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.