Future Shamans

For Halloween this year, I turned Tyson and myself into "future shamans from the year 42069." It took me the three hours preceding the party we attended on Saturday night to build the costumes.


You might recognize the fabric as the final costumes from Untitled (Times For), the extreme in-camera film Ross and I made a year ago. The blue paint is also from that shoot. The spikes are made of mylar, left over from Brenna Murphy's show at CATE, duct taped around cardboard spikes sewn to cardboard bustiers. Here are two dynamic views of the construction:

They were snug, comfortable, and fully adjustable. Always rely on the waist or torso, rather than the shoulders, for structural support. The energy spikes were too powerful to be worn between houses, so we had to carry them like giant mirrored claws in the dark Chicago streets at the witching hour.

I made a costume out of cardboard on the day of Halloween last year, too. Then I went to three parties in a row, and by the end of the night, danced my outfit to pieces. I was a switchblade. This is the only photo of me that was taken. The handle of the knife reached my knees, and the blade was fully retractable.

Pizzaccoutrement

I work at a pizza place. Whenever I work anywhere, I get asked to draw the signs. That's me with the new chalkboard we got at work (no one else is allowed to draw on the chalkboard now, according to my boss).

Whenever it's slow my mind goes hyperactive and I have to occupy myself. I could get a lot of work done, in this time, except I'm not usually allowed to sit down. This uncomfortable limbo yields a lot of quick sketches on Guest Checks.

Halloween is also a very special time of year for me. I love making Halloween costumes. This year, if I get my idea together in time (I'm going to be a shaman priest slaughtering a goat) it'll be awesome. Halloween, or Samhein, is also... THE WITCHES' NEW YEAR!! which is really exciting.

This is what happens when I get into the spirit while I'm bored at work:

The pictures above are ordered in the sequence I drew the pumpkin. I think each consecutive one is better. I used a Sharpie (actually several).

And, of course, more chalk. These two drawings are on either side of the sandwich board right now. Spot this sign in Chicago; you'll find me inside! I won't give you free pizza.

Monster Mash

Another EFS screening poster. This time the figure's head is a cement splicer with teeth. Spooky.

Wonder Woman

This is my most recent Halloween costume (which I am wearing in this comic). I sewed the entire thing from tapestry and velour pieces I culled from my giant collection of old fabric and scraps.


I was looking primarily at one specific poster I have hanging on my wall, and while the tones of the fabric I chose are definitely more earthy, I like to think I got the pattern pretty close (minus the stars on the shorts and the head of the eagle).


I also added some beadwork to the headband, cause once you're on that crafty road, you can't really turn off and head down a different route.


I built the pattern around a corset I have (which is also what I relied on to support the costume underneath) and built the shorts around myself. It was an intensive trial and error process, and I only finished at midnight on Halloween, but it was totally worth it.

Helloween 2008

You can see my Wonder Woman costume here, but you'll have to wait for real photos until I can check out a camera.