Halloween Prop Making

This entire project requires only a few easy to find materials. Here is the list:

*Duct Tape - I prefer black, but silver works as well.
*Lots of Newspaper - I find it in by the bagfuls in the trash bin outside the local newspaper company.
*Latex Carpet Adhesive - Hardware Store
*A cheap foam or plastic skull - Easy to find at Big Lots or other retail store around Halloween, or see my link below on the foam type that I prefer
*Short piece of 2x4
*Cheap Floor or Deck Sealer - Hardware Store
*Hot Glue Gun

First and foremost, your corpse needs a base of some sort. This is where the short length of 2x4 comes in. A length about 1 - 1.5 feet propped upon a small 4 or 5 inch stump and nailed together works beautifully.

Bones are created using tightly rolled lengths of 3-4 layers of newspaper which I then secure with duct tape. I find it easiest to make all the bones first which can then be cut to the desired length. Starting with the corner of the newspaper and rolling diagonally makes for a little more length.

Start by running a length of newpaper down the 2x4 to form a spine, duct tape it down in the back and attach the upper end to a circular shape of newspaper which is to be taped to the 2x4 as well. From here simply go down the spine taping 3-4 "ribs" to the bottom of the wood, around, and up to the spine being sure to use plenty of duct tape. Short lengths of "bones" will protrude to form shoulders from which longer lengths will form the upper arms and finally use two pieces for the lower arms. Once the arm pieces are taped in place, "beef up" the joint areas by wrapping more paper around them and then taping around that. I don't feel that hands on this type of corpse are necessary as they won't be seen in the grass anyway. Lastly, use a length of paper to form the neckbone and leave it a little longer as it will run up into the skull a little bit and can always be cut off if need be.

First off, we need to get that mouth open for a much scarier effect than our original foam skull is producing. For that, simply cut through the mouth and up around the jaw line carefully with a utility knife, sharp kitchen knife, dremel tool, whatever you have at your disposal.

You can opt to leave the foam (or plastic) teeth in if you like, maybe making them a little jagged or rough looking, or just remove them as I usually do (just not here), although fabricating new teeth takes a little more time, its worth the effect in my opinion. More on that later.

Okay, with the lower jaw now dismantled, if you are using a foam skull like mine, that there is an excess of foam around the upper and lower mouth area. This needs to be carved out a good bit. I use a woodburner because it is super quick and easy to take off exactly what you need, but your utility knife will do the trick as well. Ater that is complete, I like to carve out a tight fitting sort of "trench" in the inside of the upper skull for the neckbone to press into. Just make sure to cut the neckbone to the desired length to look right. Once everything looks okay, use some hot glue in the trench, make sure your positioning is how you want, and press the neckbone inside. I also like to cover the neckbone with a good amount of hot glue so that the head fits tightly. You are now ready to reattach the lower jaw in its newly opened, silently screaming position with some more hot glue.

Teeth
If you want to make you own teeth for your corpse, one way is to drop some hot glue into anything that will make it rounded, (I used a little plastic palette for mixing paint). Once it dries, pull it out and clip into toothlike shapes with nail clippers or scissors and hot glue it into the skull. Easy enough.

Now for the fun part, "corpsing" is the process of adding skin to your skeleton. For this we will use newspaper, some paper towels, and carpet adhesive. Be prepared to get your hands very messy as carpet glue is extremely tacky and sticky.

Let me say before you start this process, you might want to fill the body cavity between the ribs with crumpled newspaper. I didn't do it in the photo for clarity sake, but it does make the corpsing process a little easier.

I like to start by tearing newspaper into long strips, for the body I use strips around 2 inches wide and 7 or 8 inches long. I use smaller strips for the skull. You are best off to tear plenty of strips ahead of time to have at your disposal and to avoid trying to tear paper with super tacky hands.

Apply the glue to a strip of newspaper with your fingers and place pretty much anywhere you like. I usually start with the ribs, placing strips from one rib to another overlapping a little on each one. For the body I like to use a couple of layers. Just keep going working your way up to the head.

For the skull, I don't find it necessary to use more than one layer of newspaper. Once you are finished with the newspaper over the entire corpse, I like to go over the whole thing one more time with plain white printer paper. It looks a lot better than the newpaper and doesn't even need painting due to the skin-like color of the latex.

To get those facial details which are so important to the scary-ness of your corpse, use rolled up lengths paper towels for veins running down the neck and small bits of paper towel for eyebrows, lips, crows feet around the eyes, whatever you want. To apply it, I prefer to use a small paintbrush to paint on latex where the paper towel will go, put the paper towel on it, then paint more latex over top of it. You can position it with the paintbrush or use toothpicks. I like toothpicks because they make it easy to push the paper towel pulp around and create lines through it. Once you get started corpsing the skull, you'll see how fun and easy it really is.

Well, we're pretty much done except for the minor details. To give those eyes that milky white stare, ball up some newspaper push it in the eye socket and paint it white. Also paint the interior of the mouth black and any excess 2x4 that is showing can be painted black, or green if you prefer, to match the grass.

Finally, go over the entire corpse with floor sealer to help keep him free of moisture and to protect him a little from the elements.

Well, that's it. I hope you liked my little tutorial and be on the lookout for my next one coming soon!