ZOMBIE TYPE 1: PRODBLOG #9

In (un)Living Color

Day 9: Sunday, May 31, 2009
T-minus eleven days left. I'm going to spend the day doing paint tests, even though we're not sure how the final head will size out after the shrinking process.

Meanwhile, the diabolical Dr. Mego has mocked up the outfit (sans gore) with the new scrubs he's sewn and the stock labcoat (which cutomizers can order for their own projects at MegoDoctor.com).:

That's pretty MEGO -- simple and small, with just enough lines for the collector to know what it's supposed to be without all the tedious (and expensive) detail of a larger format doll or figure.

So finally, I set about doing the paint test on the head. First, I create a thinned-out greenish tint to lay down as a base. This will creep into the cracks and lines of the skin via capillary action.

While wet, I quickly wipe it down with a cloth, keeping the recessed paint in the cracks and leaving just a thin, translucent layer of pea green over the Caucasian flesh tone as an underbase.

After the underbase dries, I then continue on with the other colors, a muddy brown for the hair, a light yellow/tan for the dead flesh overlay, a pale bone for the eye and teeth, and several variations of red for the wounded areas. All these colors are flat, and after they dry to a nice matte finish, I go back in and slop gloss dark red around the mouth and the neck wound to simulate wet, fresh blood.

While I'm doing this, I've delegated body assembly to my most reliable helper, my son Alex. At twelve, he's built a bunch of plastic models already, so adhering the chest and thigh wounds is an easy task.

And I should state that yes, that is his workstation in the pictures. When he's not doing homework at it, he's busy with his own enterprise, "Miss ng Eye Productions". MonsterMania attendees have seen his work, as he does custom drawings of popular cartoon characters as zombies. At the last one he attended, he made enough money from his art to buy himself an iPod. Although some parents may wrinkle their noses at the chosen subject matter, I'm more than supportive, as I hope he can sell another 30,000-40,000 drawings to pay for his own college education.

By the time Alex finishes with the bodies, I finish the paint test.

Well, although I can spot an imperfection or two, I'm really happy with the results, especially the texture of the skin. However, I'm concerned that when we shrink the head we may lose a lot of it. And we won't know whether that works for a couple of days or so.