WFNY on Location: Making Mascots

Sir CC's hat & gloves - Cleveland Cavaliers

Hey! Check it out!

Rick Grayshock of waitingfornextyear.com was here for a day to snoop around and find out how mascots are made. Here's what he found out:

WFNY On Location: Making Mascots

Sir CC, Mascot Making and a Sports Writer

Rick Grayshock of waitingfornextyear.com spent some time at in MascotLand today. Rick is an ardent Cleveland Cavs fan and writes about them. Recently, he wrote something about Sir CC . That led him to us.

Realizing he could finally satisfy a curiosity about how mascots are made, he made the trek from Columbus, Ohio to Indianapolis. 

He checked out the original patterns for Sir CC's cape and tabard, counted all the foam pieces that go into making mascot shoes, saw mascot eyes before they are painted - and after they are painted and began to understand the importance of center front in the creation of mascots.

We even talked about the similar, quirky passions in the world of sport and the world of art. 

In mascot making those worlds meet and thrive.

Happy/Sad Mascot Maker

On Mondays through Fridays, I head happily off to AvantGarb to make mascots. 

Today was the 2nd day of an ice storm here in Indianapolis. We are measuring ice on the ground in inches. 

Even though there are mascots that need to be made - AvantGarb was closed. We had a snow day - or rather an ice day. 

Today I was a sad Mascot Maker. Boo-hoo.

Hipster Blood Drop

At some point while making  a mascot, I fall in love. 

Slightly deflated Blood Drop

With this mascot it was when the sunglasses were finished & we could put them on the slightly deflated Blood Drop.

There is a marvelous time in the creation of these characters, when the personality is emerging, but the mascot isn't completed - the image doesn't yet have the integrity stand on its own.

The picture on the left is that moment - the moment when the  hipster personality of the mascot is showing itself.

A little later in the day, after we had secured the interior hoops that give the Drop its round, round shape, I donned the mascot - Laura took photos, and behold!  A new character in Mascotdom!

Notions

Greenberg & Hammer is where everybody, who does anything with costumes, goes to get notions.

Notions, in the sewing world are things like; thread, needles, bias tape, elastic, buttons, boning, bust pads, cording, piping, elastic, grommets, hooks & eyes, buckles, pins, pin cushions, rhinestones, ribbon, snaps, velcro and zippers.

When I lived was a young performance & costume artist in NYC, I would wander down to Greenberg & Hammer, from my apartment in Hell's Kitchen, to pick up threads, needles, elastic, buttons & zippers.

As a mascot maven for the past bazillion years I've been ordering grosses of super duper whopper poppers (really, really, really big snaps) in silver or black fro 20 years - also curved needles and milliner needles and head forms.

I just went to Greenberg & Hammers website because I need to order a head form for a mascot head. Theire webpage is now just a Wordpress blog. the greenberg & Hammer, that used to be a few doors away from 57th & 5th in NYC is gone.

I'm in mourning.

Goodwill & Mascots

Balls - ReGifted - Phoenix Theater

 A mascot is a true community goodwill gesture.

Sir CC/ Cleveland Cavaliers

....and during the holiday season, they give a nice big bounce of fun to the street life, events & games that fill up the many moments of celebration & cheer.

Bud Beer - Griffins Hockey

 Happy Hols!

Crush

Might Mouse was my first really big crush.

I must have been destined to make mascots with a love history like that!