And just like that...

 ... Halloween was gone. 

Except, of course, for all of the haunters. Despite likely exhaustion and post-event adrenaline crash, you all deliver photos and videos of your accomplishments. The crown. The cherry on top. The justification. Well done friends!

I've a ton of catching up to do. The names I knew don't seem to haunt any more. The names I'm learning haunt like mad. I'm super impressed with so much of this new stuff. It seems like blogs or other written means of sharing is old news. I see a lot of action on YouTube. 

Bear with me. I took sixteen years off. I'm a little behind. Born during my absence were the pot-stirring creeper and the leering monument guy. Both have truly captivated me. They're so graceful and so creepy and just marvelous. If building is in the cards for me this year, I'll be tackling these props.

I hope you had a joyous holiday. 

Almost Halloween

 Here we are, a few short evenings from "The Big Night." 

Here I am, years later, engulfed in my annual ritual. I relive those glorious yard haunting days like AL Bundy holding a football. The haunt bug sneaks in every year around October - you know, when the stores are full of Santa stuff? Yeah, October. 

Thinking back to the hours spent researching, brainstorming, building... the intoxicating buzz while scrambling to assemble the display. That moment when you're "done enough" to stop for a moment and actually look at what you've created. 

THAT'S  the magic. Seeing the whole thing. Then you're rewarded by watching visitors see the whole thing. 

I still feel like a haunter. I'm also very aware of the fact that I'm not a practicing haunter or prop maker these days. I wonder if any others enjoy reviewing the old web offerings like I do?

The haunt bug is gnawing harder than normal this year. Must be pre-election anxiety. I wish everyone good health, good weather, and the best Halloween.

I miss you guys.

Spine in Clay

Hi,

Here's the rough spine. No skin, no organs, and certainly no blood. So ... bones are the only way to go.



This is in it's (basic) final size and shape, but will receive texture and refining prior to molding.

This new character is based on a sketch done by me shortly before the 2006 haunt. He will be longer and leaner than anything I've done to date, which is exactly what I'm going for this time around. I mapped the proportions of the original sketch and applied those dimensions here. If I get this right, everything else will follow smoothly and the finished product will look "right."

Top to bottom, this spinal sculpt is 36" long. The finished character will stand around 6 1/2 feet tall (with perfect posture ...)



Yep, it's flat-backed. I'll need access to the spinal column for animation purposes, or at least access to an armature for a static version. It's not truly accurate in 3-D as the board introduces some limitations ... but it's close.



In case you're a vertebrae counter, the numbers are indeed off. 5 Lumbar, 10 thoracic, and 8 cervical. The reason is as simple as the bone count - He needs a longer neck and less ribs. Trust me, it'll all work out in the end!

Wow ... Thanks for the warm welcome!
It's truly an honor and is very much appreciated.

So, have you ever studied the human spine? I have, and I'll go on the record as having said the human skeleton is a marvelous, complex, and engaging thing of beauty. There are so many planes, so many contours, so many pieces that fit and work together perfectly. Where should one begin?

I've started a new sculpture. The pulls from the molds of this undertaking will become the residents of future haunt displays. I need to replace the old Ambush prop bodies that gave their all for the good cause. They served me well, and they've moved on to a less animated retirement in Bushnell, Florida.
If all goes well, I'll build some new machines that will require charaters, so why not treat myself to another cage match? Eric vs. the sculpting, molding, casting, etc. project - winner takes all ...

Bear with me, I'm dreadfully slow and equally rusty, plus the countless other "things to do" on THAT never ending list.
I'll post photos as progress allows and will look forward to your input.

Introduction

Hello,

It's been quite a while since I sat down to write anything Haunt or Halloween related.
The Vile Things website sat dormant for almost three years. I'll say that priorities and obligations put haunting on the back burner. I'll say that the Halloween seasons between 2006 and 2009 have been peaceful. I needed the break.

As much as I enjoyed the relaxed non-haunt pace, I've deeply missed the thrill of the Halloween displays. I've sorely missed the creative process - bringing ideas through processes to reality.
I miss the fog, and the lights, and the music. I miss the haunting community and the sincere passion that only haunters truly understand.

I'm excited to announce that break time is over.

I have a lot of catching up to do ... need to regroup all things website related, need to revisit the old props, need to fiddle with some new ideas. Most importantly, I need to prepare for Halloween 2010.

I'm looking forward to an adventurous build season and hope to have the chance to catch up with everyone along the way.