cap..

3- Cheek Guard

Cover the posterboard with mod podge and then a layer of newsprint ont the outside. Glue the wet posterboard to the cap and then proceed to coat it with Mod Podge again. Then layer the newsprint pieces on it. Smooth the flaps around the edges carefully and press out any wrinkles from the surface. Between layers, bend posterboard into desired shape.

4-Fin

Wrap both sides with 4 layers of glue and newsprint and on the final layer, carefully place the smaller piece of newsprint over the tabs. Then coat the entire fin several times with Mod Podge. Note: Do not fold the bottom tabs over! Leave them loose for attaching the fin to the helmet.

4 - Attach Fin

Attach fin to helmet layer glue and newsprint and smoothing out all wrinkles. This process may require constant supervision to ensure fin dries centered and straight up.

Once Fin is dry and attatched, finish by putting final layer of cheek guard news print over fin's support taps. This will further secure it. Coat several times with mod podge.

  5 - Back Piece

Cover the posterboard with mod podge and then a layer of newsprint ont the outside. Glue the wet posterboard to the cap and then proceed to coat it with Mod Podge again. Then layer the newsprint pieces on it. Smooth the flaps around the edges carefully and press out any wrinkles from the surface. Between layers, bend posterboard into desired shape.

Follow this procedure for Forehead piece and eye guards as well.

Design

"Paint' the design on with tacky glue or a glue gun.

Paint

Paint the helmet with gold metalic and then cover it with a bronze metalic