August Contest Entries - Deadline August 15

Post your finished projects here if you want to be entered to win. Be sure to visit the August SEI and Prize thread for more details.

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Alter Your Ego

Well here's my entry I hope you like it. I wasn't expecting to do a how to on this but when i decided to enter  I went back and took some pics to help out with how to.
I did this prop for a Florida Haunters M&T (Make and Take). It also fits the criteria for Mad Lab.

My inspiration piece came from Jeff Baird of Baird Manor http://www.my-mania.com/halloween/bmleer.html
LEERING PROP

The mechanics of his prop are the same as mine but that is where the similatries end. If you follow his tutorial you will end up with something like this....


That is a pic from his tutorial.

I got it into my head that it didn't look right to me.(no offense there jeff) I just prefer to have things a bit more tidy or hidden. I didn't like the fact that you could see everything. So I set out to see what I could do about that.

First I built according to his how-to until I got to this point.


At this point is where mine changed. I decided to hide everything I could. So I started to build a base covering the mechanics.

I started by making a 1x2 frame that sits on the board.If you look at previous pic just behind the tombstone there is a reinforcing 2x4,I made sure base sat just above that. I put the frame together with hotglue and a staple gun. then as you can see I hotglued foam on all sides and top. then cut a hole in the back to allow taller 2x4 and pvc through. I then trimmed excess foam, used filler where i needed let that dry then sanded it, painted with a gray paint. 


The design and spiders are on the front, left,and right sides
 
I marked off a rectangle then took a compass at each corner and marked off a curve . Then took my dremel and carefully cut the lines out.

The spiders weren't as easy as you would think. I put them on with hot glue and every time the glue cooled down the legs would pop back up. To solve this problem I got out the gorilla glue. Once that dried I painted over them with paint.

The tombstone is 4 layers of foam 2 white 2 pink. I started with the first 2 layers glued them together then carved out a spot in the middle for the pvc and eyehooks to fit loosely. then I added the next layer of white and cut out a section for the 2x4 to fit, then I put on the last layer to cover that up.

I can't remember who posted it but thankyou! These are plant stakes I got at wallyworld thanks to someones post here on HS. I just stuck them in and painted them.

This is the face on the front of the tombstone. It was a poorly put together styrofoam skull. I took it apart and kept the face. I then hotglued it to the tombstone then caulked around it and painted over it. to make it look like part of the tombstone.

Carved RIP from a template and its done.

Can you see where this is going?

  Ok on to the skeleton. Before I show the next pic I must say in my defense I have never stained a skeleton before. I tried what I read online, wipe on wipe off.well when I did that it all would come off. So I decided to just leave it on for a while  (about a week). You guessed it, it totally dried and now I had a skeleton with a very, very dark tan!

Well now what! Talking to a friend ( thanks Ghostess) she confirmed it was too dark.I also asked her for her sand paint recipe which is the second and final coat on my leer.I mentioned the mistake because in the end it turned out to be a postive,believe it or not! I then took the skeleton and Painted him with a can of almond color spray paint. 1.12 a wally world. then I took a lighter stain painted it on then slowly dabbed it off. When I did this a little bit of the paint came off too creating a very natural and cool look allowing just a bit of the dark to come through.

I needed some way to keep the legs still, so I made this plaque. On either side I pushed in then glued a piece of pvc. then cut a hole through the foot and a hole in the bottom bone and slid the foot and bone over it. The plaque itself took me over 4hrs to do. shaving out the foam and leaving the letters. I then paint ed with a silver paint when that dried I put a black stain on it kinda giving it that old pewter look. A clear coat and there ya go.

This is the lower torso or butt of the skeleton. I cut a hole to match the one on top and the legs didn't sit right so I moved them forward drilling new holes for them. The old holes didn't bother covering no one will see them.


Where getting there!!!


The hands I took a heat gun and softened them up so I could bend them so they looked like they were gripping the tombstone then I drilled a couple of holes and made little stakes and hotglued them to the hands so they wouldn't move on the tombstone.


The joints I didn't want to use zip ties so I found this way on line.Cut the tips off the bones then put a piece of a glue stick in the hole then take a small I bolt and screw it into the glue. Do the same with the other side.Then take a piece of wire and wire them together. Then cover that with glue. Paint and stain. Ok now I have told you how I did it. Now I must say I do not reccomend it. Unless you use this method with something that is not moving or at first you find a glue that will bond well with the plastic, don't do it this way. 

Almost done!

Here I am attaching hands to the tombstone.
 
I don't like the blucky skull and I had these, so I used one of them. it is a ceramic skull.

I purchased these eye blanks from monster guts and they also had a link to the pupils to make easy eyes. a little glue then clear coat it and you have your eyes!

i then drilled a hole in the back, inserted 2 LED's in each eye, then pushed them in.

There ya go.







Well there it is folks my version of a Leering prop. I hope you like him.
Below you will find a couple of links to him in action. The first was taken by Ghostess at the Florida Haunters M&T and the second was done by me this afternoon. Enjoy!

http://s245.photobucket.com/albums/gg66/spiderfreak-photos/Leering%20prop/?action=view¤t=leer prop.flv

http://s245.photobucket.com/albums/gg66/spiderfreak-photos/Leering%20prop/?action=view¤t=newm uvee001.flv

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I reject your reality and substitute my own!

Just keeps getting better and better!

Holy smokes! I just don't even know what to say. First project entered and it's another fabulous creation. Amazing work! Love it!!

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Alter Your Ego

VERY COOL!!!  I Love it!!  Don't know if it is just my computer but the links are not working for me.  Would love to see it in action! 
Gonna get a nose bleed from how high that bar is set now!!  LOL!!  
I am working on an animated tombstone too but I don't think it's going to be near as cool as this one.  Don't have a how-to for it, just came off the top of my head, so I won't be able to enter it in this month's contest.    

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Just found the video on Photobucket and that is SOOOOOOOOOO FREAKING COOL!!!  I absolutely LOVE IT!!!  I think it is BETTER than the original!!

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Sorry folks don't know why they aren't working but if you go to the page below both videos are near the bottom.




http://s245.photobucket.com/albums/gg66/spiderfreak-photos/Leering%20prop/?start=all

   John

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I reject your reality and substitute my own!

I can attest to the fact that this is one of the coolest looking props I've ever seen. I got to see it in person last weekend at the Florida Haunters Make and Take. It was awesome and gave me inspiration to make one of my own. Now I have ANOTHER prop to make... Thanks John!!! LOL

John also told me to put my 13 hour clock in the competition. So I'm trying to get a decent video and should be putting mine up tonight.

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Pirate at Heart!

Maureen I better see that clock on here!!!  Come on TIMES a wastin' !  LOL
Thanks for all the compliments folks.
Now I've shown you mine where is yours!!

    John 

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I reject your reality and substitute my own!

PAHalloweenFreak wrote: VERY COOL!!!  I Love it!!  Don't know if it is just my computer but the links are not working for me.  Would love to see it in action!  Gonna get a nose bleed from how high that bar is set now!!  LOL!!   I am working on an animated tombstone too but I don't think it's going to be near as cool as this one.  Don't have a how-to for it, just came off the top of my head, so I won't be able to enter it in this month's contest.

Now Ginny - Don't tell me that in all the projects you've looked at there isn't one that inspired you to make that tombstone? Find that inspiration and enter that sucker! LOL

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Alter Your Ego