An Unorthodox Halloween – Page 27

45….

Only 45 days left.

Many fewer for me. On travel next week, perhaps another week in October…

Fortunately, there’s not a lot that I really NEED done that couldn’t wait till next year.

Working on the commission piece for Diablos Dome.

From 2011 buildup

Going great. Hoping the weather holds off long enough to finish up today. (yeah right, when does weather cooperate)

All that Jute netting I bought has been real nice for building these things…

From 2011 buildup

…I’m just not sure I’ll have enough left for the intented purpose I bought it for.

Vampires in the house!

From 2011 buildup

Don’t know why the kids love these so much. Glad they do.

Personally, I’m hoping to find some Count Chocula….

Farewell to Charr.

A bittersweet weekend.

It saw the departure of a landmark.

From Year of the Charr

Charr marked numberous landmarks for me. First segmented build. First use of burlap, which has become a staple. First use of conduit, which is also a staple.

However, he was BIG. And took a sizeable portion of my available storage. So, it was early in the year that I decided Charr must go. I had plans to go in and salvage the conduit and anything else I could muster. Toyed with the idea of giving him one final year. But, he had to go.

From Halloween 2009

Aside from Fred, no prop has garnered more comments than Charr.

It was a hard decision to let him go. However, I am pleased that Charr will live on, he has simply moved considerably south, finding a new home in Diablo’s Dome, a new local haunt starting up this year. There he will join Steve, and a host of my skulls in providing entertainment.

Shortly, a brand new Chimera will be heading south to join them as well…

Then we’ll get back to our regulardy scheduled oddities.

Chimerae

We got a lot of stops and stares, honks and waves, as my neighbors found this on their way home Friday.

From 2011 buildup

I’ve had to add a brace to Chimera 1’s leg. The joint proved too weak, so I made sure to reinforce the scythe as well.

From 2011 buildup

But, it’s on the side opposite the audience, and it doesn’t really stand out as abnormal.

From 2011 buildup

We also finally got around to doing some retrofitting.

From 2011 buildup

I just love the shadows these things throw.

From 2011 buildup

Chimera 1’s green light almost seems to counter firelight. It’s not just the camera, either, the illusion permeates in person as well.

From 2011 buildup

Chimera 2, meanwhile seems to absorb the light.

From 2011 buildup

Chimera 2 takes shape, and pumpkins.

We started making serious progress on Chimera 2.

From 2011 buildup

And as we did a lighting test…well…To be perfectly honest, I’ve been struggling with Chimera 2 for some time. This and that, here and there, it just wasn’t coming out ‘right’.

From 2011 buildup

Then, the boss commented that it needed another arm.

The whole idea was for this one to LACK that arm, and be more deformed. “Even things deformed have a certain symmetry”.

So, enter a smaller, secondary arm….

From 2011 buildup

Loving the new burlap in case you couldn’t tell.

From 2011 buildup

Need to do some retrofitting on Chimera 1 in that regard.

Hope to do some more lighting tests tonight with better light/camera.

From 2011 buildup

I scarred our 3 best growing pumpkins with the kid’s names. Hidden from view, it will be a nice little surprise for them later. And, I seem to have hit the jackpot in getting some warts starting on my pumpkins…hope that continues.

From 2011 buildup

This is the one that started yellow…not sure what I think of this variety…this is the only pumpkin on the vine…the temps seem too hot as the female flowers are just never opening now…