Narrative and thoughts!

Yay! All my props are done!
I have really enjoyed learning all the new processes that I can take into other projects now.
I am very pleased with the look of my props but definately see there is room to improve upon them in areas such as scaling and quality of production, although these were the first I've ever done and managed to overcome obsticals and issues quite well.
I feel like I have stuck to my narrative I created and am happy witht he finished product.
The narrative I have based them on is the idea of a english mother creating a suitcase of important items to sit near the door incase of the need to flee at any uncertain point. For this I created an old Hurricane gas lamp, incase it is dark when they have to go, the childs favourite clown doll, so that it won't be forgotten in the rush and one of the gas masks they were issued with incase of a gas attack. I have used my grandmothers old case to photograph it all in to tie together the narrative.
I also put my helmets, bread and cheese in to see them all together.

Last but not least!

Today I finally finished all my props!
I have aged my clown using two shades of brown paint that I dabbed on using tissue to give it a soft look. I also rubbed the base of his feet in sand paper and a bit on his face so as to scratch off a bit of paint. And here he is!

The research inspiration
Image found:

Also over the last two days I have been making my Kerosene Hurricane Lamp which has been a bit shoved to the side. This is how I made it.

After looking at the research image I am recreating I decided the base was too big, so cut it down and covered it in filler to give it a rougher (more like rusted metal) and better surface to paint, and also add weight to counterbalance the vase.
I then created the other little elements of the shape using more polystyrene and a small coke bottle, which I used the neck to create a faux wick holder and the middle to make a fake glass base. However the middle was too wide so I had to cut it and make a seem which didn't look as neat as I hoped. It also proved messy to glue to the glass but this will be hid by the base rim.

Once I had made the rest of the metal base shape I bent wire and attached it around the base to create the rim. I also then created the small elements, like the dial (wire and a card knob) and the clasp decoration (cut and glued card).
I then stuck all the base elements together and painted them a base dark brown. Once that had dried I went over the lumpy glue and filler areas with copper and a lighter brown paint to add the look of rust.
After this had all dried I glued on the vase and then burnt a piece of rope and stuck it in the base of the vase.

And here is my finished lamp!

The original I based mine around mostly.

Health and Safety!

Throughout this project we have been given talks on health and safety. Two of the best examples of this are:

1. Our induction talk into the wood/metal work room showing us proper use of the machines and noting what equipment is needed such as goggles, face mask and boots.

2. We were given respirator masks before starting fiberglassing to keep for use in the spray rooms, when fiberglassing or whenever else appropriate. These masks, overalls and goggles needed to be worn at all times during the fiberglassing process aswel as having the exstraction fan system on above or work space.

GAS MASK DONE!

Today after my scenic arts class I managed to quickly get my sardine tins painted with the Covent Garden primer so that I could paint the tins so as I could finish my gas mask. I then took some hard grain sandpaper to create scuffing and scratches that I would later pick up with paint.


Next I added in a piece of foam and cardboard to the top tin to seal it off and cut a hole in both to slot the base of the pipe into.

I then painted the base layer in a dark brown first, and then added on bits of some gold/copper and some dents with a hammer.

Once I had done that I attached the finished pipe into the hole and glued it in place. I then checked over the whole gas mask checking that the aging is appropriate and even, touching up in places and my mask is done!

I am very pleased with the way that it has come out, although it is not an exact replica of the WW1 English small respirator canister gas masks and I had issues at time which meant I strayed from the original in places it looks really good for my first try at props and I would be more than happy to see it in a scene even if it wouldn’t be able to be used as a functional one.

Yay finished Gas mask!

Really, really prop-ductive day!

I have made the mask and pipe for my Gas mask today which didn’t happen without quite a few unscheduled changes and problems.

When I got home I looked for ways to lengthen the tube Simon had found to fit my prop size. In the end I decided to put look over function and cut the pipe in half and fashioned a middle section of using toilet rolls and cardboard rings.

I taped two shaped toilet rolls into a bent angle together and then cut a series of cardboard rings to go around it to create the look of a pipe. I knew this was being covered in fabric so didn’t worry about its basic look as it is just the skeleton.

Next I sprayed the whole pipe with fixative glue and using some coffee dyed driller cotton. It looks really effective once I had added some layers of aging with paint and water. I then painted the showing bits of rubber pipe with PVA to make it shiny to look more like the hard plastic they were made from.

To make the mask I first made the eye pieces using my own head as a base for scale against photos and research I have.

I cut out two disks of clear thermoplastic to the right size and used sand paper and some glue to mist and scratch them. Next I added to cardboard outer rims to build up a tissue edge to match the sunken look in the pictures. Once they had dried I painted them with a silver/copper mix.

Whilst I waited for that to dry I measure round my head and cut out a rough size and shape of material, as I knew it was going to be gathered and elasticised, and using my sewing machine hemmed the raw edges.

I then sewed on stretched elastic around the base of the mask to get the tight fit and then was going to add more elastic in straps around the back. However the elastic didn’t gather in the mask as much as it needed to do, and as the fabric is linen/ cotton mix I felt it to delicate to pull out the elastic. Therefore I adapted the original design by putting on the mask and crossing over the gather at the back of the head until it felt tight.

Before I did this I added a circle of textured thermoplastic to the inside about where the nose was because my research images made it look as if there was a piece there.

I then pinned it in place at the back and also pinned in two darts at the top of the head to make the fit snugger. I left it pinned and stretched it off my face to ensure the elastic was still able to stretch.

When I felt that the shape and fit was right I hand sewed the back pieces together and machined in the small darts at the top.

Now that the eye pieces had dried I added these to the mask using the eye marks I made beforehand as guides as to where to cut the holes using glue.

Once that had all set I cut a hole for the mouth pipe and glued it into place.

The mask can now be finished once I get the respirator tin done.

I have also nearly finished my clown today.

First I made a pattern from the research pattern for the size of my clown but then realised as I had adapted him a pattern from his original clothes would fit much better. Using that as my guide I made up a pattern for the jump suit, hat and ruff and then cut all the pieces out. I then aged them using sandpaper, a file and coffee staining as I knew this would be harder to achieve when they weren't flat.

Next I sewed together the two halves of the jumpsuit and hat, and turned them through, leaving room at the neck on the jumpsuit to get the body block in. I then glued in the block and stuff the hat and body with wadding.

Once he was stuffed I stuck in his hands, feet and head and then using a loose running stitch gathered the fabric around each of them. After I had sewn up the neck gap I glued on the ruff and he’s nearly done. All I have to do now is age him which with all the effort and detail I have put into him is hard to do.

Simon found a gas mask pipe!

Yay Simon has found a near perfect hose for me. It will need changing or lengthening in some way. As it needs to be covered in fabric I could cover or recreate the middle section of the pipe so as to lengthen it.
It is almost the exact same shape of the ones found on the original gas masks. I didn't manage to find out where he got it from but now I can really get constructing my gas mask.

Get proping!

Today I thought I’d found the perfect tin for the base of my hurricane lamp in the pound shop in the form of a Fray Benthos pie tin however, as I didn’t have any printed images or measurements with me, it turned out to be far too small for the vase so have decided to use polystyrene to carve the base using tin as a shape guide.

The polystyrene base has come out really well. I am covering it in a filler coating and then painting it to get the look needed to make it period appropriate and match in with my other props. Because of the size of the vase I have realised that compared to my research my final prop will be some what bigger than the original, and closer to the size of a wall mounted hurricane lamp. However the proportions of the item will not suffer as all the other elements will be scaled up appropriately to ensure that it doesn't look odd.

I also printed up my clown fabric today using masking tape to rule out the stripes and ensure I got a clean edge and then blotted each square with blue or red paint. I am going to age the fabric once I have cut the pieces.