SentientApe's custom figures inspired by "The Planet of the Apes" franchise

[SentientApe]

Yesterday, when I ripped a 12' tree out of the ground using only my bare hands (seriously -- but a story for another time), I chanced upon the ideal matterial for the scarecrow "hands." This will be updated soon.

[apes3978]

Your scarecrows look very good... Very good use of materials too... Hope to see more shots soon...

[mpramuk]

Love, Love, Love these! Glad you chose the more entertaining option - and I commend you on being able to come back inside as I'd still be out there playing! XD

Thanks for sharing the advice - and the pix.

[SentientApe]

** Variation, meaning they are not identical to each other. We pretty much referenced the same set of materials.

Fantastic Ape work!

I realized that could have been your meaning, but it helped me formulate the wording of my post either way.

The more sharp-eyed among you will notice I added neither guy ropes nor "twig hands" yet. It was either that, or take advantage of a narrow weather window to grab those pix. I chose the more entertaining option. When I upgrade the scarecrows, I will go back and set up some more shots -- this time including some reverse-angle ones.

In the meantime... I have other custom projects to tackle...

[SentientApe]

A couple more...






"Hey, Alan... I think we were supposed to turn LEFT just past of Ape City."

[SentientApe]

All things considered, I think these turned out pretty well...







"Oh, dear... THIS can't be good..."





"When in Ape City, be sure to visit the mysterious FORBIDDEN ZONE!"

[cockyhoskins]

Those look great! Awesome idea. Methinks, I'll pull out my blurays tonight, since the wife is going out with the girls.

[Confessional]

** Variation, meaning they are not identical to each other. We pretty much referenced the same set of materials.

Fantastic Ape work!

[Legend of Link]

This is simply amazing.......

[SentientApe]

I've found several reference pics that depict much variation from one to another, so lots of room to have fun with these using leather, fabric, straw, fur, wood, etc.

I've been wanting to do these as well, thinking I'd simply use crude sticks as an 'X' and add fabric scraps for the outfit... What did you use for the materials?

The reference photos that I have been using for my assembly of PotA "Forbidden Zone Scarecrows" are Blu-Ray screen-grabs taken directly from the movie. I would enjoy seeing any other (non-screen) reference shots, but the brief movie close-ups leave no doubt whatsoever (IMHO) as to the basic construction of the scarecrows: bound sheaves of straw, covered with swatches of black, brown and orange fur.








While I had originally considered an "X" frame of sticks for this project, I decided to use something sturdier than wood; the use of heavy-gauge wire also provides me with bendable "feet" that can be driven into the ground for posing. This Spring, I finally removed a wire plant support that I have had in my garden for several years; it has been sitting aside for a few weeks, its thick gauge wire awaiting the start of this project.

The skeleton for each Scarecrow is made of two wires, held in place by masking tape.



I slowly built up of the bulk of the bodies by alternating layers of paper towels + wood glue with additional masking tape.



I then covered the entirety of each body with torn strips of brown paper bag (the heavy bags from grocery stores) applied Papiér Mache-style with wood glue. This gave me a hardened substrate which would more easily accommodate application of virtually any additional materials.



Using the screen-grabbed photos as inspiration -- and employing a liberal amount of Artistic License -- I then covered the bodies in a random jigsaw pattern with a combination of materials that I already had around the house: short fake fur fabric, thick brown felt, black cotton fabric and dried grass. The two brown fabrics (fur + felt) were easily stressed by pulling apart fibers to lessen the appearance of woven fabric. The dried grass I collected from the edges of my lawn (the residue from having mowed the lawn a few days previous).



Sheets of matted-together mowed/dried grass that had formed over several weeks along the edges of the sidewalk made this entire project much easier to accomplish, as I could cover large sections of the bodies at a time.




A side note: loose dried (mown) grass was what I used for straw in my "Captured Ron Burgundy" photo --




As of yesterday afternoon, I had completely covered three of the five Scarecrows --



STILL TO ACCOMPLISH: I need to finish the other two, tweak ALL of them, add hand-twigs, attach guy ropes... and stage an awesome Forbidden Zone photo.

Because EVERY ITEM used in the construction process was something I already had laying around the house or yard, the total cost outlay of this project so far has been exactly $0.00.

[Confessional]

They look like they are going to turn out great! On my list of projects too… I've found several reference pics that depict much variation from one to another, so lots of room to have fun with these using leather, fabric, straw, fur, wood, etc.

Also, I like the scale you chose. I'm thinking about making one or two approx. 1.5x 1/9th for a dramatic playset effect.

[SentientApe]

I just wanted to make one as a trial. I feel it was successful, so I will make the rest along with some WIP photos + assembly details. Watch this space...

[mpramuk]

The Forbidden Zone scarecrows look awesome!!! I've been wanting to do these as well, thinking I'd simply use crude sticks as an 'X' and add fabric scraps for the outfit. I really like how you shaped drooping heads on the bodies. What did you use for the materials?

BTW-yours look better than the movie props!

[boss]

Great idea!

[SentientApe]

I have been dying to make a set of these to use as "set dressing" for some more "Forbidden Zone" photos --




For quite some time, I have had in mind a method to assemble some "Forbidden Zone Scarecrows," but today I finally decided to cannibalize a discarded garden plant support for the needed wire armature. I had enough to make the FIVE scarecrows I wanted...



A few hours later, and I have one that is almost finished. This guy will have tiny twigs sticking out of his wrists, along with some "rope" (+ stakes) to hold him in place.



My thumbs are now cramping up from all this modeling, so I have to call it quits for today.