Mandragora

Jacob Petersson brings us this mandrake root collected in the traditional style.  A powerful magical ingredient, mandrake root has been used for rituals both light and dark for millenia.  Mr. Petersson has been kind enough to document his experiences obtaining this rarity.

The Clarksville Specimen

Jacob Petersson's work has been featured here many times, but his latest project is a bit of a departure from his amazing fantasy specimens.  This time he brings us the unfortunate pilot of a craft that was shot down near Clarksville, Kentucky by the the United States Air Force in 1948.  As usual, Mr. Petersson has done a fantastic job on the supporting accessories for the central figure.  That includes the clothing, or in this case the exo-suit.

Quick and Dirty Demon Costume

You need a demon for a music video and the project has a tight deadline and a small budget.

Such was the situation confronting Jacob Petersson, who made up for a lack of resources with an abundance of talent to create this quick and dirty demon costume.  He provides a nicely detailed look at banging it out, including some inspirational repurposing of roadside junk.

This is a great example for anyone confronted with creating a creature for a Lovecraftian live-action game.  When you're working with a miniscule budget things like full body sculpts and pressure cast appliances are out of the question.  Compare the detailed stills in Mr. Petersson's post with the final video and you'll see how to the director used quick cuts and controlled exposure to maximize the impact of the demon.  Shot selection and editing are obviously not available in a live-action scenario, but you can still use the principle of controlled viewing to your advantage.  Dim lighting covers up a multitude of sins.  Adding haze or fog and strobe effects allows you to limit the audience's view even more.  Over the last few years the price of portable strobes and fog machines has plunged, putting them within reach of even the most limited budgets.

The Leprechaun

Jacob Petersson brings us this intriguing specimen discovered at Carrigaphooka Castle. It's a beautiful piece of work.

Remember, the fae are not your friends. They are capricious monsters that should be avoided at all costs. All those cute little butterfly-winged fairies are a clever effort to make people forget that.

The Making of a Mermaid

We first saw Jacob Petersson's classic-style Fiji Mermaid  last year.  Now he's posted a work-in-progress collage of it's creation at his new Facebook page.  I was surprised to see how small it actually is.  I had assumed it was much larger when I first saw it.

Fear the Fae

In 1888 the Swedish city of Sundsvall nearly burned to the ground.  The conventional explanation is that the blaze started thanks to sparks from a passing steamer.  The truth is far more disturbing.  The gifted Jacob Petersson brings us the actual culprit, demonstrating once again that the fae are a scourge upon humanity.

Classical Gaff

Jacob Petersson returns with his take on a classic-style Fiji Mermaid gaff.  I love the sheer randomness of the powdered wig.

Track of the Sasquatch

Jacob Petersson returns to our pages with undeniable proof that Bigfoot is real.  Despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, so called "scientists" continue to deny the existence of a thriving Sasquatch population in North America.

Infernal Devices

Artist Jacob Petersson created this wonderful mechanical womb, along with a host of other great props.



Browse around his site and you'll find some real gems, including the amazing retro-tech genetic engineering kit I first stumbled across last year. A tip of the hat to Laura C for sending over a note about his latest work.

When Good Gnomes Go Bad

Artist Jacob Petersson brings us the mummified remains of four house gnomes.  The unfortunate fae reportedly turned against their homeowner and had to be put down by a witch.  It wasn't until 1960 that their bodies were discovered in the back room of a Stockholm tobacconist.

The Lady of the Night

The talented Jacob Petersson returns to our pages with the preserved head of an infamous Italian witch from the 16th century.

Dominalunae, lady of the night. Dianora Farnese, was executed and beheaded on a cold windy morning the 19th day of October, year of Our Lord 1593, at the outskirts of the small northern town of Corcinesco Trontano, in the heart of the Italian Alps. Her final cry a curse that echoes through the centuries until this very day.

The Lutin

Jacob Petersson brings us this outstanding mummified fae- the Lutin. It's an interesting mix of a whimsical Froud-style fairy with a mummified gaff. The distressed clothing kicks it up another notch.

"Following the death of François de la Motte, Baron d'Aulnoy a curious entry appears in the house inventory- item nr 1443, a preserved "Lutin" under blown glass dome. The item was presumably donated to the curiosity cabinet of king Louis XIV. It disappeared however, during the turbulence of the revolution and the current whereabouts of the Lutin d'Aulnoy remain unknown."

Sasquatch Hand

Jacob Petersson brings us this sideshow-style Sasquatch hand. Click through to his site and take a look at the high resolution pictures. There's some great detail work that's only visible in closeup.

The Hermitage Fairy

Swedish artist Jacob Petersson brings us this wonderful mummified fairy.  What sets this apart from similar projects is the incredible level of detail, from the redcap's clothing and weapons to the archaic display case. 

Preserved Fairy

This well preserved Fae specimen is brought to us by Jacob Petersson.

Metropolis Helmet

It's not Lovecraftian in the slightest, but this Metropolis firefighter's helmet from Jacob Petersson is a beautiful piece of prop work. The construction is impressive, but it's the worn metal paint job and the film-inspired decals that really brings it to life.

The Hand of Dr. Klaw

Jacob Petersson returns to our pages with The Klaw, the signature accoutrement of the infamous seafood chef Doktor Klaw. No, really.  I would still be watching the endless stream of cook-off shows on cable if the participants had gear like this. 

Redcap Goblin

Jacob Petersson returns to our pages with the mummified remains of a particularly horrific species of fae.

"The Redcap goblins are evil creatures, they reside in ancient castle ruins along the Scottish border, ecpecially those places with a bloody or dark history.  The Redcap traditionally dyes it's cap in the blood of it's victims, should the cap be dry for too long the goblin itself will shrivel up to a dry husk.  This one- ”Iron-nosed Fulk” was found by locals between the foundation stones of the Easter Happrew peel tower after a thunderous storm blew it over in the year 1798."

The Wigged Fish of Barbary

Jacob Petersson of Curiomira brings us "The Wigged Fish of Barbary", a classic-style Fiji mermaid gaff. 

The Helm of Thor!

The trailer for the retro-cheese action film "Kung Fury" has been making the rounds this week. Saying it's over the top doesn't do justice to the sheer insanity on display.


Imagine my surprise that Jacob Petersson, no stranger to these pages, produced some of the props for the project.  That includes his outstanding version of Thor's helm and hammer.

Update:  Sweet Jebus, I don't know where I came up with Odin instead of Thor.