Indy Haunt Fest 2011

Last weekend I attended Indy Haunt Fest. It was a very fun event consisting of two full days of prop making, demonstrations, and just hanging out with some very cool people. Make-n-Takes included tombstone carving, latex and cotton corpsing, intro to greatstuff, pressure mats triggers, and mechanical headpoppers. If you are unfamiliar with these terms it wouldn't do any good to explain.
Haunters will understand.

I took The Shadow Farm shop on the road for the first time ever. During the two days, I demonstrated a few sculpting techniques, producing a couple of heads for future creeps.

Show and tell brought out the haunter's wild side, conjuring up all manner of demented and evil beast.
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New Ghouls!

While packing for Indy Haunt Fest, I realized I hadn't taken a single picture of my newest batch of ghouls. So to correct that near oversight, here they are all at once!

Witchlette video!

Click the picture to view video of Witchlette in action

Witchlette Completed

Witchlette is now finished! Her costume features authentic vintage fabrics, buttons, and jewery ( as well as a single raccoon tooth) Four 1950's era bottles provide a visual accent to the base of the cauldron. I will post video as soon as I can work thru an error with Blogger. Completed size is 19 inches tall...the perfect size for a one of a kind eye-catching Halloween Display.

Indy Haunt Fest June 25 and 26

Next weekend is the 2nd annual Indy Hauntfest In Indianapolis, Indiana! I will be attending as a vendor with all my creepy Shadow Farm creations as well as a few essential haunter items I have put together specifically for the event. I will also be hosting a make n take, where participants will get to make the motorized mechanism for an Animated Tombstone headpopper ...the perfect prop to add a bit of creepy motion to your Halloween yard display and a fantastic intro to Halloween animation.
Other make-n-take projects will include Lighted Witch Jars, tombstone carving, and an open forum show and tell. Demos, speakers and events top off this fun weekend.
Mark your calendars for next Saturday and Sunday and come have a great spooky time with other haunters!

Moonrise over The Shadow Farm

Witchlette : testing the costume

This is the first test fitting of the fabrics I have chosen for the Witchlette. Most are vintage fabrics that I have collected from various sources throughout the years. I fell that this is a good mix of colors and textures to give the old hag a real-world appearance. At this stage I like to let everything sink in for a few days, observe her in different lighting and take note of any changes or additions that need to take place before attaching her wardrobe permanently.
For instance, as much as I would like to press onward, the painting on the cauldron needs to be finished before any fabrics are applied. The plastic hands stand out as a beacon of laziness at this point, prompting me to push my comfort zone a bit to make them blend in with the rest of the piece. The forearms need some work as well since the fresh clean burlap glows like a beacon. Accessories, knickknacks and other bits and bobs will be the final touch to give her an authentic presence.
Overall I am pleased with the way this is turning out.

Recap of Great Lakes Fright Fest

It has been a week since I traveled to Totem Pole Park to experience Great lakes Fright Fest. If you are familiar with the fermous Ghoul Friday, you have already seen and read about the event. I must say, her pix turned out much better than mine.I do have a few worth sharing, though.

Witchlette: The eyes

Her eyes told of a soulless determination. The task at hand was a daunting one indeed and nothing would stand in her way.

Progress has been made. Between events at Great Lakes Fright Fest, I worked on painting the skin tone of the Witchlette. Normally I have a clear idea of how I want a skin tone to look, but Witchlette was a puzzle to me. I knew I didn't want a stereotypical green skin, but felt that leanings toward green would be appropriate. I fumbled along, adding bits of color here, a wash or two there until I reached a point of utter confusion. I told Ghoul Friday, my camping companion at the event, that the old gal had reached a point where she was either almost done or almost ruined. Upon arriving home, the final stages of painting slowly came into focus, leaving Witchlette with a stony complexion to match her fixed gaze.

The final pieces of the puzzle will be her hair, costume, and accessories.

Getting close now. She has begun to whisper her wicked mumblings in my ear, telling me how to bring her to life.

Almost a stowaway...

This little beastie just about made it into my camper riding on a Halloween prop while I was packing up to leave from Great Lakes Fright Fest last Sunday. It is a beautiful spider, but I must say it made my skin crawl to think where it might have ended up. Does anyone know what kind of spider this is?