From Bill Cawthon comes this diorama shot he calls "Monster Mash." The structure is Vollmer's "Vampire Villa" which he built a few years ago and has served as a Halloween decoration ever since. The vehicles are E-R Models (Busch) 1952 Cadillac Hearse "Bates Funeral Home" that Bill changed the wheels and tires on and a Busch Mercedes 170V delivery truck liberated from one of Busch's Halloween mini-scenes. The figures are a mix of Busch Halloween figures and some Preiser figures that Bill painted. The "Halloween Tree" is a Woodland Scenics armature; the pumpkins are glass beads Bill filled with Squadron Green putty and florist's wire. Using Photoshop, Bill dropped out the background (he had used a large piece of white posterboard) and added a 70% transparent stormy night sky photo over a colored gradient.

Posted April 22, 2005