Trading tips for dark displays and prop production.
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By Dadja
#38246
purple1worm wrote:Cool! Dadja is that second one from Ramesses the 1st?!
I think I've got some in a book but there from Ramesses 2nd. I could look around and scan them for Mesmark!
They're both of Ramses 2nd. The first one is his birth name, the second one is his 'coronation' name.
User avatar
By mesmark
#39035
Ok, well I've been putting off updates, hoping to get the sarcophagus painted and finished but I've been on hold for gold (water-based) paint. Got it today and I'm first doing a couple test pieces to see what I need to do this weekend. Anyway, here are a few more progress shots:

I tried to make some feet. I'm thinking this might have been a bad idea, but they're glued on now. almost no turning back ...
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I added the folded arms and here's a shot of the glue drying
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This is a close-up of the chest area, before sanding.
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Here it is sanded down and with the cloth scene-setter behind it. I actually took these pictures to get your thoughts on the background.
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It's a 5mx3m piece of fabric, sewn together in three strips. I looked at some Egyptian tomb photos and noticed they are all smooth surfaces and covered with hieroglyphics and paintings. I was thinking of adding large painting pictures across the top and hieroglyphics all over the two bottom sections. What do you think?

Originally, I was going to make stone lines, but what do you think about just nothing? Maybe paint lines between the three sections, like the writers had divided the three sections on a smooth wall.
User avatar
By mesmark
#39037
Also, I went down to the local pyramid and just found these outside. I picked up a few. :)
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I'm going to use them to play "concentration". Party guests will turn over 2 stones and try to match the hieroglyphics.

These I'll use as decorations around the room, on different tables and surfaces
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a really cheap game and effect.
- bag of black rocks - $3.
- Gold paint pen - $3.

The stones aren't as nice as the picture Nos posted but I won't provide the originals for my guests to compare.
User avatar
By Zombie Pumpkins!
#39047
mesmark, your project is coming along great, I'm really impressed. Amazing what you can make with materials like foam, and some creativity.

Regarding the cloth backdrop... even in it's current state, it almost fits the theme. The color looks like something they might have had back then for wrapping mummies. I'm sure it will look even more impressive with hieroglyphics (or whatever you decide to add).

My only tip would be to start simple. Try your most basic idea, and work forward from there. You can always add more, but ya can't erase. You might find that you don't need too much to be effective (and you'll be thankful for the extra free time to work on other parts of the project).

Those stones look great! Your guests will be impressed. They look like something you might buy in a museum gift shop... but more like $3 each, rather than $3 for a bag!
User avatar
By mesmark
#39048
Thanks, Ryan. I think I will try to keep it simple. That back drop is $30 as is. While it won't break the bank, i don't really want to ruin it and have to start over.

I've been experimenting with markers and other marking options like paints and acrylic crayons, but marker seem best. They're bold and don't bleed.

here are some examples of what I might try to do, minus color
http://www.superstock.com/stock-photogr ... b+Painting

I'm really just going for the effect. I don't imagine any of this being accepted for entry in an art contest or as museum replicas :)
User avatar
By mesmark
#39526
OK, sarcophagus ... done!

Image Image

and with the background for our scene:
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Here are 3 shots of the different rows for the background:
top Image
middle Image
bottom Image

I did the top sections first, then the middle. After all of that, I was trying to think of something that would look good but take up a lot of space. That's when my wife suggested a vase. So I made a big vase template and repeat, repeat repeat. Then I added a glyph inside the vase so it wasn't so bland.

It took about 10 hours over 2 days to draw and color in all of that ...
User avatar
By Zombie Pumpkins!
#39529
Amazing. Mark, can I hire you to make props for my Halloween parties?
User avatar
By mesmark
#39530
Thanks! I do give up a lot on the little details, but I'm going for a bigger, grander effect and pictures taken from a decent distance away :D

The sarcophagus face is a little off center and the smallest paint brush I had was all funky. It was impossible to make a small straight line. However, being the impatient guy I am, I tried to work with it anyway. So, the face lines aren't so sharp. (I might go back and do some touching up when I get a small brush.)

Also, the pattern across the front was adlib. The gold paint was pretty expensive and I was a little worried I'd run out. So, I just decided to do that across legs, just to save paint.

The background turned out pretty good. If you look at Egyptian tomb paintings they are completely full of images and writing. I just tried to fill it up enough that it looks complete. I assume people won't be ripping out their iPhones and comparing to real photos :)

The tower columns in the middle were also just an idea to take up space. Rethinking it, it might have been better to have them start at the bottom and cross the bottom and middle sections. However, it would be hard to draw a 5'10'' column and keep it straight.

The hieroglyphics make no sense :) Don't try to read them. I just started drawing whatever I felt looked good and gave the writings balance.

Dadja - I used all 6 of your tablets right in the middle center section. Thanks again for those.

I'm taking the rest of the night off from Halloween :)
User avatar
By Zombie Pumpkins!
#39532
Maybe like you Mark, I can be a perfectionist with my art. Even if nobody else would notice, I'm aware of the areas I feel I could have done better. Impatience, limited funds, or time pressure can often force us to compromise the perfect ideas in our heads. But at the end of the day, somehow it all comes together.

Forced to work with what we have, the results can still be stunning. It's amazing the ingenuity that a creative mind can come up with. Your party guests should be blown away, yet again.
User avatar
By CombichristGirl
#39536
wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
great job, i love it. not gonna lie im jealous ha ha :lol: :lol:
User avatar
By purple1worm
#39549
Great work. The background looks cool, and the sarcophagus is amazing!
By GUS
#39554
Mes, if you were having an adults party that would be a themed beer fridge prop I hope!
User avatar
By Nikki
#39565
Great job! All of the hardwork is really noticeable..

I was going to say.. it might be messier than Hell.. but you can always pick up some sand at some local craft shops.. maybe place a bit on the tables with the stones and place some sand around the Sarcophagus to make it look 'planted' :)
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