Category Archives: Mascots

Custom Mosquito Mascot: Spartan Mosquito

Commercials Cosplay & Characters costumes Mascots Props / Sets Tailoring No Comments
Mosquito mascot's lighting effects have several settings and glows red with blood through its vinyl side abdomen "windows"

Fantastic, fun build for thinkwebstore.com ‘s client, Spartan Mosquito.

 

A custom mosquito mascot, custom Spartan tunics and capes plus a dead mosquito prop.

Custom welded internal framework and fittings with polyethylene foam, fabrics, vinyl,  Worbla,  3D printed and vacuum formed parts plus cool lighting effects!

 

Mosquito mascot's lighting effects have several settings and glows red with blood through its vinyl side abdomen "windows"

Unimpressed with the mosquito costume offerings out there in the wild, Bryan Carter of ThinkWebStore came to us.  Discussions resulted in an agreement to create an oversize, realistic but definitely xenomorphic critter that would enthrall onlookers at its live convention performances plus Spartan Mosquito’s fun online videos.

 

Many thanks to Bryan Carter for hiring us and for your fantastic marketing idea that juxtaposes against the typical landscape. It’s brilliant.

 

National hardware conventions are typically about tile, plumbing and home improvement products. They rarely, if ever, are costume-focused events. ThinkWebStore’s parade of great looking models in custom Spartan garb and weapons, escorting their big captured mosquito around the convention floor is a sight that no one can ever forget! 

 

The Spartan Mosquito Eradicator product itself is ingenious and supplies have been pre-sold out for months.  Check it out: https://spartanmosquito.com/mosquito-control/

 

Hraefn Wulfson, meditating on the layout of custom mosquito mascot legs

Hraefn Wulfson, meditating on the layout of the new custom mosquito mascot legs

 

Crit Killen and Hraefn Wulfson discuss attachment and arrangement methods for the new custom mosquito mascot chassis

Crit Killen and Hraefn Wulfson discuss attachment and arrangement methods for the new custom mosquito mascot chassis

 

Hraefn Wulfson cuts and sands forms that will be used to vacuform wings for the new custom mosquito mascot

Hraefn Wulfson cuts and sands forms that will be used to vacuum form clear plastic wings for the new custom mosquito mascot

 

Isaac Doubek's handiwork- He's made custom 3d printed eyes for the new custom mosquito prop

Isaac Doubek’s handiwork- He’s made custom 3D printed eyes for the new custom mosquito prop

 

Hraefn Wulfson has the mosquito wing bucks ready for vacuum forming in clear plastic

Hraefn Wulfson has the mosquito wing bucks ready for vacuum forming in clear plastic

 

Isaac Doubek's handiwork- He's rewired a multi effect lighting element to portable battery unit for the new custom mosquito mascot

Isaac Doubek’s handiwork- He’s rewired a multi effect lighting element to portable battery unit for the new custom mosquito mascot

 

Crit Killen and Hraefn Wulfson discuss attachment and arrangement methods for the new custom mosquito mascot chassis. Each leg slides into a custom fitting for clarity and speedy assembly

Crit Killen and Hraefn Wulfson discuss attachment and arrangement methods for the new custom mosquito mascot chassis. Each leg slides into a custom fitting for clarity and speedy assembly

 

Crit Killen measures for wing attachment mount on mosquito mascot's welded steel shoulder frame and chassis

Crit Killen measures for wing attachment mount on mosquito mascot’s welded steel shoulder frame and chassis

 

Details of welded steel shoulder frame and chassis for new custom mosquito mascot on a dress dummy the same size as performer

Details of welded steel shoulder frame and chassis for new custom mosquito mascot on a dress dummy the same size as the five foot tall performer

 

Crit Killen and Hraefn Wulfson with the welded steel shoulder frame and chassis for new custom mosquito mascot on a dress dummy the same size as performer

Crit Killen and Hraefn Wulfson with the welded steel shoulder frame and chassis for new custom mosquito mascot on a dress dummy the same size as the five foot tall performer

 

Detail of each custom fitting for leg assembly in the new custom mosquito mascot

Detail of each custom fitting for leg assembly in the new custom mosquito mascot

 

Hraefn Wulfson wearing the new shoulder chassis of custom mosquito mascot with legs attached, casting an interesting shadow

Hraefn Wulfson wearing the new shoulder chassis of custom mosquito mascot with legs attached, casting an interesting shadow

 

Hraefn Wulfson wearing the new shoulder chassis of custom mosquito mascot with legs attached

Hraefn Wulfson wearing the new shoulder chassis of custom mosquito mascot with legs attached

 

Detail: Spartan Mosquito logo heat transfers on Spartan cape backs and wagon banners

Detail: Spartan Mosquito logo heat transfers on red linen Spartan cape backs and wagon banners

 

Hraefn Wulfson arranges the new dead mosquito prop on the convention safe Spartan spear

Hraefn Wulfson arranges the new dead mosquito prop on the convention-safe Spartan spear

 

Hraefn Wulfson adding a few final touches to the dead mosquito prop

Hraefn Wulfson adding a few final touches to the dead mosquito prop

 

Spooky in the daylight, the new mosquito mascot is ready to be disassembled for travel

Spooky even in the daylight, the new mosquito mascot is ready to be disassembled for travel

 

Bryan Carter, Jennifer McGrew and Hraefn Wulfson in a selfie with new mosquito mascot costume

Bryan Carter, Jennifer McGrew and Hraefn Wulfson in a selfie with new mosquito mascot costume

 

Spooky at night in the McGrew Studios parking lot- the new mosquito mascot costume

Spooky at night in the McGrew Studios parking lot- the new mosquito mascot costume

 

Mosquito mascot's lighting effects have several settings and glows red with blood through its vinyl side abdomen "windows"

Mosquito mascot’s internal lighting has several effects and glows red with blood through its vinyl side abdomen “windows”

 

Some late night parking lot paint on the new mosquito mascot. Isaac Doubek and Hraefn Wulfson

Some late night parking lot painting on the new mosquito mascot. Isaac Doubek and Hraefn Wulfson

 

Mosquito mascot's inner steel armature visible through the newly cut abdomen "windows"

Mosquito mascot’s inner steel armature visible through the newly cut abdomen “windows”

 

Ready to go to several national hardware shows on great looking models: Custom Spartan tunics, belts and capes. Linen, jute, fun trims and brooches

Ready to go to several national hardware shows on great looking models: Custom Spartan tunics, belts and capes. Red and white linen, jute, fun trims and brooches

 

Spartan Mosquito custom mascot scale pre-viz 

 

A BIG 2019 project for us involving the team effort and mighty

talents of Hraefn Wulfson, Crit Killen, Isaac Doubek, Carolyn Richardson, Uptown Embroidery and Jennifer McGrew

 

 

Costume Restoration: Vintage Mr. Peanut

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Vintage Mr. Peanut costume, restored and ready for action.

2018:
Melissa’s vintage treasure needed some help.  Hraefn Wulfson restored and repainted her beloved Mr. Peanut costume and now her family can enjoy him for generations!

 

Before: Mr. Peanut’s paint is worn and his internal load-bearing areas need strengthening because of splits and cracks!

 

First, all of his broken armseye edges, glue and foam remnants have to be removed-

 

Next, Hraefn fabricates new ABS plastic support structures and installs them into the armseyes using brand new rivets plus comfy new foam where this costume rests on the wearer’s shoulders-

 

Owning the urban landscape and ready to go home:) Freshly repainted and structural integrity saved! Plus, he gets a brand new monacle and his old scratchy metal screens replaced with new soft fiberglass screens.

 

Melissa, lookin’ like a Boss Mr. Peanut, ready to greet the trick-or-treaters on Halloween!

Custom Sock Mascot: Observepoint

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Utah-based analytics and marketing giant OBSERVEPOINT knows how to make convention attendees remember their brand!

 

 

Observepoint gives their booth guests custom printed socks! — that’s right– custom printed socks that you can wear, in a variety of dye sublimation printed designs — (instead of shoving logo-laden thumb drives into their visitors’ hands like every other booth does).  It’s a really ingenious marketing idea and was right up our alley as a design project. 

 

They asked us to create an 8ft tall custom sock mascot using their javascript design (a design they tell us is FULL of easter eggs, employee nicknames and inside jokes).  We patterned, then built the giant sock from polyethelene foam and had their print design enlarged 700 times into custom dye-sub fabric from which we made its outside cover.  Lightweight and comfy, this mascot’s face and arm holes allow their rep to have a great time interacting with booth visitors.

 

Our thanks to Observepoint Field Marketing Manager: Trachelle Tanner.

 

Adobe Summit March 2018, Las Vegas, Nevada.

 

Observepoint custom sock mascot by mcgrew studios

Observepoint custom sock mascot by McGrew Studios

 

 

https://www.observepoint.com/mobile-analytics-summit/confirmation/

https://www.facebook.com/ObservePoint/photos/a.10151223038382076.446984.58392662075/10155499438457076/?type=3

 

 

 

 

Custom Futuristic Costumes: Pluralsight video and Pluralsight Live 2017

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Custom costumes for Pluralsight's Zero and One with CEO Aaron Skonnard

Meet “Zero” and “One,” Pluralsight’s “future people”.

Appearing first in the stunning video (above) shown during Pluralsight Live’s opening session, they then arrived in person periodically throughout all three days of the event, intriguing and mingling with enthusiastic conference goers.

A full spectrum of colors enhanced the actors’ first set of costumes. A series of creative in-camera effects captured actors Phillip Istomin and Alexis Chanel being doused with paints and powders during the high frame-rate filming.

A great team includes the creators of the Pluralsight promo video,  JMills Entertainment.  Art direction and marketing by Adam Gunn, John Jensen and their colleagues at Pluralsight. Two sets of identical costumes for Zero and One custom built by Jennifer McGrew with Kelly Hawthorne.  Behind-the-scenes shots of the video shoot by Dee and Cory. Live performance scheduling logistics at the Grand America by Webb Event Production and the lovely Xenia Maritsas. On-location wardrobe tech and dressing by Jennifer McGrew.

Pluralsight Live User Conference, Salt Lake’s Grand America Hotel, Sept 19-21, 2017.

https://www.pluralsight.com/
http://www.jmillsent.com/
http://www.webbproduction.com/
https://mcgrewstudios.com/
http://www.deeandcory.com/

 

‘Future People’ concept art: Pluralsight’s Adam Gunn

 

Prior to all the paint and color that doused them during the filming… One and Zero in their snappy new white future suits.

 

Initial paint splash on the costumes. Model Phillip Istomin gets some great air on that paint while smashing the ceramic container with a white sledgehammer. Model Alexis Chanel calmly observes.

 

A ‘before’ and ‘after’ set of custom costumes in the shop. All ready to head to the Grand America Hotel for Pluralsight Live

 

Custom Mascots: Clinique

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Custom mascot costumes for Clinique.

In face-hiding as well as face-revealing varieties, at the preference of each store’s regional manager.

Katrina Kirkland, Naia Folidei and Rory Sepulveda pose in costumes designed as popular Clinique Cosmetics products at the grand opening of the Meier & Frank in Riverdale. The one-story department store is the eighth in Utah to open and is expected to generate between $200,000 and $300,000 in annual sales tax revenue to the city. (Robert Hirschi/The Salt Lake Tribune)

Katrina Kirkland, Naia Folidei and Rory Sepulveda pose in costumes designed as popular Clinique Cosmetics products at the grand opening of the Meier & Frank in Riverdale. The one-story department store is the eighth in Utah to open and is expected to generate between $200,000 and $300,000 in annual sales tax revenue to the city. (Robert Hirschi/The Salt Lake Tribune)

 

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To ‘hide’ or to ‘reveal’ is always an interesting consideration when you plan to create a walkaround or mascot for your business or product. The face-revealers interact the most purposefully with shoppers, passing out free samples during a department store grand opening.  The anonymous mascara-wearer is far more mischievous and sees through a scrim of metallic fabric.  For all twelve of these costumes we used high density closed cell foam and replicated the Clinique logos with pretty satin-stitch embroidery over appliques.

 

Katrina Kirkland, Naia Folidei and Rory Sepulveda pose in costumes designed as popular Clinique Cosmetics products at the grand opening of the Meier & Frank in Riverdale. The one-story department store is the eighth in Utah to open and is expected to generate between $200,000 and $300,000 in annual sales tax revenue to the city. (Robert Hirschi/The Salt Lake Tribune)

Katrina Kirkland, Naia Folidei and Rory Sepulveda pose in costumes designed as popular Clinique Cosmetics products at the grand opening of the Meier & Frank in Riverdale. The one-story department store is the eighth in Utah to open and is expected to generate between $200,000 and $300,000 in annual sales tax revenue to the city. (Robert Hirschi/The Salt Lake Tribune)

Custom Mascots: Rocky Mountain Power’s “Slim” the Lineman

Cosplay & Characters Mascots Tailoring No Comments

Wally Wattsmart, also known as “Slim” the Lineman.

We built him for the Riester agency’s client, Rocky Mountain Power. Slim is a regular sighting at civic gatherings, parades, Salt Lake Bees baseball games and many other events.

We created duplicate “Slim” mascots, and master effects artist Chris Richard Hanson developed the custom heads for us.

Rocky Mountain Power urges you, too, to be “wattsmart”.

 

Wally Wattsmart1

Slim, walking tall at Salt Lake City’s St. Patrick’s Day parade. But he is not wearing green!

Wally Wattsmart2 Wally Wattsmart3

Custom muscles that breathe, so the performer stays cool.

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Chris, showing custom sculpt and casting in progress, looking at us through Slim’s perspective.

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Wally Wattsmart concept drawings

Wally Wattsmart concept drawings

Custom Marine Corps Uniforms for Canines

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Custom retailored Marine Corps uniforms for bulldogs! The famous Gunny Monster.

Bulldogs need great tailoring, too!

 

Meet Gunny Monster ( 2008 – 2019), friend and unofficial mascot to the Marine Corps League, Toys for Tots and a host of other great charities. Rest in peace, Gunny.

Gunny has his own facebook page and website where you can learn more about his busy schedule full of appearances and good deeds.

Our tailoring for Gunny and other bulldogs includes camoflauge,  Dress Blues and Charlies.

 

Ordering a Retailored Uniform for Your Bulldog:

 

Step One:
Print our Service Dog Measurement Chart and take measurements.

Call with your questions. 801-596-2210. We can skype (video chat)with you so you can show us places you have questions about:)

 

Step Two:
Send us a uniform to re-tailor. This means a real uniform. We deconstruct then cut and restitch it so the fit (plus all fabric and trim) are accurate, ready to pass inspection. We’ve seen some knitted and crochet “sweaters” plus other cartoon-y versions of uniforms on Etsy and other places. However, in getting to know many Marines personally, we can tell you that the Corps take their uniforms and their service very seriously. A knitted ‘sweater’ uniform or other clownish version might be ok at home, but would be considered disgraceful and completely inappropriate for proper public presentations.

Because you are probably either active duty or retired, we rely on your access to authentic uniforms. At McGrews we are civilians, and we have not earned your same privilege.  As tailors and citizens, we honor our service men and women, (and their dogs). We create a high-quality custom-tailored product. We won’t substitute imposter fabrics or inferior construction for the real thing.  It would be disrespectful. Thanks for understanding:).

 

Step Three:
Make a deposit and send us your uniform. Total to re-tailor a uniform is $875 and includes shipping to you via UPS regular ground with a tracking number, anywhere in the continental United States. There’s no tax if you are ordering from outside the state of Utah. 1/2 deposit is required to start the patterning and labor. We can accept visa and mastercard payments in person or by phone with a small surcharge.

 

Step Four:
Pay the balance and receive your uniform. There is a four-six week turnaround time from your deposit date to have your finished uniform shipped via UPS regular ground with a tracking number. Please order well in advance for seasonal Marine Corps events when many dogs will be needing new uniforms.

 

Woof! (You can call us with your custom order!) 801-596-2210.

 

Gunny3
Gunny's Place

Semper Fidelis.

We develop a unique pattern specific to your dog’s height, weight and measurements to create each new custom uniform.

 

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Custom Mascots: Ogden-Weber Area Technical College’s “Randy Robotech”

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Ogden-Weber Applied Technical College was the first trade-tech school in Utah to develop a branded mascot to promote its educational mission and programs.

Robert Hirschi, multimedia journalist for the Salt Lake Tribune, created a behind-the-scenes account of some of the steps in this creative process as well as the people behind it. Interviewed are OWATC creative directors Brock Porter and Jenny Everson, plus costume maker Jen McGrew with Katrina Kirkland-Cornia. The documentary details the mascot from concept to realized costume for a performer to wear at job fairs, parades, etc.

2002, Salt Lake Tribune archived servers.

Custom Headless Horseman: Rocky Mountain Outfitters’ Haunted Wagon Rides

Cosplay & Characters Mascots Props / Sets Tailoring No Comments

Custom headless horseman costume we created for Rocky Mountain Outfitters’ Haunted Wagon Rides attraction, 2014.

We designed it so each of the pieces are each individually made for easy care and washing/drycleaning. The horseman’s head/neck apparatus itself weighs less than a pound. Great for visibility, safety and maneuverability.

Visit their site for for tickets, contests and more fun pics http://www.sleepyhollowutah.com/

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