Fear and Fantasy - Animated Display Creators

Animated Display Creators artisans were masters of the arts of sculpting, mold-making and papier-mache. Although Van Olkon advertised the use of fibreglass in the company's last years, his figures were almost exclusively of papier-mache over the full span of his business.

Original model of Santa head is sculpted in clay. Frances Mahr adds finishing touches.

Photos show the process of creating figures of papier-mache as it was practiced in the ADC Minnesota facility.

Charles Huntington makes master mold by applying plaster over model head in sections.

Layers of papier-mache are pressed into mold by Gertrude Truax.

After large areas of the figure are spray painted, an artist hand-paints the face. Florence Michaud touches up the mouth.

Figure is dressed in the costume department by Lenore Sigfridson.

Fractional horsepower motor to animate the figure is installed and adjusted by Dick Hagen.