Kim Graham Studios

Good Morning Frightners!

While thumbing through some of my friends most recent Facebook posts I came across this amazing photo that features a large Tree Troll Sculpture by Kim Graham.

The photo was posted by fellow haunt blogger Brian Foreman of Scaryvisions.com if you have never visited the Scaryvisions website I highly suggest doing so because Brian has some of he most up to date haunt industry and community news out on almost a daily basis.

Now back to Kim Graham and her amazing Tree Troll. What struck me most about this tree troll is that it is entirely made from Paper Mache! The Troll measures in at 12 feet tall and was built by Kim and a group of volunteers with completely non-toxic materials.

There are a lot of Paper Mache artists out there and may (like Kim) I have still yet to stumble upon however when I do I am constantly reminded of the versatility of using mache to create amazing works of art.

As a home haunter we are always looking for creative ways to stretch our money and still be able to create eye catching props for our haunts and what Kim said when asked "Why use Paper Mache for this project" really is spot on. (You can read the full backstory here http://kimgrahamstudios.com/troll.html)

Kim explains that most sculptors never get the chance to work large as it can be very expensive. A lot of materials are toxic, require safety equipment and a lot of ventilation or at the very best at least an outdoor site is needed but that is the joy of working with Mache as the sculpture was done in doors in a space no larger than the actual sculpture with no ventilation and only the use of recycled paper products.

I think this Tree Troll is just another great example of how beautiful and sophisticated paper mache can be as a medium to create a number of different props, characters or what have you. It's an easily affordable medium (water, flour, paper) and with some patience you can create just about anything so don't be afraid to give it a try, it's not hard and with some imagination and a little bit of patience I think you will find it to be a great tool you can add to your prop making arsenal.

I have yet to really develop any massive props of my own using paper mache and have mostly worked on smaller items but I would like to take a stab at something lifesize in the near future. I highly suggest checking out Kim's website to learn more about the process of making the Tree Troll and to see all of her other awesome works of art. kimgrahamstudios.com and if you do happen to create something or have in the past please feel free to share!

Stay Frightful!