I’ve been sick. A lot. Unable-to-sit-up-and-craft sick. So I’ve been indulging in vicarious crafting, watching others create on YouTube. Grateful for this wonderful resource, I’ve decided to post about some of the amazing channels I’ve discovered. Today I want to tell you why you should check out Craftastrophe.
Craftastrophe (aka Cajun Craftastrophe) is a crafting channel by a southerner named T-Nu. Because T-Nu is into animation, the majority of his crafts are related: he sculpts, molds, and paints puppets, creates dioramas, even teaches techniques for making animated films. He has a distinctive style and sweet sense of humor.
His high quality videos do much more than educate you about the project of the day. They also tell stories. T-Nu and his daddy Claude (represented by puppets) often converse as T-Nu crafts. Sometimes, his daddy is just baffled, knowing nothing about what’s being made. Other times, he is reminded of some crazy moment in his past, and a wild tale gets told. All the while, T-Nu keeps crafting, jumping in to explain what he’s doing when he can get a word in edgewise. The result is a rich and amusing experience.
I started by watching the educational “Let’s Make A Mini Animated Movie” series, which culminates in the comic sci-fi short Space Rabbit. It has the funniest space craft crash sequence ever. And if you can’t get enough of hilarious crashes, there’s plenty more in Stunt Rider. Want Mad Max action with explosions? Check out this video, which includes a Beyond Crafterdome post-apocalyptic car chase between a bunch of YouTube crafters.
My favorite build of T-Nu’s so far is the Undead Astronaut diorama. Inspired by the sci-fi and horror movies of the 1950s, the diorama shows a skeletal astronaut bursting into the Intergalactic Hookworm’s hideout, which is a retro kitchen complete with fast food containers and empty beer cans. The charming and unexpected details T-Nu adds in the last video, just before the reveal, make a real story of his diorama.
If you don’t have time for anything else, then at least check out this little gem: HAPPINESS… and Crafting! It’s full of beautiful images and important reminders, like the fact that we can choose to be happy, something I am working hard to do despite my poor health.
T-Nu has a second channel, Craft Pod 13, where he talks with other YouTube creators. Actually conversations between T-Nu and the interviewees, this podcast covers fascinating topics in additions to crafting. They discuss things like what it’s like to run a YouTube channel, the best cameras and lights to use, and the creative process. It’s a great place to learn just how much work goes into the videos we consume like potato chips.
Angry Christmas ornaments, samurai robots, and boxing roosters: Craftastrophe has it all! If you need cheering up, give one of his videos a try. You won’t regret it.
Which is your favorite Craftastrophe video? (It’s okay if you have more than one…)
