Making of the F1 helmet candle
by Souria TM
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This is "Le Casque" French for The Helmet.
I've been working on this F1 helmet-shaped soy candle since 2023, and tomorrow is the day I will officially launch pre-orders.
I wanted to share with you my creative process, which involved a lot of trial and error but was also, I suppose, enjoyable.
It was quite difficult for me because I am not an expert in 3D or 3D printing. Fortunately, my friend Alan was able to assist me by making all the necessary 3D adjustments so that the candle would be carved precisely like a modern, highly detailed F1 helmet. Every bolt, bump, and line needed to be present. To test if the soya wax could hold these tricky details, we first created a 3D mock-up of a helmet. We tried printing it several times and then re-carved it in 3D and reprinted until the final mold felt okay.
It finished extremely true to the current F1 helmet design, right down to the top bumps.
I've been thinking about a helmet candle for a few months, and I'm glad it's finally coming to pass. It's a lovely decorum in a room, and always loved these type of item: whether it's an animal figure or a sculpted bust... Plus I've always appreciated antics and decorum because it feels so elegant and sophisticated. Or maybe I've read too many Architectural Digest magazines?
I also thought of it as an interesting artefact because it resembles a skull from Hamlet and all the imagery that comes with this scene. Albeit it's about racing and we associate the F1 helmet with safety or imagery of a driver, it gives them this epic-austronaut vibe, they are not exploring the limits of the universe but the limits of themselves, and that's COOL.
Candle has jasmine/patchouli scent and is made with natural soy wax from France, and doesn't even have to be lightened to smell the perfume, partly because if you're like me and you don't want to ruin beautiful things, well you've got that option :)
I personally use the candle in my living room for decoration and I love the effect it creates. Sometimes I light it on my desk for a late-night drawing session, feels so Shakespearian if you ask me
I hope you enjoy having it as a chic artifact as much as I do
See ya!
Sou
SHOP THE CANDLE
1 comment
I love this! As a fellow Architectural Digest lover, I’ve also appreciated huge decorative candles—usually replicas of famous statues and busts that I’m a little embarrassed to say I don’t even know the names of—which is why I was so excited when you first showed snippets of this candle online! Finally a beautiful candle I DO recognise and speaks to my interests! The comparisons you drew between the helmet and Hamlet’s skull as well as the astronaut’s helmet were really beautiful too; yes indeed I think the drivers pushing to the very limits of the track, physics, and themselves is so cool and inspiring. Thank you for writing this post! It was so lovely to read about your meticulous process behind 3D sculpting the mould and all your inspirations behind the idea :) Looking forward to your next adventure!