# Paper Scale Model Yard Haunt Pre-viz



## Fright Zone (Sep 28, 2006)

I may get to do a new yard haunt at my Aunt's house (or I may not because ToT's on a Wednesday) I never did one there before. I might have to pare down the number of props I use. I had to roughly figure out how to lay it all out. And see at a glance how many props could work.

I quickly drew props on my Mac in Freehand. I printed them out on a laser printer. Cut them out with scissors. Tacked them down onto a cork-board laid on a card table. Her yard is a standard suburban size. It kind of looks like a mess I admit. But it worked OK for me so far. I wasn't trying to win a model building contest. Just to visualize in 3D. The proportions are rough but close enough. Her yard is a little bigger. But it still helped to see it like this: Yard Haunt 2007 3D Comps :: yardhaunt2007comp01003.jpg picture by bpesti - Photobucket


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## ScareShack (May 26, 2006)

Cool idea to get the layout. Far better than putting stuff out and having to move it to over and over just to get the look u want.


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

Looks good guy!


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## octoberist (Apr 3, 2007)

Fright Zone said:


> I quickly drew props on my Mac in Freehand. I printed them out on a laser printer. Cut them out with scissors. Tacked them down onto a cork-board laid on a card table.


It looks good. Now you have me thinking I'd better plan my yard using a similar technique. I've built a lot of new props and have no real idea where they will go.

I like the version you set up with the two scarecrows the best. I like the symmetry.


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## Richie (Jan 4, 2007)

Great scale layout idea you have there.


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## 1031fan (Feb 6, 2007)

thats awesome! ive always wanted to do something similar for the layout of my haunt, but always just drew it instead - this is a great way to see what it will be really like - this is JUST an idea...the layout/design looks really symetrical...just an observation - if you want that then awesome - from doing set designs for plays, ive always found it to be a little more esthetically pleasing to make things asymetrical, especially on things that arent supposed to be man made to look symetrical - know what i mean? im sure you put a lot of time in your awesome props to make them look realistic ect, but just IMO if you put them too symetrically balanced it may look just like that - a scene that someone set up to display props instead of a cool creepy cemetary thats out in the middle of nowhere

anyway, dont take that post the wrong way - i think it will look awesome nomatter what - just if it were me id maybe put the maus. further left or right and compensate the other side with maybe 2 of the figures or more of the tombstones to still make it balanced without having the semetrical look - keep us posted! cant wait to see your finished product - riley


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

very good idea...
but you have small items in back of your maus...and it is blocking ..you may want to move that like 1031 suggested.
otherwise I like to do same only draw it flat.. I end up changing it in the end most of the time anyways.


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## Fright Zone (Sep 28, 2006)

That's good feedback. I was thinking the same thing about symmetry vs asymmetry. I think in symmetrical terms most of the time for starters. Asymmetry is always hard for me to wrap my head around. I think it's born out of trying to organize and gain control. But an asymmetrical layout will be easy for me to try with this paper model pre-viz. I hadn't thought of the crypt/mausoleum off to the side (partially because it's a stylized prop without solid walls and was used dead center as an entry archway in a symmetrical yard last year). Here's a Blacklight Archway pictures by bpesti - Photobucket of what the maus/archway really looks like from last year. You can see right thru it. I should cut the paper model out more with an X-Acto just like a did the fence spindles. The flying ghost with a constant flight hack will be flying back & forth inside of it glowing under a blacklight bolt inside the roof. Those are details only I would know about from a black & white paper model though.

The other reason for the paper model was to see how few props I could put up and still have a haunt. If it happens to not be practical this Halloween to put up all that I have. The Pumpkin Rot scarecrow hadn't been built due to storage considerations. But it's tempting to build one seeing it in this paper model. I could also see how it blocked the blacklit ghost in the front window. I had actually taken more photos than what I showed but that's the good thing about 3D models. I also eyeballed the proportions and scale. But it felt close enough. All those props could be drawn by hand too. Doesn't need to be a computer for those who want to try. But a computer is good for duplicating things. And it's just a palce to start. If I do get to put it up, the props have to be transported to another city and put up quickly & efficiently. That's another reason I tried a paper model. But yes I would probably move things around once I saw it in person. This will give me a mental head start


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## NickG (Sep 12, 2006)

that's a good idea.. I like the 3d layout and the movable pieces - last year I made several drafts of my haunt "blueprints" and actually carried them around when I was setting up to make sure everything was in the right place... I can see how it would be handy to have all the pieces at your fingertips and be able to rearrange them... really clever.


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## Fright Zone (Sep 28, 2006)

Thanx. I think old guys who make models call it a walk-around. The corkboard and thumbtacks worked well so I didn't have to cut out cardboard peices that would stand up. It makes it a heck of a lot easier to move things around without disrupting the rest of the layout. Otherwise you breathe on it too hard and everything made of paper falls down. I guess you could use a piece of soft wood, styrofoam or maybe corrugated cardboard if you don't have a corkboard laying around. If I were to take it a step further the only thing I would do is measure the props to make sure everything's in proportion. But it's not too hard to eyeball the size relationships as it stands. The whole idea is to be rough and quick about it not be married to one layout and this helps. The only thing that takes patience is cutting the fence spindles out with an X-acto knife. But even then I cut some apart and they looked like an old broken fence  When I took it apart I put the paper pieces in an envelope.


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## Lagrousome (Apr 12, 2007)

So if we send you pics of our house, yard and props, will you do a layout for the rest of us?
Do you sleep?
Do you eat?
That is a GREAT IDEA, but OMG.....the time to put that together (especially cutting out the fence)....I am impressed!


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## Lagrousome (Apr 12, 2007)

Wait a minute.....where's the lighting effects??????


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## Lagrousome (Apr 12, 2007)

Where's the fog machine?


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## Lagrousome (Apr 12, 2007)

See, that's why I could not do this....I would take it to far and not know when to stop!


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## Fright Zone (Sep 28, 2006)

Yeah it could very easily get out of hand which is why I made it out of paper and didn't use a 3D rendering program or take a trip to the hobby shop for HO scale model building materials.

I'm proficient using Macromedia (now Adobe) Freehand which is a vector based drawing program primarily used for graphic design. It's only as accurate as you can draw with a mouse. It does no calucations for you. But it easily duplicates (clones) anything you draw. I drew all the props relatively quickly. I have no idea how long it took to draw. I made about 10 pages of groupings of props. More than you see in the photos. I did that initially as a visual inventory of what I have to work with. Including fog machines, fog chillers, different types of lights, all props etc. You could do it with a pen and xerox or laser paper or graph paper by hand and a photocopier to make duplicate items.

The paper fence isn't cut out as neat as I could do it. With an X-acto knife, a triangle straight edge and cutting mat it took 5-10 minutes.

I added a few more photos at the end of the gallery based on feedback here. I cut out the stylized mausoleum/crypt. And made asymetrical layouts. After a while the paper gets beat up from handling and the push pins but not too bad.

I had previously tried Yard Haunt 2007 Ideas pictures by bpesti - Photobucket but it took a lot longer to do. I had to quickly outline what photos I had or could find and it's too 2-dimensional overall. I tried altering the lighting so it looked like night time. Whereas with white cut out paper, you just look at shapes and placement. So it's easier not to get carried away.


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## dionicia (Aug 4, 2007)

I like that. I'm going to have to do this. Maybe I'll use the scrap foam. Thanks.


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## edwood saucer (Aug 21, 2006)

Great job. And especially good to hear from a Mac User.

I had never thought of doing something like this - but the proof is in the pudding - very smart.

Seeing your paper scarecrow makes me want to do one this year. If only I had the time!


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## Fright Zone (Sep 28, 2006)

Thanx. Like 1031fan said they do that in stage design all the time. I've done trade show displays in the distant past. but this sort of came out of necessity. I added (11) images that show what the prop grouping inventory looked like before I printed and cut them out. They got a little cropped in the translation of making quick GIFs but you get the idea. I left my notes on them and the approx time I think it will take to set each prop up.


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