Agamemnon’s Helmet — A Study
Hand-modeled and topologized, created in Autodesk Maya
After watching Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey (2026) I was inspired to do a topological study of Agamemnon’s helmet. A striking, iconic part of the film, I hand-modeled a recreation of the base of the helmet. Determining edge flow, particularly around the chiseled portions of the helmet, proved to be a fun challenge!
Another challenge was the vertebrae creating the spine. I sculpted the complex shape, then re-topologized by hand. The column was added retopo.
The most difficult part by far was figuring out how to connect the crest of the helmet to the base. The connection was not very clear in any reference photos I could find, so I did made the best interpretation I could by sculpting some interlocking pieces with a bone-like form.
Final Model
I had never worked with grooming systems before this project, so this helmet provided the perfect opportunity to learn Maya’s XGen grooming system. I created some guides and a material for the hair. After tweaking some values and adding a clumping modifier, it came out perfect!
After modeling was completed, I brought the file into Adobe Substance Painter and textured. The materials of the helmet were not too complex, so I paid special attention to the bronze edgewear and added some scratches to wear at the black paint.
Final Render
