Hey there! Nice job here with the helmet! :) So. The first step is to gather visual references of rusted helmets. Doing so will help you determine the appropriate amount of rust to incorporate and understand how oxidation affects the surface overall. Some areas may show only mild corrosion while others remain relatively polished, or the helmet could be heavily oxidized, resulting in a much rougher surface quality. Regarding the painting process, I recommend using textured brushes to achieve a more convincing surface treatment. While not strictly necessary, textured brushes can significantly enhance material definition. Begin by blocking in the rust shapes using a reddish-brown base color. From there, you can layer additional orange and red hues to build variation and depth. Using references is essential, as they provide accurate visual information about how rust behaves and appears on metal surfaces. Additionally, I would suggest avoiding an overly polished finish on the helmet. Introducing surface roughness will better support the rust texture and help unify the material treatment. Hope this helps!
