Guild Wars

"What’s with that thing outside?"

You’ld think that, by now, my Father in law would just chalk up anything wierd to Halloween. But, he had to ask. Followed by “Are you just leaving it up till Halloween, then?”

No…but the rebar holding that thing up is down pretty tight, and I’m needing some help getting it out. So, I figured the ‘thing’ was better than a bare piece of rebar kids might get hurt on. Besides, it’s fun to mess with people. I did take off the banner and skull this morning, though, as we’re supposed to get some weather this afternoon. Just a bamboo pole up, now.

Also began work on the “Tombstones” for Project Nightfall.

Now, Guild Wars showed them as rather nice pots overturned on the grave markers. While I’m not entirely sure where they got that specific idea, Nightfall was based on some African traditions, and I’ve seen enough documentaries on various tribes to recognize the general idea there.

The grave is for the body, the pot is for the spirit. Some tribes use plain rocks, some pots, some more ethereal means. Essentially, the body is buried, but the spirit remains for a while. Sometimes years. When that spirit fades, whatever item represented it is taken to a resting place as well for the spirit to continue it’s journey. Sometimes that place is with the body, as we see in the GW picture, sometimes it’s somewhere else.

Chances are decent that Arena.net didn’t put that much thought into their art for the gravesite. However, that’s the backstory in my mind, for my graveyard. A mix of authentic African tribal culture (Tribal Secrets. Great documentary series! Not for the faint of heart.) and Guild Wars. In my mind, such backdrops are essential prior to building anything.

Now, GW was depicting a rather refined culture in the surrounding area of this gravesite. And, it is reflected in the symmetry and beauty of the pottery. (yes, I read all this into a little artwork) My yard on halloween, however, most definately depicts a much less refined area. To make these work in the bigger picture for ME on halloween, and not just for this contest, I need the pots to reflect this lack of refinement.

Thus began what looks to be the most laughable model for our ‘tombstones’. Utilizing all the clay in the house, I managed to build a neck and start on the vase portion. Not willing to go buy more, or wait, we finished off the bottom with….wire clothes hangers covered in duct tape.

Can’t get more ugly than that…

To make the first pot, then, we covered the model in tin foil, covered the tin foil in duct tape, cut it off, and taped it back together.

This was then covered in Rigid Wrap for a cheap and easy ‘pottery’ feel.

It’s taking me 1 3″ roll of the rigid wrap per pot right now, and they look nice and rough, and unrefined. Need to purchase more rigid wrap, and figure out how many graves we’re making.

Announcing Project Nightfall.

I have spoken before about Guild Wars, and it’s influence on some of my designs for Halloween.

Well, turns out Guild Wars also runs an annual Halloween Art Contest. I have decided to go ahead and enter it this year.

I had considered keeping this decision, and some of the stuff I’ll be making for this contest private. But, that’s not a lot of fun, now, is it. And, if just one more person decides to deck out their house and enter as well because of this, I’ll be most happy. Time to get a few yard haunts into that contest with all the costumes, drawings, and other art, to be recognized as art in and of itself.

The rules state:
Create a concept and bring it to life:

Carve a pumpkin—real or not—and take a photograph.

Create a blueprint for other pumpkin carvers.

Sketch a costume by hand or on the computer. If you’re extra creative, stitch up that costume, add some makeup or temporary tattoos, and model it in a photograph.

Design a desktop image to share the joy in your home, school, or office.

Decorate a cake, bake some cookies, compose a menu, build an edible haunted house—put your culinary skills to the task.

Spruce up your homestead and send a photograph.

If there is one thing yard haunting does, it’s create a concept and bring it to life. And, thus far, the 3 years of contest has been devoid of yard haunters.

I wasn’t actually planning on entering this year. But, in making The Bloodcloth, it was one of the Guild Emblems that ultimately inspired the handprint design. Sure, I modified it a fair bit, but it was a Guild Emblem to originate the idea.

That got me thinking of the contest. Which in turn got me going through screenshots. Thus, Project Nightfall has been born.

An opportunity to do that one Halloween oriented theme I’ve always KINDA wanted to do, but could never bring myself to do something so ordinary.

A cemetery.

Guild Wars. Specifically Nightfall, offered me a glimpse of how to make one, most uniquely. And as I began work on my first ‘tombstone’ last night, Kyle gave me a befuddled look. “But Tombstones are supposed to be straight.”

Not anymore.

Stay tuned for plenty of how-to’s to create your own Guild Wars Graveyard, with a few special Halloween twists I’m planning to toss into the mix as well, as I shall keep you all up to date with Project Nightfall:

When I’m not building wierdo crap for Halloween, you’ll likely find me on the computer.

And, one of my favorites remains Guild Wars. Originally, I gravitated towards Guild Wars as it was one of the few games that my (at the time) dial up connection could actually allowe me to play. But as time has gone on, the whole casual nature of the game continues to draw me back. I take breaks where I don’t play it for months on end, but always come back to it. No fee, no deletions for inactivity, no penalties, everything just the way I left it. More should follow this example of online play.

So, I’ve been playing it since 2005, and have consistantly bought the chapters as they came out, and even bought a few extras on my account. Still, it was this last year that Guild Wars was truly inspiring.

I had started making skulls early in the year last year, and had already decided they would be thrust up on stakes. However, the prevailing image going into September was 100 skulls on top of 100 stakes.

This was brought about, largely by the original, original idea I had for the whole yard that I’ld have different animal skulls up on stakes, and the collection would just grow year by year. Switch animal for human, and add in a brief scene from “The Fountain” that depicted the same in front of a Mayan Temple, and we were heading down that path. Every skull up on top.

Then September hit. I was mostly wrapped up with Halloween preparation, and Guild Wars had recently released it’s Eye of the North expansion. So, with a little free time, I set out and started playing. A couple weeks later, I walked into the following cave.

It was beautiful. In a totally Halloween kind of way.

I walked around the place, literally, for 20 minutes, staring, examining, and taking pictures.

“The Fountain” had nothing on the visuals here.

It was here. A few poles scattered in this cavern, impaling human skulls that the vision for my own yard changed for the better.

I had to get to work to IMPALE the skulls, not just casually set them on top. Suddenly, a casual leadup to Halloween became real busy again, and I had to leave Guild Wars once more to get to work on Halloween. Fortunately, Guild Wars, as always, is forgiving and would not punish me for leaving.

And, for a few nights prior to the big night there when we light the torches, we even lit it up in homage to that cavern in Guild Wars