You can see all of the layers of paper in this picture.
I used 1″ to 1 1/2″ wide pieces of cardboard secured with hot glue to accentuate the features that I had cut out.
I drew half of the face and then used the cut out pieces to make the other side symetrical. You can see all of the layers of paper in this picture. I used 1″ to 1 1/2″ wide pieces of cardboard secured with hot glue to accentuate the features that I had cut out.
This process takes a very, very long time. That is why I will not be having these pumpkins in my display this year. Stay tuned for more updates in the coming months.
Well, I’ve been working hard on all of my props and I’m afraid I will not be able to finish all of them for this year. Here is an update on the “Scaretaker” prop.
After completing the papier mache I filled the head with expanding foam.I used a “T” joint and short PVC pipe inside the foam to use for securing the head to the body.I built the body out of PVC pipe. I used 1″ screws to secure them all together.I then used chicken wire to bulk up the body. It is secured to the PVC with hot glue where it touches the pipe.I used some old Church clothes to dress him up. My wife unstitched them and sewed Velcro into them so I could get them on.This is what it looked like all put together except for the head. I still need to sculpt a face and eyes. I decided that if I don’t finish the head tomorrow he can be a headless Scaretaker.It looks pretty awesome with the blacklights. I’ll pick up some old shoes from DI tomorrow for him.
I’m very happy with how the body turned out. I made him so he separates at the waist, so he will be a little easier to store. If I can’t finish the head by tomorrow night I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. He looks cool headless.
One of the candle clusters out in the yard without the flash. Awesome!
To add to the creepiness factor of the ambience of our haunt I wanted to have a lot of candles sitting around lighting the headstones and walkway. I bought a couple dozen battery-powered tealights that flicker like real flames off of Ebay from Zest Candles. I bought a 10′ piece of 1 1/2 inch PVC pipe and was able to cut about 22 4″, 6″ and 8″ pieces. I sanded all of the black writing off of the pipe, then filled them with expandable foam. When the foam was thoroughly dry I cut the excess off, then pushed the foam down to allow the tealights to sit inside the pipe with the “flame” exposed. I then used hot glue to make the “wax” drips down the sides. I was going to paint the pipes with UV reactive paint, but I was pleasantly surprised that the hot glue was already reactive and we think it looks cooler to have just the drips glowing and not the “candle” part.
My graveyard fence for this year was easy to make and free. A local classifieds site had a listing for free wood pallets from a company down the street from where I work, so I picked them up after work one day. It is super easy to make. Here’s how I did it.
I first laid the pallets out and marked the first in each row at 30 inches.I then attacked each row with the saw making sure to make the ends random and jagged.I used some of the scap pieces of wood as stakes to prop the “fence” in place.An over-exposed shot to show some of my test lighting. The fence throws some great shadows all around the yard and sidewalk.
I’m happy with how this year’s fence turned out. I plan on getting rid of these after Halloween, so I don’t have to store them. They were easy enough to make that I could do the same thing for next year, but I have BIG plans for my fence for next year. Stay tuned. 🙂
The “Scaretaker” will be a creepy old man standing ominously in my graveyard, leering at passersby. This is just the base of the head/face.
I wrapped a foam skull with aluminum foil then applied the papier mache.After 3 layers of papier mache I cut the paper and foil off and then put it together with tape and glue. I made the neck at this point too. I then applied 2 more layers of papier mache.
Pumpkin Monster
This creature will be emerging out of one of my papier mache pumpkins. This is just the base of the head/face.
Same process here. Wrap skull in foil, then apply layers of papier mache.An experiment in carving teeth from insulation foam.
I’ve been meaning to put a post or two on the progress of my “Scaretaker” of my graveyard. If I can find the pictures on my wife’s computer, I’ll post them. Last night I worked on the hands. They needed to be strong, so they will hold the weight of the lantern I got for it and maybe a shovel or other prop.
I used the wires from an old wire pantry shelf we took out a few years ago.I made the palm out of cardboard and cut the fingers individually. I slid the wire down inside the cardboard and used hot glue to hold it in place.I shaped the cardboard a little and used hot glue to hold it in place.I used expanding foam to bulk up the fingers and hands.
When they’re completely dry I will carve and sand the hands to shape them, then I will apply a few layers of papier mache to make them hard.
After experimenting with the Grim Grinning Ghosts the other day, I was curious about projections in windows. Hallowindow.com has some great animations made specifically for window displays. I got the “Eye of Fire” and “Ghosts” downloads and tried both. I first tried them in the downstairs window. The green ghosts looked way cool, however, with Trick-or-Treaters coming to the door, they’d see the projector and it would diminish the effect. The Eye of Fire looked really cool in my upstairs window. Here are some pictures of what it looked like. I tried it with a blacklight illuminating the white sheet and without. I will probably do it without the blacklight for Halloween. What do you think looks better?
Shot to show window placement on house.Eye of Fire with blacklight underneath.Eye of Fire without blacklight. Flash on camera went off too.
I was curious about how good of a “Grim Grinning Ghosts” Halloween prop I could make, so I tested it tonight. I don’t have any video, but here is a still image. I only have two foam heads, so the third character isn’t there, but it was pretty good. If I actually do this in our haunt I will carve the foam to be more masculine OR add papier mache to it to build up the masculine features of each character. I downloaded the video from YouTube.
160 years after his mysterious death, Edgar Allan Poe returns from the grave to haunt you with his most terrifying tales and poems. In a 10,000 square foot warehouse in South Philadelphia, Brat Productions presents a unique and utterly theatrical take on a Halloween tradition—the Haunted House. You move from room to room. Down twisting hallways. Through the heart of darkness. Into the unknown.
I’ve been a big fan of Halloween since I was a kid and I’ve always enjoyed setting up haunted houses and having really cool costumes. I joined the Rocky Mountain Haunters group last year shortly after Halloween. I didn’t attend any of the gatherings this year because of other commitments and, to be honest, I was a little intimidated by some of the projects. In one of the threads in our group, someone mentioned the pumpkins at Stolloween.com and I immediately knew that I could do the same kinds of projects that Scott Stoll makes. These are my first attempt at using papier mache techniques to create inexpensive, simple Halloween props.
Fill a bag with newspaper.Wrap string around the bag to create the bumps in the pumpkin.Put masking tape over the string and tape down any lose parts of the bag.My boys had fun helping me. It’s really not a hard process.Mix up the papier mache glue in a bowl or bucket. Check out Stolloween.com’s Basics page for the recipe.When finished with all the layers cut a hole in the bottom and remove the newspaper and bag.We made a bunch of different sizes and shapes.Be creative and add arms or whatever you want.
So, this is part 1 for the pumpkins. I will follow with cutting out the faces and building up the features. Then we will paint them.
The Dimmick Family's Holiday Light Show – Spanish Fork, UT
The Never Moor 