Made by Tessie Weaver
I made this Demogorgon back in 2018 but never got around to posting it! He was over six foot tall and brought me a lot of joy 🙂
He was made for my daughter’s Stranger Things birthday party, which then turned into an obsession for me where I have a Stranger Things inspired house at Halloween. I was also in a Stranger Things art show here in San Antonio with him! Unfortunately, I made countless mistakes on this demogorgon, starting from the very beginning. He is now just a bust that sits on my bookshelf as I work on what is hopefully a new and improved Demogorgon for Halloween 2024!
I came across your website back in 2018 and I come back frequently for guidance as I’m prone to make many mistakes along the way 🙂 Thank you so much for running this site. I love seeing everyone’s projects and I’m in awe of all their talent. I owe you a debt of gratitude for keeping me creative over the years!
I have a question for Jonni or anyone who might know! As I’m working on my second demogorgon, I have run into a couple issues.
I tried to do a thin layer of joint compound and was hoping to wet sand when it dried. I noticed it cracking. I assumed it was because my piece is so large and perhaps my frame isn’t as solid as it possibly could be (though it is a significant improvement over my first demogorgon) Now, I’m wondering if the heat caused it to dry to fast and crack? Due to the size, I’m working outside on this project … in Texas ? Is it possible heat caused the cracking and I should try again in cooler temps? I did find a modified monster mud recipe with majority latex paint brushed on seemed to do a good job in the meantime but I am curious.
Secondly, I want the finished look to be slimy-looking. Any suggestions on how to make that happen aside from a glossy polyacrylic top coat?
Thank you!
Hi Tessie. What is under the drywall joint compound, and how thickly is it applied? It’s used in the construction industry over solid wall, and in a paper-thin layer. If your sculpture is flexing somehow, that could cause the cracking. A very thick layer might crack, too. But it’s usually easy to fix – just put a small amount of joint compound over the cracks and let it dry again.
But for the slimy-looking question, I hope someone else has an answer for you, because I’ve never tried anything like that. 🙂
Thank you for responding! My frame is made from pvc pipe and chicken wire, which was then filled with spray foam to make it more stable. The joint compound is being applied over paper mache clay. There shouldn’t have been much flex as it was drying but I won’t say it wasn’t a possibility since I’m working outside. I was using a spatula to apply it but perhaps it was thicker than it should have been. Good to know it should be an easy fix to cover any cracks though!!
Wow – amazing!
Thanks for sharing the process photo as well
Thank you! I wish I had more photos during the process. I was definitely “winging it”! I’m excited to be working on my new one now. He’s much more sturdy 🙂