For 2020’s laboratory, I wanted to elevate the level of blood to enhance the mad scientist theme. From jars of bloody specimens to trays of gory experiments, many of the builds were caked and splattered with blood. For this prop, I wanted a container of discarded organs to sit beside the operating table. Although I removed the bucket’s handle, you can keep the item intact and use it to hang the vile contraption from the ceiling above visitors’ heads or on a shepherd’s hook to line the walkway.
- One nine-quart plastic bucket
- One sheet of cardboard large enough to trace the outline of the bucket’s opening
- One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in flat black
- One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in flat brown*
- One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in glossy red
- One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in metallic silver
- One piece of 8” x 11.5” copy paper with a biohazard label printed on it
- At least four tablespoons of dark roasted coffee grounds
- One pan large enough to soak the copy paper
- One 4 oz. bottle of all-purpose tacky glue*
- One plastic brain gelatin mold
- One plastic heart
- One 12 oz. can of insulating foam
- Two severed eyes (learn how to make them here)
- Two severed fingers (learn how to make them here)
- One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in glossy red*
1. Trace the outline of the bucket’s opening onto a sheet of cardboard and cut it out. To give the illusion that the bucket is full, the cardboard will sit near the top and create a fake bottom for you to adhere the organs. You may need to gradually trim the circle until it sits as low within the bucket as you would like.
2. Once the cardboard is trimmed to fit at the depth of your liking, glue it in place. If you plan to display the prop outside, add weight to the bottom of the bucket before this process. This will prevent the prop from being top-heavy and tipping over.
3. On a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, build up layers of black and metallic silver spray paint to give the bucket the look of steel. I found it works best to apply a base coat of black to the entire prop and then add the sliver, working in quick bursts to allow parts of the black to remain visible. You can also touch up portions with additional blasts of black if the silver becomes too heavy.
4. Boil enough water to completely submerge the copy paper and pour it into the pan. Add the coffee. The longer you allow the coffee to brew, the darker the stain will become. Likewise, greater amounts of coffee will produce a richer stain. Submerge the paper in the coffee mixture and soak it until it reaches the color you desire. I soaked mine for eight hours and scattered the coffee grounds over the top of the paper to add spots. Remove the paper from the water and allow it to dry.
5. After the paper dries, cut out the label, leaving a small boarder around its edges, and roughen its surface with sandpaper. Once you have achieved your desired level of distress, glue the label to the front of the bucket.
6. On a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, give the bucket a dusting of brown spray paint to replicate dirt. To achieve this, stand a foot or two away from the item and make wide, sweeping strokes with the can. You could also apply a flecking of black to enhance the appearance.
7. Position the brain mold and heart on the fake bottom and, once you have achieved your desired placement, glue them down. You want to provide enough space between them to allow the foam to expand.
8. Spray the insulating foam into the open spaces of the bucket to create the guts. Try not to overthink your application. A random pattern produces the best results. Also, keep in mind that the foam will expand as it dries, so do not apply excessive amounts which will overtake and consume the organs.
9. After the foam has thoroughly dried, cover the bucket in a plastic bag and tape off any gaps with painter’s tape. Then, on a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, give the brain, guts, and heart a base coat of black spray paint before building up layers of glossy red (the black base coat will help give the red a deeper tone to mimic blood). Akin to step three, you can always apply bursts of black to the prop if the red becomes overpowering.
10. After the paint had dried, glue a random assortment of severed eyes and fingers into the fissures of the guts. I elected to do this after painting the organs to prevent the items from being lost among the red; however, you can add them before step nine for an even gorier mess.
11. Remove the painter’s tape and plastic bag from the prop and use glossy red acrylic paint to create a dripping effect down the sides of the bucket. If the tape removed part of the silver paint, you can cover that up with the red paint.
12. Depending on your level of gore, the prop can be enhanced further with swarms of maggots crawling across the surface of the bucket or swarming along the organs.
*You will not use the entire bottle’s content for this project.
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