Chimera – Page 6 – An Unorthodox Halloween

Chimera, Jim, and Repo.

Been a while since an update.

My wife and I headed out to what it turning into an annual tradition on her birthday, the Repo shadowcast. It took me a few days to recover from that, and a few more to edit the pictures, since I was shooting in RAW.

From Repo

The show was better this year, and the crowd was a whole lot better this year as well. Very fun time.

And, while recovering, with rain pouring down last weekend, I started thinking “why not make a whole torso in Jim style”…

Yes, it is as time consuming as it looks. But, we’ve started on the idea.

From 2011 buildup

Then, with weather finally clearing this week, able to get some swimming in, I even got a little bit of work done on the Chimera.

From 2011 buildup

For the second time, I made myself jump as the car headlights hit the thing while locking up last night.

It’s looking like a THING more than just a frame…

From 2011 buildup

Chimera progress.

FINALLY finished with most of the little side projects for the kids/school, and I took some time out for myself this evening.

The Chimera is finally taking form. The head is just set on to give the idea of how it’s coming, by no means is it finished yet…

From 2011 buildup

Chimera head started

Started on my Chimera head.

As noted, utilizing the old pelvic bone…

From 2011 buildup

Then, a simple matter of sculpting a rough shape for a lower jawbone on the thing, with my growing stock of modeling clay.

From 2011 buildup

And, finally covering the both with some rigid wrap.

From 2011 buildup

Once this dries, we’ll peel both shells off and have an excellent base for which to add some sculpting onto with some paper mache.

The first, uh…thing…of 2011 has begun.

I suppose we should name it.

Hadn’t thought about that.

Heady on my purchase of the torches, we went back for more on Saturday, and bought what I was ORIGINALLY going after to begin with. Of course, I could not afford ALL of what I wanted, so we had to settle for just the framework this weekend.

The end piece will measure 6′ tall, but the head is down around the 4′ mark, to stare those 8-10 year olds in the eyes.

From 2011 buildup

Just what the heck is it, though?

Well, the body is drawing inspiration from skull and bone’s 2006 kreep. But the right hand will be holding a lantern, and the head is coming right out of my own past, drawing from the good ole pelvis bone.

From An UnOrthOdOx Halloween

I’ve used one of these on several occasions, in fact, it’s what started it all at this house:

From An UnOrthOdOx Halloween

(wow…a few years ago that was the entire display…)

It’s only fitting to bring the thing back. We’ll be taking a rough mold of one, and doing a little sculpt work, maybe even adding a ‘lower jaw’ to the thing.

From 2011 buildup

It’s going to end up a real Chimera…which is not a bad name after all. We hope to replace the scarecrows with different Chimera this year.