Hey everyone, Chad of HokuProps here~~
I’m excited to announce that Hoku Props will be at Emerald City Comic Con 2025 as part of the Maker Academy Workshops. This year, we’re rolling out a series of immersive, hands-on maker sessions to help push your prop-making creativity to the next level. And the best part? We’re teaming up with the amazing Beverly Downen of Downen Creative Studios and the talented Sophy Wong, plus my indispensable partner in crime Sammy(Bibimbap).
(https://hokuprops.com/eccc25/)
Our workshops are all about learning by doing. We have four different sessions designed to dive into core maker skills.
- Paint Foam Like a Pro with Maker Pro Paint:
- Learn how to transform EVA foam into a polished, durable prop without any extra fuss. Using Smooth-On Maker Pro Paint, you’ll discover how it acts as both a topcoat and a perfect sealant—letting you go straight from foam to paint without additional primers or sealers. I’ll share practical tips on foam prep, mixing in FLEX Additive for extra flexibility, and applying the paint—whether using a brush or an airbrush—to achieve that professional finish every time.
- All Maker Pro Paint products can be found here:
- For Flexible products like EVA Foam you will need
- Maker Pro Paint Flex Additive
- For Rigid surfaces like Resin casts and 3d prints you will need the Adhesion promoter
- Maker Pro Paint Adhesion Promoter
- Learn how to transform EVA foam into a polished, durable prop without any extra fuss. Using Smooth-On Maker Pro Paint, you’ll discover how it acts as both a topcoat and a perfect sealant—letting you go straight from foam to paint without additional primers or sealers. I’ll share practical tips on foam prep, mixing in FLEX Additive for extra flexibility, and applying the paint—whether using a brush or an airbrush—to achieve that professional finish every time.
- Airbrushing 101: Airbrushing for Beginners:
- If you’ve always wanted to try airbrushing, this session is for you. We’ll cover everything from selecting a dual-action, gravity-feed airbrush to mastering the proper process of mixing, thinning, and reducing Createx paints to achieve smooth gradients and crisp details. I’ll walk you through the entire process so you know exactly how to get the best results every time. We’ll be using the NO-NAME battery-powered airbrushes provided by Spraygunner, making it a great opportunity to learn professional techniques on reliable, entry-level equipment.
- Wicked Opaque set w130
- Wicked Sepia
- 4011 Reducer
- 4050 UVLS Gloss
- NO-NAME Cordless airbrush battery powered compressor with airbrush kit
- If you’ve always wanted to try airbrushing, this session is for you. We’ll cover everything from selecting a dual-action, gravity-feed airbrush to mastering the proper process of mixing, thinning, and reducing Createx paints to achieve smooth gradients and crisp details. I’ll walk you through the entire process so you know exactly how to get the best results every time. We’ll be using the NO-NAME battery-powered airbrushes provided by Spraygunner, making it a great opportunity to learn professional techniques on reliable, entry-level equipment.
- • Animating Props with Bottango:
- Ever thought about giving your props a bit of life? In this workshop, I’ll show you how to use Bottango’s timeline-based software along with simple Arduino setups to add subtle, interactive motion to your creations.
- Be sure to check out Bottango yourself at (https://www.bottango.com/)
- You can also join the official Bottango discord here (https://discord.gg/wyhSMQb)
- Ever thought about giving your props a bit of life? In this workshop, I’ll show you how to use Bottango’s timeline-based software along with simple Arduino setups to add subtle, interactive motion to your creations.
- • 3D Modeling on Your Smartphone
- Design on the go with Nomad Sculpt, a powerful mobile app that lets you create detailed 3D models right on your phone or tablet. I’ll guide you through the basics so you can take your digital prop ideas from concept to an exportable design.
- Be sure to check out the browser version of Nomad Sculpt here: (https://nomadsculpt.com/demo/)
- Design on the go with Nomad Sculpt, a powerful mobile app that lets you create detailed 3D models right on your phone or tablet. I’ll guide you through the basics so you can take your digital prop ideas from concept to an exportable design.
Hands-On Learning and Collaboration
At ECCC, it’s all about getting your hands dirty and learning new skills in a supportive environment. While I’m excited to lead these four HokuProps workshops, I’m also thrilled to share the space with Beverly Downen and Sophy Wong, who are each offering their own Maker Academy sessions.
- Beverly’s workshops (https://www.emeraldcitycomiccon.com/en-us/guests/guest-profile.html?gtID=359018&guest-name=Downen-Creative-Studios) include a rotary tool class and a fun craft-along inspired by Baldur’s Gate, among others.
- Sophy’s workshops (https://www.emeraldcitycomiccon.com/en-us/guests/guest-profile.html?gtID=359020&guest-name=Sophy-Wong) will be hosting sessions on making a 3D printed fabric dice bag and creating cyberpunk cat ears.
Together, we’re creating a diverse, collaborative maker experience that offers something for everyone.
I also want to give a special shout-out to Sammy, who is an essential part of our team. She’ll be helping in every HokuProps workshop to ensure that all attendees get the support they need.
Join Us at ECCC 2025 (https://www.emeraldcitycomiccon.com/en-us/buy/tickets.html)
If you’re heading to Emerald City Comic Con, come join us for a maker journey that’s all about practical skills and creative exploration. Whether you’re looking to perfect your foam painting, master airbrushing, experiment with animatronics, or dive into mobile 3D modeling, Maker Academy Workshops have you covered.
I can’t wait to see you at ECCC 2025 and share what we’ve been working on. Let’s get together, roll up our sleeves, and make some amazing props. Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to the event.
Until then, keep crafting, keep innovating, and see you in Emerald City!
Chad Hoku
HokuProps