To create a working prototype of the diving helmet for the coral diving suit I decided to go back to basics and use paper mache. I stated by modeling the overall structure in Fusion 360. To create a base skeleton, I filled in the interior of the helmet and sliced it up for laser cutting. After completing the cardboard skeleton I applied two layers of paper mache, then acrylic molding paste and gave the coral a coat of paint.
The surface finish was far from perfect but it gave me a good sense of the aesthetic quality of the current piece, which was far from what I was looking for.
A large part of the goal of this prototype was to find a way to make the helmet wearable, so I prototyped a cardboard collar that distributes the load of the helmet onto the shoulders.
