Geek Flea Market!

Today was a chilly day but geeks from miles around made it out of their Rancor pits for the third Geek Flea Market. I was there with my shadowboxes and am happy to report that the Frankenstein shadowbox sold just as I predicted it would.* Nothing makes me happier than seeing a shadowbox going to a good home...except for eating a dirty water dog.

Fig 1: A Starving Artist

The delightful gentleman I sold the Frank-box to is a puppeteer as well. Though he is a marionettist and I'm a shadow puppeteer I believe that the two can coexist in peace. He is in the process of creating a Halloween show about Frankenstein and said he was thinking of using the Frank-box in his show. I was/am honored to be a part of his art in some small way. There was a real feeling of brotherhood throughout the day...and by brotherhood I mean Lambda Lambda Lambda.

Proud to be a Tri-Lamb!

I still have a few shadowboxes available! Check out my shop on etsy. Til next time, make mine Marvel! 


*Making Shadowboxes: Part 1

Making Shadowboxes: PART 2

Now that the papercut is done, we will start building the circuit. The shadowbox is lit up with the cunning use of light-emitting diodes (LEDs). LEDs are pretty awesome because they have a longer life than your boring-old, poopy-old incandescent bulb. The LEDs are connected to resistors which make sure that the LEDs have the right current flowing through them.

A green LED connected to a resistor.

The LEDs are soldered to the wire to connect the LEDs in a series. We try not to burn ourselves but sometimes we do...that's precisely why the "Helping Hand" tool that you see in these pictures was purchased.

Mmm, smells like roast husband in here!

 

After all of the LEDs are connected to the wire, it is fitted into the shadowbox and connected to the 9 volt battery which you can see in the bottom right corner of the photograph below.

The 9 volt battery is also connected to a switch so the battery and LED life spans are preserved when the shadowbox is not in use. Now that our shadowbox is done, let's hang it up on the wall!

The Bride and Monster. 

All lit up and nowhere to go! 

The Bride and Monster.

Hope you've enjoyed reading this little tutorial. If you'd like to order a custom shadowbox, contact me!

Making Shadowboxes: PART 1

I'm preparing for the upcoming Geek Flea Market by making a papercut of Frankenstein's Monster. Frankenstein's Monster is a real hero to geeks like me so I'm sure there will be someone thrilled to hang this shadowbox on their wall. Since Boris Karloff's Monster is the quintessential Frankenstein, I search the web for a good image of Karloff in his Frankie Make-up. Then I draw it on black paper and begin cutting it out. Here is the papercut of Frankie in various stages of progression for your perusal.

Frank, emerging from his cocoon! 

As you can see, I use an X-Acto knife to cut the paper. I always start with a brand new blade. There's nothing like screwing in a brand new blade, it's one of those sensual, satisfying rituals that make working so much fun. 

He's going through that awkward phase...

I always plan out the papercut so that the most delicate (thinnest) parts are the last that I cut out. In Frankie's case, his lip is the last thing that I cut. I don't want it ripping.

"Friennnnd!"

Now, I will glue the papercut to the transparent paper (mylar) so that the LEDs are visible. Stay tuned for the construction of the LED circuits in Part 2.