Danielle Hurley

Halloween Wings

2011-10-22T10:34:00.001-07:00

My favorite pair yet.

2011-10-15T12:58:00.000-07:00

2011-10-08T09:38:00.000-07:00

Fairy Wings: More & More

2011-10-02T15:20:00.001-07:00

I'm gearing up to hopefully sell many pairs of wings this Halloween season through my etsy shop TruWings. In other news I'm also in the process of updated my portfolio website.

Never Ending Fairy Wings

2011-09-27T20:30:00.000-07:00

Yup, they just keep coming. More and More coming available soon.

This pair now available on Etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/daniellehurleydesign

Faerieworlds: Fire Fairy

2011-09-20T21:33:00.000-07:00

FaerieWorld

2011-09-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

I've a friend at work who runs a festival in Eugene OR : FaerieWorld. I plan on getting all decked out and going for at least a day. That is - if I can find the time to finish the costume. At the very least I'll have a great big pair of wings to show off. The wings above are about 3 1/2 feet tall, the the whole ensemble will be about 6 ft.

Fairy Wings: So Many!

2011-09-14T20:59:00.001-07:00

I've been making wings, so many wings. The first three pair posted to my etsy store, TruWings, last week have been sold and these two are now available. (They're on sale this week only though so they're going fast) I've about 7 more in the making though. Hopefully they will start showing up online next week.

Fairy Wings: On Etsy!

2011-09-04T15:09:00.000-07:00

I've now begun to sell small fairy wings on my store: TruWings by DanielleHurleyDesign on Etsy!

Fairy Wings: Got It...Just About

2011-08-27T10:19:00.000-07:00

I'm fairly certain I've got it worked out the way I want now, just need some minor adjustments. I've figured out how to make the wings perfectly symmetrical, having a metallic iridescence when front-lit and a vibrant jewel tone glow when back-lit. The only thing is I'm only really finding iridescent cello in green/pink or blue/pink. It would be ideal to find a silver toned cello so that it reflects pure white light but also allows light to pass through when back-lit.

Fairy Wings: Good Blots

2011-08-21T15:18:00.000-07:00

Now this is more like it. I’ve figured out how to successfully blot the painted layers on the fairy wings – so long as I’m not going for detail. Turns out they look better when the paint is really wet and blurry since there is so much detailed being put into the veining instead.

Even this blot turned out to work just fine. I thought it was a failure; that there wasn’t enough alcohol in the wash and the colors were too harshly separated. But when I added a layer of veining over it everything came together.

I’ve also been finding that if I don’t plan anything out but just work freehand and do everything on the fly then, the pieces turn out much more interesting. This is true for both the paint wash layer and the veining.

Fairy Wings: Almost but Not Quite

2011-08-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Fairy Wing Sample

I'm getting closer to the intended effect using alcohol inks for the fairy wings. This sample is almost there, but not quite. There are still a lot of adjustments to be made in my process. At least I think I have the materials right now, and this is the right idea.

Fairy Wings: Rorschach

2011-08-14T12:19:00.000-07:00

Failed Rorschach Blot - too dry

It is essential, in my opinion, that if I'm going to make painted fairy wings they must be symmetrical. It would just be odd to imitate any sort of insect wings without symmetry. The only solution I could come up with for perfect symmetry on hand painted plastic was to do a Rorschach blot. Simple enough - except it turns out to be quite tricky with alcohol paints which dry very quickly.

Alcohol paints can be blended with denatured alcohol; too much makes everything a soupy mess though and dilutes the colors, while too little doesn't keep the paint wet long enough to blot. The blotting process itself has a tendency to destroy any detail if there is too much paint or too much alcohol. I'm finding it very difficult to get a complete transfer and detail, so I may have to settle for less detail.

Small Angel Wings: Faux Feathers

2011-08-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

Faux Feathers in Process

I've switched to using completely different materials and methods for making my faux feathers. For months now I've been experimenting with different means of achieving a compound curve in each feather, blacker black, and detailed texture so that the fake feathers will match the turkey feathers perfectly. I couldn't stand having such a disconnect between the real and fake feathers. For a while it seemed my only option was to make wings with only fake feathers which would mean a lot more hours of work on each piece.

BUT, I believe I've found the solution. I've switched from fabric to foam. It is a well known fact among wing makers online that good faux feathers are made by laminated layers of fabric with an adhesive. Usually these feathers are made with light weight fabrics and have some sort of shaft sandwiched between the layers. This works to produces great feathers, but it is very time consuming, somewhat costly, and there is always the problem of trying to get a true black.

I now use foam. I've found a way to mold the foam quickly so that I can have the feathers curve like the turkey quills. I've devised a means of adding texture quickly and inexpensively. I've also developed a means of stiffening the feathers so they hold the curve permanently after I've shaped them. They also take paint much better than fabric which means I can achieve a true deep black. The only thing that is not so simple is attaching shafts - I'm still working on this part but may have come up with a solution. As it is - structural shafts (as opposed to painted) are entirely unnecessary for wings that do not open or close.

That's all I can say for now. As far as I can tell, no one else is really doing this, so for now my method is a trade secret.

Small Angel Wings: Patterning

2011-08-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Small Angel Wings Paper Pattern

I've pretty much worked out the sizes I'll be offering for Fixed Frame Angel Wings. Starting with SM at 2ft tall up to XL at 5ft tall. All of them will have faux feathers which are what make them more realistic and proportional. Right now I am only working with a fantasy design which requires far fewer feathers. I may perhaps offer a realistic line latter which would be more strictly based on actual bird wings.

Small Angel Wings

2011-08-06T21:34:00.000-07:00

Small Fixed Frame Angel Wings in process

I've a plan for making smaller angel wings that will soon be available to buy online. These wings are Fixed Frame meaning they don't open or close - but they still look pretty dang good.

So I've developed a method to produce them more efficiently so I can start making them more affordable to the public (yay) I've also begun experimenting with an entirely new method of making the faux feathers, which are key in setting my designs apart from others available online.

More on faux feathers to follow.

Fairy Wings: Paint on Plastic

2011-08-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Experimental Fairy Wing Layers

Because angel wings simply aren't enough...

There seems to be quite a market for fairy wings. I figure while I'm already on a roll with getting an online store for angel wings I ought to add fairy wings to the collection as well. I don't plan on doing what's so widely available online though - which is bent wire frames sandwiched between layers of iridescent cellophane. This method of fairy wings making is beautiful but it's been done, over and over. Not wanting to be limited by the colors of cellophane I can find easily I decided to add paint to the mix.

So right now I'm working on the fastest, easiest and most repeatable way to make painted fairy wings. The trick will be developing an method for achieving symmetry since everything is hand painted.

New Wings Finished

2011-07-30T13:33:00.001-07:00

I just yesterday finished this commissioned pair of 4' tall non-articulated angel wings. I love them and want to build a pair for myself - but I think I have enough of my own.

I hope to have wings like these along with some smaller models available on an etsy store within the year. I might be switching to foam feathers rather than fabric though. We'll have to see. Up next will by my experiments with that.

Merchant's Cart: On Stage

2011-07-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

Merchant of Venice

To finish up an early thread, the cart I had been working on this spring made its way onto the stage in STC's production of "The Merchant of Venice." It looks pretty much the way I had left it at the end of my internship. Some parts were simplified, which I think is really a good thing - it was a very busy cart before. The cheese wheel, maybe some baskets and the clothesline for meat products and other hanging what-nots was removed. Looks like the pole for the cheese wheel was re-purposed. Definitely some final touches were done after I had gone, like some more set dressing and paint treatment. I'm very happy with the outcome. I'll try to find a photo where the whole cart is visible.

Headless Body: Completed

2011-07-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

Severed Neck Detailing

And for the final touches: make it gross. Cloton's head was cut off so, it needed to look like such. I built up the neck with various blocks and coils of upholstery foam. The esophagus was a bit of carved down pipe foam. The bit of spine was simply a piece of white felt cut to shape and given some dimension and sheen with hot melt glue. More hot melt glue was generously.

The painting got a little tricky since one type of paint would stick to the latex but not the glue and the other type of paint would stick to the glue and not the latex. I found that I could apply the first paint and wipe it off wherever it wasn't going to stick and repeat the process with the second paint. This seamed to work alright. In any case everything got tinted and didn't seem to rub off excessively anywhere. I knew that more paint and reel blood was going to be added later anyhow.

Oh yes, the neck also needed to have a hollow in it which I built into the esophagus. In the production of Cymbeline, grief stricken Imogen marks herself with blood from the body, thinking it's the body of Posthumus. Therefore we tucked a little squeezey-toy full of reel blood into the neck of the body so it would be easy for the actor to access without leaking fake blood all over stage.

In the end the fake body still looked like a fake body, BUT it was a pretty darn good fake body with a pretty darn gross severed neck. Hopefully it will see some stage time again in the future.

Headless Body: Skin

2011-07-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

Headless Body with Top Coat

Nearly completed now. With all the foam and poly batting in place to build out the form, the headless body was ready for skin. Nylon is the easiest and least expensive material I have found for making skin. We had a lot of large pairs of nylon tights in stock in the shop so I just took a couple pairs and with some whip stitching and clever wrapping I was able to cover the whole body in two layers of nylon quickly and easily.

As a final step in building the skin layer I coated the nylon with a thinned down layer of latex. In retrospect I ought to have skipped this step as it greatly reduced flexibility. I later had to cut back into the form and remove some of the padding to regain the lost flexibility. The intention was to make the nylon a little more durable so that it wouldn't snag and run. The thought was good but the material needs to be even more stretchy or more lightly applied than the latex I used.

Demonstration of Flexibility

Headless Body: Padding

2011-07-20T20:52:00.000-07:00

Headless Body with Polyester Batting

After the frame was completed I started to build up the form. Starting with the torso I placed layer upon layer of poly batting to build out a sort of simplified musculature. The arms and legs needed quite a bit more padding than the torso So I began building out the limbs with some cheap 1" upholstery foam. Fabri-tac and hot glue held it all in place. I didn't worry to much about using a super permanent adhesive since I knew that all the layers would be held in place with the final skin.

Headless Body: Frame Completed

2011-06-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

Lower Half of Headless Body

With the upper half of the frame for the headless body complete it was time to finish up the lower half. The legs were previously made out of wooded dowels. The pelvis and upper thighs were carved out of a foam mannequin. The three parts were beveled so that the legs would bend properly. The legs were attached to a wooden dowel set at the hip height.

Headless Body Frame

The two halves were assembled and the frame for the headless body was complete.

As an afterthought I realize that the foam upper thigh pieces were superfluous. I used them thinking that they would restrict unnatural movement of the legs much in the same way that the sculpted epoxy was used to restrict the movement of the arms. As it turns out any unnatural movement would have been eliminated by the shape of the pelvic piece, and the final layers of foam padding. The same might be true of the shoulder sockets but of this I'm not so sure. It would have been better to have had a little more flexibility in the end.

Headless Body: Lower Spine

2011-06-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Upper Half of Headless Body Back View

Here we can clearly see the stretch fabric used to bridge the gap between the shoulder blades and chest. We can also see the purple plumbers epoxy used to sculpt the joint for the shoulders.

Next the lower portion of the spine was attached. A bungee cord was threaded through the five fiberglass plates and pvc rod, then it was tightly tied in place.

Headless Body: Arms

2011-06-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Shoulder Socket

After the pvc upper spinal column was placed in the rib cage I added support to the inside walls of the fiberglass shell. For the lower, more flexible half I used semi rigid foam and for the upper half I used a rigid foam. The foam was layer on the inside walls but I choose not to completely fill the chest cavity so that I could still have the option of adding sand bag weights later.

The gap between the shoulder blade and chest needed to be bridged before I could attach the arms. For this I used heavy duty stretch fabric.

Then I could final attach the arms. Using plumbers epoxy I sculpted a sort of stopper that would restrict the movement of the arm. This prevented the shoulder from pivoting or bending in an unnatural manner.

Headless Body: Spine & Shoulders

2011-06-22T13:40:00.000-07:00

PVC Upper Spinal Column

The fiberglass ribcage was cut away from the mannequin and the cut seam was sealed with additional fiberglass. Then a support rod for the upper portion of the spinal column was set inside the rib cage. For this a piece of pvc pipe was bolted to the fiberglass and a cross bar was placed to hinge to the shoulder blades. I decided on the pvc rather than wooden dowel because it was the easiest way for me to connect the upper and lower portions of the spinal column. The lower portion, five segmented plates, are strung together with a bungee cord. To connect the two sections I simply had to thread the bungee cord through the pvc pipe.

Hinged Shoulder Blades

The shoulder blades were cut away from the fiberglass ribcage and reattached as hinged pieces so that they would have some movement.

Headless Body: Spine

2011-06-18T08:20:00.000-07:00

Headless Body "Spinal Column"

So I wanted to design something for the spine that would bend a reasonable amount in each direction. That is, it would bend forward far more than backward and would also be able to twist to a certain degree. What I came up with was a set of five plates which were beveled. I ran a bungee cord down the center of the plates. I also ran a cord down each side to restrict the degree of twisting.

Headless Body: Fiberglass

2011-06-16T09:08:00.000-07:00

Fiberglass Ribcage on Mannequin

After the wooden limbs were built it was time to start making the torso. I began by constructing the rib cage and shoulders using laminated fiberglass and semi rigid polyurethane. I wanted the rib cage to have a little bit of flexibility so I used only woven fiberglass. For the collar bone, sternum, shoulders and shoulder blades I used an additional heavy layer of mat fiberglass.
The piece was removed from the model by cutting up the back and sealing the seam with a strip of mat fiberglass.

Headless Body: Beginning

2011-06-11T17:11:00.000-07:00

Leo Marks as Cloten, and Mark Bedard as Posthumus with the Headless Body Prop

(Photo: Jay Westcott/TBD | Date: Feb. 02, 2011)

http://www.tbd.com/blogs/tbd-arts/2011/02/the-cymbeline-cast-has-a-pain-in-the-neck-8076.html

The most challenging and interesting prop I got to build for STC was the headless body of Cloton for our production of Shakespeare's "Cymbeline." This project was very involved and a lot of fun, drawing from a number of skills including puppetry, molding & casting, and soft goods. Once I got over feeling daunted by the task I dove right in.

Wooden Dowel Limbs for Headless Body Prop

The process started with a sketch. We wanted to build a body that would look as realistic as possible given the time frame and budget. The hardest part in making a fake body is to build it so that the limbs and spine bend naturally and flop under their own weight. So I sketched out what types of joints I would be using in each section of the body.

I started by building the legs and arms using leather joints in notched wooden dowels. The leather was a very easy way to hinge the joints and allow a little bit of twisting between the upper and lower segments of the limbs. The notched dowels were cut so that they would bend only one direction. We didn't want any hyper-extending elbows or knees. The wooden dowels also gave the limbs enough weight to flop naturally.

Merchant's Cart: Designer Revisions

2011-06-09T19:17:00.000-07:00

Cart Layout 3

Andrew, our scenic designer for "Merchant of Venice" at STC came into the shop the other day to take a look at some of the work. He rearranged, simplified and clarified the cart layout. It now feels much less boutiquey and much more practical, which is great. Today I did some painting and distressing to tone down the colors and get the cart looking a little more used.

Today was my last day working for STC. It was bittersweet parting; I'm very excited to be moving to the next job but will miss a lot of the people I've been working with. I had an extraordinary year here in DC. I made many friends and at least touched upon every one of my goals: hand stitching, machine sewing, millinery, leather working, dying, carpentry, welding, tool & hardware identification - and those are just the new skills, there are many more I also improved upon.

Thanks STC, it's been really great.

Merchant's Cart: Revisions

2011-06-02T18:18:00.000-07:00

Merchant's Cart Revised Layout

And then we revised the plan.

Merchant's Cart: Layout

2011-06-01T15:05:00.000-07:00

General Layout for Merchant's Cart

And now we have a plan...

Merchant's Cart: Framework

2011-05-31T15:48:00.001-07:00

Existing Cart Frame

I've now begun construction of the merchant cart for The Merchant of Venice at Shakespeare Theatre Company. We have a very neat old cart frame to work with which presented a few little challenges in order to expand the size of the cart bed.

New Cart Bed

I put together a box for the cart bed built to accommodate the position of the wheels. I think it looks quite a bit like a little row boat still, but it's getting there. The next step is to start altering the box and planning out the layout for the wares.

Merchant's Cart

2011-05-26T18:10:00.000-07:00

Cart Draft

At the prop shop we've been working on the build for "The Merchant of Venice." One of my projects is the construction of the merchandise cart. We have a frame that our designer likes and I have been asked to make the cart body ( a wooden insert ) in such a way that the cart will be larger while still using the existing frame.

Seraph Prosthetic Finalized

2011-05-24T19:54:00.000-07:00

Seraph Prosthetic Completed

The final step in finishing up the silicone prosthetic was to paint the surface with Psycho Paint and gold casting powder. The base color was a darker gold and the high relief surfaces were highlighted with straight gold.

The piece was finally applied with prosthetic adhesive for fit testing.
(The color of the dress and headdress in the final fit images were digitally altered to match the palette for the Seraph costume design. The prosthetic appears as is.)

Prosthetic Casting

2011-05-22T16:49:00.001-07:00

Seraph Silicone Prosthetic Model and Mold

Demolding the plasticine model was a breeze since I had decided to use a universal mold release spray. The plasticine would not have stuck to the plaster too badly had I forgotten this step, but because I remembered the model came out cleanly. I would be able to touch-up the model and remake the mold if necessary and also didn't have to take much time cleaning up the mold before casting.

Silicone Prosthetic Samples

With the plaster mold cleaned with soap and water and sprayed with universal mold release I was ready to start casting. I did a few quick samples first to figure out the proportion of metallic powders to silicone pigment.

Seraph Silicone Prosthetic Cast #4

Once I'd determined what proportions I needed to get the correct base color I cast the entire piece in one batch. It took four tries to get a successful casting. The first time I did not mix enough to make the whole piece in one batch. The second and third time the silicone was not mixed thoroughly and parts of the casting did not cure properly. With such a small application of silicone in such thin sections it was crucial that the silicone be really thoroughly mixed. I realized I'd forgotten to double pour - this is when the two part of the casting material are poured together and mixed, then poured into a second container and mixed again. This solved the curing issues and the fourth cast was completely successful. The silicone was easily demolded from the plaster mold. The edges were then all trimmed.

Plaster Mold Making

2011-05-19T16:18:00.000-07:00

Seraph Silicone Prosthetic Model in Final Stages

With the last of the carving completed and the hard edges softened with denatured alcohol it was time to make the mold.

Fiber Reinforced Plaster Mold

The material for the mold depends upon both the model material and the casting material. The model was a non-sulfur plasticine which is compatible with just about everything. The casting material was silicone so it made the most sense to make the mold out of a rigid material. I could have used a resin but it was less expensive to just use fiber reinforced plaster - which I already had on hand.

Detailed Modeling

2011-05-18T14:41:00.001-07:00

Seraph Silicone Prosthetic Model Detail

After the form for the silicone prosthetic was blocked out I began to carve back the excess clay, modeling a more precise outline and smoothing the form. I only carved a small section at first to get an idea where I was heading with it.

Seraph Silicone Prosthetic Left Half

Before I got too far ahead of myself I flipped the design and finished blocking out the other half in clay. I decided to make one complete piece rather than a left and right half. I didn't want the hassle of lining up seams.

Plasticine Modeling

2011-05-17T17:57:00.000-07:00

Seraph Prosthetic Designs
left: mid process, right: final design

The next step in building the Seraph silicone prosthetic was to sketch out a fully realized design based on the flat pattern.

Seraph Prosthetic Plasticine Model

The design was taped under a piece of plexi on top of which I began to model the prosthetic piece in plasticine clay. When modeling I prefer to start out heavy handed and carve back the excess.

Plastic Wrap Patterning

2011-05-16T16:04:00.000-07:00

Plastic Wrap Pattern

The very first step in the making of the Seraph silicone prosthetic was sketching where the major rhythms in the design would be placed on the face. After a number of thumbnail sketches a basic layout was selected. This layout was sketched onto a plastic wrapped mannequin head. The plastic wrap was then taped over with clear packing tape so that the position of the design would stay in place when the plastic was cut off of the form. This enabled me to then make a flat pattern by slashing and spreading the draped plastic.

Back At It

2011-05-14T12:42:00.001-07:00

Seraph silicone appliance

It's high time this blog was back up and running. I'll make an effort to play a bit of catch up posting the most interesting projects that have come and gone over the past several months. But to start with, here's a little something I just finished today.

I've been working on a new costume which may or may not ever be completed. The costume is that of a seraph (6-winged angel - name meaning "fiery one") It is an art nouveau inspired design.

Seraph silicone appliance sketch

I decided to start with building the silicone facial prosthetic since it's the sort of work I haven't done before and new materials are always fun. I figured that even if I don't get to making the rest of the costume I must at least create this piece of it. It all started with a sketch.

EITM Halloween Bash pics

2010-11-01T16:52:00.000-07:00

Pictures from Elliot in the Morning's Halloween Bash are now up!
See pictures not only of the phoenix costume but also the many costumes worn by other guests. There were many excellent costumes chosen by judges to participate on stage in the audience vote. Photos #162-237,317-320
me: Photos #1,2,3,162,202,280

Elliot in the Morning Halloween Bash album
(no guarantees on level of taste, remember, it was Halloween)

The Phoenix: Halloween 2010

2010-10-31T09:49:00.000-07:00

Phoenix Costume 2010

I've finished the Phoenix Costume. It took a total of approximately 250-300 hours over 5 months to complete and, a mere $600 for absolutely everything.

I attended Elliot in the Morning's Halloween Bash 2010 in Clarendon VA on Oct 29th. I was awarded first place in the audience judged costume competition. The competition was run very professionally and handled smoothly. It was a wonderful event to attend and there were many very skilled costumers at the event. This party is the only in the DC area I've found that takes their competition seriously, even though it does not boast the largest prize. Venue, people, and party were great.

Phoenix Costume at Elliot in the Morning's Halloween Bash

Expect many more pictures and video clips to come!
I've held back on releasing any in-process information on this costume until after the competition as is always wise to do when competing when you don't know who else is on the field with you. As such, I've a flood of in-process photos and tips & tricks on how I created this costume, my most elaborate to date.

FAQs
Yes, that is me in the costume
Yes, I made everything that I am wearing with the exception of the stilts
No, it is not heavy. the wings are about 10-15lbs, like a moderately filled backpack
No, I'm not from Harry Potter (although I do enjoy the books) The Phoenix is a long time favorite symbol for me. I've worked with the imagery in multiple media on many occasions and have not grown weary of the subject yet.

WINGS FAQS

2010-10-13T16:25:00.000-07:00

For any and all who are interested in a commissioned pair of wings I would recommend visiting my Wings info page before sending your inquiry.

Wings FAQs Page

Thank You!

~Dani

Electric Shovel

2010-10-05T18:29:00.000-07:00

Hangar Theatre’s production of “Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel” included a few more shovels besides Mary Anne. The costume for the bright and lively Electric shovel included two clamping shovels, which were my responsibility to create. Grill tongs, trash cans, dust pans and foam coolers did the trick. Thank you Dollar Tree.

Mike Mulligan & His Steam Shovel: Mary Anne

2010-09-30T16:52:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite assignments this past summer was creating the shovels for the Kiddstuff show, “Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel.” I really enjoyed working on the Kids shows which generally involved over-size and/or quirky and imaginative “junk art” pieces.

The script for our production of “Mike Mulligan” included four different kinds of shovels: Mary Anne – Mike’s steam shovel, Diesel, Electric and Nuclear shovels. Mary Anne was a straight forward design. The others allowed me to be a little more inventive since well, who knows what a nuclear shovel should look like anyway?

Welcome to Edinburgh

2010-07-19T17:14:00.000-07:00

Our first mainstage show, "The 39 Steps" required a lot of scenic props pretty much all of which were on casters: door frames, window frames, sign posts, and window & door add-ons. For the most part Tyler made the scenic props, but I did play my part by taking care of the surface treatment.

My favorite were the signs for "Edinburgh" and "Alt Na Shelach." The reason they were fun: 1/4" blue foam. It's been our friend for a number of projects this summer. SO much easier to cut letters out of blue foam then to try using a scroll saw (which we don't have).

The Phoenix Begins

2010-07-15T17:15:00.000-07:00

Phoenix Mask

Surprise, surprise, as busy as I am at the hangar this season I've still got a few side projects going on. For one, I'm already working on next year's Halloween costume (shock!), oh and, it has wings too. (of course)

I'll be living in an area with some pretty major costume contests this Halloween. Not only would it be a great publicity opportunity but, it may also help fund my graduate education *fingers crossed*

My first idea was to create a harpy costume but, I changed my mind and decided to work with a more familiar subject: a phoenix. For many reasons the phoenix is a better choice for me including...
- imagery, color palette & materials with which I'm very familiar
- more "flashy" and attention grabbing than a black harpy
- as much as I'm fascinated by dark imagery, I do not want to glorify it. The Angel of Death costume is quite dark and scary...As It Should Be! It was a portrayal of a terrifying yet beautiful character (which according to my own interpretation is in actuality a servant of God, not evil.) On the other hand, a harpy would simply be, um, dark and scary for darkness sake. It would be cool but not necessarily good - for me at least.

So, the first part I started to work on was the mask. I began with an oil-based clay model.

"Kill to Eat"

2010-07-12T14:29:00.000-07:00

In addition to making props this summer I have also been conscripted into making posters for the three experimental “Wedge Productions.” One more thing in the portfolio I say. The first show, “Kill to Eat” by Caridad Svich, takes place in a grungy, near-future city somewhere in (I would presume) South America at the time of Carnival. Dark and violent, oh and tattoos seemed to be a major symbol.

Exploding Sticky Fish!

2010-07-11T18:17:00.000-07:00

First show of the season at Hangar Theatre and, once again, I found myself making fake fish. It was fun having the chance to revisit an old assignment and see if I could “do one better.” Consequently, what could be better than EXPLODING STICKY FISH!

Instead of searching endlessly for an acceptable, anatomically accurate-ish toy fish, I just built one out of clay. The plan was to make a plaster mold and from that create a latex fish. The first attempt was the most memorable. I set a few layers of brush on latex then, filled the whole fish with a sloppy mixture of latex and sand (knowing full well that it would take a long time to dry but, have a very realistic weight, feel, and “floppiness”) The outer layers cured in less than an hour and with the fish named “Roger” looking pretty good I popped him in the toaster oven (referred to as the easy-bake-fish-oven). Heat will hasten the curing of latex with little side effects, oh, unless it’s also packed full of sand in which case the unset innards will expand at an alarming rate, bursting through the thin seams and spilling all over the easy-bake-fish-oven-easy-removal-drip-tray. Thus is this summer’s fish story. Roger now decorates Adam's (ATD) work space.

The fake gutted fish was a very convincing piece of propage especially when it was still hot out of the oven and all squeezy inside. Seeing as how a fake gutted fish was not called for in “The 39 Steps” prop list though, I made a second fish, this time with just a latex skin, fully cured in the oven, then filled with poly fiber and sand - you know - the normal way to make fake fish. La Sigh….the other way was more fun.

Soon to follow: pictures of the actual exploding sticky fish – this one is the fish used in the show.

The Great Blue Heron: Pt. 2

2010-05-14T11:13:00.000-07:00

Here is the very nearly completed model of the great blue heron. The legs are sketched in and the feet have yet to be added, other than that, the rest is finished. The body will be cast separately from the feet.

The Great Blue Heron: Pt. 1

2010-05-11T09:54:00.001-07:00

I’m long overdue on giving an update on the work I’ve been doing. One project in particular that I’ve invested a lot of time on I’ve had to wait to reveal online as it was commissioned by my grandmother for my grandfather’s birthday.
I have been asked to make a great blue heron garden sculpture. I decided to make a cast resin piece that stands 27” high. I chose to model in oil-based clay, which I would then make a mold of in silicone. From the mold I will cast the final resin piece.

The base structure didn’t look like much to begin with. I started out with just a soda bottle and some pipe insulation.

I then built up the form using one of my favorite understructure materials, spray insulation (Great Stuff).

I then began building out the form in clay. This was a very time consuming part of the process as I had to soften the clay in order to work with it, and it always seemed I needed to add more.

Once the major forms were where I wanted them I began adding minor forms such as the primary feathers, tail, and beak.

After that the real fun began: Details! Here I’ve started adding the strand of feathers around the neck and belly and penciling in the detail on the head.

I really got into the detail work. More to follow soon.

Angel Wings Commission Complete Pt. 2

2010-03-18T14:15:00.000-07:00

The Angel Wings are now 100% complete! They are all rolled up and ready to package and ship. In total this project took just under 100 hours to complete and, after all that, I’m still not tired of making wings. In fact, I’ve already begun drafting new frame designs – there is always room to improve.

Angel Wings Commission Complete!

2010-03-17T10:57:00.000-07:00

The Angel Wings Commission is 99% complete now. The final 1% is just some final touch-up work and a little bit of tweaking.

The articulated frame is hand operated via draw strings. These draw strings are fitted with swivel hooks so that when clipped into place the wings can be held fully open, hands-free.

Some of my other wings have been longer when fully closed. I redesigned the frame for this pair so that the wing tips would be further off the ground when the wings are folded. Greater length makes it very difficult to go down stairs. (In my Angel of Death costume I had to walk down stairs backwards.)

Overall I am very well pleased with this design. There are many improvements over the last pair of wings I made. I would be happy to make this model of wings again and would probably make very few alterations to this design.

Harness and Frame

2010-03-08T16:58:00.000-08:00

Low Temp Setting Thermoplastic Harness and Wood Latice

It’s been quite some time since my last post. I’ve been exceedingly busy working on two commission pieces and putting together a portfolio for this year’s USITT conference. Progress on the wings commission has been steadily paced. I’ve completed all the necessary calculations for the harness, frame and cable system that will be used to open and close the wings. Construction of these components is now underway and should be completed in the next couple weeks.

I’ve decided to use a low-temperature setting thermoplastic for the harness this time. There are a number of advantages to using this material instead of fiber-glass. First, it is very easy to work with and fast setting which saves a tremendous amount of time. Second, it is more cost effective. Third, In the event that it does not fit the wearer comfortably it can easily be heated and reformed by the wearer at any time. Usually I would want to do a life casting of the wearer and form the harness in that mold. In this case I can not do a custom fit so it is nice to use a material that the wearer can adjust themselves if need be.

Angel Wings and Things

2010-02-03T10:44:00.000-08:00

Angel Wing Back

The commissioned angel wings are coming along nicely. All of the hand-made feathers are completed and sewn into place. I’ve started to work on sewing down the layers of turkey and ostrich feathers now. I’m glad to say that this part of the process is going faster than anticipated now that I’ve got a system for doing it. I feel much less stressed now that I have one half of one of the wings completed. Now I’ll be able to start on the other commissioned pieces I’ve got on the backburner.

Valkyrie Helmet Parts

Like always, I have more than one project going on right now. There are two or three other commission pieces I need to start drafting up including a pair of fairy wings and possibly a life-casting project. Right now I give myself a break from all the wings by working on the Valkyrie costume here and there. The cuirass is still half completed, as I ran out of steam making all that piping, but I have amassed quite a pile of scrap junk and have started piecing together what will soon be a helmet…of sorts.

Angel Wings Commission

2010-01-11T09:50:00.000-08:00

Angel Wings Draft

Lately I’ve been spending most of my time working on a commissioned pair of angel wings. They are going to be a 10ft wingspan with an articulated frame. I’ve made a few modifications to my previous design for the Angel of Death costume and I’m convinced that this pair will be my best yet. The materials are more durable, realistic and, easier to work with.

Hand-Made Secondary Feathers

I’m off to a good start on the assembly of the hand-made feathers. In order to create wings of this size that are proportional and have an accurate arrangement of feathers, the primary feathers must be at least 30” long. Since, to my knowledge, no primary feathers of this length and style exist in nature, they must be made by hand. The addition of ostrich feathers should give the piece a richness that it was lacking before.

Valkyrie Cuirass: Assembly

2010-01-03T17:03:00.000-08:00

Valkyrie Articulated Cuirass

Starting this week I’ll be able to spend considerably more time working in my home studio. Today I was able to put in a decent couple hours work on the Valkyrie costume. I’ve got the technique down for creating the finish I want on the articulated cuirass, now it’s simply a matter of sitting down and doing it. To finish off the assembly I plan on using elastic links between the plates so that the pieces will be able to slide over each other when I move. It seems like a durable means of linking the pieces without having to build on top of a fabric base.

Valkyrie Cuirass: Metal Piping

2009-12-14T14:53:00.000-08:00

Completed Portion of Valkyrie Cuirass

I’ve made some major advances on the Valkyrie costume today. All of the segments for the cuirass have been cut and ironed, and most of them have been surfaced. I wanted each segment to have “piping” around the edges, but the vinyl tubing I was trying to use was much too difficult to cut and bend into shape. Even at 1/8” it was too stiff. I figured a way to make the seams using piping cord and ribbon and still achieve a neat, smooth surface almost as smooth as the vinyl tubing would have looked. Up close it looks pretty good, but a few feet back it looks perfect. It took over two hours to do this one section though so, I’ve still a long way to go.

Cherub Wings

2009-12-12T11:49:00.000-08:00

Completed "Cherub" Wings

I was able to spend some of this morning working on the “cherub” wings for the choir of angels in my church’s Christmas production. The choir of angels will consist of 6-7 children from the church. For each of them I’m making a small pair of wings made with whatever I have around or can find for cheap: coat hangers, nylon, turkey feathers and boas. I’m keeping them simple since I’ll need to make multiples and need them finished within the next week.

Modeling Homura's Mask

2009-12-01T11:20:00.000-08:00

Homura's Karas Mask

I received my life-size head mannequin in the mail yesterday. I haven’t had my hand in any modeling for a while so I started sculpting right away. I’ve started making the mask and helmet for the female karas: Homura from the 6-part animated series Karas.

Gabriel's Angel Wings

2009-11-30T13:02:00.000-08:00

Wire Wing Form with Turkey Feathers

This year for Christmas my local church is presenting the story of Christ’s birth through music and drama. I’ve volunteered to help with the production as much as my tight schedule will allow, taking on projects one at a time. To start, I’m making the wings for Gabriel and the choir of angels (a small ensemble of 6 children). It took some time to make Gabriel’s wings, but fortunately I already had all the supplies I needed on hand.

Beginning with some scrap chicken-wire and some heavier gauge wire I made simple understructure that I could glue and tie everything to. I covered this with fabric that had a couple rows of turkey plums sewn in place. For the major coverts I simply glued some turkey quills in place. Glue will do since the production is soon and will only run once. For a longer show I would have glued and sewn the feathers in place.

Wings with Primary and Lesser Coverts

Some scraps of turkey feather boas were used to the lesser coverts. Then I attached the primaries that I had made. To my great fortune I was able to make the call that these wings will be static, not articulated. Therefore, I was able to use a rigid wire understructure and, only needed to make a couple primary feathers to achieve the look of a full pair of wings. All that’s left to do is find some gold rope to use as a harness.

Gabriel's Wings Completed
Height:4'

Valkyrie: Wings

2009-11-19T11:15:00.000-08:00

Valkyrie Wing Sketches

I’ve begun drafting the wings for the Valkyrie costume. They are quite different from the Angel of Death wings, although they will still be based loosely on a bird's true wing structure. The structure for animating the wings should be significantly simpler as well.

I’ve decided I want a vertical span when the wings are fully open instead of horizontal, which is much more a fantasy wing design than anatomically correct. A vertical design, however, has the benefit of being easier to wear in crowded areas (such as Salem on Halloween)

I’ve split the wings into two main sections, the Primary and Secondary Wings. The Primary section, containing the primary feathers, is the piece that will accordion fold, and pivot to open to full span. The Secondary section, containing the secondary feathers and coverts, will be completely stationary, housing the pulley/gear system that will animate the Primary wings.

As exciting as it would be to have exposed gears operating the animation, I simply can not afford the type of gear motor I would need. Chances are I’ll be using a network of pulleys. Pulleys shouldn’t need to be so precisely aligned as gears, (so the wings will be able to flex a little). Additionally, the wire rope can be pulled and fastened using a belt, which works for a costume that already has a number of belts on it.

Valkyrie: Skirt Design Progress

2009-11-13T13:32:00.001-08:00

Asymmetrical Skirt Sketches

I’m closer now to a skirt design that suits the Valkyrie character. Switching to an asymmetrical design added more interest instantly, plus I think the drape will be considerably more elegant and much less like curtain drapery. I’ve pretty much thrown out the idea of fish-scale armor completely; it made the design feel too “mermaidy.” I’m toying with the idea of including some asymmetrical/ broken off chainmail instead, but it seems likely this will be edited out later. I will definitely want belts and bands throughout the piece and have played around with them in sketches. When it comes to construction though, the belts will be assembled randomly depending on what I manage to scavenge.

I’ve yet to come up with a way to make the belt work appear truly functional as opposed to merely decorative. It isn’t fitting for a post apocalyptic warrior to be wearing a whole lot of decorative pieces (the Costume is about the Character). The only true decoration in the costume should be remnants from pre-apocalyptic periods particularly Nordic Dark Ages and Early Renaissance Design. I think that I can get away with using the belts as "holsters" for ammo and/or projectile weaponry and, in some areas, for "added protection". I’ll have to work with it more when the time comes. As for the assemblage of junk and scrap metal that will constitute a good portion of this costume, I’m getting away with saying it functions as protective armor. (even though it will be elaborate, eye-catching and primarily for effect)

Valkyrie: Skirt Design

2009-11-12T10:59:00.000-08:00

Skirt Sketches

Lately it’s been fairly difficult to find the time to work on the Valkyrie costume. This weekend I’ll have a break from work though and should be able to finally make some serious headway on my various art projects. I’ve started playing around with the design for the Valkyrie skirt. I’m thinking of using a blue chiffon. I’d like something a bit “flowy”; loose, comfortable, pretty while at the same time battle appropriate. I’m toying with the length and placement of darts. I’d like my legs to be visible from the knee down, at least on one leg, because I’ll be wearing armor that I want to show off, plus it is more practical for a warrior to be wearing a slit skirt that is easy to maneuver in.

I’m not satisfied with any of my first drafts yet (hence “1st draft”) but the bottom left design is getting there. I think I need to start working some asymmetry into the design.

Angel of Death photos

2009-11-04T19:43:00.001-08:00

Photos of my Angel of Death costume worn at the Salem Witches' Ball are now online. Photography by John Hurley (no relation)
The Angel of Death costume was awarded the grand prize at the ball. I hope to be able to compete again next year. It was a blast!

Gallery One (pages52-57)
Gallery Two (pages 8, 20-21, 23-24)

More photos will be added to Gallery Two very soon.

Halloween: The Angel of Death

2009-11-03T08:51:00.000-08:00

The Angel of Death, Salem MA

On October 30th I attended the Official Salem Witches’ Ball in Salem MA for the purpose of entering the costume contest. I went in my Angel of Death: Version 2009 costume. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to bring the matching scythe that I made especially for this costume. On the other hand, the replacement prop lantern that I brought turned out to be quite a hit. The lantern was also more “crowd-friendly” and as a whole worked out better for the environment I was in than the scythe would have. I won first place in the costume contest at the ball and am already planning on going again next year. Sadly, my wings were broken by the crowds of Salem on Halloween night. Next year I’ll be wearing something more durable that can withstand the pushy crowds. I’ll also need to go downtown much earlier in the day. It’s just too packed out at night and large/delicate costumes are in constant danger.
More pictures will be coming soon.

Last Minute Prop: Lantern

2009-10-29T11:51:00.000-07:00

Angel of Death Lantern

Salem now has a number of rules in place for Halloween night. At the top of the list is the No Weapons rule. Anything that looks like a weapon, real or fake, will be confiscated. Unfortunately this means I can not have my scythe with me in town on Halloween. The authorities chose to overlook my scythe from last year however I was only in town during daylight hours (not to mention the old scythe wasn’t nearly as menacing). I’m sure the police are stricter about the no weapons rule when it gets darker and harder to distinguish between the real and fake. So, (sigh) I’ll be leaving my Angel of Death Scythe at home and have doctored up a quick replacement prop because, I mean, I have to be carrying something and the scythe handle, cool as it is, is just not enough for me to carry on it’s own.

I quickly put together a lantern that can be bolted to the scythe handle (good thing I made that blade easily removable). Thank Goodness for liquid latex: the easiest way to make something look old and creepy in a matter of minutes. With a bit of latex and paint I was able to make this brand new electric lantern look a bit more like something the Angel of Death would carry around.

Surprise Birthday Cake

2009-10-27T13:57:00.001-07:00

'Shley with her Cake

So yesterday I took a little dive into a medium I don’t generally work with; Food. ‘Shley’s Birthday was yesterday and I decided to take responsibility for providing the Birthday cake. It couldn’t be any ordinary cake though, oh no. I was contemplating how to get a picture of some pop icon on the cake, either painted in frosting or sugar-screen printed, but decided either of those ideas would take too long. Then I came up with the great idea, what could be better than having a celebrity pop out of your birthday cake? I rigged up a jack and the box with a picture of Jesse McCartney and hid it inside the cake. ‘Shley couldn’t stop laughing, none of us could.

Polo Shirt Tailoring

2009-10-24T12:40:00.001-07:00

Polo Shirt with Right Side Pinned

My mom just picked up this polo shirt for me because it was on sale for 80% off plus it has wings on it. It’s a men’s polo though so I figure it will make a fun project to tailor it so it’s a women’s polo. It’s a little tricky deciding where to add darts so that I don’t loose too much of the print or the trim down the side which I quite like.

Felt Cuirass: Surface Treatment

2009-10-23T08:32:00.000-07:00

Felt with Metalic Surface Treatment

Creating a uniform look with the glue application has proven to be more difficult than I had anticipated. The consistency of the glue must be just right for it to soak in a little bit but not too much. I’ve found though, that with a little more effort put into the surface treatment I can get a relatively consistent look on all the pieces. Alternating between silver Rub n’ Buff and black tinting solution I was able to create a sort of aged, acid-etched metal surface. Then the feathers were applied with gloss medium and pewter pigment powder. The feathers are a bit more subtle than they appear in this picture. Their visibility depends on the angle of the light hitting the piece. Now I just need to do this to 15 more pieces and I’ll be ready for the next step.

Webbing Problems

2009-10-21T14:40:00.001-07:00

PVA Glue Application for Felt Cuirass

I ran into some trouble reproducing the effect I had achieved earlier in my test samples. The type of webbing I bought is different from that which I was working with previously. The webbing I applied to a few felt sections is much finer, thinner and produced a flat consistent surface. As a result the glue application soaked right into the webbing and underlying layer of felt producing a smooth stiffened surface. I thought, well that’s beautiful and will work wonderfully for some armor pieces, but not this one. I now have to reapply the webbing with the heavier, irregular, non-paper-backed variety. Unfortunately I don’t know what kind it is exactly so I can’t get more. I should have enough of this in stock though thanks to raiding my mom’s closet.

The glue was also a problem. In my materials tests I had been using an old bottle of elmer’s. As a result the glue was thicker than the new bottle I am now using. I found that if I use a combination of elmer’s and tacky glue I get the consistency I need so that the glue will puddle on the surface where the webbing is thicker. Too much elmer’s and it all soaks into the felt. Too much tacky glue and it all stays on the surface. This has turned out to be a much more delicate process than I had originally anticipated but at least I now know how to reproduce the intended effect.

The Helmet: Foam Base

2009-10-20T13:44:00.000-07:00

I used a basic foam wig mannequin for the base from which to build the skull helmet for my updated Angel of Death costume. Fortunately my head is almost the same circumference as the foam mannequin so I didn’t need to build it out very much. When making hats or helmets it is always important to measure the size and shape of the wearer’s head. This can be done quite simply by cutting a hole in a piece of cardboard and adjusting it until it fits comfortably around the wearer’s head.

Foam Mannequin with Horns

I started sculpting the helmet in foam beginning with the horns. Symmetry is very important in a lot of my designs so I wanted to make sure that the placement of the horns was symmetrical from the very beginning. I started with two identically curved pieces of wire. Then I covered the wire with scored pipe insulation foam. Foam is a great choice for sculpting the core form in if you especially if you intend on leaving the core from inside the finished product as I did.

Spray Insulation Foam Base

The rest of the form was roughed out in spray insulation foam (GreatStuff) and a chicken-wire armature for the beak. Again, the idea here is to keep the materials light and easy to carve down later. Note: spray foam expands a lot! So don’t fill in gaps too heavily and expect to carve the form down later.

The Summer Project: Helmet

2009-10-19T11:05:00.000-07:00

Angel of Death Helm Sketches

During my spare time this past summer I decided to do some significant revamping on my Halloween costume from the year before. The Angel of Death costume was a big hit in Salem in 2008 but I knew it could be bigger and better for this year. The ’08 version included a sort of veiled head covering, which I wanted to hide my eyes (There’s something very intimidating about not being able to see someone’s eyes) So, I started my upgrade beginning with the headdress. I designed a helmet that would bring the costume to a whole new level. The design is a hybrid crow and ram skull helmet with lace veil. Like all my new projects I started with a series of sketches and reworked them until I had what I wanted. Even very detailed sketches are subject to change though. A few alterations occurred during the construction process but, for the most part, I’m a major planner who sticks pretty closely to my initial designs.

Felt Cuirass

2009-10-17T11:10:00.001-07:00

Felt Cuirass Layout

The base material for the cuirass will be made of felt: a cheap, durable, easily altered material. There is more than one way to make felt look something like metal. In this case I decided I wanted the base layer to look like a sort of hammered-metal with lots of irregular stippling. The second layer will be a soft, organic feather detailing followed up by the final layer: a bright silver knot work pattern (the design for which has not been drawn up yet) After much experimenting and a bit of luck I found a process that would give the look I had in mind.

Materials Experiments

The felt is first sealed with fusible webbing. The webbing happens to have a very slight irregularity in thickness. When a mix of PVA (white glue) and metal powder pigments is lightly brushed over this webbing some of it soaks into the felt and the rest beads up on the surface. This gave me the stippled, hammered-metal look with hardly any effort at all. The feathers can then be glued on and silvered with acrylic gloss medium and metal pigment. The acrylic medium is not as heavy bodied as the glue so that the fine detail of the feathers is not lost. Figuring out the materials for the knot pattern is still a work in progress.

The Cuirass: Drafting

2009-10-16T12:38:00.000-07:00

Cuirass Sketches

I decided to begin the valkyrie project with the cuirass, which in this case is still a corset style, but does not lace up like a corset. The final look will be that of plated metal rather than leather which is more typical for a cuirass. I began the process with a series of sketches. When I came to a design I liked, something form-fitting, edgy but still practical for moving in, I started drafting the pieces with a paper model. Having a duct tape double of myself has made drafting and fitting the plates much, much easier. I recommend making a duct tape double to anyone who makes a lot of clothing/costuming for themself.

Cuirass Paper Model

The "Post-Apocalyptic Valkyrie"

2009-10-15T07:12:00.000-07:00

valkyrie rough sketch

The next big project is now underway. I’ve decided to focus on costuming more intensely in an attempt to build a more specified portfolio. Most of my costuming work so far is craft/prop related and falls into the sci-fi and fantasy genres. I’ll continue to focus on this type of costuming.

The next project is what I’m calling a “Post-Apocalyptic Valkyrie.” A valkyrie is a female figure from Norse mythology who decides who will die in battle. They are often depicted as armored women carrying shields and spears while riding winged horses. This version is a cross between two mythological figures; valkyries and shield maidens. In the oldest Norse mythologies valkyries are associated with ravens and ride wolves through the battle fields. Occasionally the valkyries themselves are winged.

I’ve come up with a design that is a conglomeration of these mythologies with a sci-fi twist. The “Post-Apocalyptic Valkyrie” is a winged warrior maiden who has been escorting fallen heroes from the battle field since the 14th century to a future post-apocalyptic era. She and her attire have evolved with the centuries. She wears remnants of the traditional Viking armor and, a mix of accessories from across the centuries. Her outfit thus reflects the evolution of the warrior. The main component to the costume though is the assemblage of scrap and junk materials that one would find strewn across a landscape after an apocalypse. The basic patterning is what identifies her as a valkyrie (ie: spear, feathered helmet, armor cuirass…) but the materials have changed, replacing feathers and leather with scrap metal and mechanical pieces.

Mae West

2009-06-21T09:29:00.000-07:00

Mae West Photo Album

As in any occupation, some projects are more exciting than others. For the production of "Dirty Blonde" I had quite a bit of fun making the mannequin heads, but then found myself working on a rather tedious project. We needed a scrapbook of Mae West, one that looked like it was overflowing with photos and news clippings and the like. Such a simple project but so time consuming. It turned out great, but no one who looks at it would know how much work it actually is to make something look like a random accumulation of junk from years of collecting.

Aged Sheet Music

On the side, I aged some sheet music to look like it had been sitting the basement for a number of years. Again, it was a very simple project, but a bit more fun than the scrapbook.

Hangar Theatre: Mannequin Heads

2009-06-12T19:41:00.000-07:00

Room View

This summer I've been working as an intern in the props department at Hangar Theatre, Ithaca NY. I'm one of three people in props, and so far the position has been working out well. I've had quite a bit of freedom with a few projects, and am really enjoying the fact that the type of work I do varies from day to day. I can see myself staying in props for a little while yet, but I am still planning on moving my way into special effects costuming.

Mannequin Heads

The first project I had was a set of tree mannequin heads for our first show of the season, "Dirty Blonde." I dressed the heads with a few layers of gel medium, and modeling paste over nylon. I also helped with the assembly of the bases and added a wood grain.

Unfortunately the heads were cut from the show after I had already finished them after two days of work. They look great though, especially the one that is now holding my hats in my room.

Senior Thesis Exhibit: Wings

2009-05-06T17:07:00.001-07:00

"Hope is the Thing with Feathers"

My Senior Thesis Exhibit, along with work by Mariwyn, Brooke and Alex, was this past Saturday. The opening reception was wonderful as there was a rather large turn out. I believe all of us in the exhibit fully achieved our goals and put on a fabulous show. I'm so proud to be a part of this group.

Photoshop Digital Mock-Up

For my Senior Thesis I created a multi-media installation piece centered around the themes "Hope" and "Freedom." It was created in promotion for Not For Sale Campaign (notforsalecampaign.org) An open-source organization commited to reabolishing slavery.

This piece is 21 feet wide, constructed of Sintra (PVC foam), Acetate, Wood, Acrylics, and Gold Leaf. It was designed as a kinetic sculpture operated by a gear motor.

Unfortunately we had some trouble with the motor overheating. It shut itself off just minutes before the opening reception and we couldn't turn it back on since the manual reset was located on the motor at the top of the skylight. A few people did get to see the wings in action though, and I did manage to capture some video. For the most part though, we have decided to leave the wings stationary. It functions just as well as a static installation piece.

Three Days Remaining

2009-04-13T21:12:00.000-07:00

Rectangular Foam Capital

With only three days left until opening night for “Joyful Noise,” we’re going to be very busy in the woodshop. The rectangular foam capitals are close to being complete; with little more to do than some detail work and a paint job.

Round Foam Capitals
As of last Thursday, the round capitals were in the process of being foamed out. Over the next few days I’ll have to design and carve them, and considering the time constraints they may not be as intricate as the rectangular capitals.

Pediment

Archway
The archway and the pediment are well underway. Surface details are being applied to the pediment and are soon to be applied to the archway. The floor needs to be painted and a few props need completed, then we’ll be underway. It looks like for the next three days my senior thesis is going to have to go on the backburner a bit.

Lesser Coverts

This weekend I hope to be able to work extensively on my thesis piece. I need to finish painting the acetate for both sets of feathers, and complete the other set of lesser coverts before I can move on to the mechanics.

Capital Idea

2009-04-08T20:53:00.001-07:00

Foam Capital in Process

Theater Production has been busy getting everything up and ready for the show April 17th. The carved foam capitals underwent quite a bit of work, when we decided to change the design a bit. Fortunately we are able to use most of what I started. There are two sets of capitals we must form. The set I had started were square and foamed out 2 inches. We decided that where we originally had the square capitals we needed to make round ones, so the square pieces were moved to the other side of the stage and cut down to fit the other columns. At first it seemed like making this switch would cost me a lot of wasted time. However, it turns out that I will be saving a lot of time by making these changes. The square capitals are now smaller and only need to be three sided so finishing them won’t take nearly as long. Also, the new round capitals have less surface area so they also won’t take as long to complete. And in the end they will look much better than where we were originally headed with them, plus I’m a lot less stressed about this project now.

Portion of the Archway

Fourth Quad

2009-04-04T19:53:00.000-07:00

Fourth quad has been keeping me exceptionally busy, as such I’ve quite a backlog of work to post, so here we go.

Pediment Technical Draft

Production for “Joyful Noise” is now in full swing. The show goes up in just a few weeks and there’s plenty of work to do. At the start of production I was asked to create the technical drafts for a few scenic elements including a hanging pediment and an archway. Since I was in charge of the drafting I also assisted in overseeing the construction of the pediment and arch.

Foam Capitals

Additionally I have been asked to spearhead the building of four capitals to be mounted on columns under the arch and pediment. Each is to be carved out of Dow foam. It’s a long process and the design has been somewhat modified along the way, but the results are pleasing, well worth the extra effort.

Sintra Feathers Layout

My senior thesis project is coming along nicely, pretty much exactly on schedule. Leo is helping to acquire a motor I can use to animate the wings. In the meantime I’ve been plugging along, cutting, painting and gluing lots of feathers. I’ve got my process down for each component of the sculpture so now it’s just a matter of putting in the hours and cranking out the pieces.

Mailer Design
I’ve also completed the design for the postcards I am to send out before the show. I should have them in hand within two weeks.

Completed Masks

2009-03-02T19:04:00.000-08:00

Completed Mask

Brother's Broken Mask

We had a snow day at school today (YATA!) which means I was able to put in a good 7 hours in the studio today. It was wonderful. I wish I could do it again tomorrow.
I was able to finish both commissioned masks. The second mask is a smaller, broken, mirror image of the first that belonged to the brother of the main character in the film. It is a hand prop rather than a costume prop so it took a little less time to create. With a few rag-brushed layers of acrylics and some added details they are both complete. It’s great to be done early.

Mask: Surface Treatment

2009-03-01T20:28:00.000-08:00

Paper Mache Mask

The fitted mask is coming along now. The paper mache is not entirely dry yet as it is about 8 layers. However, I was able to demold it and start working on finishing the surface. I’ve spackled and sealed the surface so it’s ready for painting and detail work. As soon as it’s fully dry I’ll be able to seal the inside. Now to start the second mask.

Masks

2009-02-28T18:36:00.001-08:00

Life Casting

I was recently commissioned to make two masks for a low budget film. They are to be mirror images on one another, one smaller and broken, and the other custom fit for the actors head. The life casting of the actor’s head is complete and the casting of the mask underway. The masks will be paper mache, like venetian masks. I’m thinking they’ll have a mixed organic and mechanical feel to them, having an organic texture and coloring but more mechanical form. I’m playing off of ideas like “bandages” and “prison masks.” They will have a somewhat creepy feel to them, as they should, but the warm earthy tones will give hint to what lies beneath.

Acetate

2009-02-25T20:53:00.000-08:00

Left: first trial, acrylics, Right: last trial, pinata paints

Top: front lit, Bottom: back lit

Half of each feather is made of sintra (PVC foam) while the other half I’ve wanted to make out of painted acetate (clear film) I’ve been having a terrible time getting the look I want because the piece will be back lit. I had been trying to achieve a faux stained glass appearance using inks and acrylics with a lot of gloss medium. The inks didn’t adhere as well as I had hoped and the acrylics look dull and streaky. Thanks to my mom though, I finally found something that works. Jacquard’s piñata paints are perfect for creating a stained glass effect on plastics. They dry quickly and are both transparent and vivid, the combination I was having so much trouble achieving. With this discovery made I am now on my way with creating the feathers. I also decided on the addition of some rough gold leafing which gives the pieces a new reflective quality. This helps tie together the reflective surface of the acetate and dull opaque sintra. The addition of slots in the sintra also helped to unify the two parts. The only other element that I used in the first trial that I would like to keep is the gloss medium on the acetate which creates a more textured glossy surface rather than the hard flat shine of the acetate.

Wooden Stalks

2009-02-17T18:37:00.000-08:00

Wooden Dowel Stalks

I’ve completed one set of the feather stalks now. These form a sort of skeletal frame at the ends of which will be the sintra and acetate feathers. A portion of this frame will be exposed. The stalks are simply tapered wooden dowels painted red. It’s amazing how long it took (3 hours) to complete such a simple part of the assembly process.

Meanwhile, the second shipment of sintra has arrived and I’ve begun to cut out the remainder of the feathers. As for the acetate, well I haven’t yet figured that out completely. I’m not satisfied with the effects created by acrylics or inks. The inks are too transparent and the acrylics too streaky. However, my mom discovered Jacquard’s Pinata Paints which I believe will give me the effect I’m looking for. These paints adhere well to plastic and are great for creating a faux stained glass effect, which is exactly what I’ve been looking for.

The Steam Pipe

2009-02-14T18:47:00.001-08:00

Steam Pipe

Annika and I have successfully built a steam pipe in which we can steam wood that is to be bent. It’s a simple set up consisting of an insulated PVC pipe, vinyl tubing and a hot pot. That’s all. It get’s considerably hotter than I had anticipated which is marvelous; we’ll be able to bend the wood faster.

Clamped Steamed Wood

I’ve just begun assembling the bent sections of the wing frame. I may need to steam each piece a couple times and over extend the degree of arching in order to compensate for any relaxing the wood will want to do once unclamped. We’ll see how it goes. I’m hoping the L brackets will help hold it all in shape.

Sintra

2009-02-03T13:18:00.000-08:00

Sintra with Acrylic

The order of Sintra (PVC foam) came in the other day and I’ve begun experimenting with it. The plan is to construct the feathers in two layers: one opaque layer of sintra and one translucent layer of acetate. Both will be painted with acrylics. Right now the acetate is still on its way, so I’ve been experimenting with getting a somewhat “feathery” look to the foam. I think I need to use a heavy-body medium for the base coat to get some more brush texture in there since scratching the surface is not creating quite as much texture as I would like. However, considering that the feathers will be back lit, I don’t think I’ll need to worry too much about the details on the sintra. The acetate is what will make the piece really shine.

Frame Work

2009-02-02T15:31:00.000-08:00

Wooden Frame

The senior thesis piece is now underway. I’ve begun by constructing a wooden frame, laying out the pieces on plywood board. The design is sketched out and “L” brackets have been placed and fastened so that I can easily bend and clamp the wood into place. I’ve decided that steaming the wood will be the easiest way to bend it and have it hold its shape. Some time this week I hope to build a steam box that I can have set up in my studio. This will probably be made out of a piece of PVC pipe since the pieces of wood are 2” x ½” x 6’.

Cathedral Window: Complete

2009-01-31T17:03:00.000-08:00

Completed Cathedral Window

The cathedral window for the production, “Our Town” is now completed. I enjoyed being able to help out quite a bit on this project. There were a number of design flaws that we encountered along the way, particularly in trying to bend the wood into place. I learned quite a bit about the care required during assembly to make sure that everything is precisely squared up. I also now know that in a build of this kind, the more symmetrical the design is, the easier the assembly will be. There is a lot of knowledge I will bring with me from this project into the next, so that next time, things can run smoother.

Completed Window On Set

Cathedral Window

2009-01-24T18:44:00.000-08:00

Window Guidelines

This week has been very busy in the Theater Production 101 class. Right from the start of the semester we have been working overtime in preparation for the show “Our Town.” With little instruction many of us have simply had to jump right in, helping wherever needed. I have primarily assisted in the construction of a 4.5x10 ft cathedral window, which has been a joy to work on. The frame is all mapped out and the wood is cut and kerfed. Next: assembly and surface treatment.

Schematics

2009-01-21T13:11:00.000-08:00

Motor Schematics

The drafting phase of the thesis project is just about done. Certainly the design will be tweaked here and there along the way. I already know for a fact that the center shaft needs to be about twice as long. (I wonder if I can get a ladder to measure the exact distance somehow…) I’ve decided to hold of on piecing together the mechanical apparatus though until I get the missing pieces and exact measurements. I’d really like to get started on the wooden wing frame – just as soon as I get a good sheet of plywood to clamp to. Hopefully things will start rolling this weekend.

Casting The Lion

2009-01-20T20:12:00.000-08:00

St. Mark Silicone Mold

Back at school now I’ve begun the process of casting St. Mark, The Winged-Lion. St. Mark is an original alabaster carving I finished in the spring of 2007. I’m so found of the piece that I’ve decided to try my hand at reproducing it. Now having a little bit more experience with casting and mold making, I’m fairly confident that I can pull off the task.

I’ve started with a RTV-silicone rubber mold. Four coats is all that’s needed to create a strong, stretchy skin. The silicone should work much nicer than polyurethane; it has greater flexibility, and a longer library life, and requires no release agents.
The next step shall be the jacket mold.

Senior Thesis

2009-01-03T10:40:00.000-08:00

mock up layout

Winter Break is quickly coming to an end, and there's still so much left to do. My greatest concern is beginning construction on my senior thesis exhibit piece. I have chosen to create an installation piece in which I will, as my advisor suggested, “pull out all the stops.” The form of the piece is a pair of wings (20 ft span) that will hang in the skylight of the main exhibition room. It will be mixed media, mainly wood, acetate and sintra (PVC foam). As if this weren’t enough, I also intend to animate them so that they flap 3rpm.

Why wings? Because I’ve been fascinated by them for years. Additionally, The piece will also serve as a platform for The “Not For Sale” Campaign (men and women across the country united to fight the global slave trade). I am aiming to express the themes “Freedom” and “Hope” through this piece.