Best Of
2022 Character Makeup Contest - "Ch the EXTRAterrestrial"
“Ch" is a very mischievous alien who made its rounds in the late 80’s pretending to be an extra on various sci-fi sets.
Seen here in polaroid continuity shots hamming it up for the camera.
Makeup Breakdown:
Encapsulated silicone appliances on face, latex ears, airbrush paint, contact lenses, ultra slime, tooth paint, and a lot of gafquat.
Ch was eventually caught and took their last glamour shot for the police cameras.
Ch is now an urban legend who has garnered cult status because of the older teamsters who reminisce about it to the up and comers.
Makeup Breakdown:
Encapsulated silicone appliances on face, latex ears, airbrush paint, contact lenses, ultra slime, tooth paint, and a lot of gafquat.
All makeup and hair applied by Marlena von Kazmier. https://www.marlenavonkazmier.com
Concept by Marlena von Kazmier & Piper Ellis
Royal Guard of OZ - Moulding the monsters
This Is my character design for one of the royal monkey guards in Wizard of Oz. I Decided to create an orangutang because of the Animals smarts and nature I thought they would be perfect for the leader of the guard. I designed, sculpted and made the pieces as well as applying the final look, the costume was also made by me! This is one of may favourites creatures I have created and I hope you like it too!
Re: Large Shark Puppet help.
Okay I think I have an idea of how I can make a large latex skin without a giant mold. I ordered a large beach ball. My plan is to inflate the beach ball and using cardboard, tape and newspaper, make bases for the head and fins proportional to the ball. Then, carefully remove the head and fin bases and use clay to sculpt just the head and fins. Maybe just the head since it may be easier to fabricate the fins. Once I sculpt a detailed head, make a hydrocal mold of that. Then with the beach ball, tape it to a garbage can so it does not roll around. Mark out the places where the head and tail would go, and make sure the beach balls inflate tube is exposed. Then using a stipple technique, stipple on a Whole lot of latex layers. Like a lot so it has a thickness. I’m not sure if the latex will stick to the beach ball so I’ll experiment on a small section before I go nuts. Once the body is covered in a thick latex skin I’ll use more latex to attach the cast head and fins blending them in with more latex. Once everything is attached, open the tube and deflate the beach ball (powdering it as it deflated so nothing sticks.) and in theory I have a full latex Shark skin. I’ll paint it while it’s still full with the beach ball too. That way nothing flops around.
I’ll use the same beach ball to make a fiberglass understructure (covered in foil so it doesn’t melt) and similarly make a fiberglass skull for the mechanics. The idea is this is an oversized ventriloquist dummy mechanics wise. Have bike cables open/close the jaws, and blink the eyes. Not sure if I can get the head to turn but since the shark is so fat I wouldn’t have to turn much.
What do you think of this idea? Any ways you think it could be improved?
My armature build wip.!
How do I network in my area?
Hi everyone, I have a question about networking. I’m trying to build my portfolio as best I can and get myself out there, but I really don’t know where to start as far as reaching out to the right people. I live in Massachusetts and would like to eventually move out of state, possibly LA, but for the meantime I’d like to try and connect with people in my area. I know there are a lot of movies and shows produced in Boston, but I’m not sure how to get gigs like that. How do I find the right people to connect with and show my work? I also think it would be really cool if SWS had a networking type section where people can connect with one another in their area. Thank you!
Re: Underwater Scene
For simulating underwater in stop motion, there are many options to help sell the effect.
A fogger or hazer is often used in dry for wet, but it can be too difficult to maintain an even saturation between frames for stop motion. You can simulate fog by shooting through layers of scrim, breaking your scene into planes of depth, where the further back you view the more accumulative scrim layers there are for the captured image.
Lighting is key, so have plenty of references of underwater shots that are similar to yours, and try and match the lights using shape, color, and contrast.
For a more complex lighting effect, you can animate light shafts by using a cuculoris (aka cookie) to shape your light into beams that can be moved between frames. Possibly having 2 layers moving in different directions in each frame.
You can also try simulating caustics, a refraction effect caused by light passing through the water surface. You may be able to simulate this effect by shining a bright light through layers of textured glass, then animate it by slowly sliding one of the layers.
Adding in other animated elements like kelp/seaweed or bubbles can help, though that can be a lot of work for a single animator.
You can also add distortion to the camera to create a wavy effect by moving something translucent in front of the camera. Either clear texture glass, a clear film, etc.
Some of these effects can be added in post, but with stop motion, it's usually ideal to capture everything in-camera.
That's just a few ideas off the top of my head, but I'm sure there is plenty more you can do.
/Chris
A fogger or hazer is often used in dry for wet, but it can be too difficult to maintain an even saturation between frames for stop motion. You can simulate fog by shooting through layers of scrim, breaking your scene into planes of depth, where the further back you view the more accumulative scrim layers there are for the captured image.
Lighting is key, so have plenty of references of underwater shots that are similar to yours, and try and match the lights using shape, color, and contrast.
For a more complex lighting effect, you can animate light shafts by using a cuculoris (aka cookie) to shape your light into beams that can be moved between frames. Possibly having 2 layers moving in different directions in each frame.
You can also try simulating caustics, a refraction effect caused by light passing through the water surface. You may be able to simulate this effect by shining a bright light through layers of textured glass, then animate it by slowly sliding one of the layers.
Adding in other animated elements like kelp/seaweed or bubbles can help, though that can be a lot of work for a single animator.
You can also add distortion to the camera to create a wavy effect by moving something translucent in front of the camera. Either clear texture glass, a clear film, etc.
Some of these effects can be added in post, but with stop motion, it's usually ideal to capture everything in-camera.
That's just a few ideas off the top of my head, but I'm sure there is plenty more you can do.
/Chris
Re: Should I sign up?
@Darrell Green I will definitely give the free trial a try then, thank you!!!
Re: Should I sign up?
There is a 7 day trial for free and you can binge watch enough to blow your mind on day one. These tutorials are so in depth you can replicate their Oscar winning techniques yourself. No exageration. They, on purpose, show you step by step how to do what they did for massively popular movies and tv programs. They hold nothing back unless it is a copyrighted chemical formula but even then they tell you where you can buy it when you can't make it yourself. You simply cannot get through these lessons and not know immediately that you paid for in a year what a one day class would have cost sitting with a master teacher of their caliber.
