I've always been a big fan of the universal classic monsters, and enjoyed watching all the monsters growing up as a kid and now finding myself enjoying them even more as an adult. As I think of specific scenes that stuck in my mind from the universal monster lineup, I can't help thinking about The Phantom Of The Opera when He's unmasked. Then theres the scenes of him creeping around the concaves below the opera house where he kept Mary prisoner and also a captive audience. The sad part of it is that is Eric really wanted to help train her voice and assist her in her career.

In my collection of laser discs sits this classic movie and on the cover is the scene with Mary trembling on the steps and the phantom pointing as if to show her that there is no escaping him. Years ago monsters in motion released a small series that was sculpted by Jeff Yagher which included a kit capturing that scene from the movie called Phantoms Encounter. Having owed that kit and trading it away to John at x-facto a few years back at Wonderfest and then recently re trading John for the kit , It's now back home. As I was looking through my stash of kits and trying to decide what to do next, I decided it was time to bring the phantom to life!! I wanted to do something special with this grail kit and decided to create a underwater diorama scene complete with water, additional walls,and to accomplish this it would mean my first attempt at using balsa foam, and for creating water effects.

Now what to use for the water, I had already decided to use a wooded base for added strength for the weight of the completed kit. That would limit my choices, So it was off to my local hobby lobby. As I looked up and down the isles of things that could assist me I decided on using woodland scenics flex paste for creating the water. I then wanted to use something for a backing on the balsa foam and picked up a large piece of 1/4" black backing board. I also had to pick up something to seal the balsa foam and was considering resin, but decided on trying gesso to seal the balsa foam. I now had all the things I needed to tackle this project.

The figures were done first along with the one wall section, the floor, and those pesky rats. I've decided to concentrate this article on the creation of the diorama for this wonderful kit. Maybe one day I will share the process of bringing the figures to life. So sit back in your favorite chair and join me as I bring Jeff Yagher's Phantoms Encounter to life!!

 The first thing I did was spray the wood base with flat black. I decided to start with creating the water section on the wooded base. To determine the area for the water I will need to set the completed figures,wall section, and the floor section that the phantom stands on onto the base. (photo 1)

After determining that , I removed the wall section,and the phantom from the base. Now comes the fun,Creating water out of a paste. Using a large paint brush I scooped out a few small piles of the paste and started to spread it out on the floor area of the base. (photo 2) I finished spreading the paste around the whole base area leaving some sections clear where the wall sections will go once completed. I did about 4 layers of the paste to build up the look of water allowing it to dry about 3 to 5 hours between layers. In between each layer I would use that paint brush to make swirls in the paste to simulate waves. Make sure not to make them to high,this is not open water but an area underneath an opera house. I did make the water around the floor and steps a little higher to create a splashing effect like when water hits a wall.(see photo 3)

Now its time to create the water color. For the base color I used Freak Flex after midnight blue and base coated the entire water area.(see photo 4) Now to start shading the water. Looking through my blues I decided to use ff asphyxia blue and applied 3 dry brushing sessions to slowly build the lighter blue tones into the water. (see photo 5) I like what I had going but wanted to add some greens to the water,After all this is dirty water running through caves underground. I used ff ill gotten green and dry brushed several areas of the water. Now its time to pull out the green pastels to shade the outer areas of the floor and step areas to create a mossy look.(see photo 6)

With the base area completed,it was time to try my hand with the balsa foam. To create the walls I used two 9x12x1 pieces of balsa foam. (see photo 7) I wanted to create wall sections to surround the floor area and to add to the stone column wall section. My first wall section will go behind the steps and run behind the large stone column. To help create the tunnels that ran throught the cave I carved out a arch type opening in the balsa foam that runs behind the steps and by cutting out the section it will also make a area to clear the figure of mary sitting on the stairs. (see photo 8)

Now to use my rasp set I purchased through micro mark. I measured the patterns on the column and recreated the pattern onto the balsa foam by dragging the rasp through the foam. Then using aluminum foil rolled into a ball, I proceded to roll it around the balsa foam to create the wall texture. (see photo 9) Now that that was done it was time to apply the gesso onto the balsa foam. I thinned the gesso with a little water, it is a very thick paste. I did 3 light coats to the balsa foam and let dry about an hour between each coat .

 I let this set and moved onto the other wall section. This section was going to be one complete piece so I once again created the wall pattern onto a the balsa foam with a rasp (see photo 10) Gesso was again used for this section and was applied in the same manner as the first wall.(see photo 11)

Next up was to tackle adding the black foam board to the back of the arch section of the balsa foam. I measured the section of the wall and traced out the pattern onto the foam board and using my xacto knife cut out the section. Elmers wood glue was used to glue the board to the foam. Next up was to carefully set the balsa foam onto the pre cut piece of foam board.(see photo 12)