A friend of mine who runs a mom blog asked if I could make her a halloween plaque themed around the Disney movie Hocus Pocus. I used 1/8th" Baltic Birch Ply in 2 layers. I found it easier to score the lettering on the plaque and then cut them out separately. This made lining up the letters a BREEZE. After everything dried I applied a few layers of primer, the same paint used to prime canvases (got it at Walmart)
After the primer was dry I used this AMAZING paint from a company called Modern Masters. As a HUGE Disney fan, I was blown away to find out that 90% of Disneyâs props, themed lands, and ride sets are painted using this brand of paint. The MM line I used was the Modern Masters Metal line. You apply 2 coats of the paint. Let it dry. Once dry apply a third layer of paint and while it is still wet, you spray this acidic solution onto the paint which causes the metal in the paint to oxidize. This gives the surface a hyper realistic aged patina look in a matter of minutes. They have Copper, Brass, and Iron paints which all age and patina just as those metals would in nature. I am blown away with how this plaque turned out!
Hee hee, nothing at Dizzyland is real. I know several artists who work there from designers to technicians to scenic artists; the stories they tell are outrageous!
yes!!! I have worked in the prop manufacturing field for years, and I decided to expand my knowledge into more complex manufacturing techniques, sculpting etc, which is the journey I have been on for the past 3 years or so. Everything thing that Disney creates is always hyper realistic! I have always told myself if I am going to build a prop or light a show, if the final product is not up to âDisney Standardsâ then I start over lol! I strive for that level of realism! lolđ
Yes!! I have worked in the prop field for most of my life and have become accustomed to painting patina by hand lol very very meticulously lol When I discovered this stuff I was so happy that I could now pull off high end, hyper realistic aging without the hours of stippling and dry brushing.
I was speaking strictly from a set design & prop perspective⌠when it comes to creating realistic environments Disney does it best! Their simulated environments in the parks, visually speaking are on top of every single detail, down to the last bolt and nail. You can walk up 2 inches from any prop or structure in the park and not see one flaw. Those are the levels at which I set my bar, that at no matter what distance the audience may be, the illusion still holds strong.
That may be your opinion. Lol However, as far as I am concerned their props and scenery must withstand rain, high winds, sun exposure, and sometimes oils and dirt from guests hands and yet they still look pristine. (The companies they absorbed âILMâ industrial light and magic, etc) dont really have a hand in the theme parks aspect. The last time Disney used a company outside of itself for scenic design was for rendering footage used in a ride. They do not outsource their scenic & environmental design and fabrication. Unless that fabricated element works with or around vehicle support structures, where they would then work with the ride manufacturers usually Vekoma.
That looks great. I have been wanting to make an address plaque for some friends building a house in the country. How well does that stand up to weather? Would it adhere to acrylic (so the substrate would be weather resistant)?
It really depends on the specific industry. Like game devs seem to think props are anything that can move that isnât a character. In TV/film theyâre specifically things that actors touch and move excluding furniture but including watches and eyeglasses (an exact same item that no one is touching is set dressing). In theme park itâs almost anything smaller than a wall.
Yes, the paint is actually acrylic based, you can also buy a primer through Modern Masters which also works well, I seal my pieces with some matte clear coat. I have not tried it on acrylic yet, however from what I have seen, you can literally use this paint on anything. I would recommend using their primer on surfaces like acrylic just to give the paint something to grab onto unless the surface is that of matte acrylic. Either way your good to go!
