Jim Henson and Wendy Midener demonstrate an early prototype for a Skeksis with Frank Oz, Irvin Kershner, Stuart Freeborn (who designed Yoda), Robert Watts, and Norma Reynolds during production on The Empire Strikes Back. The remaining Skeksis that appear in other media such as novels and graphic novels are: SkekHak, SkekYi, and SkekLi the Satirist – which brings the referenced count of eighteen Skeksis known to have existed up to nineteen. They say "Hmm" when they are thinking, when they are confused, and when they are fascinated (for example, when SkekSo dies). Skeksis is both singular and plural, but the plural form is pronounced 'Skek- sees'. There were originally eighteen Skeksis, but by the time of the Great Conjunction when they rejoined the Mystics, only eight remained. They keep essence-drained Podlings as slaves, have their own personal army in the Garthim, and absolutely despise Gelflings, a race they think they have completely exterminated. Possessing all of the negative attributes of society, and none of the positive ones, the Skeksis live out a superficial existence of intrigue and plots against each other while struggling to retain their grip on Thra. The Skeksis had control of the castle where the Crystal was kept in its chambers they practiced their evil arts, hating one another as much as they hated the rest of the world." The creatures are described in detail in the book The Making of the Dark Crystal: "For every Mystic there was a corresponding Skeksis. The Skeksis are the villainous race in The Dark Crystal, one of two species to emerge when the Crystal cracked and divided the urSkeks. The Skeksis gather around the Dark Crystal. The foam was sealed several times to slow the drying process and help preserve the piece over time.Surviving Skeksis at the Emperor's death bed. Subtle fabric patches inside the foam add additional support in fragile areas. Because it’s made specifically to fit this head, it means that the insert will provide support without putting any additional pressure or stress on the foam latex from the inside. In addition to making things look a bit nicer, it can also help us get a better look at any damaged areas before we begin preservation work.Ī custom archival head insert was created for the head, which supports the delicate material and fills out the foam skin. We started, as we do with all of the props and costumes that come into the studio, by giving the Mystic a careful cleaning. Our restoration work often starts with a similar approach, but takes things a step further, restoring missing skin, details or paint and bringing the piece closer to how it looked at the time of production. It’s focusing on maintaining the look of the prop as it is now and helping it better stand up to the hands of time. Put simply, conservation is about preservation. We’re often asked about the differences between these two basic approaches. The foam skin arrived to us in very good condition especially considering it was made over 35 years ago! With the client, we discussed options and created a plan to focus on conservation rather than restoration. This production-made Dark Crystal Mystic head was with a private collector. One of our studio’s highlights was working with the Museum of the Moving Image on their Jim Henson exhibits. We’re huge fans of Jim Henson and the Dark Crystal. Conservation and display of and production made Dark Crystal Mystic foam latex head.
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