[mesmark]

I was trying to see how I could write the title to this thread without it sounding like spam. 'I need help with my staff' sounded like it would get deleted

I'm going as a spider lord/wizard. I got hold of a pretty good staff but I'm not sure that it really works with the costume. Here are a few shots of the beginnings of the outfit.



I was thinking of scaring the staff with a blow torch and scorching it black. Another option was to spray paint it, but I'm not sure that will work all that well. The last option is to leave it the way it is.

What do you think?

I'm also going to head out and try to find some sort of glass/plastic bulb to glue to the top. maybe...

The other question is the wig. Good idea? Bad idea?

I'm going to blacken around my eyes and put on black lipstick. I have black fingernail polish as well.

[Dadja]

If you were going as a 'spider' lord, I'd leave teh wig, and since you have very short hair, either shave it all off :p or just leave it as it is, but draw like a spider web on you head that goes all over the back and top of your head... like the vains in your skull are forming a spiderweb or something, that'd be pretty cool

[Dadja]

oh, and as far as the staff goes... Why not put 8 twigs on the top, and then a dark kind of bulb on the top, as if it is also shaped like a spider... I'll try doing in photoshop, what I mean and post it...

[Tkaraoke]

Maybe you could glue some realistic fake spiders all along the staff.

[Dadja]

It looks fake because it's a 5 sec photoshop thing: but sorta to get the idea:



It just think It'd be cool to use teh twigs (just drill little holes to attach them) because it'd would look as if the staff is actually shaped that way... plastic spider legs or something would just seem attached to it...

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

Haha, nice work Dadja. We're having fun now, digitally tattooing Mark's head!

That's a gnarly staff you got there. I like it. As is, it's pretty good, so I'd be afraid to do too much and risk messing it up (unless you have access to a whole lot of sticks like that).

If you're up for it, I do think it could benefit from some modification. I like your idea of scorching it with the torch. But then would it be all ashy to the touch? Might need to spray it with some sort of sealer afterwards.

Or you could spray paint it. Maybe with two different colors (black/grey and purple to match your sleeves). I'm picturing a sort of mottled pattern. Something to make the staff look a bit weathered.

Attaching something to the top would certainly give it the wizard vibe. Depends on what you can find. But Dadja's idea of adding more twigs to make it look like a spider sounds great, if you could pull it off.

The wig - I've done some costumes with long wigs, and I can never get used to the feeling of long hair falling in my face. God bless you ladies (and some dudes) who sport the long hair every day. Anyway, I vote yes for the wig, if you're comfortable in it. The wig certainly makes you look more like a unique character. Rather than... Mark in a robe.

And how about a wizardy hat? With a crazy enough hat, you may not even need a wig.

[mesmark]

Thanks for all of the advice. I like all the ideas!

Like you said Ryan, just the five minutes I had the wig on was annoying the crap out of me. I can probably put up with it though. However, I have to run the party and litterally run around so I might need to remove the wig for parts of the party. Then comes in Dadja's idea. I'm going to shave my head down (close not gone, I still have to be presentable at work the next day) and try the spider web tracks. I might even do some lines up from my chest that crawl up my neck a little.

Although, I have a lot of young kids (3-6 year olds) coming and I don't want to scare them too much. They're paying customers Last time I was a vampire and did myself up scary, a few were cool with it because deep down they knew it was me, but some wouldn't come that close to me.

I might throw a black rope belt and purple rope belt around my waiste to give the robe a bit more shape.

The staff came from a tree we had to cut down, because we're building a house! Anyway, all the rest was chopped up for firewood. It just came to me that I could use it as a staff and that was the best and longest I could find, so I saved it. But, it looks really fresh. I need to age it and I'll definitely try the spider top if I can.

Further suggestions are more than welcomed.

[mesmark]

Ok, I went shopping today and picked up a top for the staff and painted the stick a bit.







I blew up a black balloon to fill the ball.





You can't really see the purple accents unless your pretty close. I wanted to do more but I just decided to quit while I was ahead. I think it needs more purple streaking down from the ball. I'm going to sleep on it.

Anyway, it looks more like a wizard staff and with the whole costume and make-up, it should work (from a distance )

I am going to try and add legs to it.

What do you think?

[Angel]

That looks great so far! I can't wait to see how it turns out. The black balloon is ingenious.

[Dadja]

Agree, the black balloon is a great idea!! Just make sure you don't pop it unless there's confetti inside

[Tkaraoke]

Now there is a cool idea! You could recite some spell and then pop the balloon and make glitter fly everywhere. You only get one chance to do it so you could perform your little trick at the end of the night!

[CorpseBride]

That looks awesome! I love the paint job on the stick. Well done my friend

[Lkrough2]

Dude, your staff is hawt! LOL

If you're going to keep the wig, you should throw some of those plasitc spiders in it. Maybe even get some of the fake webbing to use on the staff or your costume somehow... I dunno. Perhaps a wizards hat draped with the spidery stuff? That might work & also keep it up out of your face.

[mesmark]

Dude, your staff is hawt! LOL

If you're going to keep the wig, you should throw some of those plasitc spiders in it. Maybe even get some of the fake webbing to use on the staff or your costume somehow... I dunno. Perhaps a wizards hat draped with the spidery stuff? That might work & also keep it up out of your face.

It's been so long since I 've had a nice staff complement, I'm pretty much beaming!

I like the spider in the wig idea. It's so simple and yet will make a big difference. Thanks!

The wig... uh... it's been so long since I've had hair, it just doesn't seem to work. Out of the face you say... I'll try it. Maybe with make-up it will look a little better.

[mesmark]

We had a costume test run last Sun. and I've decided against the wig. With make-up I look pretty freaky...

With the wig, I look like a cross-dresser

So, we're going for Halloween scary not SCARY to bring your children to.

Anyway, thanks for all of the help and I'll post some pictures after my party this Sun.

Ryan, thanks for the spider stencil, it's great! I'm going to try to do something with it.