Anyone Have Some ideas for good, cheap props?

[peanutsfan1995]

Hey. New to the forums (Just registered yesterday), but I've been visiting for a while. Seeing as my budget is restricted to a meager allowance, I as wondering if you guys have any suggestions for good, cheap props to replicate in general. I've done some lower-quality molds and a couple of prop builds for friends, but I want to really get into this. So... Any suggestions?

 

[hankey01]

Welcome to the RPF.

Check out the paper prop threads. Lots of things you can make for cheap!

 

[peanutsfan1995]

Welcome to the RPF.

Check out the paper prop threads. Lots of things you can make for cheap!

Currently unable to visit, due to new user status. Ugh. I have made some IDs before. Friend of mine is a huge Bones fan, so I managed to do some screen capture's of Booth's ID card. Printed on card stock, got $10. Simple cash.

I'm talking more physical props. I.E. Handheld sets, weapons(personal specialty for previous work), other miscellaneous objects.

 

[peanutsfan1995]

And thanks for the welcome. I'm so happy to finally be here

 

[phase pistol]

Welcome! And I like me some Peanuts too. You're a good man, Charlie Brown. :cool

As to props, the cheapest would be paper props, and also "found items" which are used sometimes in science fiction shows such as Battlestar Galactica. An old watch, calculator, pen set, it goes on forever. True these are not as satisfying as the unique items that are constructed specifically for the production. But it's an inexpensive way to get started, and later you can branch out!

Karl

 

[peanutsfan1995]

Haha. Thanks Karl. I guess I ought to start with some of the less important, more obscure items. However, is the source material from which one can identify these screen objects and their real-world counterparts easily found?

Michael

 

[fuelish]

It ssems like it would be easier now than back in the day. With Google, if you see a watch you like in a show, someone has probably already figured it out and you can find their info. Or you can do an image search for watches and then narrow your parameters down and refine your search til you find a match(or a close enough). Does not always work as somethings are pretty obscure and there is not loads about them on the web, but it still can give a smaller field to look in.

Back in the pre-internets days me and my friends were trying to figure out what the interceptor(Road Warrior) was. Nova? Mustang? Torino(My guess)? Now a short search can give you loads of info.

 

[Mike J.]

The source material can be easily found. Most threads here are organized by series or film title, or by character or prop name.

Try to pick a few things and do a search on the forums. There may already be a good reference thread. If not, you can start one.


-Mike J.

 

[MrJoshKenobi]

You can probably make some props with sawdust as a mold, it actually turns hard.

 

[Darth_cepe]

try some pepakura helmets all you need is a printer and card stock just to play around with some helmets i did check it out the first one is my kid in the helmet and then a little bit of spackle later hoping to turn it into a key for a mold sorry for such big pics

 

[phase pistol]

That's a fine job on that paper helmet! :eek

 

[Darth_cepe]

Thanks Phase it didn't take long to make. Now im doing some research on how to make a master mold with this key. So far so good:love