How To Set Up a Creature Effects Workshop With Shannon Shea
NEW Mini-Lessons by the Master of the Monster Garage, Shannon Shea:
- THE GARAGE MONSTERS GUIDE TO WORKSHOP SETUP - MINI-LESSON
- THE GARAGE MONSTER'S GUIDE TO SCULPTING TOOLS - MINI-LESSON
- THE GARAGE MONSTER'S GUIDE TO SCULPTING CLAY - MINI-LESSON
- THE GARAGE MONSTER'S GUIDE TO AIRBRUSHES - MINI-LESSON
Blog by By Jeff Dixon
When you get that spark, that flash, that tingle in your head that provides inspiration, the first thing you want to do is immediately give life to it. You want to quickly grab that pencil, handle that clay, or grip those brushes. Quite frankly, you just want to go for it. But take a step back and hold on a second. First, you must make the proper preparations. That spark isn’t going anywhere. In fact, the best thing you can do for your creation, is have a workspace that is as CLOSE to ideal as possible. Without a workplace that fully allows your ideas to come to life, you’ll be hampered by things that will take your focus away.
Jump To Section
- The Basics of Having an FX Workshop
- Lessons for Creators of All Skill Levels
- Mini Lesson 1 - Setting Up Your Monster Garage
- Safety Tips for Creators
- Mini Lesson 2 - All About Clay
- Mini Lesson 3 - Make Your Own Sculpting Tools
- Mini Lesson 4 - The Garage Monster's Guide To Airbrushes
- Preparing to Make Monsters
The Basics of Having an FX Workshop
These lessons are all about the basics. Shannon Shea continues his Garage Monsters series by starting at the beginning. These are the building blocks for all wise creators.
In fact, you guys asked so clearly for the basics that we've even broken it down into a NEW kind of product - MINI LESSONS. You can learn a ton about how to "kit out" your humble creature workspace from one of Hollywood's Top Monster Shop foremen by getting ALL FOUR LESSONS, or you can watch any one of them on its own. Each one covers specific information you've always wanted to know about where to start. Shannon lets you in on his and other pros' penchants for specific brands and gadgets that make creating monsters as EASY as it is fun. And why ProPoxy is basically all you ever HAVE TO HAVE.
(Four mini-lessons covering shop setup, clays, DIY tools & airbrushes.)
Lessons for Creators of All Skill Levels
For a beginner seeking a place to start, these are the ideal lessons. Shannon takes you step-by-step through each and every aspect of creating and managing your own personal workspace. And for established and seasoned creators, Shannon will give you that essential 'insider's' refresher that sometimes we all need. I guarantee there are basics that are either forgotten, overlooked, or flat-out ignored -- and Shannon will shine some light on them to get you back on track.
Mini Lesson 1 - Setting Up Your Monster Garage
In THE GARAGE MONSTER'S GUIDE TO WORKSHOP SETUP, The first thing Shannon does is focus on setting up and prepping your own workspace. He goes over the essentials, such as lighting, having a nearby water source, the foundation of a solid table, and the absolute need for good ventilation. Many of these things may seem like no-brainers to some, but I guarantee that they are the basic foundations that need repeating.
Continuing on, Shannon meticulously goes through everything you need to fully stock your workspace. He lists all the different types of critical hand tools, such as cordless drills, wrenches, hammers, etc. But he also explains why a gram scale, a hair dryer, cuticle scissors and different types of torches are just as important as the tool of all tools--the Dremel. Of course, don’t forget the two absolute essentials – a first aid kit and a fire extinguisher.
(Our first-ever mini-lesson release is a guided tour through the hardware & hobby stores, pointing out the essentials. From the right kind of lighting to the right kind of gloves, everything that you'll stop and wish you had to just keep going as you build creatures is covered in detail.)
Safety Tips for Creators
Next, Shannon discusses safety. It’s easy to remember if all you think about is protecting your senses. Protect your sight – use safety goggles. Protect your smell – use fans and a dust mask. Protect your hearing – use earplugs. Protect your sense of touch – use gloves. You get the idea. Using this philosophy puts things in perspective.
Mini Lesson 2 - All About Clay
So much information is covered in THE GARAGE MONSTER'S GUIDE TO SCULPTING CLAY that it's really like two lessons in one. 'Clay 101' provides a massive and informative lesson on all the different types of modeling clay on the market. the history of its usage, and how to best put each into practice. In the sculptor world, this knowledge is key when setting out to be a professional or a hobbyist and will go a long way to getting conversations going with other pros.
You'll learn how to warm your clay and how to build your own 'clay warmer'. This section alone is worth the price of admission for anyone looking to start sculpting.
(In THE GARAGE MONSTER'S GUIDE TO SCULPTING CLAY, FX wizard Shannon Shea shows you which clay does what and why.)
Mini Lesson 3 - Make Your Own Sculpting Tools
Here's one we've been asked to shoot since we founded Stan Winston School: THE GARAGE MONSTER'S GUIDE TO SCULPTING TOOLS. It's a jam-packed Mini-Lesson showing you how to make your own sculpting tools. Watch how Shannon Shea turns guitar strings and bandsaw blades into sculpting rakes and other novel approaches to creating your own custom sculpting kit.
(Ever wonder how a pro keeps his tools looking so... Custom? Because he makes them. Now you can too.)
Mini Lesson 4 - The Garage Monster's Guide To Airbrushes
In THE GARAGE MONSTER'S GUIDE TO AIRBRUSHES, Shannon then turns his attention to airbrushes. He discusses the differences, as well as the pros and cons, of both the single-action and double-action airbrushes. Using a hand-drawn grid, Shannon shows all sorts of airbrushing techniques and which airbrushes work best in which situations. He even provides a pretty thorough presentation about why he loves his old Aztek airbrush (Don't tease, he’s pretty passionate about that one).
(Single action? Double action? Iwata? Aztek? What the...? Shannon Shea will help you find your way.)
Preparing to Make Monsters
All in all, these 4 NEW MINI-LESSONS go back to the basics and truly provide an all-encompassing tutorial for garage monster makers of all ages and skill levels. After watching them, you’ll have your own personal workshop set up in no time.
Now, you can get back to that spark and start creating.
- Jeff Dixon
To watch the FREE lesson preview, simply click on the player above.
Garage Monsters Basics Mini-Lessons: