A grandad-of-seven is the brains behind an incredible ‘upside down’ Halloween garden in Ayrshire.
Super talented Stephen Crawford, 66, has shared the creative process behind bringing the terrifying characters from the hit Netflix supernatural series 'Stranger Things' to life in the front garden of his pad in Annbank’s Whitehill Crescent.
The ‘Annbank’s Stranger Things’ scene - which is complete with monsters including the Mind Flayer, a Demogorgon and season four’s latest ultimate villain, Vecna - took Stephen six weeks to create, with some of the grandkids mucking in to help.
Stephen, who says he has watched the series five times over, told Ayrshire Live: “I do different stuff every year and this year I was watching Stranger Things with one of my grandkids and thought ‘there’s so much material here’.
“I don’t like to put stuff out until Halloween, I like to keep it under wraps.
“Neighbours are always wondering ‘is he going to do it or is he not?’
“I do it for the event and then keep it up for maybe a week afterwards, depending on the weather.”
Stephen’s giant Mind Flayer, which took him around four weeks to complete and is now available to buy, is made in eight pieces and constructed from insulating foam with PVC piping.
He said: “It’s coated with expanding foam which gives the bubble effect, and I painted and varnished it to give it a bit of shine.
“I used cocktail sticks and barbeque skewers for the teeth. And then I’ve dressed it with artificial blood to gore it up a bit.
“The Demogorgon is sculpted over a mannequin using water based clay. I made the petals out of foam and wire, and then cocktail sticks again for the teeth.”
And to create the levitating Vecna - who features in the show as a telepathic humanoid monster with movable vines protruding from his body - Stephen sculpted over a mannequin to match a mask he bought online, which he was originally going to wear to dress up as the villain himself.
The vines are created using water pipe insulation and coated in papier-mâché.
“It’s turned out more expensive that I thought - I don’t want to say how much,” said the model maker and keen photographer.
“But I do it for the love of it. It’s my hobby and I love doing things for the weans.”
Stephen has previously made a life size model of Jessica Rabbit; The Grinch, which was displayed in Smith’s Bar in Ayr; and a giant King Kong model which he sold to Heads Of Ayr Farm Park.
To purchase the Mind Flayer or request a commissioned piece, contact Stephen at: stephencraw@gmail.com
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