Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Retiring and rebirth

Rest in pieces, dear Aggie...
Today I retired one of my props...Agatha, my cauldron-stirring witch.  All in all I was very happy with her but the character of the Unresting Place has been and is changing to a more lighthearted tone (as if it wasn't already).  I guess this is what I mean by haunting who you are, haunt what you are comfortable with and what feels 'right' to you.  Agatha was a severe character, like the skeletal corpse bride (who is getting retired this year also), she was less and less congruent with the rest of the graveyard.  So with strange feelings and a heavy heart, my fingers cruelly tore latex, modeling clay and hair from the skull base; all being left was a Bucky and a hinged jaw with motor.
But from the ashes, a phoenix awakens.  I am pleased to introduce the next incarnation of Aggie's head, The Hatbox Ghost...
Dental work is definitely on the way, including a gold front tooth.

Model Magic has improved their formula and is MUCH easier to work with.  This guy will be standing alone, headless while holding a hatbox.  His head is going to slowly rise out of the hatbox while jaw moves in laughter and then goes back down again.
At least that's the plan. I have an ever-so-slight idea of how to do it but nothing in stone.  I might just have his head float randomly around his body, I dunno.  I'm going to try and experiment some with him, using black lights and ultraviolet sensitive or phosphorescent materials to give him an unearthly glow.  I'm rather excited about him, he is going to feel right at home.  But don't feel bad for Aggie, she requested that her body be left to Ignatia so she can finally sit after standing for 8 years over a hot cauldron.

3 comments:

trickortreat said...

Aggie looked good but the Hatbox Ghost sounds thrilling, and it's even better if it helps you tighten up your theme.

Long live the new Hatbox Ghost!

Chris 'Frog Queen' Davis said...

Ah, that story actually made me a little sad. :(

It is not that I don't like change and I am not usually sentimental. But when it comes to Halloween props...I get attached. Apparently even when they are not mine. I guess I just understand the amount of work someone puts into something.

Sorry rambling there..... :)

Glad to see that you are "recycling" - kind of like reincarnating them into their next lives :D

The progress you have made looks amazing as usually. Really looking forward to what you have in store for 2011.

Happy Haunting my friend!

Cheers!

Peter Varvel said...

I loved the symbolism here, in the difficulty we have of letting go, laying to rest our past selves, even if only a portion of it, in order to move on.
I look forward to the finished product of the new incarnation!