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STOLLOWEEN
04-29-2009, 01:22 AM
The Serpent Gargoyle is a large three foot high creature with a four foot wing span made from recycled materials and papier mache.

The Serpent was designed so that the wings are detachable for transport and storage.

The piece was designed to be displayed above eye level with the Serpent looking down on unsuspecting guests.

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z118/STOLLOWEEN/SERPENT/SERPENTGARGOYLEGALLERY6.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z118/STOLLOWEEN/SERPENT/SERPENTGARGOYLEGALLERY15.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z118/STOLLOWEEN/SERPENT/SERPENTGARGOYLEGALLERY25.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z118/STOLLOWEEN/SERPENT/SERPENTGARGOYLEGALLERY30.jpg

Materials and Cost
1 plastic bucket from the dollar store-$1.00
2 rolls of masking tape from dollar store at .50 cents each-$1.00
30 hot glue sticks, 50 piece package at $4.97-$2.98
12 sunflower seeds, 284 grams at $1.49, 12 seeds weigh less than one gram- $.01
2 wood #2 pencils, 20 for $1.00-$.10
12 feet of 14 gauge utility wire, 110 feet at $6.97-$.76
12 feet of duct tape, 55 yards at $3.97- $.29
6lbs of flour (4 cups=1 lb), 25lbs at $8.48-$2.04
2-32oz bottles of liquid starch at $1.84-$3.68
1/10th bag of Cellulose fiber insulation, one bag at $6.20- $.62
6 lbs (1 cup =1lb) of joint drywall compound, 58 lbs at $8.98-$.93
13oz salt, 26oz at .37-$.19
3 cups of gray latex floor paint for base, one gallon at $12.47-$2.39
¼ cup white latex ceiling paint for dry brushing, one gallon at $9.47-$.18
½ cup black latex paint for splatter, one gallon at $14.97-$.48
1 laundry detergent bottle-free
1 plastic milk jug-free
1 cardboard “Pringles” container-free
2 plastic water bottles-free
Newspaper-free
Carboard boxes (cereal, food, etc) free
Corrugated boxes-free
Plastic Grocery Bags-free

Total $16.65

The construction began with a plastic bucket to form the base of the statue then a plastic milk jug was glued to the bucket. A plastic laundry detergent bottle was glued to the top of the milk jug on an angle. A Pringles container was cut with multiple slits so that it could be bent to form the neck.

The head was made from a plastic grocery bag filled with crumpled newspaper.

The facial features and horns were created with recycled cardboard as were the wings. Sunflower seeds were used for the teeth.

The tail was created by wrapping newspaper around a six foot section of utility wire then hot gluing the tail into place.

Once the armature was constructed the entire piece was coated with many layers of papier mache strips.

The curved and flowing shape of the wings was accomplished by strategically supporting and propping the wings during the drying of the strip mache.

The wings were designed to be removable as they slide onto “posts” secured onto the back of the Serpent made from rolled up newspaper and #2 wooden pencils.

Once the papier mache strips were dry, homemade papier mache clay (made with cellulose fiber insulation) was used to add dimension, bulk and texture to the statue.

A cookie press was used to create the ribbed texture in the wings and a plastic water bottle was used to press the circular scale texture into the upper body and back.

The entire piece was painted with gray latex floor paint then splattered with black paint and finally dry brushed with white latex ceiling paint to highlight the textures.

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z118/STOLLOWEEN/SERPENT/SERPENTGARGOYLEGALLERY22.jpg

Joiseygal
04-30-2009, 07:34 AM
I will never think of sun flower seeds the same way again! Wow very nice job! Put some red led lights in that bad boy and you got one scary looking gargoyla. Very nice job as always!!!!

Wildcat
04-30-2009, 09:25 AM
Wow. That is awesome. Great job.

Dixie
04-30-2009, 09:30 AM
Love it - some especially impressive techniques in this one - the wing shaping, the amazing textures... all so well done.

Question - the ridges on the neck, done during the strip mache process, or built up with clay?

STOLLOWEEN
04-30-2009, 09:42 AM
Thanks everyone. The textures used on the Serpent:

The ridges on the neck and abdomen were created by applying a thick 1/2 inch layer of papier mache clay then using a small flexible piece of tubing to press in a series of indentations creating the ridge pattern...the ridges were then smoothed out with a paint brush coated with papier mache paste

The veins on the wings were created using a cookie press to squeeze out the clay in desired pattern...again the veins were smoothed with a paint brush coated with papier mache paste

The circular scales on the back were the result of pressing the mouth of a plastic water bottle into the smooth wet clay creating the circular pattern

The complete tutorial is now posted on my site:

http://www.stolloween.com/?page_id=2255
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z118/STOLLOWEEN/SERPENT/SERPENTGARGOYLEGALLERY16.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z118/STOLLOWEEN/SERPENT/SERPENTGARGOYLEGALLERY17.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z118/STOLLOWEEN/SERPENT/SERPENTGARGOYLEGALLERY18.jpg

spideranne
04-30-2009, 10:22 AM
Wow, that's impressive. Even your understructure, before you get one bit of paper mache on there looks great.

Don Givens
04-30-2009, 10:46 AM
Awesome & inspiring.

Fangs
04-30-2009, 11:04 AM
WOW!!! I just love your work Stolloween!!!! You're so creative!

SpookySam
04-30-2009, 11:23 AM
Fantastic! And your photography is always so well done.

Frankie-s Girl
04-30-2009, 11:26 AM
Amazing and even moreso when you consider how you made it!

I love the short snout... it looks so cute!;)

RoxyBlue
04-30-2009, 11:29 AM
Hey, I thought this was going to be a chicken in a party hat puking into a toilet!:sick::googly:

Wow, wow, and did I mention "WOW"? He's just beautiful, Stoll. The texturing on the skin, wings, and neck is outstanding.

Dixie
04-30-2009, 11:33 AM
Awesome, thanks so much for the tips, Scott.... flexible tubing on a thick layer of clay, sooo much easier than what my head was concocting! And a cookie press.... well, I never. ;)

Love it!

IMU
04-30-2009, 01:20 PM
WOW ... just WOW! :)

beelce
04-30-2009, 07:47 PM
Outstanding work Stoll....Great photography

Sickie Ickie
04-30-2009, 10:59 PM
terrific work! how much does this bad boy weigh?

STOLLOWEEN
04-30-2009, 11:22 PM
terrific work! how much does this bad boy weigh?

He weights about 15lbs I would guess...haven't put him on a scale but it's pretty easy to move around..actually it's lighter than you would think by looking at it because most of the shaping was accomplished with the armature which was plastic containers and cardboard..the papier mache just provided the surface and the texture.

hpropman
04-30-2009, 11:26 PM
what can I say that has not already been said. You are a mache God. I really have to try some mache. Maybe we will do a make and take with it.

Terra
04-30-2009, 11:30 PM
What a dragon! The kids are gonna love this.

HalloweenZombie
05-01-2009, 01:33 AM
Oh, come of it! That's enough. You're just putting the rest of us to shame. You crank out awesome props like a...freakin'...awesome prop canking machine. Just stop. Every time you post something new I have to clean the drool off my keyboard.

Sickie Ickie
05-01-2009, 01:41 AM
He's not kidding. He's gone through 3 keyboards already! :p

Just Whisper
05-01-2009, 11:06 AM
I really really love this prop. So magical and scary. Very nice detail work. Colors are perfect. Gets a 10 from me.

Lilly
05-01-2009, 02:34 PM
Awesome as always..

dubbax3
05-01-2009, 03:53 PM
You make it look so easy. It's not,but you always make it look that way. You are truly a master of mache.

This is so damn impressive. As always well done!

Ghoul Friday
05-01-2009, 03:53 PM
yay for paper mache! Love the wings, Scott.

STOLLOWEEN
05-01-2009, 08:06 PM
You make it look so easy. It's not,but you always make it look that way. You are truly a master of mache.

This is so damn impressive. As always well done!

I guess it would look easy when you don't show the mistakes, the failures, the uncertainty that something will work and the pacing back and forth trying to decide the right approach.

Like any technique I think persistence is probably 99% of the equation.

Draik41895
05-01-2009, 09:13 PM
love the face shape,your a genius!

pyro
05-01-2009, 09:29 PM
you the man --good stuff

Spooklights
05-01-2009, 10:02 PM
Wow, that's a great prop; I'm really impressed!

Merlin (The Quiet One)
05-02-2009, 02:03 AM
Awesome!

STOLLOWEEN
05-04-2009, 07:34 PM
Thanks everyone for the nice comments.

This gargoyle was a lot of fun to work on and hopefully before October rolls around I can get his counterpart built so they can guard the entrance to our display. I'm envisioning two of them sitting on top of columns that are part of a cemetery entrance, something I've wanted for a couple of years but have yet to get built...always seem to get sidetracked....this will be the year.

Lady Nyxie
05-05-2009, 09:06 AM
Awesome work as always! He will be imposing when you are looking up on him at night in that lighting.

Dark Angel 27
05-06-2009, 12:57 PM
i am blown away by this one!

Dragonomine
05-06-2009, 09:20 PM
Sir, I bow down to your greatness.

lowdwnrob
05-21-2009, 11:24 PM
Holy Sh**. Thats all I can say

kprimm
05-22-2009, 07:46 AM
Stolloween,
You are unbelievably talented at your craft.That thing is great. I wish i could stuff like you. You are an inspiration. Great job.

Scary Godmother
05-22-2009, 11:14 AM
He is magnificent! Your talent is amazing!

Bone To Pick
05-28-2009, 05:22 PM
Excellent work Stolloween! You are a true paper mache craftsman.