Hello Phantom Fans,

Due to professional obligations, I will be unavailable to answer emails, private messages on YouTube, etc until mid-February.  It seems like a long time, I know, but I hope that the information provided on Phantom on a Budget will assist you all in whatever needs may arise.  I will also provide some useful links to help you in your makeup/costuming adventures while I am gone:

Deserted Phans Forum - home to some of the most accomplished and talented Phantom costumers!
Phantom of the Opera Costume Design - Comprehensive collection of costumes from the show by Operafantomet
Operafantomet's Costume Files - Anéa's site dedicated to her beautiful costumes
The Effects Lab - Forum dedicated to special effects/makeup effects artists
Cosplay.com - Huge site for cosplayers of many genres. Very active forum with makeup section

I wish you all the best in your Phantom costuming efforts, and am sorry that I won't be of any assistance this Halloween season. I will be back in February though, and am eager to see what you all come up with!

Take care,
Phantom on a Budget

Phantom Fans Week 2009
Las Vegas, NV
The Venetian Hotel, Resort, and Casino


September 16-20, 2009 was the inaugural Phantom Fans Week event, held at the home of PHANTOM: The Las Vegas Spectacular.  Events included sessions with the cast, a Masquerade Ball, insider seminars for costumes, the chandelier, the customized theatre, and a keynote address by Hal Prince.  And of course, lots of performances of Phantom!  Phantom on a Budget's YouTube Channel will host full coverage of Mr. Prince's speech, the costume seminar with Associate Costume Designer Sam Fleming, and this fun video from the Masquerade Ball (thank you to Mandy over at Little Meg for the footage!):







View more photos of the event by visiting the Fans Week photo album!

While in town for the Phantom Fans Week in Las Vegas, Phantom on a Budget attended a professional photoshoot.  Photos can be seen in the Photo Album!  

Phantom Fans Week
PHANTOM: The Las Vegas Spectacular will be hosting Phantom Fans Week at the Venetian Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, NV September 16-20, 2009.  Phantom on a Budget will be in attendance, and in costume for the Masquerade Ball on the 17.  If you are also in town for the event, please come up and say hello!  I always love meeting fellow Phantom fans.


Site Updates
As of the beginning of September, Phantom on a Budget is now an advertising-free site (finally!).  No more obnoxious pop-up ads to deal with.  I also have a new email address: phantom@phantomonabudget.com.  Please use this for any questions relating to the content of the website.

Thank you all for your continued interest and support of Phantom on a Budget.  I love receiving emails and guestbook entries, and am still completely flattered that people offer compliments of the work on the site.  As always, I am thrilled to help others with costume or makeup questions, so please keep the emails coming!

Phantom on a Budget will be appearing as a guest on the new online radio show, All Things Phantom, on August 22, 2009, at 8 P.M. EST. 

First piece of news is a video blog from me, which includes some news from around the Phantom of the Opera community:




Second, while in costume Saturday night for some Halloween festivities, I took some time to film two quick segments on some of my costume pieces. Many people have sent questions about my sources for costumes, as well as general inquiries about the individual pieces themselves. I try to answer all of them in the following two videos:

Discussion on wigs and hair for Halloween and Phantom costumes:



Making your own slicked-back Phantom style wig on a budget:

Keep your eyes open for a new video tutorial!  I've received a few questions about wigs - where to get them, how much they cost, how to make them, etc.  Since my wigs are fully ventilated lace pieces (as in the stage show), they don't apply to the average costumer or Halloween goer.  Normally I suggest to people that they style their own hair, or make due with a cheap, costume-quality wig.  Ambitious costumers may alter those wigs with a more realistic hairline, but very, very few people have asked me about making a full lace wig like I have done.

But I remembered another option!

As soon as I get the supplies I'll be filming a do-it-yourself tutorial for making wigs using bald caps, liquid latex, and crepe and synthetic hair.  Bald cap construction, hand-laying techniques, and other information will be included in this tutorial.  This is the cheap, quick and dirty way to create a slicked-back hairstyle. 

This is inspired by Dick Smith's Do-It-Yourself Monster Makeup book, which is a must have if you're interested in low budget, yet remarkably effective Halloween makeup schemes.  In the book, Mr. Smith demonstrates this basic wig making technique while designing a Werewolf look which rivals that of the classic monster from old Hollywood. 

Phantom on a Budget's makeup tutorials will be featured in an upcoming magazine and book, just in time for the Halloween season!


Picture Yourself Crafting a Spooktacular Halloween, by Robin Catesby, will be available in September.  Look for the Lon Chaney tutorial (complete with photos!) in chapter eight.  The Phantom "Valentino" wig will also be featured.  This may just be one of the most complete do-it-yourself Halloween books out there, with information on crafts, food, makeup, costumes, party planning, and more.  "The accompanying DVD includes graphics templates, costumer and prop patterns, a haunted soundscape tutorial, and much more."


The Chaney tutorial is getting a lot of love, and will also be featured in the upcoming edition of the Home Haunt News and Reviews e-zine.  That's another great resource for those interested in doing their own Halloween effects relating to makeup, decorations, haunted house planning, and more.  Check it out!