The Haunting of Brightwood Asylum Part 2 - From the World of House of Seasons

If you're just tuning in, please check out Part 1 here:

https://onesixthfigures.forumotion.com/t2927-the-haunting-of-brightwood-asylum-part-1-from-the-world-of-house-of-seasons

Part 2:

"So what was in that mixture?" Alice asked.  She was amazed at how quickly Thornapple had acted, and that she had been so well prepared.

"Mostly sage, cacao, a bit of mandrake to intensify the effect, herbs and elements that are supposed to be calming for spirits."

"Asphodel?" Alice asked tentatively.  She remembered reading that the plant had an effect on spirits.

"Oh no!"  Thornapple replied. "We didn't want to drive her off or make her pass on.  Not until she was ready to."

Delia snickered.  "You just wanted to get her a little baked, that's all."

"No!" Thornapple gestured emphatically.  "No! I just wanted her to relax a little and..." Her cheeks flushed "Oh god, I totally got the ghost high, didn't I?

Delia's snicker blossomed into a full on laugh, echoing off the stone walls as they descended the winding stairs, deep into the bedrock below Balefire University.  

Neither Alice nor Isblomma had ever been down here, but for Thornapple, this was like home.  The subterranean labs were the realm of the School of Occult Technologies, whose students spent more time here than anywhere else on campus, honing their craft.  At this late hour, they should have the place mostly to themselves.  Alice was lugging an unwieldy stack of books.  They had torn through the library, trying to keep up with Thornapple as she careened through the stacks, barely slowing to snatch some dusty arcane text off the shelf and add to Alice's growing pile before dashing off to the next that she thought might be of use.  

As her arms began to ache, Alice wondered how she had ended up the one carrying these.  She had heard the stories of the House of Winter, and knew Isblomma was probably far stronger than all three of them together, but she seemed far too absorbed in silently following the running banter between Delia and Thornapple to offer a hand.  She was transfixed, fascinated, like this was completely alien to her, as the two continued to chatter, occasionally teasing or gently shoving each other like children.  Whatever was going on inside Isblomma's head, Alice didn't have the heart to interrupt.

Thornapple led them through a maze of corridors before arriving at the right door, gesturing them inside, and closing the door behind them.  It looked more like a machine shop than any lab Alice had seen before, but Thornapple assured them all that they would have everything then needed.  Lorelei had died traumatically, and she was bound to the place where it happened.  So the solution seemed simple.  All they would need is something new they could bind her to.




























































































Bonus Pics

Let's keep it simple. 

List:

Dialogue!

Baked ghost.

I like how the booze is passed around and Delia loses it. I just wonder what Thornapple (they ever use a nickname?) does, is she mic-dropping the booze after she emptied it? Or is it one of the ingredients for the pot?

Man than scenery, all those bottles. I am sure you developed some kind of 1/6 OCD collecting all kinds of things and colored waters in little jars.
You made a good choice of mixing old and modern stuff, allows more options and thus drives you crazy. Like that fancy candle next to that rusty locker filled with ye olde medicine bottles and then headphones.

Safety regulations are for Muggles or what that M-word from Harry Potter is?

The shinese spray painted desk lamp.

My favourite shot ist the shot were Delia is looking up from her work, posing and stopping her work until the photographer is finished. Reminds me of something you'd see in an ad flyer for Baelfire University. I imagine they had to repeat it over and over again, like 'can you hold that hammer a little higher please?' etc. An staged spontaneous snap shot, so to speak.
The Tattoo and piercing etc also helps, companies like to show how diverse the cast of their workforce is.


And a stupid slogan like..

'Baelfire University - Join the Club'

Or

'Baelfire University - Drop the Hammer'

Or

'Baelfire University - The True Lords of the Rings'





By the way, I wanted to post this in the part 1 thread, but you are changing threads like underwear, so I just leave this here:

Ah, the story goes on ! Fantastic. You follow the story and the acting of the witch team, and don´t recognize all the little stuff. There´s so much to see... love all the potions and how the girls act togehter

Wow! I'm almost at a loss as to what to say. These characters and dioramas are incredible, as usual. The attention to detail, the little bits and bobs, the tools, the backgrounds... sheesh! I'm exhausted studying it all. True artistry...

These are wonderful!


All the work, the little details, the inventiveness, and not to mention the photography itself.

I'm in love... with the anvil! No, seriously, your scenes and dioramas are something else. There are many ways to make a cool scene, but you always manage to add an extra punch of realism with the attention to cartloads of details. Perhaps because of the different setting, perhaps because of the warmer, richer, more neutral-yet-gritty surroundings, I'm enjoying this set even more than the previous one. And the characters' interactions as captured by your camera are just excellent.

This is such a fun continuation! The lab setting is delightful.... you continue to make me wish I were friends with these girls and going on/joining in on adventures with them!!! Seriously, I want to hang out in a magical laboratory! I get an alchemy/metallurgy vibe from lot of what is going on there as well. 

In addition to the setting, details, and photography, their poses and interactions are masterfully done. The gestures and way they move in each other's spaces are all so natural and organic, and go along way to making this 'verse and its characters and story, however magical, feel very real.

Ovy wrote:Let's keep it simple. 

List:

Dialogue!

Baked ghost.

I like how the booze is passed around and Delia loses it. I just wonder what Thornapple (they ever use a nickname?) does, is she mic-dropping the booze after she emptied it? Or is it one of the ingredients for the pot?

Man than scenery, all those bottles. I am sure you developed some kind of 1/6 OCD collecting all kinds of things and colored waters in little jars.
You made a good choice of mixing old and modern stuff, allows more options and thus drives you crazy. Like that fancy candle next to that rusty locker filled with ye olde medicine bottles and then headphones.

Safety regulations are for Muggles or what that M-word from Harry Potter is?

The shinese spray painted desk lamp.

My favourite shot ist the shot were Delia is looking up from her work, posing and stopping her work until the photographer is finished. Reminds me of something you'd see in an ad flyer for Baelfire University. I imagine they had to repeat it over and over again, like 'can you hold that hammer a little higher please?' etc. An staged spontaneous snap shot, so to speak.
The Tattoo and piercing etc also helps, companies like to show how diverse the cast of their workforce is.


And a stupid slogan like..

'Baelfire University - Join the Club'

Or

'Baelfire University - Drop the Hammer'

Or

'Baelfire University - The True Lords of the Rings'





By the way, I wanted to post this in the part 1 thread, but you are changing threads like underwear, so I just leave this here:

I love that ghost shot!  It has such a found footage/security camera gritty quality, like something eerie accidentally caught on tape.  Seriously cool.

And thanks so much!  I'm working QUICK on this, and I'm going to get on to part 3 this weekend.  I was struggling for a minute with the finale, but some things gelled and now I'm stupid excited.

And I'm so happy you liked the dialogue!  It kinda popped in to my head and I just had to find a way to incorporate it.  Delia usually just calls her Thorne, and Thornapple will often just call Delia "D."  Isblomma will need a nickname after they've been friends a little longer.  And that gesture totally was a sorta mic drop, and to say look, all gone, can we get back to work now.  She's also a little more buzzed than the rest in the last pics.

The mixing of era is a big part of the HoS aesthetic, and I'm glad it works.  I picture it as a very modern world, but that magic is so a part.  AND it's this old city, so there's that dated quality to the environments that you get in old, especially European cities.

Safety is DEFINITELY for muggles. Also, they're in a hurry, and probably cutting a few corners.  Thornapple is definitely a little cocky in the workshop (and happy in her element, dancing around with a blowtorch) but should probably be a bit more careful. Her professors would not approve of a lot of what's going on here.

Aren't those lamps great?  Cheap, and with quick paint and they look stellar.  Highly recommended.

And I liked that shot too!  Delia's eyes are doll eyes, and because of the shape they almost always look at the camera, even when I don't want them too.

I think Balefire might need you in their marketing department.  

Ephiane wrote:Ah, the story goes on ! Fantastic. You follow the story and the acting of the witch team, and don´t recognize all the little stuff. There´s so much to see... love all the potions and how the girls act togehter

Thanks so much Eph!  So, I make stuff CONSTANTLY, and often don't get around to highlighting it anywhere.  So there's a lot of stuff, like the test tube rack, that i feel like I finally got around to really showing.  So glad you enjoyed!

Stryker2011 wrote:Wow! I'm almost at a loss as to what to say. These characters and dioramas are incredible, as usual. The attention to detail, the little bits and bobs, the tools, the backgrounds... sheesh! I'm exhausted studying it all. True artistry...

Ah damn, thanks so much brother!  I really appreciate it.  Yeah, this is the culmination of a lot of little projects I finally got the chance to break out, and I'm so happy you're enjoying!

Asta wrote:These are wonderful!


All the work, the little details, the inventiveness, and not to mention the photography itself.

Thank you Asta!!!  This one was a ton of fun to do.  So glad you enjoyed!  

GubernatorFan wrote:I'm in love... with the anvil! No, seriously, your scenes and dioramas are something else. There are many ways to make a cool scene, but you always manage to add an extra punch of realism with the attention to cartloads of details. Perhaps because of the different setting, perhaps because of the warmer, richer, more neutral-yet-gritty surroundings, I'm enjoying this set even more than the previous one. And the characters' interactions as captured by your camera are just excellent.

Isn't that anvil great!?  It was a random antique store find.  I was so lucky.

And thanks so much man.  I really am so glad you dig it.  And it's funny, the set was kinda pulled together spur of the moment from so many elements I had, that I'm thrilled it worked.

So, it's funny you used the term "warmer."  I was really happy with the lighting on this, and it was my 1st time trying out a new lighting setup.  Blackpool had talked about a classic 3-point studio lighting setup a while back, I'm sure ThePhotosBlog blog has talked about it too, but I've cut corners on lighting before, and used big full sized studio lights in a lot of shots. But I've been trying to up my game.

So, as Blackpool mentioned a while back, I invested in a set of those under-cabinet disk lights like these:



BUT, I added a twist and picked up a few cheap cellphone camera tripods like these to mount them to:



So, these, and a little post-production worked perfectly for the asylum halls, but I still wasn't entirely happy.  So I bought some new disk lights in "Warm white."  Not to sound too self congratulatory, but his might be the happiest I've ever been with the overall look of any pictures I've lit myself, and taken inside.  The warm light was the missing ingredient, and I've just been so happy since getting these.  And it was all so cheap!

Sorry for the photo rant!  I was so excited I just had to share.  

skywalkersaga wrote:This is such a fun continuation! The lab setting is delightful.... you continue to make me wish I were friends with these girls and going on/joining in on adventures with them!!! Seriously, I want to hang out in a magical laboratory! I get an alchemy/metallurgy vibe from lot of what is going on there as well. 

In addition to the setting, details, and photography, their poses and interactions are masterfully done. The gestures and way they move in each other's spaces are all so natural and organic, and go along way to making this 'verse and its characters and story, however magical, feel very real.

Damn Sky, your comments just made my day.  Characters that you want to spend time with is THE single biggest thing I gravitate towards in a story, and the element I consciously want to capture more than ANYTHING.  The warmth and friendship between the characters is the core of The HoS, and I'm just thrilled it makes you want in on the adventure.  

And there is such an alchemy/metallurgy angle to the School of Occult Technologies!  I like the idea of all these disciplines coexisting, these varied approaches to as whole, all in the same world.  

And so ecstatic that their interactions come across naturally!  This kinda played out really organically too, where I really wasn't planning and was just sorta playing shot to shot.  This really was one of the most fun shoots to do, and so elated you enjoyed.

Very lucky find indeed. In fact all of them -- every single thing you've picked up, or modified, or outright created. Well done with the lights and tripods (I think Stryker was telling us about lights too) -- I think I should take a page out of your book and follow suit. Thanks again for the inspiration and I'm looking forward to your next installment.

Funny... I used a light like that for my Mustafar duel photoshoot! They are quite versatile! And I am currently installing several more into my figure display area as we speak. The results you got with them here are so great, definitely makes me want to experiment more with them for photoshoots in future.

And I definitely mean it, Rev.... I want to be friends with your characters! :'D

GubernatorFan wrote:Very lucky find indeed. In fact all of them -- every single thing you've picked up, or modified, or outright created. Well done with the lights and tripods (I think Stryker was telling us about lights too) -- I think I should take a page out of your book and follow suit. Thanks again for the inspiration and I'm looking forward to your next installment.

skywalkersaga wrote:Funny... I used a light like that for my Mustafar duel photoshoot! They are quite versatile! And I am currently installing several more into my figure display area as we speak. The results you got with them here are so great, definitely makes me want to experiment more with them for photoshoots in future.

And I definitely mean it, Rev.... I want to be friends with your characters! :'D

Man, you guys are the freakin best. Sky, I think they'd be glad to have you join them!

If you were interested, here are the lights I grabbed:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NAUZNL1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And tripods:

https://www.amazon.com/Rienar-Flexible-Portable-Adjustable-Cellphone/dp/B00XTHBE6A/ref=pd_sbs_107_5/134-8479425-0668437?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00XTHBE6A&pd_rd_r=c9a86ddf-c972-4fb7-bc23-7485df3b574b&pd_rd_w=GPk5Z&pd_rd_wg=yjI5D&pf_rd_p=12b8d3e2-e203-4b23-a8bc-68a7d2806477&pf_rd_r=RHJEW42T9SE90N36B9B0&psc=1&refRID=RHJEW42T9SE90N36B9B0

All for less than a single one of those Lumecubes. Seriously, it's such a cheap way to go, and those bendy tripods are so versatile. I had my fill light wrapped around a table leg and kept adjusting between shots. Made things so easy

Sky, do you have one of these multilight hydra of wires, or like the single battery powered ones? I've yet to plug in all 6, but the option to is always nice. And the "Warm white" was just the biggest thing for me, and got things looking exactly like I wanted them too. Couldn't believe it.

Thanks for the link to the specific lights and equipment. I definitely need a tripod... not just for the lights but for my phone camera. ;p 

And oh... I'm using ones that are battery-powered. I had to go that route since the display area's set-up is not conducive to much in the way of wiring.

Thanks for the links. I'm going to give them a try.

Thanks for the light links, Rev. I’m going to have to get some of those.

Came back to look at the pics again as there Is just so much to see! You must have been collecting and making the background details and props for ages, and I envy your cool collection of vials and bottles and other magical ingredients. :’)


That moment when Thornapple ‘drinks’ out of the bottle ... was she just messing around to freak them out or did she actually drink something?   ETA: Nevermind, I realize they were all passing a flask around. For some reason the images didn't load fully at first so the context was lost on me there for a bit. Makes more sense now. :'D

And that bag in the corner ... I can’t remember if that is someone’s purse or a first aid kit?? Lol either way it’s a great detail.

Indeed very cool!

As others have already said it's an amazing looking diorama with with great attention to all the little details (so much to look at) great looking photos and amazing the lab equipment.  

After seeing your little anvil reminded me oh hey I think that I have one of those around here some were along with a working vise.

If any of you guys do grab the lights, I look forward to seeing how you like them.  Hope you end up enjoying them as much as I have.

skywalkersaga wrote:Came back to look at the pics again as there Is just so much to see! You must have been collecting and making the background details and props for ages, and I envy your cool collection of vials and bottles and other magical ingredients. :’)


That moment when Thornapple ‘drinks’ out of the bottle ... was she just messing around to freak them out or did she actually drink something?   ETA: Nevermind, I realize they were all passing a flask around. For some reason the images didn't load fully at first so the context was lost on me there for a bit. Makes more sense now. :'D

And that bag in the corner ... I can’t remember if that is someone’s purse or a first aid kit?? Lol either way it’s a great detail.

Yes!  Always glad to get a second look, ESPECIALLY if everything didn't load the 1st time!  Yeah, that whole thing with the flask kinda played out really organically when I was shooting, and it ended up my favorite part of the whole thing.  I'm so relieved it showed up for your return viewing.  

I have a weird habit of just building any time I get an idea of how to do something, or see an opportunity, but almost never post until I have a chance to really use it in a shoot.  So on top of buying any bits and bobbles I run into that might be useful, I'm just constantly stockpiling these little mini projects.  And then a shoot like this comes along, and I finally get a chance to break a lot of it out.  Which is ideal, since missing some little part or detail is often what hold me back from shooting more.  

And the bag is an old medical bag, BUT also Thorneapple's purse.  Growing up, all the punk kids I knew had old military surplus bags, and it felt really fitting for her, like she had it second hand.  Plus, I really liked the layout for all her gear.



If I ever find one in 1:1, I may just need it!

BAD WOLF-787 wrote:Indeed very cool!

As others have already said it's an amazing looking diorama with with great attention to all the little details (so much to look at) great looking photos and amazing the lab equipment.  

After seeing your little anvil reminded me oh hey I think that I have one of those around here some were along with a working vise.

Thank you Bad Wolf!  So happy you enjoyed.  I had a lot of luck that I had everything I needed to pull this shoot together.  And isn't that anvil great?!  Would love to see the vise you have!  So jealous.  That sounds like a real score.

Rev, I think it’s awesome that you sort of just keep building this ‘arsenal’ of 1/6 props and accessories. So you’re always fully armed and ready for whatever inspiration strikes. ;’D

And thanks for your forbearance ... I have to keep switching between my phone and really old and slow laptop I’m using (cause the phone is a bit faster but the images are smaller and harder to see, while the laptop lets me see larger pics but takes absolutely forever to load) so sometimes things get a bit lost in-between. :3

ReverendSpooky wrote:Thank you Bad Wolf!  So happy you enjoyed.  I had a lot of luck that I had everything I needed to pull this shoot together.  And isn't that anvil great?!  Would love to see the vise you have!  So jealous.  That sounds like a real score.

Yep the anvil is great. I was able to find my anvil but unfortunately I still can't find the matching vise at this time.

Really nice, I love all the little details in your figures though asylum exploration is not one of my favorite things.

Breathtaking!!! You already know as we talked on insta and ps4 but damn this so well executed, so unique and atmospheric, just wow!

skywalkersaga wrote:Rev, I think it’s awesome that you sort of just keep building this ‘arsenal’ of 1/6 props and accessories. So you’re always fully armed and ready for whatever inspiration strikes. ;’D

And thanks for your forbearance ... I have to keep switching between my phone and really old and slow laptop I’m using (cause the phone is a bit faster but the images are smaller and harder to see, while the laptop lets me see larger pics but takes absolutely forever to load) so sometimes things get a bit lost in-between. :3

Yes! I love the idea of looking at it like that. Feeling more and more ready by the day.

BAD WOLF-787 wrote:

ReverendSpooky wrote:Thank you Bad Wolf!  So happy you enjoyed.  I had a lot of luck that I had everything I needed to pull this shoot together.  And isn't that anvil great?!  Would love to see the vise you have!  So jealous.  That sounds like a real score.

Yep the anvil is great. I was able to find my anvil but unfortunately I still can't find the matching vise at this time.

Ah, what a shame! I hope it turns up eventually. I'd love to see it when it does.

Theboo-bomb wrote:Really nice, I love all the little details in your figures though asylum exploration is not one of my favorite things.

Thanks Boo-Bomb! Yeah, asylums are about as creepy as they come. When I was 17, I actually spent a night wandering around an abandoned asylum, and it was one of the creepiest experiences of my life.

blackpool wrote:Breathtaking!!! You already know as we talked on insta and ps4 but damn this so well executed, so unique and atmospheric, just wow!

Ah, thanks so much man! That mean a ton.

More fantastic story telling! Also great positioning and set design. So many things going on in each picture, the slight changes really give the figures the sense of movement!

This one is so good. Lovely pictures and posing and I love all the background elements and details!

BAMComix was showing me one of your photos yesterday, of your garage / machine-shop set, and I was saying to him that much of what is found in a machine shop would be right at home in a mad science laboratory, which is a project I've been intending to get started on, like, forever.

Now I see this and... mad science lab + machine shop = awesomeness!

The cabinet with the wire screen front - a pie cabinet, I believe they are called in the full-scale world - is that a piece you found, constructed, or modified? It is superb... as is every element of this setting and of your characters!

Too much coolness for me to handle in this series of images! Mind officially blown! And I haven't even been drinking out of the lab beakers!