# MY 2015 prop building thread



## Sytnathotep (Oct 10, 2011)

Heya Peeps! As you know from this thread that I have a haunt this year! I also have a ton of things to make in a short about of time. I'm going to show the WIP of everything here!

First thing I need is a large amount of tombstones for the cemetery. Go big or go home I say! Most of these will be for 'filler' but I still want them to look nice. Good thing is I have a near endless supply of free 1 1/2" foamboard that otherwise would go in the trash.; Its been a fun challenge seeing what I can get out of the add shapes while dodging the wholes and mouse eaten spots. lol! This isn't all I've done either, I have 3 cut out now, and 11 more drawn out. More pics to come!


























http://www.hauntforum.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Awww, look at the kitten!:jol:

Nice variety of stone shapes and you definitely are ambitious! I'm going to feel lucky if I actually finish one tombstone this year.


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## Sytnathotep (Oct 10, 2011)

RoxyBlue said:


> Awww, look at the kitten!:jol:
> 
> Nice variety of stone shapes and you definitely are ambitious! I'm going to feel lucky if I actually finish one tombstone this year.


You mean you don't use a kitten as a straight edge when making Tombstones? Well don't I feel like a fool! :googly:

If you must know, that is Bear (pronounced _baur_!) She is a bobtail and was abandoned in our chicken coop a week ago, nearly dead from fleas. A few baths and a few cans of food later, I have a minion for my shop! Don't let the cuteness fool you though, she likes to spend her time biting my ankles. 

...but yes, tombstones! They are usually my least favorite too, so I'm going to try to streamline this as much as I can.
http://www.hauntforum.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/


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## elputas69 (Oct 27, 2014)

Looks like you are off to a great start. Can't wait to see the rest. I want a shop minion too.
Cheers,
ET


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

:jol:Love Bear! She is adorable.....never tried a kitten as a straight edge.....hmmmmmmmm....seems like they would be purrfect! Good looking tombstones too.


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## Richie4540 (Jul 23, 2015)

Cool work with the foam, as for the kitten they make good boat anchors did I mention I'm a dog person)


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## Sytnathotep (Oct 10, 2011)

Ok, first day of work! 15 stones cut out! I'll get this batch done before cutting out any more! 

Bear seems to approve.


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## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

Looking good so far! I like all your different shapes. I love the kitten too. How awesome to rescue that little creature. I'm sure she will love hanging out with you working on your props. Now you know, since you added Bear in your pics AND she's adorable, you've got to keep adding her in future progression pics too.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Now I feel like a slacker.....:jol:


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## Sytnathotep (Oct 10, 2011)

Ok, so I got a bit more done on the tombstones today, I actually have 6 ready for paint now, but only got this one photo of before they got 'distressed'!










Also started work on my 'witch lights'. Grimed up a batch of canning jars with a mix ow elmer's glue, acrylic clearcoat, black paint and water. Each has a LED tea candle. This is over 50 pictured, not sure just how many I'll make.


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## Hairazor (Mar 13, 2012)

You sure make me look LAZY. Your T-stones are looking great and the witch lights will be a nice addition. I'm sure you get your inspiration and motivation from Bear (heehee), she's a keeper


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Holy cow, you're in overdrive!:jol:


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## Sytnathotep (Oct 10, 2011)

Sorry I haven't been updating, I've been too busy! lol

Here is some more of the tombstones.

I have to admit also, I think I've found a new favorite way of doing things. Normally, painting the stones is a royal pain, either by brush getting the paint down in all the details, or by spray paint, that eats the foam! So I got a cheap airbrush from Harbor Freight Tools, and really love it! Its all the fun of a spray can without eating the foam. I read online that you can thin cheap craft paint with Windex to use in an airbrush, and that seems to work great! All the black primer on these stones was done with the airbrush in a fraction of the time!


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

You've been a busy guy. Nice looking selection.


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## Sytnathotep (Oct 10, 2011)

And they are done! Well, almost done, they need clearcoat, but whatever! lol


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

(busy calculating how long it would take to drive to Syt's house and "borrow" some tombstones):googly:


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## Nevar (Aug 8, 2008)

Great work.


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## tjc67 (Jul 28, 2013)

Looks great but the kitten prop is still my favorite


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## iowachap (Aug 19, 2015)

awesome tombstones, and I like your bases, no rebar required, I need to post the bases of mine as so many opt to go with putting a rebar in ground and in the tombstone which with good wind can break the tombstone.


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## Sytnathotep (Oct 10, 2011)

Thanks everyone!

So now that the stones are done, I'm now working on LED spots. I got 25 prewired with 9 volt battery caps of eBay, and are making housings for them. Cheap ink pen, wire, electrical tape. The bezels that came with the LEDs fit the pen tubes perfectly!


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## Sytnathotep (Oct 10, 2011)

Well, after making enough spotlights for the moment, I've moved on to corpses! Now i usually like to make them completely from scratch, but i had some store bought skellies i needed to do something with. Once afain i used my new airbrushes to apply my washes, man its faster, dries faster, and a lot less mess!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Your productivity is putting me to shame!

Those are some fine-looking corpses.


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## The Halloween Lady (Aug 18, 2010)

Wow that is a tremendous amount of work. Everything urned out super. You must feel great.


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## Sytnathotep (Oct 10, 2011)

Just got a small update, i got this fellow finished, just rit dyed cheesecloth with green and brown and tacked it to him. Now for some scratch built props!!








http://www.hauntforum.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

^Like it!


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

Nicely done, really like the layering on the corpses, great texture.
And the large skull looks so realistic too.


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## bobzilla (Nov 13, 2008)

Nice work on everything!


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## deadSusan (Jun 26, 2013)

Very impressive as usual!


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## Sytnathotep (Oct 10, 2011)

Ok, this isn't much of a prop building, but I'm super excited, I've set up a test run of the AtmosFEAR fx projector ghosts!! Here is a video I posted to Facebook of the test, it looks way better in person!




__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1734160806811721


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## matrixmom (Aug 20, 2011)

everything you have done so far is perfectly executed with the right amount of color and texture. Bravo!!


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## Sytnathotep (Oct 10, 2011)

I've still been hard at it! I got inspired by the how to on Haunter's List of "Creepy Shelly" i think it was called, so i am building my own little trick or treater. Its about ready for paint!


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## Sytnathotep (Oct 10, 2011)

Also I've been building a little demon dude along the same lines. I used apoxi sculpt to make the features on a cheap dollar tree skull. The eyes are wired up with blacklight LEDs.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Dammit, there you go being productive again!

The Mary Janes made me laugh - so cute on a creepy little creature.


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## Lizzyborden (Sep 7, 2012)

Wow! It's all awesome! While I know you'll probably be using the witch lights throughout your haunt, the nighttime picture of them grouped together is impressive. I'm adding a witch next year and might use a similar grouping too.


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## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

All of your projects look great!


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## Hsnopi (Oct 26, 2012)

love the witch lights


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## Sytnathotep (Oct 10, 2011)

Thanks for the remarks! Regarding the witch lights, those ones will be hung around the haunt, but I'll be making a mess more to set grouped like that at the steps of the chapel!

Here is the finished ToT and lil devil!


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## Sytnathotep (Oct 10, 2011)

Oh! And i got a chance to make some new skulls!

And before you say it Roxy, sorry I'm being productive again lol!


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## Hsnopi (Oct 26, 2012)

man I wish I had the time. I have to admit. I saw the plastic bottle and cringed. But man that looks good.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Dammit, you're being....oh wait...

I love your little creatures. They look so childlike and innocent....until they turn on you


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## kirby (Dec 28, 2015)

I just saw your thread. Where in Arkansas are you? I'm in fort smith. Awesome work!


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## Sytnathotep (Oct 10, 2011)

kirby said:


> I just saw your thread. Where in Arkansas are you? I'm in fort smith. Awesome work!


Not far, West of Harrison.


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