# Bio hazard zombie



## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

This is what I'm working on for the 20$ prop contest... I'm new, and not very up on forums and this is my first post so if I am putting this in the wrong area or some how doing it wrong I apologize!	
:redfaceton: please let me know and I'll move/fix it.

Thought I put up my progress since I'm having so much fun so far! My idea for the prop is pretty simple, I want to make a zombie in a hazmat suit that looks like it's trapped under a door (think sci-fi doors that slid down from the top) I'm playing with the idea of adding motion to it, but I'm not sure what type of motors I can get and stay with in the budget.

So here is what I started with for the armature I'm going to paper mache: plastic juice can, some paper, plastic coat hanger cut up for teeth and an empty contact lens solution- bottle good old trash! 









I cut out the juice can into a somewhat skull shape:









Then rolled a ball of paper to stick inside then glued/taped the eye sockets, nasal bone and some little curves of the hanger on for the zygomatic arches on:









I rolled some more paper and taped it on and glued on the coat hanger teeth, now it's starting to look a bit like a skull! After work I will start the first layer of paper mache!









Having a blast so far! Thanks for looking, I'll keep updating as I progress.


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## Warrant2000 (Oct 8, 2008)

Awesome use of household materials to create a prop. For movement you might consider getting a shiatsu from your local thrift store. They run $5-$8.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

He's looking good so far and you're absolutely right - the creative challenge set by the limits of the contest really add to fun. And if you go over budget, you'll still have a great prop


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## IMU (Apr 8, 2009)

Great start ... I'm not creative (or thrifty) enough to do a $20 challenge! 

Good luck!


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## tot13 (Jul 25, 2007)

Great imagination! I really like what you're doing creatively for materials and that we can already see where you're going with this. Nice work! LOL, fair warning though, this is highly addictive! And welcome to the forum -


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## The Watcher (Sep 13, 2008)

You had your hat on for this. That is a great start.


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

Sweet! Great use of materials at hand, I am glad you are posting progress pictures.

If you were fortunate enough to salvage any riendeer motors from the curb, those will only set you back around $2.40 (30% of $8), and they are strong. Thats what I am using. You can also get the motor from car mirrors at salvage yards for a reasonable price, but these require DC and therefore battery's/PC power supply/wallwart to drive.

Good Luck!


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

Yes I agree with heresjohnny about the reindeer motors. I've collected 6 at one time at curbys. (Bulk garbage day) Anyway your prop is looking really cool. It is amazing what you can do with every day household items. I am almost done with my project and I am really excited about the results. This contest is great for getting your butt in gear and making the most of what you have to keep cost down. Good Luck and I'm looking forward to seeing your finished prop.


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## The Archivist (May 31, 2009)

Judging from what you've started with these pictures, I'd say the final pic will be awesome.


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## fick209 (Aug 31, 2009)

Excellent use of materials! Looking great, glad you are having so much fun and look forward to the updates after the paper mache!


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## Wildcat (Nov 3, 2007)

Very creative use of materials. Looking great.


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Nice job!! I would love to take part in the challenge but I ran into the same problem several times, I just can't stay within the budget!! Oh well maybe some day!


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## Terra (Apr 13, 2009)

Your zombie idea sounds great and it's looking good so far!


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## Eeeekim (Aug 14, 2009)

With the amount of Trash the haunters keep out of landfills Woody the Owl should give us a badge or something.
Great job.


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

Thanks for all the great comments and ideas everyone! You guys are awesome!

LOL I agree Eeeekim! I wasn't really thinking of the environmental impact, just the budget when I decided to go with recycle trash, but that is a very good point, haunters make the world a better place in more ways then a few! 

Thanks for all the ideas on motors too everyone! 
I think I'll try to score a used deer motor or something similar. Does anyone know where I can see an example of how fast a 5rpm motor goes?-seems very slow... but slow could work for my animation idea ...which I'm still formulating.

I wasn't able to work on the skull as much this week as I had hoped, but I got the first layer of paper mache on!










Think I'm going to do a thin layer of pulp clay to even and smooth him out a bit next since it's a bit tweaked, then more strips.









I got a weird idea for newspaper clay I've actually been experimenting with for a while, so I'll try that out and let you know how it works!

Thanks again everyone! Can't wait to see everyone else's projects!


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## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

This is so cool! I love the progress, really like the shape of the whole skull. Can't wait to see more!


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

Got a little further on the skull tonight!:smileton:










Just trying to even out the lumpy paper mache a bit and work some details. 








I'm not terribly worried about making it perfect since I will be corpseing it, but I'm happy with how it's turning out so far! 









I got a free day tomorrow and I'm hoping to get a good start on the body!
Made the first real purchase for the zombie today(aside from flour)- some plastic tubing I'm going to use for fingers!

I'm thinking the zombie will be reaching out at people as he is stuck under the door.

No luck finding a motor at the thrift stores I hit after work today, I may end up buying one of the $8.00 ones from the link in the main $20.00 prop thread. I'm kicking myself now cause around Christmas there were some sweet animated deer at one of the thrift stores but I didn't grab them!

As you can see I tried out my idea for newspaper clay tonight, so far it's looking ok, but it's not the most pleasant stuff to work with...

I took an old recipe for salt dough (poor-kid's playdough we used to play with when I was little) and added newspaper pulp I ran through the blender to it. I forgot to add oil so it turned out rather sticky but when it dries the stuff is bloody near bullet proof! LOL

I've seen some great recipes for pulp clay around on here so I'll probably go with ones of those next batch!


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

We had an awesome warm day here in CO on Saturday so I got to work outside! Then it snowed on Sunday, thats CO for you!

Got the body put together, it's cardboard tubing from an upholstery shop held together with coat hanger wire, tape, and strips of paper mache(which I added after the pics below).

I cut notches in the tube and bent it for the backbone, then it got caught in the screen door when I was letting the dog in while carrying it inside and broke! lol lots of tape, wire and paper mache later it looks like it's not going to be a problem.










I found another downside to my salt dough paper clay: It takes quite a while to dry! :googly:










Just stuck the skull on for the pic, I still need to do some more work on it and make a lower jaw before it goes on for good. 









I got a cracked wooden cutting board from the thrift store for $1.29 so I screwed the base of the zombie to that, right now it's to front heavy but the motor will help with that and I'll probably add a brick to balance it out!

I'm having so much fun, never really built anything like this before, you guys were right it is addicting! LOL

Hope everyone's projects are going great!
Now I gotta run to work and work on projects that are infinitely less cool!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Have you had any problems with the salt dough paper clay cracking as it dries? I know that can be an issue with air drying clays, not that cracks are necessarily a problem if they add character to a prop

Also, if you could post the recipe you developed for others to try out, that would be lovely. I'm familiar with salt dough clay, and I'd be interested in seeing how you worked the added twist of newspaper pulp.


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## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

This zombie is starting to shape up, lovin' the pose!


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## Creep Cringle (Jun 23, 2009)

It's looking really good! Great job!


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

I figured out how to do quotes! 
(Sorry I'm a noob and this makes my day!)


scourge999 said:


> This zombie is starting to shape up, lovin' the pose!


Thanks! I wanted to make it look like he was trying to pull himself out from under the door while trying to grab at passers-by!



Creep Cringle said:


> It's looking really good! Great job!


Thanks!



RoxyBlue said:


> Have you had any problems with the salt dough paper clay cracking as it dries? I know that can be an issue with air drying clays, not that cracks are necessarily a problem if they add character to a prop
> 
> Also, if you could post the recipe you developed for others to try out, that would be lovely. I'm familiar with salt dough clay, and I'd be interested in seeing how you worked the added twist of newspaper pulp.


Yes and absolutely! 
Yes it does crack, anything thicker then 1/2in or so will crack like crazy and speeding up the drying process with a fan or baking it has made it crack for me too...so far it's not cracking on the zombie skull (knock on wood!) mixing in a higher ratio of newspaper pulp will solve some cracking though, but then it shrinks... which can look pretty cool depending on the application. Slapping on some glue or sealant of some sort before it's completely dry will help prevent this in my experience, but I haven't experimented a whole lot.

Absolutely, I'll post the recipe I modified in a separate thread and then come back and link to it from here! 

Here is the link to the recipe!

Some of the folks on here may be able to come up with some improvements that will make it more manageable to work with!


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

Been pretty busy this week so didn't get a chance to work on the zombie as much as I wanted, but I got the ribcage done and that in itself was a fun build! 
We humans are complicated creatures underneath it seems!
Stared with a good 'ol 18in pizza box from Cosmo's in Boulder ...mmm!








So using some reference from an artist's anatomy book I have for drawing I drew out a rough ribcage on the pizza box, then cut it out.


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

In hind-sight I shoulda gone with the cardboard from the top of the box since the grease spots from the pizza made it hard for the tape to stick when I taped the coat hanger on to keep it curved! :googly:
















Then I twisted and taped some newspaper onto the ribs to give them dimension.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Damn those pizza grease stains! As if zombies didn't have enough to worry about

That's one good looking rib cage, Vols.


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

Next I covered the whole thing in paper mache strips and attached it to the body while it was still wet and bendable.








It turned out a bit tweaked, but I have to keep reminding myself it's a zombie so it's tweaked anyway! 

















Used more of the pizza box to cut out a spine, now I need to paper mache it too.









I think I got a line on a used deer motor! so after I finish up the collar bone and shoulder blades I gotta get busy on the hands! I'm leaning towards switching directions with the theme of this prop too, can't say for sure, but i think I'm scraping the "Bio Hazard" theme and going with something that involves a rope light and black spray paint!

For some reason the cats are completely obsessed with the flour/water mixture I've been using for paper mache paste? It's been a constant battle to keep them from wrecking the poor zombie while he is drying. Has anyone else had any trouble like that?

...they keep it up I'll be adding a cat skeleton or two to my prop!  jk


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

RoxyBlue said:


> Damn those pizza grease stains! As if zombies didn't have enough to worry about
> 
> That's one good looking rib cage, Vols.


Thank Roxy! :smileton:
Yep turns out greasy pizza is even bad for zombies! There's no escaping!


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## Wildcat (Nov 3, 2007)

Looking great. In that forward position with his arms like that, he almost looks like the skeleton of superman. Just need the rock of green Kryptonite next to him.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Man, I so love the look of this guy even with his being only half a zombie. The pose makes such a difference in the feel of a prop and you nailed it with this guy.

Sure you aren't mixing some catnip in with that mache?


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

Wildcat said:


> Looking great. In that forward position with his arms like that, he almost looks like the skeleton of superman. Just need the rock of green Kryptonite next to him.


Thanks!
 now that would be an awesome prop! I may have to make one like that in the future! Have you seen the Marvel zombie comics? I'm not huge into comics, but those look really cool!



RoxyBlue said:


> Man, I so love the look of this guy even with his being only half a zombie. The pose makes such a difference in the feel of a prop and you nailed it with this guy.
> 
> Sure you aren't mixing some catnip in with that mache?


Thank you! He's half the man he once was...
Yeah you would think I was from the way they act! Once it's dry they leave it alone, but while it's wet they are all over him, one even tried to pull the paper plate of paste down off the table when I wasn't looking! :ninja:
They had plenty of water too so that wasn't it?
...I'm telling you cat skeletons would look great incorporated into this prop some how!:laughvil:


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

This is some really fantastic work!
...and you're not even done yet!


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## Giles (Sep 6, 2009)

That is looking great! I can't wait to see what else you do with him.


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## apetoes (Feb 23, 2010)

Love it, Love it, Love it!


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

Thanks! :smileton:

It's been a while since I updated and I've made some progress since I posted last, but it's still got a long way to go!

Got a lower jaw for the skull made (cardboard, coat hanger wire, and plastic coat hanger cut up into teeth)









Then I put some paper clay over it to give it shape









Then attached some twisted newspaper and paper mache strips for the lower arm bones.


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

Then I got busy corpseing!
I tried something a bit different, I used torn pieces of paper towel and flour/water paste, and it worked fantastic!



























As you can see I was trying out some paint on the shoulders.









Then I took it outside and sprayed it with the super cheap wal-mart special spray paint, it's brighter then I would like, but this is only the first layer! More corpseing and painting to go!


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

My neighbors think I'm weird! 









Brought him back inside and attached the head, not sure why I didn't attach it first and paint them both at once... but I didn't? LOL









I like the way he looks from the side!









Now I really need to work on the hands!









Gotta go get the deer motor I got and figure out how I'm going to hook everything up to add motion! 
This is a blast!

You know you are crazy when you have a life sized half corpse living on your kitchen table! My roommates are being super cool and not getting weirded out by it!


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## Zurgh (Dec 21, 2009)

Lookin' good! Your not officially "weird" or "crazy" until ya' keep em' outside year-round, say good morning to em' & seriously wonder if you need to include them on the census form...:googly:


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

Zurgh said:


> Lookin' good! Your not officially "weird" or "crazy" until ya' keep em' outside year-round, say good morning to em' & seriously wonder if you need to include them on the census form...:googly:


LOL 

It is really looking good. I love how you made the skull. Looking forward to seeing the finished product. Nice Job!


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## Creep Cringle (Jun 23, 2009)

The fact that you are having a blast is what really makes viewing this thread so much fun. Its great watching your progress.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

I'm a big fan as well of paper toweling and flour/water paste for getting really great skin texture.

Lovely to see someone having so much fun AND making a great prop as well


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

Unfortunately no updates today, just dropping by see whats going on on the forum. :smileton:



Zurgh said:


> Lookin' good! Your not officially "weird" or "crazy" until ya' keep em' outside year-round, say good morning to em' & seriously wonder if you need to include them on the census form...:googly:


Thanks Zurgh! Ah crap! we weren't supposed to include them on our census form!...I already sent mine in! 
guess it's too late for me!



Joiseygal said:


> It is really looking good. I love how you made the skull. Looking forward to seeing the finished product. Nice Job!


Thank you, the skull was the funnest part of the build! It's going to be finished soon, I'm out of town for Easter today or I would be working on it now.



Creep Cringle said:


> The fact that you are having a blast is what really makes viewing this thread so much fun. Its great watching your progress.


Thanks! Yes I am having a blast building this guy, I think part of what makes it so fun is nothing has to be perfect and I'm making it up as I go. Sometimes I get sucked up in the measurements and fine details and forget to have fun with builds!



RoxyBlue said:


> I'm a big fan as well of paper toweling and flour/water paste for getting really great skin texture.
> 
> Lovely to see someone having so much fun AND making a great prop as well


So far it's working very well! How are your pulp clay experiments going?


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## Toktorill (Sep 15, 2007)

Wow, that's really coming along- another great entry on the way for the $20 challenge! 

I'm seeing a very definite turn towards the world of mache' lately... lol


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## MorbidMariah (Mar 28, 2009)

Man, this is just too cool Volscalkur! It's really incredibel that this awesome looking prop has been with such modest materials! This proves that prop-making CAN be a low cost affair. Can't wait to see more!


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## Uruk-Hai (Nov 4, 2006)

Looks fantastic! Really great job for low cost. One thing, I do think you're supposed to take the plastic drop cloth out of the package before you start corpsing! LOL 



Volscalkur said:


> Then I got busy corpseing!
> I tried something a bit different, I used torn pieces of paper towel and flour/water paste, and it worked fantastic!


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

this is just awesome! I can't wait to see the next update!


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## STOLLOWEEN (Apr 13, 2008)

Not sure how I missed this thread...very cool work, love every update, looking forward to seeing the finished piece.


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

Thanks everyone!
I suddenly got very busy and haven't been able to make it on the forum in quiet a while, but I was able to finish up the Zombie(who I have dubbed Mr R.B. Crispy):cheeseton: last night and have submitted him to the contest!



Toktorill said:


> Wow, that's really coming along- another great entry on the way for the $20 challenge!
> 
> I'm seeing a very definite turn towards the world of mache' lately... lol


Thanks! Yes mache' is awesome, versatile and cheap can't beat that- especially with so many amazing artists around here to get inspiration from!



MorbidMariah said:


> Man, this is just too cool Volscalkur! It's really incredibel that this awesome looking prop has been with such modest materials! This proves that prop-making CAN be a low cost affair. Can't wait to see more!


Thanks MorbidMariah!  Yes you are right, it does not have to be expensive!



Uruk-Hai said:


> Looks fantastic! Really great job for low cost. One thing, I do think you're supposed to take the plastic drop cloth out of the package before you start corpsing! LOL


LMAO:laugheton: uhhh... aw crap you have to take it out of the package for it to work!? yep I guess I should have! LOL didn't need that table anyway!



Dark Angel 27 said:


> this is just awesome! I can't wait to see the next update!


Thanks! Updates on the way... well a few are on the way!



STOLLOWEEN said:


> Not sure how I missed this thread...very cool work, love every update, looking forward to seeing the finished piece.


Oh wow! Thanks! High praise indeed coming from the master of mache! I love your site, lots of great artwork- very inspiring to see what can be done with mache! Your Buster Gravesley prop is amazing!

Ok now I gotta do some updates! 
Stay tuned!


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

Here are some long over due updates!

To get to this point I had to make some hands:









For the static hand I started with a wire coat hanger frame and taped cut up sections of plastic hanger to it.

















Then cut up some fingernails from a brown root beer soda bottle and glued them on:


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

Now for the animated hand!
I originally wanted all the fingers to move in a grasping motion, but my used deer motor was not strong enough to move all of them so I had to modify the design. 
I decided to go with a one finger beckoning motion-which turned out better then I expected!

I built a frame from coat hanger wire, then cut sections of plastic tubing with notches for joints then ran a string down inside it so when the string was pulled the finger bent. I secured the other fingers with tape. 


















Then glued the brown plastic fingernails on.









And paper mached the static hand.


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

Now it was time to hook up the rope light to make it glow!










I just kind of randomly stuffed the rope light into the ribcage and held it in place with the zip ties and brackets that came with it.









Then drilled out a hole in the skull and pulled out as much of the paper inside as I could, then shoved a loop of rope light up inside so the skull would glow.


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

And finally I needed to hook up the motor.

Getting the motion to work was the most difficult part of the build!

I mounted the motor onto the thrift store cutting board using bent coat hanger wire. It has some give to it, which helps prevent this weak used motor I got from stalling and reversing. Then plugged the rope light into the extra plug on the deer motor and wrapped it around the motor.









This is how the bottom of the cutting board looks where the motor is mounted.


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

Now all I had left was to put on a few more layers of burnt flesh.
I added brown and black paint to the flour paste then soaked paper towels with it and crinkled and tore them as I added them.



















As a finishing touch I took some of the left over flour and dusted it over the black burnt areas for ash.


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

And a few in the dark to show the evil internal glowing!:smilevil:


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

And some videos! :biggrineton:

I put him in the fire place for effect.










Here is one showing how the motor works.


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## apetoes (Feb 23, 2010)

Very nice work! It looks fantastic!


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## DeathTouch (Sep 6, 2005)

I love it!


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

That turned out great! I love the way you made him look like he is still on fire, beckoning you to join him.


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## IMU (Apr 8, 2009)

WOW ... great job!


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## SPOOKY J (Nov 20, 2009)

Very cool! Great pose and just the right amount of lighting.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

This is just a beautiful prop, and the subtle beckoning motion is the icing on the cake Well done!


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## Hauntiholik (May 17, 2006)

It looks great! Very original 
Hahaha you were watching mythbusters too.


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## Terra (Apr 13, 2009)

My mind is just exploding with ideas on this one! I'm doing robot and toxic zombies and I could use different colored lighting as well (green, yellow). Oh, how about an electrocuted zombie with a strobe light in him?! 

Backlit skeleton...wickedly good idea and terrific prop!


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

Terra said:


> My mind is just exploding with ideas on this one! I'm doing robot and toxic zombies and I could use different colored lighting as well (green, yellow). Oh, how about an electrocuted zombie with a strobe light in him?!
> 
> Backlit skeleton...wickedly good idea and terrific prop!


Get an electrocution sound byte, and use a color organ to drive a green, photo or strobe light.


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## Volscalkur (Feb 15, 2010)

Thanks for all the great feedback everyone! 
It's almost as much fun showing him off as it was making him! 



RoxyBlue said:


> This is just a beautiful prop, and the subtle beckoning motion is the icing on the cake Well done!


Thanks Roxy! Considering the beckoning motion wasn't my original plan it turned out better then I had any right to hope! LOL
Originally I wanted to have all 4 fingers moving in a grasping motion- but the motor wasn't strong enough to pull all 4.
...But then the finished prop is a far cry from my original idea of a zombie in a bio-hazard suit so it all works out I guess?



Hauntiholik said:


> It looks great! Very original
> Hahaha you were watching mythbusters too.


Thanks!  haha yep! I love that show, especially when I'm working on props!

-"I reject your reality and substitute my own!"



Terra said:


> My mind is just exploding with ideas on this one! I'm doing robot and toxic zombies and I could use different colored lighting as well (green, yellow). Oh, how about an electrocuted zombie with a strobe light in him?!
> 
> Backlit skeleton...wickedly good idea and terrific prop!


Awesome ideas! Love the electrocuted zombie idea! *heresjohnny* is right a nice electric sound byte and a strobe inside would be freaking cool!
You could have a green glowing one coming out of some sort of toxic spill or something!

I'm defiantly going to have to make more... now i just need to find time to finish my skull mold!

...and a place to store them. LOL


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