# the bottle lady



## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

My version of the Scarefx stirring witch.

Most of the townsfolk thought of her as just the crazy old bottle lady. She would show up in town a couple of times a month, and wander around in the shadows, occasionally stopping strangers on the street and mumbling incoherent phrases. To those that believed in majik, she was sought out as a very accomplished conjuress. It was said that she learned her trade from the indians. In all actuality it was more likely that the indians learned from her. She would wander into town on the evening of the new moon, bottles, sticks, and bones tied together and slung over her shoulders. Those who knew what she could do would secretly meet her and ask her for a potion capable of fullfilling whatever wish they desired. "All I ask is a token in return'," she would cackle, and instruct the person on how to obtain a seemingly ordinary item. "In two days time, bring to me a stone from the bottom of a stagnant pool. It must be collected by moonlight and with nobody as witness. Do exactly as I say and you will have your wish by the next full moon." Her token requests were always strange, but easily obtained...the skull of a racoon. a tortoise shell, the foot of a black rooster, nettle roots pulled out in a thunderstorm. It was assumed that these items were used to make the potions, but in fact they were used by a group of mystics to fortell the future. All the tokens were worthless, unless collected by an unknowing soul.


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## HalloweenZombie (Jul 22, 2007)

I was wondering what you did with the oatmeal cauldron. Once again, nice work.


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## Mobile Mayhem (Jul 4, 2007)

Awesome work!!!


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## Tyler (Jul 17, 2008)

Thats sweet, a very original idea for a witch type prop. I have never seen anything like it!


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## spideranne (Jul 17, 2006)

Wow, wow, super wow. I love her.


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## Lauriebeast (Feb 27, 2007)

Absolutely stunning, dave. Top notch and gallery worthy.


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

thanks folks!
here she is in action
bottle lady :: bottlelady.flv video by davethedead - [email protected]@[email protected]@http://vid105.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid105.photobucket.com/albums/m240/davethedead/bottle%20lady/[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@m240/davethedead/bottle%20lady/bottlelady


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## Tyler (Jul 17, 2008)

Dang, I thought she was cool before, but now its insane. She looks so real, and I love the lights in the cauldron.


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## Lauriebeast (Feb 27, 2007)

Beautiful movement on this character, absolutely perfect!


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## Ghostess (Aug 21, 2005)

She totally creeps me out with the way she's like "leering" at us. I love that you always have a story to go with each new piece in your collection. Fantastic work, as always!


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## beelce (Jul 21, 2007)

Dave you always set our bar higher and higher...thanks


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## bolt (Apr 1, 2008)

holy crap - amazing!


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## Fetch (May 16, 2008)

I've always liked this idea of a witch MUCH more than the standard pointy black hat version. An absolutely beautiful prop there, Dave.


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## Brad Green (Jul 29, 2004)

Here I was, all impressed with another amazing static prop....and then it moved...damn... best stirring witch prop I've ever seen! Great work Dave!


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## 1031fan (Feb 6, 2007)

great work dave - this is my favorite of your animated props by far.


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## pyro (Oct 7, 2006)

ok - i dont know what to say,,,,,, its all been said ,,,,, 
THAT IS JUST F##%$ AWSOME-  -DAM IM IN AWWW, it moves so smoothly, and the look on her face.....& the clothing


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## Hallowennie315 (Sep 5, 2007)

She is fantastic! I LOVE IT! I love the cauldron effect! Great work!


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## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

The prop looks great. Where do you keep her? I couldn't sleep with her anywhere around.


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## Hellvin (Jul 6, 2008)

Truly excellent stuff... Any way to get some fog rolling out of the pot?


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## Aelwyn (Jul 7, 2008)

I agree with the creepy leering....very....creepy. 

Her movements are fantastic. My favourite is the detail on her. Without the movements she is amazing, but with them, she truly comes to life.

Totally in awe.


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## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

Very sweet Dave!!! A great alternative vision of the stirring witch. Great to see people break away from the Oz witch template. Rich with warm colors and layers of detail. Almost stuffy... you can imagine what the air in her hovel is like while she's at work. Love the aboriginal flair about her.

It's the arm movement that makes or breaks a stirring witch. You can have the best face and coolest hands around, but lifeless floppy arms following the stick around in a circle kills it... this one really looks like she's pushing that paddle. Excelsior!!


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

Excellent dave ,almost real look 
love it


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## Phil (Sep 2, 2007)

Holy Crap! Is her eye moving or is that just the spell she cast over me?


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

Hellvin said:


> Truly excellent stuff... Any way to get some fog rolling out of the pot?


yes, hellvin! I have the prop ready for fog, with a pipe going from under her outfit up thru the cauldron stand into the bottom of the pot. Should be a nice effect.


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## Daphne (Oct 18, 2006)

Dang Dave, you start out with breakfast food and end up with something that is amazing. Do any of your props turn out just OK? We're not worthy, we're not worthy!

You truly did an incredible job. I thought she was killer too and then she moved. WOW! Beautiful job!


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## Bloodhound (Oct 16, 2007)

Dave, Fantastic story line and your Bottle Lady,WOW!. You did a great job on her movement. To me her head turns just the right speed and distance. The scar, the squint of her eye's and the hoop earing. Her long fingernails and costume. Love the prop, nice work!


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## DeadSpider (Feb 3, 2006)

WOW. Very nice Dave. 
Are you human? Do you sleep? You crank out props at a very un-human rate!!! but they are all top notch!


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

Wow! thanks for all the great comments everyone!

Deadspider, I'm not sure of your definition of 'cranking out' a prop, but I've been working on this one off and on since last November!


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## Haunted Bayou (Feb 16, 2007)

Fantastic details. I love the cut on her head and red eye. Niiiiice!


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## Scary Godmother (Oct 13, 2007)

Oh My God! Unfreaking believable!! This is way beyond awesome. Great job.:devil:


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## KimilyTheStrange (Jul 20, 2008)

Can't wait to see what you can do with Pancakes.


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## Ms. Wicked (Nov 14, 2006)

dave, she is just brilliant!

Her movement is so smooth! I love the hag-like look. So creepy and realistic.

Just wonderful!


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## HalloweenZombie (Jul 22, 2007)

I'm glad I checked this thread again. I almost missed the video. Great wrist movement. It looks like her arms are moving the stick, not the other way around.

I'm going to have to create a canned reply for all of your prop postings and just copy and paste it everytime you come out with a new prop. I think it would go something like this:

"Brilliant!!! Yet another amazing prop, Dave. I hate you."


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

HalloweenZombie said:


> I'm glad I checked this thread again. I almost missed the video. Great wrist movement. It looks like her arms are moving the stick, not the other way around.


Aha!!! you hit on the secret, HZ. It IS all in the wrists. She just looked wrong until I added some flex to the wrist joints.
very observant.


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## HalloweenZombie (Jul 22, 2007)

dave the dead said:


> Aha!!! you hit on the secret, HZ. It IS all in the wrists. She just looked wrong until I added some flex to the wrist joints.
> very observant.


Well, whatever you did with her wrists, it worked. It's by far and away the best stirring witch I've seen. You should give us a peak under her dress...wait, that came out wrong.


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## widowsbluff (May 24, 2006)

Oh wow, great work. Your props are always an inspiration.


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## kciaccio (Jul 27, 2007)

You are the Stephen King of prop building! Very talented. Nice Job and thanks for sharing.


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## Lady Nyxie (Aug 30, 2006)

Not that it hasn't been said here, but she was way excellent and then I saw her smooth movements and was blown away. The costume is awesome. 

Please keep inspiring us.


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

another nice one, Dave!


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## smileyface4u23 (Apr 1, 2008)

Where do you find the time to create such great props?? I can barely find the time to paint a tombstone. Looks fantastic, as always!


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## lewlew (Mar 15, 2006)

Fantastic! Fluid movement and a great new take on an old classic. Just wonderful.


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## BoysinBoo (Dec 10, 2007)

Dave make sure you send the links to Scare FX so he can add them to the gallery.

http://64.226.23.133/woodycarr/scarefx/project_witch_witch_5.html


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## Ghoul Friday (Oct 6, 2007)

Nice one Dave. Now if you could make it so that her cauldron was actually a cotton candy machine, THEN I would be REALLY impressed.


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## AzKittie74 (Aug 10, 2007)

NICE!!!!!!!

She's awesome!!!!!!


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## CerysCrow (Jan 22, 2007)

Very, very cool!


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## buckaneerbabe (Jun 5, 2007)

Impressive as usual Dave!!!!


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## cerinad (Jun 23, 2008)

WOW!!! Great job!!! My List just keeps getting longer..... Everyone here is so talented!!!


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

Thanks again everyone...

GF..cotton candy??? really??? Might be a cool idea for a clown haunt...dangit, now I'm hungry for some fair food.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Dave, you never fail to impress and inspire me with your costuming work and detailing. The gypsy look was exactly my original intent for Agnes and for some reason (as I guess props do) she got a life of her own and took me in a different direction. Also love what you did with the lighting in the cauldron, I was thinking of doing some sort of multi-light changing color thing myself. Great minds think alike, but your talent I could never surpass.

Top-notch!

-TM


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## DeathTouch (Sep 6, 2005)

Oh my lord that is awesome!


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

Terrormaster said:


> Also love what you did with the lighting in the cauldron, I was thinking of doing some sort of multi-light changing color thing myself.
> 
> -TM


Thanks TM...that was a fun little addition to this prop that I hacked together...the video really doesn't do it justice because the 30 fps video recording cancels much of the strobing effect that it really gives. The green and blue leds inside strobe at different rates, and it is very disorienting. I can't wait to see it with fog!


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

dave the dead said:


> Thanks TM...that was a fun little addition to this prop that I hacked together...the video really doesn't do it justice because the 30 fps video recording cancels much of the strobing effect that it really gives. The green and blue leds inside strobe at different rates, and it is very disorienting. I can't wait to see it with fog!


Ah strobing - I was originally considering one of those color changing lights like in the fog misters and transparent skulls. But I think I like the strobe idea. Maybe get three of those cheap little battery powered strobes that have optional sound and come with color gels. Put three in with different colored gels and set to strobe at different rates.

I had thought of the idea after rewatching The Sword and the Stone with my daughter. The scene where Arthur meets Madam Mim and her cauldron was changing all sorts of colors while brewing something or other.

I bet that's gonna look great with fog!

-TM


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## midnight_moon (Apr 28, 2008)

WOW!! I remember her when she was in the making.
Once again Dave, you out done yourself!
Great job, and I'm jelous as heck! LOL


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## Systematic Chaos (Sep 7, 2008)

Don't ya hate it when someone drudges up an old thread?! Apologies in advance. I know some people hate that. I had to however share that I am in love with this prop. lol She's truly amazing. Now I'm going to search for how she was made. 

I hope that some newbie is able to see this. She seems so alive. Be a shame to not have seen it.


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## Tyler (Jul 17, 2008)

Well, now that this threads up again, I must also say(again) that I love this prop. It looks even better in person.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

I'm bumping this thread because this stirring witch is absolutely beautiful and worth seeing again for any one who missed her the first time around

Be sure to scroll a few posts down on the first page to see the video of her in action. The movement is impressively realistic.


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## HauntCast (Jul 25, 2008)

I'm not worthy!


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

Wow, how'd I miss this one in my searches when I first joined. She' a beauty, and great movement too.


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## Devils Chariot (May 23, 2007)

It's like a classic movie that comes on right be for you say "F**k it I'm going to bed" then you stay up till 3:30am. With NO REGRETS!

I dare say, these big props are calling for you Dave.DAAAAAAAAAVVVVVEEEE, daaaaaaaaaveeee. d d d a a a v v v e e e. dave!


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