Best Of
Re: Questions for Scott Land
Here are answers from Scott.
Alfredo:
We are not going to be finishing or wigging a head... But an extra casting of a head is created and placed on a stand to act as a bust. Then you wrap the bust with plastic wrap and cover with cheese cloth and water based glue to create a wig support... This is called a skullcap. After drying... You the attach the "hair" to the skullcap to create a finished wig. This is then glued on the finished head.
Painting of the urethane head... After you have finished animating... Take the head to the sink and wet sand the entire head with 120 grit sandpaper. This will remove any oils and contaminants .... Then use Acrylics to paint. Either airbrush or hand painting is your choice. After the head is painted seal the paint with testors dullcote... This will lock in the paint job.
Katherine:
Hands should be sculpted in a natural position for silicon molding... After the resin casting is pulled out while it's warm, you can shape them. Let the fingers be separate.
Alfredo:
We are not going to be finishing or wigging a head... But an extra casting of a head is created and placed on a stand to act as a bust. Then you wrap the bust with plastic wrap and cover with cheese cloth and water based glue to create a wig support... This is called a skullcap. After drying... You the attach the "hair" to the skullcap to create a finished wig. This is then glued on the finished head.
Painting of the urethane head... After you have finished animating... Take the head to the sink and wet sand the entire head with 120 grit sandpaper. This will remove any oils and contaminants .... Then use Acrylics to paint. Either airbrush or hand painting is your choice. After the head is painted seal the paint with testors dullcote... This will lock in the paint job.
Katherine:
Hands should be sculpted in a natural position for silicon molding... After the resin casting is pulled out while it's warm, you can shape them. Let the fingers be separate.
Re: Making a dried wet looking blood recipe
Here is a great video on that very subject:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAmyAlj2FjU
But in short, the best formula that I've found is clear glue (like Elmer's clear school glue, not their white glue) mixed with plenty of red food coloring that is darkened slightly with a bit of green food coloring. You can adjust the color as desired by mixing in other colors such as yellow or blue, but I would be careful with blue as it shifts the red to purple rather than just darkening it.
Once that mixture dries it still looks wet, but does not rub off. It also has a bit of flex to it, which is great for wardrobe.
Here is a zombie rod puppet I used that type of blood on.
There are also companies that make this type of blood commercially.
One is "Perma Blood" from Pale Night Productions http://www.palenightproductions.com/perma-blood/
And Rip City FX makes a similar product called "Haunt Sauce" that is a little cheaper.
http://www.ripcityfx.com/products_haunt-sauce.html
/Chris
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAmyAlj2FjUBut in short, the best formula that I've found is clear glue (like Elmer's clear school glue, not their white glue) mixed with plenty of red food coloring that is darkened slightly with a bit of green food coloring. You can adjust the color as desired by mixing in other colors such as yellow or blue, but I would be careful with blue as it shifts the red to purple rather than just darkening it.
Once that mixture dries it still looks wet, but does not rub off. It also has a bit of flex to it, which is great for wardrobe.
Here is a zombie rod puppet I used that type of blood on.
There are also companies that make this type of blood commercially.
One is "Perma Blood" from Pale Night Productions http://www.palenightproductions.com/perma-blood/
And Rip City FX makes a similar product called "Haunt Sauce" that is a little cheaper.
http://www.ripcityfx.com/products_haunt-sauce.html
/Chris
Re: Comic Con SFX Panel
"I’ve been on a few FX panels and can say that time flies by quickly. If you plan to do a demo, practice it a couple of times—both with and without a clock—to get your timing down. Sometimes earlier talks run over, and once the room changes over, you might lose 5–10 minutes of your slot. Having a moderator is very helpful to keep things on track, allowing creative individuals to focus on the demonstration and answering questions.
Make sure to test your demonstration ahead of time and document the steps. It’s also a good idea to print a few large photos of your application at FedEx or Staples as a backup, just in case you decide not to show the live demo."
Re: Comic Con SFX Panel
I am thinking;
Introduction (5 min)
Products & Materials (10 min)
Techniques & Prosthetics (10-15 min) Slides of the process, of sculpting, casting, etc (Not making anything live.)
Live Demo (15-20 min) Apply a premade prosthetic, bruise and blood
Q&A (5 min)
Re: Resume - Work/Experience
"I’ve never landed a job in Special Effects through a traditional resume. My career started over a decade ago when I met someone in FX. I showed them photos of projects I’d built, and they introduced me to a former boss. After meeting him and sharing my work, I was hired for odd jobs like cleaning and organizing at an FX shop.
That initial role helped me connect with many FX artists, which eventually led to where I am today. Now, I’ve hired others in a similar way—by getting to know them and reviewing their work. Having photo documentation of past projects is invaluable, as it allows you to quickly showcase your skills through a phone or email. In my experience, hiring for specialized FX roles often bypasses traditional methods, with busy decision-makers relying on recommendations from trusted team members when hiring needs arise."
Try cold emailing, not the big boss on a project but a Forman or someone lower on the ladder to establish a professional relationship and see if you can get a foot in the door. With this day and age of technology. You can quickly find names on IMDb of current working professionals from project’s you admire and quite easily find them online.
Re: Green Screen/Chroma Key Recourses
Since your focus is on the puppets and actors, I would think about the following:
/Chris
- Make sure none of the puppets have any wardrobe or props that are green
- Have chroma-green paint/tape handy to cover rods or any other puppet-related hardware you wish to vanish.
- Have some extra greenscreen fabric to drape over a performer, apple box, stand, etc. (Talk with production, they should be able to provide some if you don't wish to purchase it yourself)
- Avoid hard-to-key elements like feathers, translucent materials like lace, frizzy hair, etc. where possible.
/Chris
Green Screen/Chroma Key Recourses
I'm just curious to see if there are any recommended suppliers of resources for shooting on green. My responsibilities for the shoot are only the puppets and puppeteers. I will not be involved in sets, or any lighting/camera work, but I want to make sure that things on my end are not creating complications on the days of shooting or with post production. Specifically, I'm going to be needing full body puppeteer suits, spike tape, and maybe paint?. Obviously, I can find green morph suits on Amazon, but as I'm new to the world of chroma keying, I don't know the downsides of the cheap and easy route, though I'm sure there are some. I do like the idea of separate articles of clothing.
I welcome and appreciate any recourses or input on this topic. Thanks!
I welcome and appreciate any recourses or input on this topic. Thanks!
Re: Wire Wrapped Rake
Hi Brian,
I can't recall the name of the tool manufacturer that sells this rake, but I've reached out to the team to see if they can hunt it down. Stay tuned!
/Chris
I can't recall the name of the tool manufacturer that sells this rake, but I've reached out to the team to see if they can hunt it down. Stay tuned!
/Chris
Re: Rubber cement paint issues
Hey @Dastardlypainter74 - In chapter 4 of our course "How to Make a Dinosaur - Part Three: Painting & Finishing," instructor Ted Haines recommends a 1:5 ratio of Rubber Cement to Thinner. Give it a shot, and let us know how it goes!
Re: What's On Your Workbench? (Winter 2024-2025)
I’m calling it done on airbrushing. Tomorrow I will trim it, powder it, and finally try it on!
