The Flagbearer <WIP>

[dave the dead]

I've been working on this prop for a week or so. It is a pvc armature, 2 part urethane skull, mache hand, and MM robe. The general concept is that this guy will be holding a long curved flagpole (a bit longer than pictured). The flags will be extrmely tattered pieces of cloth in the style of Tibetan prayer flags. I still have some paintwork to do, but this is far enough along to give the idea I am going for.
The Robe is a queen size cotton sheet soaked in a very thin MM mix. I mixed about 1/3 of a gallon of drywall mud into a gallon of paint.( there is alot of the mix left over) The fabric is still flexible, but holds its shape very well. I see no tendancy for cracking or chipping of the surface like the normal MM mix tends to.
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m240/davethedead/flagbearer/flagbearer013.jpg

[Parabola]

Nothing better to get the creative juices flowing than a "Dave the Dead Work In Progress"...Can't wait to see the final product!

[lewlew]

Looks great! Almost looks as though he's getting ready to take a good swing in a game of stickball!

[RoxyBlue]

Looks great! Almost looks as though he's getting ready to take a good swing in a game of stickball!

"C'mon, put one over the plate!":googly:

He's beautiful, Dave, and strangely wistful.

[dave the dead]

Looks great! Almost looks as though he's getting ready to take a good swing in a game of stickball!

ha! That's exactly why I didn't put his other hand on the flagpole....he really would have looked like he was ready for the pitch then.

[DeathTouch]

I think it is looking good. I thought it was a haunted baseball player at first.

[IMU]

Very nice Dave ... gonna be another great addition! :)

[Spooky1]

Very cool looking creature. I though it was a sword he was carrying at first. :googly:

I think the flag should have the Haunt Forum logo though. :D

[playfx]

Looking good Dave.

[Bone To Pick]

Looking great so far, Dave! Add a stuffed handkerchief at the end of the pole and it could be "Death, Jr. Runs Away From Home." :D

[Bone Dancer]

I will be interested to see how your thin MM holds up for the season. I get the impression you were going for a heavy starched effect and not so much looking like stone. How tall is this guy. It looks just a bit short, 5ft maybe.

[dave the dead]

I will be interested to see how your thin MM holds up for the season. I get the impression you were going for a heavy starched effect and not so much looking like stone. How tall is this guy. It looks just a bit short, 5ft maybe.

BD, I have used thin mix MM before, and even straight latex paint with no drywall compound...not a problem at all. Yes, I was going for more of a 'real' fabric look while maintaining the draping effect and weatherproofing the fabric.
He is probably closer to 4 ft tall.

[kprimm]

Looking good dave as usual, he will look great with your display.

[Scary Godmother]

Wow, another great prop in the works! Can't wait to see the finished product Dave!

[dave the dead]

I am pretty much done with the flagbearer now. Over the last week I have painted the robe with several washes of different browns, sealed it with thinned down sculpt or coat, drybrushed with terra cotta, and then airbrushed with a few more colors. The robe has much more color to it that the picture shows, although I will probably lose all my work when it goes in the graveyard lighting.

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m240/davethedead/flagbearer/flagbearer036.jpg
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m240/davethedead/flagbearer/flagbearer022.jpg
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m240/davethedead/flagbearer/flagbearer032.jpg

[IMU]

WOW! :eek: Another great prop Dave!

[RoxyBlue]

Gorgeous, gorgeous, GORGEOUS!

[Dark Angel 27]

Looking great so far, Dave! Add a stuffed handkerchief at the end of the pole and it could be "Death, Jr. Runs Away From Home." :D

i agree!

at first i didn't know what you meant by tibetin prayer flags but now i get it! awesome job! i love him!

[playfx]

Nice Dave, you have all the folds perfect!

[Tyler]

Very cool Dave, I love him!!!
MM is awesome, kinda outta room for another big prop though, haha

[HalloweenZombie]

Your props are always so unique and professional looking.

[sparky]

That is sweet!!!!!!!

[Mr_Chicken]

Another beautiful work of art! well done Dave!

[FrozenPumpkins]

Wow, I love the robe! Great job!

[dave the dead]

Thanks everyone!
I have started the next figure for this scene...."the Acolyte"... more to come in a few days.

[Joiseygal]

Dave nice job! I really have to try using monster mud it really gives it such a great look.

[Otaku]

Unique and disturbing - another success. Well done, Dave!

[Spooklights]

Your props are always so original; I always look forward to seeing them!

[Warrant2000]

Great positioning and detail!

[KStone]

Dave, Could you explain how you did the armature and head attachment? Put anything for padding around the arms?
I would like to build something like this for my g-yard haunt. Great piece.

thanks,

[dave the dead]

Dave, Could you explain how you did the armature and head attachment? Put anything for padding around the arms?
I would like to build something like this for my g-yard haunt. Great piece.

thanks,

KStone, Here's a pic of the armature before I added in padding.
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m240/davethedead/flagbearer/flagbearer005.jpg

I could have simplified things by using chickenwire over the 3/4 inch pvc to define the basic form, but I didn't have any at the time. As pictured, the thin hose is a flexible plastic hose used for supply lines in soda fountains. I have found this works rather well to establish the long flowing lines that I like to achieve. I eventually added in some pool noodle type foam over the arm to help hold out the shoulder and bulk it up a bit. The skull is a 2 part urethane foam skull, and I just drilled a hole in it and glued it to the pvc pipe. The entire robe is a single queen size fitted sheet that is draped to give the appearance of sleeves, hood, etc. I used clothes pins to hold the sleeves in place while the MM was drying.

[KStone]

Dave, thank you very much. That helps a lot to see how you get those parts incorporated. A wonderful piece. I hope to do my own version sometime.

thanks again!!

[Haunted Bayou]

Fantastic work as usual.

You have a great collection.