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Author Topic: Where to find a sculptor/artist?  (Read 6503 times)

Monkeyleg

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Where to find a sculptor/artist?
« on: September 23, 2011, 08:02:01 PM »
I've decided ones of my next switchblades is going to be a replica of "Geraldine", the out-the-front knife used by Mr. Roat (Alan Arkin) in the movie "Wait Until Dark". I was hot for that knife when the movie came out, and I've never seen a replica. I've never seen anything like it, actually.

My plan is to have Geraldine's body made by an artist (perhaps a student), and to have a cavity in it that will hold a Microtech Makora II, which is one of the best front openers I've seen. The cavity would be such that disassembling the Microtech wouldn't be necessary, and it wouldn't be ruined (it's too nice to do that).

I'm thinking that having the body cast in a greenish-white polymer would be best, as the color could be made to closely match the one in the movie, and the polymer would be relatively easy to cast, and would be durable. Any suggestions are welcome.

Here's a still frame from the movie showing Geraldine. I have the DVD on order, so I should be able to get a higher resolution image from which to work.

Any suggestions as to how to find someone to do this? I don't think I have the sculpting skills myself. It's been decades since I worked with clay.

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SADShooter

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Re: Where to find a sculptor/artist?
« Reply #1 on: September 23, 2011, 08:10:02 PM »
Dick:

I don't know if he can do it, as he primarily works in metals, but I suggest corresponding with Parker Brown at Crescent Moon Armoury. http://www.crescentmoonarmoury.com/Crescent_Moon_Armoury/Home_Page.html

He may be able to offer suggestions/referrals. The gladius scabbard on his weapons page was custom made for me. I know him personally, and he is a craftsman and stand-up guy.

SADShooter
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Harold Tuttle

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Re: Where to find a sculptor/artist?
« Reply #2 on: September 23, 2011, 09:59:01 PM »
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"The true mad scientist does not make public appearances! He does not wear the "Hello, my name is.." badge!
He strikes from below like a viper or on high like a penny dropped from the tallest building around!
He only has one purpose--Do bad things to good people! Mit science! What good is science if no one gets hurt?!"

Monkeyleg

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Re: Where to find a sculptor/artist?
« Reply #3 on: September 23, 2011, 11:14:22 PM »
Thanks, SADshooter. I'll contact the guy and see what he says. Do you mind me asking what he charged for the scabbard?

Thanks for the links, Harold. I'll have to see if the Sculpy or Fimo will work to make molds. I'd really like to have the statuette/handle be a material that can be used, such as polymer. I think the clay would be too easily shattered once baked.

The knife in the second photo, the one that's supposed to be sticking in the wall, wasn't from the movie. It was from a local stage production of the movie. I saw that a few days ago.
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Harold Tuttle

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Re: Where to find a sculptor/artist?
« Reply #4 on: September 23, 2011, 11:50:22 PM »
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"The true mad scientist does not make public appearances! He does not wear the "Hello, my name is.." badge!
He strikes from below like a viper or on high like a penny dropped from the tallest building around!
He only has one purpose--Do bad things to good people! Mit science! What good is science if no one gets hurt?!"

Harold Tuttle

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Re: Where to find a sculptor/artist?
« Reply #5 on: September 23, 2011, 11:52:46 PM »
that big pic is rather obviously missing the arms

the PIA thing about recreating props, is you know the prop dresser prolly walked into a thrift store and bought the little sculpt for 10 bucks
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He only has one purpose--Do bad things to good people! Mit science! What good is science if no one gets hurt?!"

SADShooter

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Re: Where to find a sculptor/artist?
« Reply #6 on: September 24, 2011, 12:02:42 AM »
It was a little over 4 bills for a handmade custom design.
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Harold Tuttle

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Re: Where to find a sculptor/artist?
« Reply #7 on: September 24, 2011, 12:03:17 AM »
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He strikes from below like a viper or on high like a penny dropped from the tallest building around!
He only has one purpose--Do bad things to good people! Mit science! What good is science if no one gets hurt?!"

Monkeyleg

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Re: Where to find a sculptor/artist?
« Reply #8 on: September 24, 2011, 12:50:12 AM »
Thanks for the metal clay link, Harold. As for the others, it looks like you're following my tracks. I'm a member of the talkblade.info forum, and have asked about the member who supposedly bought one of the three original Geraldines. As far as I know, he's not a member any longer, but I'll find out.

And, yeah, the prop person probably did get Geraldine for $10. Actually, the statuette looks so crude that I wonder if he even paid that much in 1967.

SADShooter, that's a pretty reasonable price for nice work like that.

For decades I wanted good quality switchblades, but could never find them. There really wasn't much of a switchblade industry in the US. Then the internet came along, giving people the ability to buy all sorts of things, including switchblades. Now there's a ton of sites selling everything from $10 pieces of junk to multi-thousand dollar custom jobs.
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Monkeyleg

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Re: Where to find a sculptor/artist?
« Reply #9 on: September 24, 2011, 08:05:12 PM »
I got my hands on a higher resolution video, and got a couple of screenshots. I can't figure out if she's wearing a bathing suit, or holding something. What's stranger is the "something" around her crotch.

Any ideas as to what she might be wearing or holding? Here's what I have for photos now:




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Harold Tuttle

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Re: Where to find a sculptor/artist?
« Reply #10 on: September 24, 2011, 09:24:17 PM »
it sorta looks like she has a horse pistol with the club end by her right breast
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He only has one purpose--Do bad things to good people! Mit science! What good is science if no one gets hurt?!"

Harold Tuttle

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Re: Where to find a sculptor/artist?
« Reply #11 on: September 24, 2011, 09:43:28 PM »
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"The true mad scientist does not make public appearances! He does not wear the "Hello, my name is.." badge!
He strikes from below like a viper or on high like a penny dropped from the tallest building around!
He only has one purpose--Do bad things to good people! Mit science! What good is science if no one gets hurt?!"

Monkeyleg

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Re: Where to find a sculptor/artist?
« Reply #12 on: September 25, 2011, 01:31:23 PM »
Thanks, Harold. I did a lot of searching and reading on the various statues of Venus, and I think that Geraldine was probably some would-be artist's own variation of the Capitoline Venus in your photo, or someone modified a miniature of the statue.

So now I'll have to find some student willing to make a bastardized version of a great work of art, and for a little money.
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Harold Tuttle

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Re: Where to find a sculptor/artist?
« Reply #13 on: September 25, 2011, 10:28:14 PM »
i was looking around for museum shop, 6 inch copies
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He strikes from below like a viper or on high like a penny dropped from the tallest building around!
He only has one purpose--Do bad things to good people! Mit science! What good is science if no one gets hurt?!"

Harold Tuttle

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Re: Where to find a sculptor/artist?
« Reply #14 on: September 25, 2011, 10:29:20 PM »
she looks a bit like a hindu goddess too
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Harold Tuttle

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Re: Where to find a sculptor/artist?
« Reply #15 on: September 25, 2011, 10:45:22 PM »
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He strikes from below like a viper or on high like a penny dropped from the tallest building around!
He only has one purpose--Do bad things to good people! Mit science! What good is science if no one gets hurt?!"

Monkeyleg

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Re: Where to find a sculptor/artist?
« Reply #16 on: September 25, 2011, 11:14:16 PM »
Yeah, it would. I'll have to check the dimensions. The problem with statues of women is that the narrow parts can be too narrow to fit the knife in.

Here's the Makora. It's 10.5" when opened, with a 4.5" blade. The body is slim enough to fit into a reasonable woman's statue figure (such as the one you posted above).



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