Trading tips for dark displays and prop production.
#96485
Yeah I get what you mean, we are all our own worst critics :wink:
When I have something in my head and it doesn't turn out (exactly) that way, it ain't good enough :D
The stone wall sheets are great, with the grey paint it does make them look more natural, and more like the other ones.
I don't think they're too dark now, they look amazing!

Wow, that castle looks fantastic!
As do the pillar adornments!
It's really cool to look at your first post and see them in your drawings, and now see them for real :thumbsup:
The rooms you're going to do sound amazing!
the bloody one with wrapped up bodies, damn :thumbsup:
It's moving along nicely,
I can't wait to see how it all develops further!
#96523
PumpkinFreak - Thanks. I think the stone wall sheets will look pretty good. And after all they are the backdrop, not really the main attraction.

I started the stained glass window.

the design: I taped together 3, A3 sheets of paper. The plan is 40cmx55cm. So, with the window frame, it will be about 70cmx90cm when finished
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cut out:
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then pieces cut and glued on:
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here it is from the front:
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That turned out to be easier and better than I had imagined. So, I'm going to try to make one more - a bat with a moon. Now I just need to make the frame. That may take a while but it shouldn't be too hard.

I finished the mouth entrance and took a picture:
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Then the top piece twisted and fell apart. A little sad, but good to know now. I'll have to do something more to keep that part steady.

The castle silhouette is also painted. I just need to make the foreground:
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The pillar adornments are also finished:
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I've touched up the paint but didn't take another picture of those after they completely dried.

I think that's it for now ... on to the next project ...
#96537
I'm helping plan the haunted house in the gym at my sons school to raise money for the graduation and i cant help thinking...If only mesmark lived in Canada......you definitely have some inspiring ideas dude.
#96540
Cirrus - Thanks! It's nice to hear that the updates are welcome. I try not to post too much but sometimes I get excited and want to show you guys something - the stained glass window for example. I was going to wait until I finished the frame to post the pictures but ...
staticfurball wrote:I'm helping plan the haunted house in the gym at my sons school to raise money for the graduation and i cant help thinking...If only mesmark lived in Canada......you definitely have some inspiring ideas dude.
Thanks for the nice comments. :)= That would be really cool if something I'm doing or have done helps you over there. I'd love to see what you end up doing.

A high school gym. That's a lot of space to decorate. But the good news is you probably have a lot of people to volunteer their time to help out. :thumbsup:
#96635
I haven't done too much recently. I've been trying to get caught up on some gardening and exercise, but here's what I've done this week.

I started to make the window frames for the stained glass windows.

Here was the original idea:
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That seemed like it would be good, but it was a little boring. Back at the beginning of September, I got a catalog filled with new Halloween decorations and such. I saw these foam skulls and thought they looked pretty good and maybe I could integrate them into some foam projects this year.

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a little expensive at $9 each but everything is expensive in Japan.

anyway, I kind of forgot about them but we started decorating the house yesterday and I ran across these guys again. So, I modified my window frames and they will look something like this when I'm done:

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I was happy with the window frames before, but now I'm super happy :)=
They look a little bit more like something you'd find in a vampire's castle.

I also made what might be the start of a Happy Halloween sign:
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I was planning to use the mouth in a game where kids have to putt blood pellets (ping-pong balls) up a small ramp and into the vampire's mouth. I might still do that, but I feel like it would also make a good sign if I just add the lettering.

I also decorated my front porch and classroom balcony:

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That's all so far. I've been working on game ideas and I think I'll be able to do some work this week. So, I might have another update soon.
#96636
:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
As eve your design and building skills AMAZE me. The stained glass window is stunning. Every year I wish that you were one of my neighbours ( there are 5 houses in my street and I have mentally filled the other 4 - along with the apartments/ divided house opposite-with pumpkin pals :D - not that my actual neighbours aren't great but Halloween isn't high on their priorities list).
#96640
OK, I'm officially blown away by your window design!
The frames were so great, and still you were able to make it look even better! :shock:
The skulls complete it, they look fantastic on top of the frames.
And your stained glass pumpkin design itself is again something mind blowing to me! :o
You're a true artist my friend!

I absolutely love the idea of throwing blood pallets into the vampires mouth, I bet the kids will love it! :thumbsup:
But it looks really great as a sign too :wink:

I love your front porch decoration, the grim reaper looks so damn creepy :twisted:
And the school balcony looks amazing too!

Another update soon?
Yes please :D
#96712
Here is a little quick update.

I finished the stained glass windows!

window #2:

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I painted the frames and put them all together. here they are:

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There may not be much more to report after this. I've got a few little things left to do, but mostly details. I'm going to make a couple games, but for the most part the Halloween props are finished. Now, I just have to wait until the party ...

You are all invited:

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#96741
Thanks for the nice comments! I'm happy with the stained glass windows. It was something I thought I wouldn't be able to make, so it was nice to get those done this year.

I know I said I was pretty much done, but I'm not. :)=

I finished the vampire mouth and made a "Happy Halloween" border for it so it can also function as a sign.

The original picture with the pieces cut out and stacked:
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Today, I sculpted them a little and then sanded them down
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And here it is painted:
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I'm going to add a loose, black felt piece to the back to both serve as a backing and a pocket to catch blood pellets.
The mouth by itself is 90cm wide by 65cm tall. Pretty big.

This is what it will look like if I decide to go with the sign idea.
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With the Happy Halloween, the height jumps up to almost 1m.

I'm not so happy with the "Happy Halloween". I was hoping to get a better blood drip on them, but the texture of the styrofoam didn't work so well. Also, I should have waited for the first coat of paint to dry. Then the paint wouldn't have bled into each other so much (cleaner lines.)

It helps to be patient.