Zombie School Day 5

Photo #59: The sun is up and I’m still cranking away at these zombies that film in 9 hours. I picked a color scheme for each girl and started by stippling the body skins with PAX paint. I guess I should know what PAX stands for, but I’m too tired to try and remember! I can tell you that it is made of acrylic paint and Pros aide adhesive. The mixture varied depending on the results you want. The more adhesive you use, the more translucent the paint, and the better it sticks. A higher ratio of acrylic paint will make the coverage more opaque, but won’t stay on the actor as long.

Photo #60: Mark dropped of the new foam run. Despite the fact that he got the molds while the plaster was still steaming, he got three perfect pieces out in the first run. Thanks, Mark!

Photo #61: Despite the time crunch, I am going to paint the facial appliances with rubber cement. Regular office supply cement is the paint base, colored with all-tint and cut with Bestine. It allows for a translucent build up of color that provides a more realistic end result.

Photo #62: The rubber cement paint tens to get a little thick, and can quickly gum up an airbrush needle. I have always found that it is easier to use a single action airbrush over a double action. I prefer the Pasche H. There are several size tips and needles you can use, but I am sticking with a number 3.

Photo # 63# There will be a lot of mixing going on, so you will need a lot of paper cups!

Photo # 64: The rubber cement mix ratio also varies, depending on the desired result. It will always be more thinner than glue, just to get it through the brush. More thinner will make a smoother, flatter paint. Less thinner will keep the cement thick, and give you splatter peters and such things. It is important to always mix the tint into the straight rubber cement prior to thinning. The tint just beads up in the thinner or thinned rubber.

Photo #65: Painting the Marissa Zombie. I start with the shadow areas. You can also see the splatter effect.

Photo #66: Here she is again after a little more work.

Photo #67: And a little while later still. A painting project like this could usually take up to 8 hours. There is a lot of subtle layering. But I only have about 15 minutes left if I plan on having all 4 zombies done by call time.

Photo #68: Here is Leah’s zombie paint in progress. Oh, I still have to make her eyeball rig!

Photo #69: Here you can see the color direction I am going in for each zombie. Pax says I have too much of a Power Ranger’s producer in me. Blue zombie, go! Red zombie, go! And when we combined our powers..

Photo #70: Its call time. People everywhere in the barnyard. The main house is a frenzy of activity. Costumes and beauty make up are in full force.

Photo # 71: Lesley is suited up. I’m not afraid to admit I’ve developed quite the crush. She’s awesome.

Photo #72: Remember Lexi from barnyard fx: alien ninja? Well, she’s back for another crazy night in the swamp. She’s getting Marissa ready for the video’s opening sequence.

Photo #73: Gone camping. No, just dressing the set for Fallbrooke’s terrifying video…

Photo #74: I bought that 61 caddy 15 years ago with the intention of making it a restoration side project. I’ve never had the time to rebuild it, but it makes an amazing piece of set deco. What says creepy more than an abandoned car sinking in the swamp?

Photo #75: A change in plan (and camera direction) has the art dogs covering some structure with camo nets. I have a ton of camo nets. Yet I always need MORE camo nets…

Photo #76: I just watched the sun go down for the second or third time in a row with out sleeping. I can’t remember which one. I’m sure it was only two, but it feels like a million hours ago since the sun went down last time. I don’t even understand what I’m writing! But the band is jamming around the campfire with a bunch of hot girls. At least somebody is having fun!

Photo #77: As soon as I finish these next few entries, I can sleep. Which would be cool, except now I am afraid to. This photo I took of Marissa Zombie is sure to give me nightmares!!!

Photo #78: Leah is non-stop laughs. I should have put money on her reaction to my make up design! It was almost exactly what I predicted in the blog yesterday. Or two days ago. You know what I mean.

Photo #79: Lesley. Still pretty even as a zombie. I’ll stop talking now before I get myself in trouble…

Photo #80: Kerri embodies the core idea of the music video. Girls. Dead. Still sexy.

Photo #81: Yeah, that’s still my driveway. But hopefully only you and I will be able to tell when the video is finished!

Photo #82: The band is performing by the Cadillac, which has been dressed with greens. Looks much more like a swamp now.

Photo #83: I’m bummed I didn’t get more pictures tonight. But my hands where either always busy, or covered in glue! But shots like this make up for the ones I didn’t get.

Photo #84: Can you lick your own eyeball? Leah really brought her zombie to life. Does that even make sense? Let me try it another way: she was a perfect zombie.

Photo #85: There was a lot of body painting being done. And when the girls decided they weren’t going to wear shoes to dance in the water, there was even more body painting going on…

Photo #86: Yeah. That's freaking Fallbrooke in my yard. Now that’s a Friday night!

Photo #87: Yet another image that will disrupt my sleep…

Photo #88: We wrapped! But wait, there’s more…the make-ups that took over an hour each to put on? Even longer to take off! I can’t believe the sun is up again. And I can’t express how much of a trooper Marissa is. She was the first one in make up, and the last one out. That’s a lot of hours. All the girls were amazing, and what they did in the make up made everything it took to create so worthwhile. I can’t wait till you can see the video!!!

Thanks for following the process. I sincerely doubt you want to follow us cleaning up the yard, but I will blog about the next crazy project I do ASAP! Catch you later…