clothe the 5 minutes after skeleton!

Post by **AntiM** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 12:30 pm

I know it off season for summer clothes, there's not much in the local thrift shops now, and ebay is bare too. I will keep scrounging, but hey who knows what burners have in their closets? I need a fifties leisure outfit for my rotting corpse, and if anyone has any of these items on hand, I'd be happy to reimburse for postage. I thought it couldn't hurt to ask here, except for the mocking I may have to take.

A jaunty straw fedora or tribly hat.
man's pale pink polo shirt any size
man's madras shorts any size, preferably predominatly pink
penny loafers

They can be in poor condition as I am going to toast them for the project anyway. I do need them to work with pre-trip, so no, pick up on the playa won't be an option (goodness woman, it is only january!) If anyone has other suggestions for corpse attire, I'd be happy to hear them.

thank you

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 6:05 am

I'm going to be saying "Clothe the 5 minutes after skeleton" all day, now. Thanks. Sounds like poorly-translated instructions from a Japanese model kit.

Post by **AntiM** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 7:03 am

Chuckle. I wish I still had my Japanese "Let's Sports Naked All Day Long" sweatshirt, or especially my "Obscene Art Projects" sweatshirt with the 50s comic strip about nuclear bombs being sent to the sun (also Japanese).

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 8:39 am

My all-time favorite is the warning from the box that a knife came in..."Caution with blade because of sharp."

Atar · Post by **Atar** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 4:27 am

Hey there AntiM, and a happy B-day (or am I too late?

). I picked up this reply in another topic:

AntiM wrote:Alright, decided on the project for the swing: "Five Minutes After." Anyone who lived through the nuclear 50s ~ 70s can remember the fear that nuclear winter and total global destruction were imminent. I want to set up the swing, tattered and burned, surrounded by a charred low white picket fence, melted pink flamingos, and a skeleton clutching a tall blasted cocktail glass dressed in bermuda shorts and a pink polo shirt, perhaps with penny loafers and a jaunty straw fedora. A watch on the skeleton's wrist would be set at five after midnight. I'd wire the skeleton securely to one seat of the swing, the second seat would be sittable and shaded. Lighting would be simple and basic.

Think I could get this out on the playa? All my art has been modest and either bike mobile or placed in front of my camp. Thoughts?

I thought you would read this thread more often than the 2006 ideas thread. I like the idea!

If you are going for the image of a nuclear blast that whiped the guy out I would take all the 'meltables' and hold them tilted to the side when you heat them up. Say you want to have a flamingo with its right side to the blast I'd hold it so that its left side was above the flame. It will melt and drip and whatnot to the left of the object, if you then place it like you'd planned it will look like the blast deformed it fast and that the action is over in a second. Also, sand will turn to glass when exposed to nuclear blasts, maybe you can work with that? I'd just check out thrift stores for the clothing.
Also, would you like to make the skeleton look as if its dried out? Or just a plain old skeleton with all its skin and muscles gone? Because if you want the first you might be interested in those halloween sites. There's a couple that explain how to make a skeleton look like its skin is dried out. Can't find them right now but I know they're out there.

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 7:12 am

HI,

Great tips. We were going to set up the project completely and blast it from one side here in Utah, then mark everything for reassembly on the playa. The drips from melting everything will have to stay home in Ogden, too moopy. Another trick is also applying the glow in the dark paint without it looking like added on grafitti.

They won't let me "glassify" the playa floor. That's the same reason I haven't really figured out how to make a blast shadow on the playa, I can't paint or mark it and cutting a fabric shadow is not the effect I'm looking for. I'll have to go with dusty.

The skeleton I have has decaying flesh and skin and even some hair. I don't have it in hand yet, but any day now. Yep, got it from a halloween prop seller.

The thrift stores are full of winter clothes now, I was just eager enough to ask if anyone had anything sitting around, freecycle style.

Are you kidding? I read all the threads, even the ones that make my eyes roll.

samdu · Post by **samdu** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 11:20 am

robotland wrote:My all-time favorite is the warning from the box that a knife came in..."Caution with blade because of sharp."

my favorite was also on a knife box, a cheap rambo survival knife knock-off that said "caution: keep out of children".

mojo · Post by **mojo** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:53 am

My favorite - on a watch instruction sheet that had an alarm sound of a rooster crowing, was called "Chicken Shout".

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 10:37 am

Or this one, from a noisemaker toy- "Turn over slowly and hear cattle a sound. Likes to live in a pocket."

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 12:28 pm

Oh Joy! Bucky's here. Fully articulated cast-resin skeleton, this one really is life-sized. The first prop skeleton I got will be a child as it is rather small. The child bones will sit on the playa, kids do sit stiff-kneed so it will be alright. Bucky has fingers and toes and kneecaps, all bendy and twisty! WOw! What a fun toy! He's sitting in the living room in a cowboy hat and a flowerdy hawaiian shirt now. My siamese cat bit his toes and then climbed up in his lap. Dang cat loves company, but really!

I'm not sure how I'll hide all the hardware, or even if I really need to do that at all. I guess I should make him match the kid if I can. Just paper and fiber and paint as far as I can tell.

I'm so excited. Can we tell?

Post by **Eric** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 7:31 pm

AntiM wrote:They won't let me "glassify" the playa floor. That's the same reason I haven't really figured out how to make a blast shadow on the playa, I can't paint or mark it and cutting a fabric shadow is not the effect I'm looking for. I'll have to go with dusty.

It will get dusty but: opaque black acrylic.

Finish your NukedMan, set him up at the angle you want on a largish sheet of the acrylic. Put bright spot-lights on him from the direction the "blast" came from. Use a wax pencil (china marker) on the acrylic to outline the shadow cast by the victim. Use jigsaw to cut. Sandblast from direction of earlier nuke blast for visual carry-through of the blast. It will be matte after the blasting- if you want that glossing "glass" look, spray with a UV safe gloss varnish (so it doesn't break down too much out there). On playa just kind of jiggle it down to the level of the playa.
The acrylic shouldn't be too expensive, but it depends on the size.

*whew*

Hope that helps!

Post by **AntiM** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 6:52 am

Good idea, I'm leery of it because he's on a rather large porch swing, there's flamingos and a picket fence and a playing child. That's a LOT of shadows. The question would be, do I want to do that much work? And wouldn't a blast shadow be negative? An even worse endevour? I'll give some more thought.

warning: if you seat a skeleton in your front room and meader through in the dark, try to remember it is just a prop and don't scare yourself silly.

Post by **Eric** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 3:40 pm

AntiM wrote:The question would be, do I want to do that much work? And wouldn't a blast shadow be negative?

It would be negative. I just didn't think that you'd want to make the black shadow for everything else in camp. *g*

I work in an art store, you'd think I'd have more ideas. I'll see what I can think of, but from your "scene" description its going to be a bit of a toughie. Is everything in the scene going to be black or dark grey on the blast side?

Post by **AntiM** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 6:37 am

Well, everything on the blast side will be either charred or melted a bit. I don't want to ruin the skeletons though so it will be a balancing act. I do have a good bit of glow in the dark spray paint and some acrylic GID paints for that post-nuclear glow. We're going to set the entire thing up and go at it with a flame thrower once the snow thaws outside.

I guess I'll primarily be conveying an idea rather than a realistic blast area. This one won't be in camp, we've decided it should definitely be on the playa. I'm just worried people will either steal the skeleton or swing on the swing too hard and break it, guess those are the risks and I'll just have to go with the flow on it. I'm sure I'll be out fussing with the damn thing a couple times a day.

Whatever the minor obstacles, this is gonna look great!

mojo · Post by **mojo** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 12:56 pm

Since we have pretty good weather year-round, I'll check the thrift stores this weekend for your leisure outfit, PARTICULARLY a pink Izod.

How about a giant cockroach? (The one that survived the blast?)

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 1:28 pm

Gregor Samsa?

Post by **AntiM** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 1:29 pm

I had a look through the local thrift shops, wrong season for izods. I did find a hawaiian flowerdy shirt, which may well do. I may also switch to khaki pants (which larry has) because the knees look odd and would be better covered. I'd burn off most of the pants, Bucky's pelvis and spine are too cool to be completely covered up.

I do need a jaunty straw hat! Bucky has a steel hanging hook right out the top of his cranium.

Giant cockroach, perfection.

mojo · Post by **mojo** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 10:20 am

Ok, found some good stuff - PM me your address and I'll send it along for perusal. Have a couple of hats, polo, some shorts. I have loafers too. Please re-gift if not right for Bucky!!

Post by **AntiM** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 10:41 am

Cool, thanks, anything that isn't right for Bucky will become another project I'm sure.

And I just got my two solar spotlights shaped like rocks, whee!

mojo · Post by **mojo** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 10:46 am

I'll keep on the lookout for giant cockroach.

mojo · Post by **mojo** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 11:20 am

OOOOO..... I found a men's blazer with PINK plaid!!! I'll send it along with the other stuff tomorrow. (I did find a pink polo shirt).

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 11:21 am

Bucky's going to be quite the dapper gent!

montana wildhack · Post by **montana wildhack** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:47 pm

i have a giant cockroach to contribute!!!!!!

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 2:12 pm

Whooooooooooooo! Doing the happy giant cockroach dance now!!!!!

montana wildhack · Post by **montana wildhack** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 2:35 pm

just pm me your addy, and i'll send it UCS...United Cockroach Service!

Post by **AntiM** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:44 am

Question: Bucky will be weaaring a smashed watch. What time should it be set at? I'm thinking midnight, as it would have stopped on the nuclear blast and not kept going until five after.

Actually though, The Clock has never sat directly at five:

http://www.thebulletin.org/doomsday_clock/timeline.htm

Post by **Eric** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 9:05 pm

AntiM wrote:Bucky will be weaaring a smashed watch. What time should it be set at? I'm thinking midnight, as it would have stopped on the nuclear blast and not kept going until five after.

My thought would be 1 or 2 minutes to midnight. Obviously nukes went off, or Bucky wouldn't have fried. I just don't think it would "read" as well set at midnight- setting it at one or two minutes before would be a lovely little inside joke.Two minutes would probably read a bit better.

edit: removed unneaded snarky bit

Post by **AntiM** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 6:04 am

Ah, yes, I like it. Two minutes.

Shucks, I like snarky bits. I excel at snarky bits, but yeah, I usually delete most of mine too.

Agnostic Prophet · Post by **Agnostic Prophet** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 10:46 am

for the shadows....
chalk or poster paint?
You should be able to scrape and/or sweep it off the playa afterwards.

Post by **AntiM** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 12:45 pm

Bucky and Oide. Bucky now has pants and better posture.