We really love hearing about the novel and inventive ways that Plasti Dip is used in everything from solving house maintenance problems to creating works of art, so when we discovered Christopher Cracknell aka The Doktar, we knew we wanted to find out more and share some of the amazing things he makes.
Chris uses Plasti Dip to help turn bits of other people’s rubbish into realistic steampunk props. Applying our flexible durable coating provides a base for paint or the coloured finish can be used on its own. The results are simply stunning…
Can you tell us a little bit about what you create and how you use Plasti Dip in the process?
I make various props and works of art, keeping in mind landfill and fly-tipping etc so, I try to use pre-loved items to create what I do. Plasti Dip helps me no end with making sure the end results are the best they can be; the black for instance gives great adherence to plastic and, as I use black as a base to lots of my creations it’s very important that the base layer stays and Plasti dip stays. The other Plasti dip colours I mix to make shades of old copper, bronze etc, all work very nicely with what my creations try to say
How long have you been making props?
I have been prop making now for about 9 months only! But I have an artistic background of over 40 years.
How did your recent commission to make film props come about?
That came about via a friend on Facebook, he mentioned me to Kirk the film producer of ( parallax ) and he contacted me via the same, we had a chat and off I went to start crafting for him. Filming will start shooting in LA late spring this year.
Other than film companies who else commissions you?
I do lots of private work for people in the steampunk and sci-fi world, again it’s mostly word of mouth and recommendations. I make quite a few props for an author, for people who attend conventions and collectors. The people I make for are as diverse as the items I make; as I only ever make one of any design; never two, three or whatever so, you’ll never bump into another art piece or prop the same as your one.
Are all your creations steampunk inspired and what is it you like so much about the style?
Yes, I like steampunk as that’s what started it all off for me, I just love the look of brass copper, bronze and steel mixed together in any form of art. The whole idea of Victorian futurism boggles the mind, I mean you have to think like a Victorian in terms of materials but with a modern futuristic mind of what an item should do, It’s endless limitless, delightful. And no it’s not all steampunk, I also make sci-fi props, again my mind can pull wonderful ideas from deep down with that side of things, as non of it would have been invented yet!
What is the favourite thing you have created?
That has to be Victoria the spaceship (shown below) I was commissioned to make that for a book, it will be out in October as it was put back due to this horrid coronavirus thing. Anyway, Paul Eccentric who commissioned the piece loved it when he came to collect it; when he got home he called me to say “I called into the publisher on my way home and, they have stopped printing the front cover as, Victoria is going to be the front cover “ I was very humbled by that and, from that Paul has asked me to build all future props for his book tours, I have done a couple more since as with lockdown the book release dates have been held back; so it’s given me time to get things done for another book in the series of A Giant Step.
Tell us a little bit about your workspace? Is it in the house or the garden?
Well when I started, I took over half my wife’s sewing room! Then within a few weeks all of it, by chance while meeting friends for a drink one of them mentioned a unit for rent nearby, I called up the owner and within two weeks , I moved into my unit on a farm, right in the middle of the countryside, no internet no distraction, just bliss. A fitting end as is the clear coat Plasti dip, what a durable finish for all my creations. (Thank you Chris, we really didn’t make him put that bit at the end we promise!)
