This summer is packed with fun and exciting papier mache workshops brought to you by the new STOLLOWEEN Studio at 718 George Street in Midland, Michigan.

STOLLOWEEN Studio is an inspired work space created for the sole purpose of bringing imagination to life through papier mache. In addition to being a working studio, the facility is also a classroom offering a variety of workshops allowing students to create projects from start to finish.

STOLLOWEEN Studio is open to anyone with a desire to create. Papier mache is a simple medium very capable of producing stunning results even for the first time user. The knowledge, experience and resources available in the studio are second to none.

-Instructor with over 30 years experience in television production and papier mache.

-Large, comfortable and well lit workspace.

-Comprehensive reference library including hundreds of books and publications.

-Gallery displaying many diverse papier mache projects.

-Well stocked equipment and material room.

The 2013 Summer Workshop Series includes: 

Severed Zombie Heads

Papier Mache Workshop

Ever since I was a kid I loved zombies – I thought they were the best things ever and that was way before it was cool to like zombies.

Join us for four evenings of icky, sticky, rotted zombie building fun. Participants create their own life-sized severed zombie head using a variety of papier mache techniques and commonly found recycled items. During the workshop we will watch and discuss some classic zombie films, occasionally stopping to dissect some of our favorite scenes.

This unique experience is recommended for those 16 years and older. The workshops can be physically demanding requiring participants to stand, kneel,  lift and work in uncomfortable positions. Papier mache can be a bit messy so please dress accordingly. The class uses a variety of non-hazardous materials such as flour, glue and joint compound, as well as latex and acrylic paints.

Workshop cost is $100 per person which includes all tools and materials.

You are encouraged to bring your own drink and snack. No alcoholic beverages please.  Call (989) 750-6457 to register. Payment is due at the first class. Class size is limited to 8 seats. 

Severed Zombie Heads Workshop #2

Tuesday, June 4^th. 6pm – 9pm

Thursday, June 6^th.  6pm – 9pm

Tuesday, June 11^th. 6pm – 9pm

Thursday, June 13^th. 6pm – 9pm

Severed Zombie Heads Workshop #3

Monday, June 17^th.  6pm – 9pm

Wednesday, June 19^th.  6pm – 9pm

Monday, June 24^th. 6pm – 9pm

Wednesday, June 26^th.  6pm – 9pm

Severed Zombie Heads Workshop #4

- Weekend Warrior Edition

Saturday, July 13^th.   1pm – 4pm

Sunday, July 14^th.  1pm – 4pm

Saturday, July 20^th.  1pm – 4pm

Sunday, July 21^st.  1pm – 4pm

Severed Zombie Heads Workshop #5

Monday, August 5^th.  6pm – 9pm

Wednesday, August 7th.  6pm – 9pm

Monday, August 12^th. 6pm – 9pm

Wednesday, August 14^th.  6pm – 9pm

Severed Zombie Heads Workshop #6

- Weekend Warrior Edition

Saturday, August 17^th.   1pm – 4pm

Sunday, August 18^th.   1pm – 4pm

Saturday, August 24^th.   1pm – 4pm

Sunday, August 25^th.  1pm – 4pm

Severed Zombie Heads Workshop #7

Tuesday, August 20^th.   6pm – 9pm

Thursday, August 22^nd.   6pm – 9pm

Tuesday, August 27^th.  6pm – 9pm

Thursday, August 29^th.  6pm – 9pm

Dragon Masters

Papier Mache Workshop

Dragons have always fascinated me, a beautiful mix of power, grace and danger. Join us for four days of Dragon building fun as each participant will create their very own sleek flying dragon. The finished sculptures are large featuring a 28 inch wingspan and four foot long body. The dragon construction uses several different papier mache techniques and utilizes a variety of recycled items such as plastic bottles, newspaper and cardboard.

This unique experience is recommended for those 16 years and older. The workshops can be physically demanding requiring participants to stand, kneel,  lift and work in uncomfortable positions. Papier mache can be a bit messy so please dress accordingly. The class uses a variety of non-hazardous materials such as flour, glue and joint compound, as well as latex and acrylic paints.

Workshop cost is $100 per person which includes all tools and materials.

You are encouraged to bring your own drink and snack. No alcoholic beverages please. Call (989) 750-6457 to register. Payment is due at the first class. Class size is limited to 6 seats.

Dragon Master  Workshop #1

Monday, June 3^rd.   1pm – 4pm

Wednesday, June 5^th.  1pm – 4pm

Monday, June 10^th. 1pm – 4pm

Wednesday, June 12^th.  1pm – 4pm

Dragon Master Workshop #2

Tuesday, June 18^th. 1pm – 4pm

Thursday, June 20^th.  1pm – 4pm

Tuesday, June 25^th.  1pm – 4pm

Thursday, June 27^th. 1pm – 4pm

Dragon Master  Workshop #3

Monday, July 8^th. 6pm – 9pm.

Wednesday, July 10^th. 6pm – 9pm.

Monday, July 15^th. 6pm – 9pm.

Wednesday, July 17^th. 6pm – 9pm.

Dragon Master Workshop #4

Tuesday, August 6^th. 1pm – 4pm

Thursday, August 8^th.  1pm – 4pm

Tuesday, August 13^th.   1pm – 4pm

Thursday, August 15^th.  1pm – 4pm

The Great Pumpkin

Papier Mache Workshop

This is your chance to start building some great Jack O’Lantern props for Halloween. The July Pumpkin Workshop will allow participants to create their own large pumpkin complete with an elaborate carved face of their choosing. Past workshops have proven to be a very fun and enjoyable experience all while learning many different papier mache techniques.

This unique experience is recommended for those 16 years and older. The workshops can be physically demanding requiring participants to stand, kneel, lift and work in uncomfortable positions. Papier mache can be a bit messy so please dress accordingly. The class uses a variety of non-hazardous materials such as flour, glue and joint compound, as well as latex and acrylic paints.

Workshop cost is $100 per person which includes all tools and materials.

You are encouraged to bring your own drink and snack. No alcoholic beverages please. Call (989) 750-6457 to register. Payment is due at the first class. Class is limited to 8 seats.

The Great Pumpkin  Workshop #1

Tuesday, July 23^rd.   6pm – 9pm

Thursday, July 25^th.   6pm – 9pm

Tuesday, July 30^th.   6pm – 9pm.

Thursday, August 1^st. 6pm – 9pm

Additional Classes in development:

Kid’s Monster Factory

Papier Mache Workshop

As a child I used to draw monsters and as an adult I continue to doodle monsters every chance I get. This is very special class designed for children 6 to 12 years old who along with an accompanying adult will use their imagination to draw a monster then turn that artwork into a fabulous papier mache sculpture.

During the first two hour session we will look at inspirational monsters in movies and books such as Monsters Inc., Where the Wild Things Are and the Dr. Suess books, then create a drawing and start constructing the sculpture. The second and third sessions will use papier mache and the final class will be painting.

The workshops can be physically demanding requiring participants to stand, kneel, lift and work in uncomfortable positions. Papier mache can be a bit messy so please dress accordingly. The class uses a variety of non-hazardous materials such as flour, glue and joint compound, as well as latex and acrylic paints.

Workshop cost is $100 per adult and child duo which includes all tools and materials.

You are encouraged to bring your own drink and snack. No alcoholic beverages please. Call (989) 750-6457 to register. Payment is due at the first class. Class is limited to 5 adult and child duos.

Kid’s Monster Factory Workshop #1

Tuesday, July 9^th. 1pm – 3pm

Thursday, July 11^th.   1pm – 3pm

Tuesday, July 16^th.  1pm – 3pm

Thursday, July 18^th.  1pm – 3pm

Kid’s Monster Factory Workshop #2

Monday, July 22^nd. 1pm – 3pm

Wednesday, July 24^th.   1pm – 3pm

Monday, July 29^th.  1pm – 3pm

Wednesday, July 31^st.  1pm – 3pm

Kid’s Monster Factory Workshop #3

Monday, August 19^th. 1pm – 3pm

Wednesday, August 21^st.   1pm – 3pm

Monday, August 26^th.  1pm – 3pm

Wednesday, August 28^th.  1pm – 3pm

Tribal Fusion

Papier Mache Workshop

Take a quick trip around the world and explore masks from a variety of different cultures then mash-up your favorite elements and designs to create your very own tribal mask. The two day workshop will allow participants to design and construct a large mask suitable for decorative display. Due to the lengthy drying time involved in this project there is a one week gap between each session.

This unique experience is recommended for those 16 years and older. The workshops can be physically demanding requiring participants to stand, kneel, lift and work in uncomfortable positions. Papier mache can be a bit messy so please dress accordingly. The class uses a variety of non-hazardous materials such as flour, glue and joint compound, as well as latex and acrylic paints.

Workshop cost is $80 per person which includes all tools and materials.

You are encouraged to bring your own drink and snack. No alcoholic beverages please. Call (989) 750-6457 to register. Payment is due at the first class. Class size is limited to 8 seats.

Tribal Fusion Workshop #1

Friday, June 21^st.   1pm – 4pm

Friday, June 28^th.   1pm – 3pm

Tribal Fusion Workshop #2

Friday, August 2^nd.   1pm – 4pm

Friday, August 9^th.   1pm – 3pm

The workshops typically fill quickly so reserve your seat today, I hope you have the chance to experience these unique and very fun classes.  Have a great summer!

Buster Gravesley had a son named Buster.  Buster’s son was a gnarly surfer dude head banging sort of guy, always on the look out for the perfect wave. Unfortunately Buster Jr. met his end in the jaws of a Great White Shark and joined his father in the afterlife where he still raises Hell every chance he gets and never misses an opportunity to break free from the confines of his rotting grave. Like father, like son …. Meet Son of Buster.

The Son of Buster Prop was built almost entirely from recycled materials and papier mache.

The prop features a mechanism which allows it to be manually operated. When operated the tombstone cracks in half revealing the Son of Buster creature lurking behind the tombstone.

This piece had to be created for under $20 dollars so the hardware choices were economical, if you plan on building this I would suggest using additional material resulting in a sturdier prop (such as larger hinges, etc.).

Son of Buster took approximately 30 hours to create over the course of a month. This was a fun build and there was a fair amount of experimentation and new techniques in regards to creating the head and the hands. The final prop stands about 3 ½ feet tall and is 2 feet wide.

Click here for the tutorial.

Completed a 5 ½ foot tall praying mantis sculpture for the 2013 Summer Sculpture Series Downtown Midland.

The big guy will be delivered this week and all things considered it was a very fun project.

The “Mighty Midland Mantis” was constructed from ½ inch pieces of plywood that were designed to fit together using minimum hardware.

The project was very much like assembling a large wood puzzle.

The sculpture will be displayed in the downtown are of the city during June, July, August and September.

Click here for construction photos.

While doing some work which required me to browse through my collection of Halloween and prop photos I selected forty of my favorites presented here in no particular order.

Click the above photo to see the collection.

Enjoy the season! Click the photo to see the entire zombie snowflake gallery and get the link to the instructions.

You can view the entire gallery here.

Due to the weather our display is now closed for the season, thanks to everyone that had a chance to stop by and have a fun and safe Halloween!

The GateKeepers are large gargoyle/demon/alien hybrids that stand guard at the gate of our 2012 Halloween Display. Based on a sketch I created this past summer these creatures are made from papier mache over a wood form. 

Complete documentation of the process can be found here.

 
 

Added a Faux Wrought Iron Fence tutorial that uses wood, PVC and foam to create a creepy old fence to dress up your Halloween display. The process is fairly simple and the results are quite impressive.

The complete instructions can be found here.

A quick shot of the remaining papier mache pumpkins still available in my Etsy shop. All orders for this Halloween must be placed by October 12^th.

Go to my Etsy shop here.