"Mary Moore" Inspiration: I grew up with a variation of the "Bloody Mary" Legend. A witch called Mary Moore supposedly haunted the various bits of swamp and scrubland around the area I grew up. She could be summoned by saying her name 3 times in the mirror at night. (I've written a rhyme below to expand on it a bit) Software: Poser and Photoshop Elements Hours: 14 Comments: Quite tricky to set up the effect of Mary appearing in the mirror but not in the bathroom itself. Everything had to be angled in such a way to avoid overlapping when I spliced the separate renders together to remove Mary from the bathroom/foreground. I rendered a a total of 6 different light passes/set-ups (to get shadows and highlights that looked good), each with a separate render with and without Mary in the scene. Played with the 6 lighting renders in PshopE layers to get an interesting combination of details and shadows. Collapsed layers into a single image, then fixed poke-through and a few other problems with the clone brush. Added new hair on girl and Mary from photographic reference. Collapsed into a single layer again and started experimenting with texture overlays, blurred layers and frames, then collapsed into a single image again before trying out different coloring and layering effects to make it all feel a bit scarier/nastier. There is a legend round these parts, of a ghost named Mary Moore, who makes the scratchings in the ceiling, and the creakings in the floor. She was once upon a time a woman, of nature good and true, she helped young mothers birth their children, and she'd aid the sick and dying too. As was common in her day, she practiced magic on the side, but came a time when hard-souled men, named her "Satan's Bride". Murdered so she was, set aflame upon a post, a crime so wrong and terrible, it loosed this hateful ghost. She haunted the shadows of the town, she reflected it's darkest truths, she was the turning of the milk, and the drowning of innocent youths. Even now those round these parts, dare not speak her name, for fear of calling up this demon witch, and of dying if she came. You will hear from time to time, of sightings here and there, of seeing her in the swamp beyond the edge of town, or in their father's favorite chair. But mostly she rustles among the leaves, and gives the wind a chill of the grave, no one would welcome a visit from Mary - Well, no one but the brave... Of course it's such a silly idea, why would you even care, to call upon an evil spirit, or...perhaps you wouldn't dare? If the fancy takes you perhaps, or you're not too afraid, there's a way to bring Mary to heel, with a spell that can be made. Wait til night is fully waxed, then stand in a mirror's stare, Repeat these verses and hold your nerve, speak with utmost care: "Mary Moore, Mary Moore, show yourself to me, Mary Moore, I do not fear, the sight my eyes will see." But, be warned and do not misunderstand, She will appear upon your heels, and grasp you with her hand. With fingers hard and dry as sticks, and breath born deep in swamp, she'll whisper songs of evil deeds and other darker tricks. Do not turn round, nor meet her mirrored gaze, just look straight ahead and keep your nerve, and recite this final phrase: "Mary Moore, Mary Moore, I ask you now to leave, Mary Moore, your beauty is such, my heart will ever grieve." You do these things, and do them right, and the monster she will go, and leave you to the mortal world, accursed with what you know. But say them wrong, these careful words, or not do these actions right, Mary Moore will steal you away, to the world of eternal night. It all sounds a ripe old tale, but I swear that it is true, There was a girl who tried and got it wrong, a girl like me and you. For it's not actually Mary scratching, making the house creak and moan, but the girl Mary locked in night, trying to get home.