Eyes

     Well I finally got up the courage to try my hand at painting today. I started work on my Jar of Eyes prop.  I found the idea on The Mad Lab site.  The one there is a heck of a lot more detailed than what I will be able to do this year but, I have a feeling that this will be a work in progress for a few years until I am totally happy with it. This is my first time trying to freehand paint.  It took a few tries before I got comfortable with what I was trying to do.  I think I finally got the hang of it by the time I got to the last ping pong ball in the pack.  Now I just need to go and get more ping pong balls and some more paints.  I am not quite happy with the blues that I have.  I also need to pick up some tubing to glue to the lid.  Not exactly sure on how I want to attach the tubing but I just know that I won't be happy until there is tubes coming from the lid.  Funny but never even thought about tubes coming from it when I originally thought about making this.

I think with a little more practice I will have some really convincing eyeballs.  Although no one is probably gonna get that close to see them.  But still, like my son says, I am an elitist when it comes to my props. If it isn't perfect and realistic I am not happy with it.  The real challenge is going to be finding a gel like substance that won't eat the paint off the eyes for them to be suspended in.  The tutorial said to use hair gel but I haven't been able to find a large enough jar that doesn't cost a lot. I was thinking hand sanitizer but I will have to do some trials with the paint first. Either that or go ask the gurus at Garage of Evil. (Those guys and gals are my heroes!) 

    I have to admit though I am starting to feel the crunch. Just 99 days til Halloween and 69 days until opening day of the maze and nothing is really done.  I think I am just gonna concentrate on the props for my scene and maybe a few tombstones for the graveyard. I think the butcher scene is covered and I know that the Saw scene is good.  As for the rest of the scenes I have no idea as to what is gonna be done.  Guess it is time to start pestering people about another prop build day.