Somehow I found myself building puppets this week. No matter, I still found some great links to share with you all:
Greg Aronowitz has a post up about an epic build to create masks and props for a live-action commercial promoting a video game called Borderlands 2. The build encompasses everything from molding and casting fiberglass to vacuum forming, and even more impressive, everything was completed in only four days. The rest of his blog is filled with other great behind-the-scenes looks at various projects he and his studio have created over his career.
This tutorial on distressing paper props is pretty great. It focuses on using scanners and Photoshop rather than traditional hands-on means. I’ve always found the best results come from understanding all the tools at your disposal—whether digital or analog—and using a mix of what will achieve your desired results in the most efficient means possible.
Slate has a new blog called “The Vault”, which is dedicated to “historical treasures, oddities, and delights”.
I don’t post many articles like this, but this piece on creating a lasting impression at networking events contains some classic tips for career advancement. Props people and other backstage craftspeople have to work on marketing themselves almost as much as they have to work on learning new skills and techniques.
Finally, Etsy has made a video spotlighting Liberty Tool, a small store where owner H.G. “Skip” Brack salvages and repairs old tools to offer for sale:
