Trading tips for dark displays and prop production.
User avatar
By scully
#22212
Hi everyone! Sorry for the delay in my intro post and finally getting around to posting some photos of my stuff - I was able to find a few pictures from Halloweens past. Clicking on them will take you to my album and a larger image.

Heeeeere's Jack!
Image

Sally:
Image

Zero:
Image

Mummy Boy:
Image

Yard view:
Image

Sandy Claws Jack:
Image

Image

Pumpkin King:
Image


So far I am planning on making this for this year:

Image

and a fence and a bunch of stolloween pumpkins, and so on... :D

Julie
By GUS
#22213
Cracking display, congratulations, ....SO jealous!
User avatar
By Tkaraoke
#22215
Wow! They are all awesome! I really love your Jack figures. They really catch the spirit of The Pumpkin King himself.
By GUS
#22216
..you REALLY ought to give a bit of a tutorial on making these :wink: ..unless you wish to keep the glory to yourself (I for one would fully understand) ..when I initially looked I thought they were all a quality commercial grade...

Needless to say I'm in awe! ..(doesn't happen often) thankyou for sharing
User avatar
By scully
#22222
Wow, thanks for the compliments! I would be more than happy to post a tutorial - with the exception of Zero, all my characters are made with PVC (plastic sprinkler pipe) and styrofoam balls for the head.

When I made Jack in his traditional suit, I DID manage to take some step by step photos, I just cannot find them. I will (since I'm now actively looking) and I will post a tutorial.

Zero's mostly made of plaster wrap (stuff you use to make a cast when you break a bone) You can find it at craft stores. Its fun to work with but its not at all waterproof. I started with a styrofoam ball, carved out his eyes (melon ball scoop is a great tool for this and the back of it is what I use to condense and press the stryofoam into a smooth surface) Then I used this heavy coated wire I found at the hardware store to make his ears and his mouth.

After that, it was just a matter of wrapping the plaster. I added a bit of pillow batting on the top part of his mouth to give it some depth.

I have a feeling that none of this makes much sense without photos so I will take some when he comes out of the attic this year (as well as all the others) and post a proper tutorial.

That said, in the meantime, if I can help out with anything specific, please ask away. I have already gotten quite a few ideas from people here so I'm aching to give back!

Julie
User avatar
By SuperSonic
#22226
thats.....AMAZING!!!!! I LOVE THEM!!! like everyone else the mummy boy and Zero get me the most but Jack always looks amazing no matter whats its made of or put on :wink: but they are ALL amazing work i cant wait to see the Pumpkin King scarecrow will it turn like in the movie or will it just stand still
User avatar
By Tkaraoke
#22236
It really boggles the mind how creative all you people are when I see threads like this. One of the reasons I really love it here is that everybody is willing to share their tips and tricks on how to make things like this.
User avatar
By Zombie Pumpkins!
#22397
Julie, your Nightmare figures are amazing. It's like Halloweentown come to life. Thanks for sharing the photos and explaining some of your construction tricks. They must take up a good amount of storage space when not on display, where do you keep them?

I look forward to seeing more from you, especially if you're planning to do the Pumpkin King scarecrow. I've always had dreams of a life-sized one of those.
User avatar
By scully
#25868
I'm back again! (I tend to wander off sometimes)

About storage space, actually, they don't take up too much space since they are almost all made out of PVC piping I can take them apart and store them in one of those big plastic totes - Ok, a few plastic totes. :wink: Jack's legs don't fit so those just sit on top but everything else Im able to store that way. I will take some pictures when I drag everything down from the attic this month.

I still haven't started my Pumpkin King because I got sidetracked by this really cool strand of 7 flickering/flame bulb lights I found at Wishing Well (craft store) I am making a stand up candelabra that is a copy from memory of the ones they have in the Haunted Mansion holiday. I finished the construction part of it but I need to add the garland and other stuff. Interesting note: spray paint does not dry on the cord of indoor outdoor plug in lighting! Its been tacky for weeks now (and its 100+ degrees here) It came out of the box that standard green color so I painted it black and my advice is not to try that with spray paint. I'm sure acrylic would work and I'm kicking myself for not testing an area first.

Back to the Pumpkin King, I think I have figured out how to support him - I originally was going to use PVC but I'm now realizing that won't hold up in the wind and rain when he gets wet. I'm going to add some wood and then maybe a big long piece of rebar hammered into the lawn. (Note to self to check for buried power lines!)

I will update with pictures soon as I get going on stuff. Family has been rotating illness here since kids are back in school which while scary, is not the scary I had in mind. :)
By GUS
#25880
some paints obviously eat a little way inbto pvc cord (as you've found out) ..if stuck perhaps try a sleeve for the flexible cord such as tights/ pantyhose to darken the cord down whilst allowing it to remain flexible, mix in some powder paint with a bit of silicone sealant possibly? yto act as a bonding agent between the items without patchy loss of colour, again silicone is super sticky yet flexible.

Just a thought, no basis just the sort of thing i'd be trying to re-claim ground from a bodged attempt, (the cord if remains sticky may ruin / mark other items if it presses against stuff, this'll be sticky for life, probably, maybe try treating it with an orange oil / similar de-greaser & pull through the flex several times with kitchen paper towels.
User avatar
By paddy_babe
#25904
amazing! great advice on how to make them, I might be attempting zero this year (if I do his tombstone).
User avatar
By purple1worm
#25913
Those are so cool!! Very nice display. Can't wait to see this years projets!! :D
User avatar
By SaneInsideInsanity
#25934
V. cool may steal your technique for zombies
User avatar
By Hottie McNaughty
#28330
Those are fabulous! And good timing too, as I'm watching Nightmare Before Christmas right now as I carve.

:wink: