Polaroid Photo

Wed
23
Apr '08

Time to make the donuts

For Steve and Idi I need a fake jelly donut.

Cutting the shape from blue foamI started with blue foam, the stuff used to insulate your house, and laminated two sheets of 1″ foam together to get the right thickness for the donut. Then I cut it out on the bandsaw.

Rounded with sandpaper
My beltsander and I rounded the thing. I used an exacto to carve the indentation that runs around the middle of a donut as well as adding the hole for the jelly.

Painted donutI used acrylic paint to cover it, with a healty dose of gell medium for gloss and elasticity. I would normally cover the donut with a protective layer first, but am going to try this one without it because we need it to be insanely light for a special effect.

Donut with jellyAnd here’s the donut with the jelly installed. The jelly is red paint and a ton of gell medium. When it’s dry, it should have a translucence. At the theater, I’ll add talcum powder to look like it’s got powdered sugar on it.

16 Comments »

  • http://www.jimchines.com Jim C. Hines

    I love these prop-making entries. I’m so impressed with how well they turn out!

    • http://www.maryrobinettekowal.com Mary Robinette Kowal

      Thanks! I’m constantly surprised that people like reading about foam and such.

  • Julia

    I want doughnuts now.

    Were any baby bunnies sacrificed in the end?

    • http://www.maryrobinettekowal.com Mary Robinette Kowal

      I eviscerated one, to make it more compressible, and then we decided not to go with the compression route.

  • http://neutronjockey.livejournal.com Jeff

    That looks terribly edible. I think I need a donut.

    If it looks that realistic then you didn’t follow the 40-40 rule ;P

    • http://www.maryrobinettekowal.com Mary Robinette Kowal

      I wish! It’s a 100 seat house and the front row is very close to the donut.

  • http://charles-tan.blogspot.com Charles Tan

    Just because I know it’s fake doesn’t make the donut less appetizing.

    And yay to more prop-making entries. =)

    • http://www.maryrobinettekowal.com Mary Robinette Kowal

      I will try to oblige with more in the future.

  • Pat Esden

    I’ll remember this one. I might need it someday.

    This afternoon, I got to build a swamp for a funeral. The woman’s father loved duck hunting, so in memory of him she wanted a huge arrangement that looked like it didn’t have a container was totally natural–with iris and cedar and moss and dead leaves and pampus grass. I had great fun hacking mushrooms off trees and spray gluing dead leaves to stuff. Almost as much fun as making donuts.

    • http://www.maryrobinettekowal.com Mary Robinette Kowal

      Did you post pictures of that?

  • http://www.aletheakontis.com Alethea

    Regrettably, one bunny perished in the making of that lovely donut…

    • http://www.maryrobinettekowal.com Mary Robinette Kowal

      Poor bunny.

  • http://ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com Elizabeth Barrette

    That so looks like a donut! I am impressed with your crafting ability.

    I keep hoping someday we’ll get some theatre geeks on the faculty at the Grey School of Wizardry and add some dramaturgy classes.

    • http://www.maryrobinettekowal.com Mary Robinette Kowal

      Thanks! Clearly, theater geeks are a necessity in every walk of life.

  • -e-

    “The front row is very close to the donut” may have to be added to a “things said at work” entry

    • http://www.maryrobinettekowal.com Mary Robinette Kowal

      Heh. Done.

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