Mandalorian Armor

This is the project that inspired my passion for creating physical objects from basic designs: my own personal set of Mandalorian Armor. When I was in high school, I got in touch with a group that introduced me to the concept of costuming. Through this group I found resources that allowed me to design and build my own set of armor inspired by George Lucas’ character Boba Fett from Star Wars. This project began as nothing more than some printed lines on paper; however through dedication and patience, and a lot of Bondo, I was able to express myself and create something that is unique to me.

As seen in the photos below, this project went through many stages before even resembling the helmet it was meant to be. By taping together the various pieces of paper together the initial shape began to form, but the helmet had no real structure to it. That is why I used fiberglass mesh and resin to coat the helmet, giving it the support it needed. This left the helmet as not much more than a hardened blob, leading to the inclusion of the Bondo. By alternating between applications of Bondo and sanding down the helmet, I was able to define the details of the helmet and create the iconic look I was mimicking. This was the most time consuming process due to the sheer amount of times I needed to add layers of Bondo, only to sand it back down again. Even though these steps took awhile they were also rewarding since I began to see my creation coming to life. Once all of the body work was completed my imagination was in control. Designing a color scheme and creating wear and tear on this helmet allowed me to be creative and do whatever felt right with no chance of a wrong answer.

This process was a long road, spanning over the course of my entire high school career, but it taught me valuable skills such as patience and determination. This project showed me I had what it took to follow a project from its inception through to completion, driving me even further towards the belief that one day I would become an engineer and continue to put my ideas out into the world.