John Holdun

Spooky Week, Day Two: Newspaper Cage

Here’s some of today’s progress:

Three skeleton torso armatures in various stations of completion

This looks like a step-by-step diagram, but actually I just ran out of materials! You can see the results of my new heat gun; we now have three gracefully-curved spines, with armatures for shoulder and hip joints. All three of these pieces are drilled out for ribs, and one lucky body’s ribs are even assembled, bulked out, and ready for wheatpaste (aka papier mache, for an even surface) and monster mud (for strength). The second one is almost done, but I had juuust not quite enough of this wire to finish the sixth rib, so it’s back to Home Depot in the morning. This is that same too-thick wire from yesterday; because these pieces are larger and have much gentler curves, it turned out to be the perfect gauge.

The rest of today’s progress is still drying on the patio, and I’m happy to report that I cannot take credit for any of it! Nozlee came by this evening and mache’d like a pro, bulking up the skull forms and skinning the body of the drummer ghost (a bonus)! I think those skulls might be ready for some detail work in the morning. Thanks, Nozlee! See you again soon!

I bought another 10’ PVC pipe today but I expect to burn through that tomorrow (not literally I hope). Before I get any more I’m going to do a little math and try to make one larger trip, and I’ll bring a cart with me. If you’ve never walked from Chelsea to the East Village carrying 30’ of PVC pipe and 12’ of pool noodle-like pipe insulation, you should…never do it. It’s a bad time. Avoid living out this scenario.

So, tomorrow I finish assembling the ribs of all three skeletons in the juggling gag and get them pasted; I’ll also cut pipes for as many arms and legs as I can with the supplies I have left and start bulking those up as well. Late tomorrow I might be able to start sculpting the skulls on top of those forms and finally share a photo. That leaves the feet, the fingers, and some miscellaneous “cosmetic” bones (shoulder blades, collar bones, knees). I’ve started thinking about how to get these folks standing and moving as well; I have ideas, but nothing solid enough to share yet.

It’s 2am. TTFN!