# The Flagbearer <WIP>



## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

I've been working on this prop for a week or so. It is a pvc armature, 2 part urethane skull, mache hand, and MM robe. The general concept is that this guy will be holding a long curved flagpole (a bit longer than pictured). The flags will be extrmely tattered pieces of cloth in the style of Tibetan prayer flags. I still have some paintwork to do, but this is far enough along to give the idea I am going for.
The Robe is a queen size cotton sheet soaked in a very thin MM mix. I mixed about 1/3 of a gallon of drywall mud into a gallon of paint.( there is alot of the mix left over) The fabric is still flexible, but holds its shape very well. I see no tendancy for cracking or chipping of the surface like the normal MM mix tends to.


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## Parabola (Jul 4, 2008)

Nothing better to get the creative juices flowing than a "Dave the Dead Work In Progress"...Can't wait to see the final product!


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## lewlew (Mar 15, 2006)

Looks great! Almost looks as though he's getting ready to take a good swing in a game of stickball!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

lewlew said:


> Looks great! Almost looks as though he's getting ready to take a good swing in a game of stickball!


"C'mon, put one over the plate!":googly:

He's beautiful, Dave, and strangely wistful.


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

lewlew said:


> Looks great! Almost looks as though he's getting ready to take a good swing in a game of stickball!


ha! That's exactly why I didn't put his other hand on the flagpole....he really would have looked like he was ready for the pitch then.


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## DeathTouch (Sep 6, 2005)

I think it is looking good. I thought it was a haunted baseball player at first.


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## IMU (Apr 8, 2009)

Very nice Dave ... gonna be another great addition!


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

Very cool looking creature. I though it was a sword he was carrying at first. :googly:

I think the flag should have the Haunt Forum logo though.


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## playfx (Mar 10, 2007)

Looking good Dave.


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## Bone To Pick (Oct 23, 2007)

Looking great so far, Dave! Add a stuffed handkerchief at the end of the pole and it could be "Death, Jr. Runs Away From Home."


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

I will be interested to see how your thin MM holds up for the season. I get the impression you were going for a heavy starched effect and not so much looking like stone. How tall is this guy. It looks just a bit short, 5ft maybe.


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

Bone Dancer said:


> I will be interested to see how your thin MM holds up for the season. I get the impression you were going for a heavy starched effect and not so much looking like stone. How tall is this guy. It looks just a bit short, 5ft maybe.


BD, I have used thin mix MM before, and even straight latex paint with no drywall compound...not a problem at all. Yes, I was going for more of a 'real' fabric look while maintaining the draping effect and weatherproofing the fabric. 
He is probably closer to 4 ft tall.


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## kprimm (Mar 14, 2009)

Looking good dave as usual, he will look great with your display.


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## Scary Godmother (Oct 13, 2007)

Wow, another great prop in the works! Can't wait to see the finished product Dave!


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

I am pretty much done with the flagbearer now. Over the last week I have painted the robe with several washes of different browns, sealed it with thinned down sculpt or coat, drybrushed with terra cotta, and then airbrushed with a few more colors. The robe has much more color to it that the picture shows, although I will probably lose all my work when it goes in the graveyard lighting.


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## IMU (Apr 8, 2009)

WOW!  Another great prop Dave!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Gorgeous, gorgeous, GORGEOUS!


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

Bone To Pick said:


> Looking great so far, Dave! Add a stuffed handkerchief at the end of the pole and it could be "Death, Jr. Runs Away From Home."


i agree!

at first i didn't know what you meant by tibetin prayer flags but now i get it! awesome job! i love him!


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## playfx (Mar 10, 2007)

Nice Dave, you have all the folds perfect!


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## Tyler (Jul 17, 2008)

Very cool Dave, I love him!!!
MM is awesome, kinda outta room for another big prop though, haha


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## HalloweenZombie (Jul 22, 2007)

Your props are always so unique and professional looking.


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## sparky (Dec 7, 2006)

That is sweet!!!!!!!


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

Another beautiful work of art! well done Dave!


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## FrozenPumpkins (Jul 5, 2009)

Wow, I love the robe! Great job!


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

Thanks everyone! 
I have started the next figure for this scene...."the Acolyte"... more to come in a few days.


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

Dave nice job! I really have to try using monster mud it really gives it such a great look.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Unique and disturbing - another success. Well done, Dave!


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## Spooklights (Jul 4, 2006)

Your props are always so original; I always look forward to seeing them!


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## Warrant2000 (Oct 8, 2008)

Great positioning and detail!


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## KStone (Jul 2, 2009)

Dave, Could you explain how you did the armature and head attachment? Put anything for padding around the arms? 
I would like to build something like this for my g-yard haunt. Great piece.

thanks,


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

KStone said:


> Dave, Could you explain how you did the armature and head attachment? Put anything for padding around the arms?
> I would like to build something like this for my g-yard haunt. Great piece.
> 
> thanks,


KStone, Here's a pic of the armature before I added in padding.









I could have simplified things by using chickenwire over the 3/4 inch pvc to define the basic form, but I didn't have any at the time. As pictured, the thin hose is a flexible plastic hose used for supply lines in soda fountains. I have found this works rather well to establish the long flowing lines that I like to achieve. I eventually added in some pool noodle type foam over the arm to help hold out the shoulder and bulk it up a bit. The skull is a 2 part urethane foam skull, and I just drilled a hole in it and glued it to the pvc pipe. The entire robe is a single queen size fitted sheet that is draped to give the appearance of sleeves, hood, etc. I used clothes pins to hold the sleeves in place while the MM was drying.


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## KStone (Jul 2, 2009)

Dave, thank you very much. That helps a lot to see how you get those parts incorporated. A wonderful piece. I hope to do my own version sometime.

thanks again!!


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## Haunted Bayou (Feb 16, 2007)

Fantastic work as usual.

You have a great collection.


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