Chapter 5
Starr looked up from her drawing when Professor Tiggs entered the classroom, and quickly shut the book.
It had been three weeks since they had met for class because they had encountered a freak snowstorm that had shut everything down, and then Professor Tiggs has been out with the flu, so he had canceled classes.
Thankfully, this class had absolutely nothing to do with her regular art degree from college, and she was still on track to graduate in a little over four weeks.
Once that was done, Starr couldn’t wait to concentrate on her project for this class.
She knew, deep in her soul, that it was going to be epic.
“First,” Professor Tiggs said when he set his briefcase down on his desk, loosened his tie, rolled up his sleeves, and leaned his hips against the desk.
“Thank you for understanding about me being sick. I apologize for any inconvenience it might have caused you. Since this class has absolutely nothing to do with the local college art program, then I know for a fact that it didn’t hurt any of you that may be graduating next month. ”
“But we didn’t do anything here for over three weeks,” Brenda, a student actually whined.
“Yeah, and you’re an adult, get over it.
I’m not here to coddle to anyone. This class is strictly voluntary, if you’re butt hurt about not attending for three weeks, I’m sorry.
I don’t control the weather, and I can’t control when I get sick from students that fail to take care of their own health because their mommies and daddies aren’t around to baby them. ”
Starr covered her mouth to prevent her snicker from escaping, and she saw several others do the same thing.
Brenda had a reputation in the class for being an entitled person, and she expected everything to be catered to her.
In the first week, everyone learned to avoid her like the plague.
When Brenda didn’t respond, but acted huffy, the Professor continued.
“Okay, it’s been six weeks since I gave all of you the assignment for Halloween, by the show of hands, let me know how many of you have come up with a concept?”
Starr immediately raised her hand, and out of the twenty-five students, including herself, she saw about ten hands go up.
“Good, good, I’ve talked to all ten of you already, and I agree with what you have planned. Now, the rest of you, do you need help coming up with a concept?”
“What if we can’t come up with anything?” Brenda asked.
“Then I suggest you get busy.” He shook his head, then sighed heavily.
“Sorry, I’m still a little peaked from being ill for the last two weeks.
” He bent his head, pinched the bridge of his nose, and sighed heavily.
When he looked up, Starr could see that he was sorry for his outburst. He looked around and when he saw Starr he pointed to her.
“Ms. King, may I use you as an example?”
“For?”
“For seeing if anyone would like to help you with your project.”
“Sure.”
“Come on down and get with David here to use the projector.” As she walked to the front, she did as told, and half-heartedly listened to him as he spoke to the others.
“Ms. King came to me roughly four, possibly five weeks ago with her project. It is going to be intense, and if it is pulled off correctly, it will be epic. Not only is she using this class and the skills she’s already learned, and about to learn, but she is using a real life situation to carry this out.
She is going to need help.” He paused and looked at her with a raised brow.
“Four, five people?”
“Four for the makeup, two, possibly three for the set designs. Have you had a chance to go out to the location yet?” She didn’t want to reveal everything yet until her teacher was able to get help for her.
“Not yet. I have an appointment tomorrow to go out there physically. However, I have talked to Luc on the phone several times.”
“Good, then I’ll let you handle the set design aspect. I know I’m going to have to learn it eventually, but right now, I really, really want to concentrate on the make-up aspect. If you recall, I have twelve people to transform. I can’t do it all by myself.”
“I agree.” Professor Tiggs turned back to the class.
“We’re about to hear from Ms. King on her concept of what she will be doing for this class, and why.
If any of you that do not already have a concept approved by me, and would like to volunteer to be on Ms. King’s team, then there are a few things you need to know. ”
“Like?” one of the other students called out.
“Ms. King is in charge of the makeup. Like she just said, she has twelve people to transform, and it is my understanding that once it’s done, then the people wearing the makeup will continue with a Halloween party at their establishment.
You will be graded and judged on the work you do, the transformation, and I might as well let the cat out of the bag.
I’m inviting several professionals from this industry to come to each and every one of your projects to judge your work.
” He waited until the room calmed down, before he continued.
“It is my understanding that Ms. King’s project is two-fold.
One will be the transformative makeup, the second will be transforming the actual structure for the party.
I won’t go into any details at this time, because I have yet to work with the owner to get his vision.
Once I have that, then everything should fall into place.
” He looked at everyone, then looked over at Starr and David, when he saw they were almost ready, he turned back to the class.
“I’ve talked to the owner of the establishment personally, he couldn’t stress hard enough that Starr is in charge.
When I asked him to clarify, he said that he didn’t want to talk to anyone but Starr about the designs.
This is her baby, and he and his men voted on it, after that, his hands are washed until it gets closer to the party.
” He looked at Starr with a quirked brow. “He seemed rather ornery about it.”
Starr snorted a laugh, “You have no idea. As I told you when we met in your office, I have received approval of my designs from the twelve people I drew them for. I did mention that if I brought in help, there might be some tweaks to the drawings, and they said that was fine, but they didn’t want to be made into anything else. ”
“How is that fair?” Brenda asked loudly.
“What do you mean?”
“How can we do our own work based on someone else’s drawings?”
“You don’t have to base your work on Ms. King’s drawings.”
“But she just said...”
“No, she said the people who gave their approval agreed to her concept, and that someone else might draw it differently.”
“I still don’t understand.”
“Professor?” Starr asked, and pointed to the laptop. “If I may?”
“Take it,” he said, and walked over to sit at one of the desks.
“Okay, as I mentioned I have twelve men to transform. There are four people that I will not share. No questions asked, if you want to be on my team, that’s the number one rule, and it’s coming from the boss.
If you try to muscle your way into working with these four particular people, you will not only be kicked off my team, but you will be kicked out of the establishment and barred for life. That’s coming from the owner.”
“Who do they think they are?” Brenda asked with a sneer.
“The members of Hell’s Coffin motorcycle club,” Starr said with confidence, and watched the expressions of everyone in the class.
She saw varying degrees of respect, admiration, and fear.
When Brenda scoffed, Starr stared her down, with her arms crossed over her stomach.
“The president of the club is my brother. I grew up with the four people I mentioned. I’ve known them my entire life, while I’ve known the others for the last five or more years.
But these four are my makeup transformations.
” She nodded to David, and they all watched as the transformations were made on paper.
As they went through them slowly, she explained how the men had agreed to the design, then how someone who took over wanted to change anything, they could, however, just not the character chosen.
“I don’t understand,” Brenda said, and Starr exchanged eye rolls with Professor Tiggs.
“What’s not to understand?” Starr asked sarcastically. “This guy wants to be made into a gargoyle. If you don’t like my design, then come up with your own design, just make damn sure it’s a gargoyle at the end.”
“Oh.”
“Now, before any of you agree to come on my team, there’s a few things you’re going to have to know.”
“What’s that?” This time, it was the professor who asked.
“Luc, my brother and president of the club said that there will be an NDA that will need to be signed. If you don’t sign it, you’re not allowed in.
In no uncertain terms will you be allowed into their inter sanction of the club.
” She looked around and nodded. “How many here have been to Hell’s Coffin, the bar? ”
“That’s a biker bar,” someone said in shock.
“Yes, and the biker club members are the people we will be transforming with this makeup. As he mentioned earlier, Professor Tiggs will go out and talk with my brother tomorrow to see how they want to transform the actual bar into the space for the Halloween party. Oh, and if you’re on the make-up team, or the design set, the theme is basically black and red, especially with the design, and when I make Luc over into Lucifer, I will be using black and reds.
I don’t expect you to make a wolf, a skeleton, a gargoyle, or anything else all black and red, but that’s the basic theme.
” She looked around and nodded when she saw their shock.
“One last thing, if you are at the bar slash clubhouse talking with your subjects, or doing set designs, there may or may not be some club business discussed. That is the purpose of the NDA being signed, if it is revealed that any of their club business is aired, then you are at the mercy of the club. Neither I nor Professor Tiggs can help you. I have no clue what they would do to you outside of barring you from the bar, but that’s not on me.
We are all adults here, and if you can’t keep your mouth shut about something that isn’t your own business, then have mercy on your soul.
” She walked back to her seat and sat down, leaving it so silent that you could hear the second hand on the clock high up on the wall.
“Well then,” Professor Tiggs said as he rose and faced the class.
“With that said, who would like to volunteer to be on Ms. King’s team of make-up artists?
You don’t have to say anything now, but I have everyone’s name in my office, and who is doing what already.
Give it until next week, and come to me personally to let me know if you want to be on the make-up fabrication, or the set design.
As I said earlier, I will be meeting with Mr. King tomorrow, and I will have a better list of what he would like to see done.
Now, let’s move onto today’s lesson. We’re going to be using everyday items that you find around your house to transform into head pieces for this week’s projects.
” He got the lesson underway, and no one said a word about joining Starr’s team.