First New Halloween Prop for 2013
30 Year Old Sketchbook
It's a creative anniversary. I started to use hard covered "Classic" sketchbooks 30 years ago back in 1983. I've saved every one since. And I'm currently filling the 50th.
A few pages from the 1983 sketchbook (more to come) ...
Halloween Inspiration: Jackson Shrub Supply
Hard to call what I do work, when for work, I sometimes have to to shop and rent stuff from professional prop houses like Jackson Shrub Supply. They specialize in greenery, basically everything a set design might need for a landscape. From a small garden flower to a giant mountain rock wall facade.
They also offer many landscape props, including gravestones. Which I thought all my fellow Halloween haunters would like seeing.
They also offer many landscape props, including gravestones. Which I thought all my fellow Halloween haunters would like seeing.
October has arrived at Michaels Crafts!
Took this blurry picture two days ago shopping at my local Michaels. Kind of excited seeing. But it's also making me feel behind in my yard prep, even though it's only June.
Happy National Donut Day!
A couple of favorite, and memorable, donut themed laughs...
"Tha F***'in donut."
"It's a jelly."
Daytime Emmy Awards
I'm proud to say that the show I'm working full time on, Hallmark Channel's Home & Family, has been nominated for an Emmy award as Outstanding Daytime Lifestyle Show.
It was also incredibly humbling and amazing to learn, that my co-workers, unbeknownst to me, considered my contributions to the show worthy of a promotion from Propmaster to Consulting Producer.
So you're now reading a post from an Emmy nominated blogger.
Beyond grateful to them, and happy to work with this talented group of people everyday. But don't tell them I said that. It would make my usual grumpy work personae hard to believe.
It was also incredibly humbling and amazing to learn, that my co-workers, unbeknownst to me, considered my contributions to the show worthy of a promotion from Propmaster to Consulting Producer.
So you're now reading a post from an Emmy nominated blogger.
Beyond grateful to them, and happy to work with this talented group of people everyday. But don't tell them I said that. It would make my usual grumpy work personae hard to believe.
Halloween 2013: Cryptsbee
Meet Cryptsbee the Undead Clown. Another new Halloween yard prop idea sketch.
Halloween 2013 - The first new prop idea
New prop ideas for this year's yard have begun to form in my head (and get sketched). How many will actually happen when I've still got so many from the past unmade? We'll see.
Dear Mom
I know raising two sons was often maniacal. Thank you for teaching us that feeling abnormal sometimes, was
a very normal feeling.
Creative Inspiration: Eric Hart
If you want to know everything and anything about being a professional prop maker (and discover countless tips and tricks making props) start following Eric Hart's Prop Agenda blog.
Wait, one more thing. He recently wrote a book - The Prop Building Guidebook.
I'm pretty sure it will become a paint stained, plaster dripped, dog-eared, and spine broken tome from constant reference to at my worktable within a few weeks.
Wait, one more thing. He recently wrote a book - The Prop Building Guidebook.
I'm pretty sure it will become a paint stained, plaster dripped, dog-eared, and spine broken tome from constant reference to at my worktable within a few weeks.
Creative Inspiration: Ray Harryhausen
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| Poster image via www.badazzmofo.com |
I can only explain why this was so recalling being hypnotized by his work at a very young age. When any giant monster movie came on TV, I'd look for his name in the opening credits, like some mark of quality and worth watching.
One "monster kid" weekend afternoon, just as The Valley of Gwangi came on TV. My mom called my name from the other room needing help with some chore. I yelled back...
"Pleeeeease Mooooom, can I do it later?
I'm watching a Ray Harryhausen movie!"
I'm watching a Ray Harryhausen movie!"
By then, she knew how I loved his movies and let me be. But I suspect she also knew, which I didn't realize then, how he inspired my creativity and she allowed me to fuel it.
When I was around 8 years old, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad was in theatres. It was Harryhausen's newest movie. I begged my parent's to take me to see it. It turned out to be the first movie I remember my Dad and I going to see alone together. During the drive there, I discovered he was a Jason and the Argonauts fan. He told me all about the night he saw it in a NYC movie theater and how the skeleton fight was his favorite part.
Suddenly, our trip was no longer just a father taking his son to a kid's movie. We were now two Harryhausen fans going to see the newest monsters!
Goodbye Mr. Harryhausen. Your work was an essential ingredient in my youth to make who I am today.
Hauntcast Could Do Better
Being a Halloween enthusiast, I listen to Hauntcast, a podcast/web-radio show just about Halloween decorating.
Subscribing was money well spent until the Season 5 premiere episode went online today.
Most of the show was exceptional, as always. But their monthly "Halloween Guru" interview segment featured some hack artist loser with more "UHHHHs" to say than anything guru-ish.
Just looking at the latest Hauntcast show ad art makes me nauseated seeing his ugly mug there...
Subscribing was money well spent until the Season 5 premiere episode went online today.
Most of the show was exceptional, as always. But their monthly "Halloween Guru" interview segment featured some hack artist loser with more "UHHHHs" to say than anything guru-ish.
Just looking at the latest Hauntcast show ad art makes me nauseated seeing his ugly mug there...
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