# Light up demon prop



## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Started on my newest prop for 2015. Going to make a full size demon, with light up eyes, and mouth, wings that flap, and LOTS of fake flames. So have tons of work to do!! I'll be posting lots of progress pics, and hopefully I'll get this done before Halloween!!


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## Hairazor (Mar 13, 2012)

You have a good start! Keep us updated, please


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Nice face!

I'll be interested in seeing how you get the wings to flap. I used a simple mechanism for my tombstone flapper (fishing line through guides and a vent motor) that works well for a smaller prop.


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

The head is still in the very rough stages, I still have quite a bit to add, and I still have a lot of fine tuning on this guy/girl, not quite sure of gender yet, but leaning towards a feminine quality. As far as the wings Roxy, I'm playing around with a few different ideas. I'm thinking I'll be able to build the frames of the wings by the end of the week, and then I'll be able to play around with mechanics. I'm thinking I might use springs and counter weights in tandem to get the wiper motor to widen and close a gear between the wings. This is all in my head at the moment, but in there it all works properly!! Lol!! Getting it onto the prop, and function....well that's a whole new ball of wax!!:googly:


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

You got a good start there. Also interested in how the wings will work too. Lots of photos please.


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## deadSusan (Jun 26, 2013)

Love it. I will look forward to seeing the finished product!


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Ok, first update, this is the head lit up, and with some of the detailing on the horns. I'm thinking I'll be making the outer horns longer and with a curl, but I'm not sure yet. What do y'all think? Also the eyes will be lit up, but I don't have the LED's yet. once I get them I'll be putting them in, and posting an update so y'all will get the "full" effect Lol!! Started the framework for the wings and should have them fully put together by next week. I'll be taking lots of pics of the wings framework so y'all can see how I put them together. I'll be in the woods camping for the next week, so no posts til I get back!! Lol!!


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## deadSusan (Jun 26, 2013)

What material(s) are you using for the head sculpt?


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

deadSusan said:


> What material(s) are you using for the head sculpt?


Hey DS, I'm using paper mâché clay.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

I so envy your skills with mache clay.

I think extending the outer horns might be a good look - more menacing in a classic demon way. However, I also think the shorter horns it has now gives the feel of a very young demon, and that has its charm as well.


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## bobzilla (Nov 13, 2008)

Great work Jack!
Really digging this a lot!!!


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

Great start to what looks to be a great project! Looking forward to seeing those wings in action!


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Ok, the head is pretty much finished, I just have to do some minor modifications, but for the most part it's done. Now I have to get going on the wings, which took me longer than I expected top get materials for. I should be kicking it into high gear this weekend, and really getting into the meat of the prop!!


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## The Pod (Sep 15, 2009)

Very Nice Work!


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

*Keeping weight down on wings.*

Hey all, I was working on the wings for my demon, and was thinking of ways to form the frame to give it depth, without weight. My initial idea was to use mâché clay and thicken the frame along the outer leading edges, and taper them down to the tips. But I know that's going to add a fair amount of weight, and that would hinder the flapping motion of the wings when I use the wiper motor. So I wanted to tap into the collective knowledge of my brothers and sisters of the forum for a viable alternative. What do ya'll think would work well with this prop, that would keep the weight down, and build up the wire in the frame?


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

I'm wondering if you could use spray foam, which could be sculpted to shape after it dries. It might be lighter than mache clay.

What are you planning on using for the membrane of the wings? Will the wings be like bat wings where part of the framework will be the long finger bones?


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

I have a basic frame of wire, and chicken wire to hold its shape. On top of that I plan to put cheese cloth, and a very light brushing of liquid latex to seal it. I'll already have wire in a bat/butterfly shape, and there will be wire where the "bones" will be. This is a basic idea of the wings, but I haven't fleshed anything out in the pic. I've never used spray foam as a way to make anything thicker, and and it seems to me it would be difficult to sculpt once it's cured. Have you done it before Roxy? I was kind of thinking there's no way to control the foam once it begins to expand.i think what I'll do is experiment on an old price of plywood, and see how it comes out.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

No, I haven't played around with spray foam, but I've seen a co-worker trim expanding foam around a window and it seemed pretty straightforward

So the wings are not going to be articulated - more like a butterfly wing than a bird /bat wing in terms of movement? Perhaps using the plastic/heat gun corpsification method would make for a lightweight wing.


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

You can trim GS foam fairly easily, but I would practice on some on a board first. I would practice putting down thin strips of GS to. After you let up on the nossel of the GS it tends to slowly run out in thinner and thinner lines. This may work for your wing bones and veins. Good luck, looking good so far.
You also might think about using wire to frame the wings and make the bones and then cover with cheese cloth and a coating of latex to firm it up. Using chicken wire for the whole structure might be heavy, just a thought.


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Ok, got some precious time to work on my prop, and she's coming along nicely. This is the color scheme I will be going with on the rest of her. I've decided she's going to be a shadow demon, and purple pretty much all the way around, with lots of highlights. I've started on the wings and have to figure out how I'm going to attach them to the torso so they allow for movement. but I'm getting ahead of myself, I still have to finish the body sculpt before I can attach the wings!! Lol!!


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## Hairazor (Mar 13, 2012)

Smashing good paint job, this prop is gonna be epic!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Love the purple!


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## deadSusan (Jun 26, 2013)

Holy cow howlin mad! That paint job is fabulous!


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

Love the metallics in that paint job Jack! The prop is looking amazing.

Per your question about working the spray foam. Just go to the hardware store and buy a surfoam rasp (yellow plastic handle with a mesh rasp screen attached). Makes quick, but messy work of the foam. Check out my imp build on pages two and three to see how quickly it shaped the square insulating foam into a basic head shape:
http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=35150&referrerid=7062


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Thanks for the compliments ya'll!!

Per your question about working the spray foam. Just go to the hardware store and buy a surfoam rasp (yellow plastic handle with a mesh rasp screen attached). Makes quick, but messy work of the foam. Check out my imp build on pages two and three to see how quickly it shaped the square insulating foam into a basic head shape:
http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=35150&referrerid=7062

^Thanks S J, I'll definitely need to pick one up today!! I've been practicing on pieces of scrap wood with the foam, but it expands too much. That'll make my life much easier!!


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Was doing some thinking on my shadow demon, and how to pose her. So my wife and I did some brainstorming, and came up with this little scenario. We thought she'd be standing with her arms out, and "directing" evil shadows in different directions. We plan on making some pretty grim and frightening "shadows"' with cheese cloth and Victorian masks glued onto wig heads as the basis for the shadows. I have the body frame almost complete, and will be sculpting her figure this weekend. Hopefully I'll have pictures up by mid week. So what do ya'll think? Any other ideas I might be able to use from ya'll would be greatly appreciated!!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

I think that's a wonderful scenario!


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## bobzilla (Nov 13, 2008)

RoxyBlue said:


> I think that's a wonderful scenario!


^ ^ ^
Me three! What Roxy said :jol:


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

sorry for the long delay, been dealing with some personal issues that make prop work difficult Lol!! here are some pics of the wings, unfortunately, they're a bit heavy and may not allow for movement, but I'm going to try Big Ants counter weight two bar system to offset the weight issue, and see if I can't work it into the grand scheme of the build.


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## Hairazor (Mar 13, 2012)

Love the look of the wings, what are they made from?


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Hairazor said:


> Love the look of the wings, what are they made from?


Thanks HR, the frame is made from chicken wire, and aluminum foil, and the rest is covered in layers of cheese cloth with liquid latex painted on. They're still not complete, have to add some more mâché clay along the outer most edge for stability, but it'll be a light covering.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Beautiful wings!


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

This is really cool, looking forward to seeing this in action.


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## deadSusan (Jun 26, 2013)

Love the wings!


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

Dude, those wings rock. Put that thing together already so we can see it, lol!!!


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Lol, thanks SJ, I'm working on the body as we speak, and I'll have progress pics in a few days.


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Some pics of the well my demon will be conjuring spirits from. this is just the very beginnings of it, I still have to add the back drop, the platform the demon will be standing on, and all the spirits she'll be pulling out of the well.


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

I'll be posting some pics of the demon in the next few days, I have her sculpted out, and I'm in the very beginnings of fleshing her out. Hopefully I'll be able to attach the wings by next week.


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## The Halloween Lady (Aug 18, 2010)

What a cool and original project! I love you demons face.


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

Sweet looking well/hell gate! I so wanted to make one for my Imp this year and this is so inspiring...nice work!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Love it!


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## beelce (Jul 21, 2007)

Looking great so far.....you hooked me in with the fake flames...can't wait to see your take.


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## Hairazor (Mar 13, 2012)

Hot dang on that well!!


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Some update pics of my demon prop. She should be finished by this weekend. Just have to get her wings fully installed, and her loin cloth/belt finished by tomorrow.


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Not sure why photobucket added the photos in this manner, it's never done that before.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

howlin mad jack said:


> Not sure why photobucket added the photos in this manner, it's never done that before.


Fixed them for you:jol: This thread will help you fix the issue in future posts:

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=36928


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## bobzilla (Nov 13, 2008)

That's pretty fantastic!
Great lighting


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

That is one of the most intricate set pieces I've seen out here...and it's gorgeous!


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