This hands on demonstration will get you familiar with the applications of monster mud in prop making.  Several materials can be used when applying monster mud with burlap being an all around favorite.  Other textile fabrics can also be used to achieve different appearances.  In this hands on, you will be applying burlap or muslin dipped in monster mud to a chicken wire form in the shape of a tree.  Please let me know if you will be attending this seminar so that a tree will be onsite for you to use.
Chicken Wire Forming

In this hands on seminar, you will learn the methods to form chicken wire and hardware cloth into shapes that will be the basic structure for monster mud application.  I will show you several different props that I have made and their applications.

Chiller Diller or Don't Hog the Fog

This presentation will present many but not all the different ways that fog may be cooled.  Everyone is invited to bring their fog chillers/coolers to this event and we will share information.  I will be showing my trashcan chiller and my converted cooler at this seminar.  I will also have a list of websites where you can go to get the how-to's for these chillers.

Duct Taping Your Dummy!

Duct tape dummies became quite popular several years back with people who sewed and
 could not afford the high cost of dressmaker models.  You can make dummies by wrapping yourself in chicken wire and forming it to your body but the insurance companies frown on that. There is no better form of revenge than to make a duct tape dummy of an acquaintance but due to the time restraints of our event and the fact that the model would only be wearing underwear when removed from the form...we will only be making a model of the hand and forearm.  You will need to select a partner (not someone you brought with you either) who will wear a rubber glove and a 'sleeve' ( trash bag which will be supplied) or you can opt for doing a foot and shin form.  You will learn how to quickly tape your partner and then safely remove the form.  If you have a good pair of scissors, please bring them with you along with two rolls of the 60 yard duct tape.  The mini-method that you learn at the event can be applied to a torso or full body duct tape dummy.

Getting Plastered

Along with my obsession for making hands, I am also into molding and casting.  If something looks like it would work as a mold....I use it.  I took one of those disgustingly cheapo plastic RIP tombstone that I got at the party store and molded one of plaster.  I had to reinforce the bottom of the tombstone form with a piece of wood to prevent sagging and when I poured the plaster, I used duct tape from side to side and from top to bottom.  I made several plaster tombstones and excluding the first one, they turned out pretty good.  We will be making plaster cherubs or skull faces for a tombstone accessory so make sure you also get in on the tombstone making.
 

I've Got to "Hand" it to You!

Since I got 'into' Halloween, I have been obsessed with making hands.  There are many
  different ways and materials for making hands and this session will cover the ways I have
made hands.  I have made hands from 4" hot glue sticks, car seat cover beads, spray
  foam, wire/masking tape and others.  The materials for making these will be available for
 you to try your 'hand' at.  Shawn will be doing a demonstration for making hands from wire coat hangers using the 'snot rag' method.

Smoke Gets in Your "Eyes"

In this hands on demonstration, you will be making your own Fading Eyes and learning to solder at the same time.  Soldering is not hard but there are simple, practical and safe ways to do this.  If you are interested in participating in this demo, please contact me as I will need time to order the kits from Cowlacious Designs Halloween Products.  You will also need to bring a soldering iron with you or make arrangements to use one.  Fading LED eyes kits will be available for cost plus shipping (estimated at $8.00).  I am also checking into getting some color organ kits to solder and will have more information available later.

Going all the Way with Papier Mache

Papier mache can be one of the most inexpensive prop making methods (and one of the most fun) that is around today.  There are many 'recipes' for papier mache which will be available at the event for you.  In this workshop, you will apply both stripped newspaper and paper towels to a balloon.  Drying time varies but if the day is warm, it will not take long.  I used the balloon form to make the shell of monster eggs that could later be spray foamed.  I also found that I could use the balloon shell for the head of an alien creature or the head of a very large preying mantis.  You are only restricted by your imagination.  This will be a messy project so please be 'washable' or bring a trash bag for an apron.
 

Spray Foam 101 and 102

In this  presentation, Lloyd will be demonstrating how to apply the popular spray foam in the construction of an alien/monster egg.  There will be other spray foam props available for examination at that time.

Door Closers & PVC Rams

This presentation will exhibit the different products that can be converted and used to pnematically animate your Halloween props.  Safety issues will be discussed and websites with how-to's will be presented at this event.  If time permits, we may convert some of the door closers and construct the pvc ram pistons.

Coffin Building

In this presentation, you will be given the opportunity to examine 'haunt'-built coffins.  There will be information including schematics on how to build a toe pincher coffin.  A coffin is one of the building blocks of a Halloween haunt, especially if you have a graveyard.

All the Way with Celluclay

Celluclay is currently a popular medium for moulding and casting forms.  I did purchase some of this material last year but even with a 40% off coupon at Michaels, I felt this product was overly expensive for the home haunter's use.  I will be presenting an alternate method for making celluclay and showing the applications that it can be used for.  I welcome any and all input into this area.

Puppet Making

In this demonstration, Cheryl will be presenting the basics of puppetry and how to do it on a shoestring budget.  Her finished Wizard Puppet will be there for people to see and
try out all weekend and she will be bringing printouts of the puppet construction for all who are interested.  Depending on how many people are attending the demo, we
should be able to assemble the new frame in a few minutes' time. Cheryl will
precut and drill the pieces to make an approximately 8 ft-9 ft puppet.  The rest of the time can be used to finish the characteristics of the puppet, using a mask, monster hands, and misc parts, such as foam pipe insulation, fabric scraps, lots of tape and our imaginations.

Corpsing your Mother-in-Law

I am currently locating materials and a victim...I mean instructor for this seminar.  If you have any experience in this area please contact me.  There will be a Distephano corpsing book available for everyone to look at.

Please note that I am still trying to include makeup application and airbrushing but at this time I do not have an instructor for these presentations.  These may just be some hands on, try me out demos.   We will also be giving away 'grass' prizes (since there are no doors at the event).