Bates House Model 3D

My usual process for designing my paper models is to create the object in a 3D applications (Lightwave), disassemble it and bring it into a graphics program to apply textures (Photoshop and Illustrator). At this point I would also figure out the placement of the tabs and slots.

This time I decided to add the tabs and slots while I am still in the 3D application. This allows me to have an accurate placement of tabs and slots before I bring it into Photoshop, and determine if there are any conflicts with other parts.  I believe this will make the construction design much easier and faster since there will be much less trial and error in the process .

Putka Pod Possibilities!

The smallest pumpkins I ever carved!

After a little bit of experimentation and a lot of patience, I figured out how to carve my Putka Pods into extremely tiny jack-o-lanterns!

(See January 11th post, below, for an explanation of Putka Pods)

Using an X-acto blade, I first "drilled" small holes by carefully twirling the tip of the blade where I wanted my eyes to be. Then I carefully shaved around the holes to make them more irregular and less round.

I did the same process for the mouth, making a series of unconnected holes, in the general shape of a mouth. Then I "broke" between the holes until the mouth was complete. I drilled the nose hole last since, by this point the face is much more fragile, and I could stop drilling before the  face cracked or split.

Click image to enlarge

They are relatively hollow inside, other than a few seeds and segment walls, so they even look like carved pumpkins inside! Of course, not every attempt was successful. For every two successes, there was at least one failure caused by weak segments, cracks or carelessness. Luckily, my quarter lb. bag has a couple hundred pods, so I had plenty to spare.

I even experimented with soaking a few (and even boiling a few) to see if softening them made them more resilient. All it did was to make them rubbery and even more difficult to carve.

They are gnarly and unique!

Click image to enlarge

I feel a need to show you how small these guys really are!

So here is the batch I made this afternoon, compared to a U.S. quarter and a push pin.

Click image to enlarge

Here are some close shots of my "Putka Pumpkins" as they look on my Skoolhouse model.

The link to the free "The Skoolhouse" model I designed for Universal Studio can still be found on the Halloween Horror Nights website.

The link can be found in the November 20th post at the bottom of this page.

All of my other paper models found here, at Paper Model Purgatory.

Here is a shot of my Skoolhouse model. I used twings from the yard as trees and craft moss.This model is about 6.5 inches long.

And here are a few on the steps of my Phantom Manor model.

Find some Putka Pods and take a stab at it (without stabbing your fingers)!

Even if you do not carve them, they make sickeningly cute additions to your models, mantels, wreaths, and displays during the Halloween season!

Putka Pods!

Aren't they cute?!

Imagine this. Very tiny, organic, dried "pods" that look exactly like full sized pumpkins and are the perfect scale to use with my paper models!

I first discovered Putka Pods in a local farmer's market last year but for some reason I didn't purchase them. It wasn't until I was building my " Skoolhouse" model when I realized that these pods would look awesome on the model. Of course, then I couldn't find them again, and even the owner of the farmer's market stand where I first saw them, had no idea what I was talking about when I described them.

After a quick search online, using "pumpkin pods" as the subject, I learned they were called "Putka Pods".

They are grown in India and are dried. They range in size from less than 1/2 inch to 1 inch, and like real pumpkins, each pod has a unique personality. The natural dried color is a burnt orange, but they are available in a range of dyed colors and are sometimes infused with potpourri scents. They are very hard and seem durable, almost like a nut. Many even have little stems!

They are easy to find online and I bought a quater pound of them on Ebay for less than $5!

Even if you don't have any of my models, these pods have tremendous potential in the hands of creative folks (like you) here in the Haunted Dimensions!

I'll show you what I do with them in the coming weeks.

Click image to enlarge

New Year, New Model

I have begun work on a new paper model.

The Psycho House!

The basic 3D model is completed and my next step is to unfold it, then add textures.

I have no schedule for completion, so stay tuned.

(The photo above is of the actual building facade at Universal Studios, Hollywood.)

Ghosts of Christmas Future (Past)

I am a huge fan of the Charles Dickens classic "A Christmas Carol"!

We own dozens of printed versions of the book, and it is read aloud in the days before Christmas.

We also own most cinematic versions of the story from Alistair Sim's perfect personification of Scrooge in 1951, to Patrick Stewart's interpretation in 1999

(We also saw Stewart in his one man show of "A Christmas Carol" on Broadway in 2001!)

One of my favorite Scrooge roles was played by George C. Scott in 1984. It was shot on location in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, including the cemetery scene, where Scrooge is shown his own tombstone. In reality, the scene was filmed in St. Chad's Churchyard and Scrooge's stone was real.

The coolest things is that it is still there!

Here is the scene...

And here are some shots I found online.

"Great Expectations" in Chilling, Thrilling!

So last night I was watching a movie version of one of my favorite Dickens stories,

"Great Expectations" from 1946 (IMDB Listing). The story has one of my favorite Dickens characters, "Miss Havisham", a wealthy woman who was jilted on her wedding day and spent the rest of her life wearing her tattered wedding gown, sitting by her aged wedding cake, in her decaying mansion.

Sound a little familiar? Phantom Manor?

Anyway, near the end of the story, Miss Havisham's dress catches fire and she dies. To my surprise, Miss Havisham's movie scream was instantly recognizable as one of the more chilling screams used in the classic Disney album, "Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House"!

Here is the scene from the movie. Pip is running up the stairs to try to save Miss Havisham.

And here is the "Chilling, Thrilling" sound which actually plays twice.

Start listening at 24 seconds (0:24).

And of course, the screaming moan that follows the Havisham scream (0:32) is from the Disney Mickey Mouse classic, Lonesome Ghosts"

  sound on/off - Lonesome Ghosts

Haunted Mansion Counterstrike Level

Ever since I first created my 3D illustrations of the haunted mansions, people have been asking me to create an entire 3D walk-though animation of the attraction. It has been outside of my level of expertise and time allowances. However, a Counterstrike map-hacker who calls himself "Nipper", has created an amazing 3D recreation of the Liberty Square Haunted Mansion as a Counterstrike level! His level of detail is eye-popping and he even included the sound effects and Ghost Host narration.

Check out the video walk-through.

A New Paper Model for Universal!

Universal Studios, Orlando just released one of my most recent paper model kits.  I created a simple paper model of one of my favorite scenic elements from this year's Halloween Horror Nights event.

It is "The Skoolhouse"!

Click images to enlarge

This life-sized, dilapidated, one room school house (designed by my pal Kim Gromoll) served as the entry to the Skoolhouse scare zone and guests could enter the skool and meet Schoolmaster Renshaw, and his little, diabolical trick-or-treaters.
Here is the real thing.

These are the Trick-or-Treaters, who inhabited the Skoolhouse scarezone, as they filed out of their skool bus.

To get your FREE Skoolhouse paper model kit, go to the HHN EXTRAS web page HERE and click on "3D Model" in the left navigtion bar. You can also check out our backstage video, see some of the people I work with and see what we do!

It's OCTOBER!

Here in Orlando, I am looking out of the window and seeing a beautiful pumpkin-orange sunset through a lacey pattern of black silhouetted trees, with an extraordinary sliver of a cresent moon rising. Although the trees are palms, this Florida October sky is looking a lot like the October sky back home in Pennsylvania!

Another reminder of my PA homeland is "The Skoolhouse" (at left) which serves as the centerpiece for one of the six Scare Zones at this year's Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights, which officially opened last Friday night. The Skool serves as an entrance to the Central Park section of park, where the trees are hung with 400 flickering jack-o-lanterns! It is spectacular! And if you come, be sure to linger under the canopy of grins for a few minutes and wait to see what happens when you hear a ghostly whispering voice say "Bloody Mary" three times...!

Between the 6 Scare Zones, 8 beautifully detailed haunted house mazes and the roving bands of chainsaw maniacs and zombies, this year is truly amazing fun! I've been to the event twice already since opening, and I'll be taking my family next week.

Universal, Orlando Halloween Horror Nights

web site

I still have one more week in the Universal HHN Art and Design department. It has been a terrific design season and the last 5 months went by too fast! 

Another great Halloween event in Florida is "Mickey's Not-so-scary Halloween Party" at the Magic Kingdom, and being somewhat of an expert in Halloween event web sites ;), I have to recommend that you take a look at the "Not-so-scary" web site. It is a beautiful, fun journey describing the event in charming rhyme. I love clicking between the sections and flying though the spooky scenes!

And look, there's the Liberty Square haunted mansion!

Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary!

At long last, our Universal Orlando, Halloween Horror Nights icon has revealed herself!

I've come to know Mary very well over the last few months, and believe me, she's one wild chick!

Mary's appearance was preceded by weeks of story development on the Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights web site, which culminated last Wednesday night with the unveiling of our spectacular "Reflections of Fear" animation, that takes you on an infinite journey through Mary's mirror, and the worlds of this year's Horror Nights event!

Click image to enlarge

http://www.halloweenhorrornights.com/orlando/

I had the great thrill of creating most of the environments, settings, objects and navigation for Dr. Agana's portion of the site. I even supplied some of the doctor's idle doodles that slowly replaced her clinical notes. The state of her office and journals needed to "reflect" her spiral into madness, and I had a great time slowly disheveling her office, breaking things, spreading dust and webs, and finally adding blood and a shattered mirror!

To relive Mary's evolution from Dr. Agana, to Bloody Mary, go to the Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights website, click on the broken clock on the upper right, and enter her personal journal by clicking on the book's title plate.

Begin with the top, left tab "I", and work your way down to watch the good doctor unravel.

To get the latest version of the site, I recommend clearing your browser's cache first.

Click image to enlarge

To enter "Reflections of Fear" click on "Enter Reflections of Fear", under Attractions.

I am extremely proud of what we created, and I hope you visit the site and the event!

The Universal Orlando, Halloween Horror Nights 18

Click image to enlarge

After many weeks of planning and pixel pushing, this year's Universal Orlando, Halloween Horror Nights website has gone live!!!

Keep checking in on the site in the coming days and weeks and watch it unfold.
This will be my third year on Universal HHN team and I can tell you that it is going to be an amazing event!

Launch Over the Lagoon

This afternoon, at 5:02 PM the Space Shuttle Discovery launched on mission STS/124. I watched it from the lagoon at Universal Studios, Orlando. Even though it is more than 45 miles away,

it is always an amazing sight!

I was standing on the New York side of the lagoon, looking across to the pointy roof the "La Bamba" restaurant, the soundstage containing the "ET" ride (center), and The Hard Rock Hotel (far right). 

Click images to enlarge