Feel the cold winter air on bare skin atop Majestic Cathedrals. Hear the
archaic chanting echoing from never ending halls below. Taste the iron
from blood filled chalices of forgotten secret orders. Bow down on
bruised knees before the serpent pillar in Sacral Monasteries. Partake
in rituals hidden but practiced since the dawn of time.
Wow.
I absolutely love this track. It starts off light and airy, with the serene sounds of birds and nature, and then quickly dives into a cold, desolate choral droning that sounds like it emanates from the hollowed out shell of an old stone cathedral. This track has a TON of atmosphere, and would work really well in a Gothic haunt scene (the Davis Graveyard abbey, anyone?).
And the faceless, hooded figure in the video below. A perfect choice for a new monster mud figure. I need to make it happen!
A quick glance at the calendar and I realize that it has caught me by surprise yet again.
100 days until Halloween. Dammit.
Why not whip up the next image in the Highbury Cemetery Graphic Series, and then get out into the sweltering heat of the late July night and get some new Halloween props done??
Good idea...
Lots of new posts coming, I swear... The project list is written out (again), and now it's time to start crossing some things off. Time to get to it.
After seeing the new game board and game pieces, I'm becoming more and more interested! I'm very curious to see how this game is played, and I will definitely be going after the limited edition version upon release. The game won't be available for retail purchase until October, but it is on display now in Mondo's booth (#835) at San Diego Comic Con. And if anyone will be there, I'd be eternally grateful if you'd pick up a limited, free "Outpost 31" patch! I'd gladly pay shipping!!
I know I should be a lot farther ahead on my 2017 haunt build list, but I figured a quick tombstone prop would be the perfect project to get the juices flowing...
Johannes Highbury, Died October 31, 1738. Morte Perpetua.
In looking at my cemetery tombstone props from previous years' displays, I noticed that unlike a real cemetery, mine had a lot of stones that were roughly the same size and shape. I knew I wanted to start off by adding some new stones of differing sizes and shapes to add visual interest for this year's display.
No clue what this epitaph says, but the shape was really interesting, so I decided to use it for the new stone. I drew up measurements based on the size of a scrap piece of 2" blue foam that was in my garage. I added another member of the Highbury family for the epitaph, Johannes Highbury, and decided that he, along with many other family members, met his fate on All Hallows Eve (I'm currently developing a "Halloween Death Curse" backstory for all the members of the Highbury family buried in the cemetery...). I started with the tombstone shape and then created an epitaph in Adobe Illustrator. I tiled the printouts at 100%, carefully cut the pieces and taped them all together, and then finally cut out the outer stone shape...
I traced the outer shape onto the tombstone and then cut it out of the foam sheet.
I then coated the backside of the printout with a repositionable (usually purple in color) glue stick, making sure that all of the areas around the lettering stuck firmly to the foam. Once the printout was completely and firmly attached, I began to carve out the letters using my Dremel. Once all the letters and flourishes were cut out, I removed the printout. A lot of small pieces of paper and extra glue globs were still on the foam, so I used a gentle shower setting on my garden hose nozzle (don't use anything harder, as the spray of water could damage the foam!) and sprayed off all the remaining pieces, leaving a clean, carved tombstone. Once dry, I took a sheet of sandpaper and sanded down all the edges, adding weathering, knicks and chips...
After all edges were sanded and the shape was properly weathered, it was time for paint. I stated with a full dark grey coat. This would be primarily for the lettering and any recessed or chipped areas.
When the basecoat was dry, I went back and added a coat of lighter, stone grey to the raised areas. This would help the lettering and chips remain darker and more legible.
For a final bit of detail, I went in with a mossy green color and added a few dry brush "stain" areas around the corners, in the creases, and down the front and back. I find that this little accent really sells the "been outside for over 100 years" moldy look and feel.
When the stone was completely dry, I drilled out the 3/8" hole in the base, inserting a length of 3/8" SharkBite PEX Pipe. When it comes time to display the stone, this piece of pipe will slide over a piece of 5/16" dowel rod that will be driven into the ground, holding the tombstone in place.
*For a more detailed how-to on this step, take a look at my R.M. Renfield Tombstone How-To. I have continually refined my tombstone-making process, and this is now the most efficient method that I use.
This stone took very little time to complete and I think it turned out great. The unique shape will definitely stand out in a cemetery full of rectangular tombstones and will help my yard display look more authentic. I already have two more stones in progress, now including a tribute to a legend that we just lost. Check back soon, as the creative juices are flowing. I'll be attacking my haunt list with a fury as we rapidly count down the days until the big night!
She sure can act, but who knew she could sing! (Okay, technically, she was in a band in the mid-80s called The Skirts, but...). Behold the genius of scream queen Ms. Linnea Quigley and her horror rendition of the Nancy Sinatra classic.
"This Chainsaw's Made For Cutting" is available now over at Strange Disc Records!
Hey group, time to score some top notch, top quality prop heads, hands and masks at a killer deal! Fellow Akronite and good friend of the Cemetery, Dave at Closed Casket Studios is running a week-long summer sale. Head over to his site and save 20% now through July 16 with the code below.
Each year, a few more of his pieces make their way into my yard haunt display and this year will be no different. I'm a huge fan of his work and I couldn't recommend his pieces enough!
I'm heading out for a few days to blow stuff up and celebrate all things America. And of course, I need the perfect soundtrack for the weekend's madness, so...
A cold, weathered hand pierces the rust-laden earth of a late autumn night. Reanimated decay becomes the evening's guide. Masked faces bask in the fiery glow of a jack-o-lantern's illumination. A lifeless finger points the direction toward the next porch-lit house. For this is the night of ghouls and goblins and tricks and treats. This is the night of Hallowe'en...
