Bonyeza hapa kusoma taarifa hii kwa Kiswahili. Click here to read this report in Kiswahili.

A Facebook user has shared a terrifying photo of a human-looking creature with four yellow eyes, a wrinkled face and long sharp teeth.

He captioned it: “Ameonekana Nairobi pande ya Uhuru Park akipiga round ... ashindwe kabisa.” That’s Kiswahili for: “Has been spotted in Nairobi roaming around Uhuru Park ... may he be crushed!”

But a reverse image search reveals that the creature in the image is just a special effects mask. It was presented at Monsterpalooza, a US convention focusing on horror, creatures and makeup work.

‘Son of Monsterpalooza’

Monsterpalooza describes itself as a place for fans and professionals of film, make up, special effects, collectible toys, art and monsters.

Son of Monsterpalooza, an offshoot event of Monsterpalooza, was launched in 2012 “to fill the fall void for monster lovers and fans of Monsterpalooza's past”. Its Facebook page has shared dozens of other creations by various artists.

The image posted on Facebook in Kenya was described as “the face of 2013's Son of Monsterpalooza” and credited to Magee FX.

Magee FX company says it “specialises in special make-up effects, animatronics, and props” and “has supplied services to the movie and music video industries as well as products for amusement parks and the Halloween industry”.

It is run by Patrick Magee, a Los Angeles based special make-up effects artist who has shared some of his work on YouTube.

On its Facebook page, Monsterpaloza describes him as an artist who “has been fascinated with creature creating”. One of his creations, The Magee Boys, won in 2016’s Son of Monsterpalooza costume contest, the page says. – Dancan Bwire

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‘Kiumbe chenye macho manne’ hakikuonekana Nairobi ilivyodaiwa – picha hii ni ya sanaa

Mtumiaji mmoja wa mtandao wa kijamii ya Facebook alichapisha picha ya kiumbe cha kutisha kinachofanana na binadamu. Kiumbe hicho kilikuwa na macho manne yenye mboni ya rangi ya manjano, uso uliokunjika na meno makali ya kutisha.

Kisha akafafanua, “Ameonekana Nairobi upande wa Uhuru Park akizunguka… ashindwe kabisa.”

Lakini utafiti katika mtandao unaonyesha kwamba picha hiyo ni ya barakoa. Ilikuwa mojawapo ya kazi za usanii zilizowasilishwa kwenye kikao cha maonyesho kule marekani.

Kikao hicho kinachotambulika kama Son of Monsterpalooza huangazia kazi za wasanii mbalimbali wanaojihusisha na utengenezaji wa viumbe vibunifu vinafyotumiwa sana katika nyanja ya burudani kama filamu.

Kikao cha Monsterpalooza

Monsterpalooza inajieleza kuwa ni mkusanyiko wa mashabiki na wataalamu katika sekta mbalimbali za burudani zikiwemo filamu, usanii na kadhalika.

Kwenye mtandao wake,kikao hicho kinaeleza kuwa baada ya kuongezeka kwa wale wanaoshabikia kazi za kutengeneza viumbe vya kuogofya, ilibidi ibuni kikao tanzu kiitwacho Son of Monsterpalooza katika mwaka wa 2012. Picha zaidi za aina hiyo zimechapishwa kwenye ukurasa wake wa Facebook.

Kikao cha maonyesho haya hufanyika katika The Marriott Burbank Convention Centre katika jiji la Los Angeles marekani.

Picha ya mwaka wa 2013

Picha hii iliyotumiwa katika uenezaji wa habari bandia ilikuwa picha maalum iliyotumiwa kama picha wakilishi ya onyesho moja la “Son of Monsterpalooza” liliyofanyika mwaka wa 2013. Kampuni iliyofanya kazi hio ya usanii ilitajwa kama Magee FX.

Kulingana na ukurasa wake wa Facebook, Magee FX ni kampuni ya ubunifu wa aina hio na kazi zake zimetumika katika sekta za filamu, muziki na sehemu za burudani. Baadhi ya kazi za kampuni hio zimewekwa katika mtandao wa YouTube.

Kampuni hio inaongozwa na msanii Patrick Magee kutoka Los Angeles marekani. Monsterpalooza kupitia ukurasa wake wa Facebook inaeleza kuwa msanii huyo anavutiwa sana na utengenezaji wa barakoa zilizoongezwa mbwembwe.

Mojawapo ya kazi zake, The Magee Boys, iliibuka bora zaidi katika mashindano ya mavazi ya aina hio iliyoandaliwa na “Son of Monsterpalooza” katika mwaka wa 2016. – Dancan Bwire

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