Mr. Chicken's $20 Prop: The...uh...*Rotund* Witch

[Mr_Chicken]

So, I have two witches in the graveyard already, but I've really been wanting a third one. Since many of my props draw from classic movies, I decided to make this one based on the "How about a little fire, Scarecrow? Wanna play ball?!" scene form The Wizard of Oz (complete with a makeshift silk flame fireball and to be eventually mounted on the roof)...with my own little spin on it...See, I have a "normal" looking witch, and a really skinny witch, so all that's missing is a...plump witch.
The idea was to have this third witch as hideous as he other two who seems to think that, with enough makeup, she's good enough for Miss America.
So, without further ado, I present Betty:
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/theskeletonshand/DSCN8951.jpg
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/theskeletonshand/DSCN8949.jpg
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/theskeletonshand/DSCN8958.jpg

Cost Breakdown
$7.50 - Model Magic Clay (Michaels w/ 50% coupon)
$1.00 - paint
$0.40 - eye (both her eyes are actually only half balls)
$0.27 - glue
$1.71 - 15' of 1" PVC pipe (from scrap (actually, from '07's pirate ship))
$3.00 - 5 PVC fittings
$2.00 - hat & hair (from thrift store)
$0.05 - tiny amount of translucent clay
$1.50 - chickenwire (from scrap)
$0.90 - sheet (by ZF ruling ;))
$1.00 - fan (it was given to me, but it looks like it came from a dollar store)
$0.25 - paint used as dye
$0.00 - newspaper
$0.00 - plastic grocery bag
$0.10 - duct tape
$0.80 - gloves (from post-Halloween sale)
$0.08 - orange LED (hooray for surplus catalogs!)
$0.10 - scrap wire
Total: $20.66 (the rules do say "$20 USD or less (or "close enough" to within $1 over cost)":D

more pictures and progress shots to come...

[Joiseygal]

LOL..Betty is awesome! I love her big smile and her double chin. She is one of those witches that you want to hang out with, but don't want to get on her bad side. Love the teeth and eyes too.

[HauntCast]

Fantastic work!
Question: How did you make the teeth? They look so real.

[Frighteners Entertainment]

Love the expression, way to go!!

[IMU]

Yeah, love the expression! Very nice! :)

[Mr_Chicken]

Her innards: http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/theskeletonshand/DSCN8899.jpg
The flame setup (the flame itself is a piece of grocery bag):http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/theskeletonshand/DSCN8945.jpg
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/theskeletonshand/DSCN8946.jpg
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/theskeletonshand/DSCN8959.jpg
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/theskeletonshand/DSCN8957.jpgFantastic work!
Question: How did you make the teeth? They look so real.

The teeth are translucent Sculpey clay, baked, then pushed into Model Magic gums. After the MM dried, I glued the teeth into place.

[SpookySam]

Haha. I love it. The expression and the make up really make it work.

[Just Whisper]

She is one mega creepy witch. That would totally creep me out. Great job.

[STOLLOWEEN]

Fantastic witch, the perfect balance of fun vs. creepiness. Great sculpting on the face and color scheme.

[Frankie-s Girl]

I LOVE HER. But I really don't think you need 3 witches... so just send her to me...:D

[RoxyBlue]

She's a riot, Mr C - the expression is fantastic!

[hpropman]

she is very nice. I can not wait to get home so that I can get a better look at her.

[smileyface4u23]

She is absolutely fantastic! You did a great job. :)

[dubbax3]

Dude this is so great, I love her.

[dave the dead]

That witch ROCKS! The model magic was a great choice for this project...the texture is perfect for the corpulent face. Great expression, great pose.

Good job Mr. C.

[Spooky1]

I love her Mr. C, she's such a happy witch.

[Devils Chariot]

You win Mr. Chicken, You win!!! LOL that is awesome!! Looks like someone I know!

[Lilly]

Ha ..shes a biggun..creepy biggun to boot

[Aquayne]

That is my favorite kind of decoration. It is creepy enough but very fanciful and fun. I love it. Gross is easy, this takes tallent.

[Aquayne]

How did you make the teeth?

[spideranne]

Great sculpt, she is awesome in her bigness.

[Ghoul Friday]

REALLY wonderful! I love that she's curvy :)

[Draik41895]

haha,i love it,really creepy though

[Mr_Chicken]

Fantastic witch, the perfect balance of fun vs. creepiness. Great sculpting on the face and color scheme.
Thanks! I try for that balance in my haunt in general.
I LOVE HER. But I really don't think you need 3 witches... so just send her to me...:D
Actually, I had a fourth one, but I sold it to a neighbor two or three years ago. :D
That witch ROCKS! The model magic was a great choice for this project...the texture is perfect for the corpulent face. Great expression, great pose.

Good job Mr. C.
Thanks! I sculpt nearly all of my characters in Model Magic, so I kind of know what I'm doing at this point....more or less ;)
How did you make the teeth?
The teeth are translucent Sculpey clay. You can't fold it, or you get air bubbles, so the trick is to slice off tooth sized pieces with an xacto knife and carve the tooth.

[pyro]

wow that looks great --brings back bad memories of an aunt that used to squeez my cheeks

[Spooklights]

I love the witch, and her expression is a hoot! Great work!

[Just Whisper]

wow that looks great --brings back bad memories of an aunt that used to squeez my cheeks

That explains a lot Pyro. I think maybe she was squeezing them till they touched a few times. :googly: jk you know i love u.

[kprimm]

Great job on the witch, she looks very good. Congrats on another job well done.

[Spanky]

wow that looks great --brings back bad memories of an aunt that used to squeez my cheeks
Thats what I was thinking... that makes this one of the scariest props EVER!!

[Merlin (The Quiet One)]

I love her! Creepy with a twist.

[Sickie Ickie]

almost a cartoon character come to life! Absolutely fantastic job man!

[Bethene]

LOVE her!!!! fabulous job!!

[MorbidMariah]

I am a huge fan of this prop! While she is indeed creepy, honestly, she conjurs up kinda warm feelings in me because she reminds me so much of a few of the matriarchal figures in my family! hehe Big and bad and wonderful! hehe

[Wildcat]

Great job. Looks like my aunt. Minus the green.

[Johnny Thunder]

Wow that is awesome. Kudos!

[Haunted Bayou]

You will get a lot of smiles for your effort with this prop. Great job.

[Sickie Ickie]

I really like the fun of this. :)

[Phil]

Betty has a wonderful Laughing Sal feel to her. I am jealous of your ability to turn a prop into a character.

[Lady Nyxie]

Neat. She turned out very well.

[Pugsly]

When I was looking at her yesterday, my 4 year old daughter was walking by. She got one look at the witch and started yelling for her sisters to come look at her. I think It' safe to say kids will love her! (Well ...at least mine do, but they are used to this kind of stuff!!)

[Mr_Chicken]

When I was looking at her yesterday, my 4 year old daughter was walking by. She got one look at the witch and started yelling for her sisters to come look at her. I think It' safe to say kids will love her! (Well ...at least mine do, but they are used to this kind of stuff!!)

:D Thanks! That's the best kind of compliment!

[Dark Angel 27]

lol...she is hillarious! great job!

[Bone To Pick]

Awesome pose and facial expression, Mr_C! She looks great in the light, but the night shot with her lit up REALLY shows her off well.

Build another that's tall and skinny and one that's short and squat, and then you'll have the perfect Disney-esque threesome of witches!

[Mr_Chicken]

Awesome pose and facial expression, Mr_C! She looks great in the light, but the night shot with her lit up REALLY shows her off well.

Build another that's tall and skinny and one that's short and squat, and then you'll have the perfect Disney-esque threesome of witches!

Thanks! I actually built her to compliment my normal witch and my ultra-skinny witch from last year: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_lIzP-1FXkJ8/SRd0ciqrcNI/AAAAAAAAAKY/dmKLTiPNmfk/s1600/DSCN8741.JPG

[Eeeekim]

The hole thing is amazing but your sculpting is top notch. I'm in love with that green lady.

[AzKittie74]

She is AWESOME! I want her! I swear I can hear her laughing

[Mr_Chicken]

Thanks guys! Glad you like her! :D

[Eeeekim]

Chicken,
Is the hole head made of the model magic or do you have something the face is attached to? Like a foam ball or something like that?
I have played with that stuff, I can't imagine is stick very will to surfaces. What type of glue did you use?

[Mr_Chicken]

I start with some sort of understructure, either a wighead or foam skull (I used the latter in this case). I cover it with tinfoil to keep the clay from sticking to it so that after the model magic has dried a little bit, I can cut the sculpt off the form and let the hollow head dry out thoroughly. I then hot glue the two dried halves of the head (front and back) back together. To attach it to the pvc frame, I shoot a bit of great stuff in the head...just enough to grab the pvc that makes up the neck.

[fritz42_male]

How do you find Model Magic? I've yet to work with it but I've heard it goes crumbly and isn't very strong?

[Mr_Chicken]

I like it because it's cheap and it's air-drying, but it's really kind of a pain to work with. It dries quite strong. I have had problems with cracking before, but by coating the sculpture in latex-based paint before it completely dries and by letting it dry all the way through evenly (because it's hollow), I've pretty much eliminated that.

It also helps a lot to use plenty of water when you're sculpting.

[Optym]

I am loving what everyone is creating and this is just fantastic! I am inspired

[debbie5]

I want to have a drink with her!