Face Tray

$15 - $20 (based on 2020 prices)

Makes one tray

 

I wanted to litter the laboratory of 2020’s haunt with trays of fresh medical experiments, so I made three versions: one with a brain, another with a face, and a third with a heart. This variation - the one with the face - utilized a bloody mask purchased on clearance the year before. To cater the prop to your haunt’s thematic needs, you can use whatever style of mask you desire (or have sitting around).

• One 9” x 13” metal baking sheet
• 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 metallic silver*
• One small plastic bowl (roughly five inches in diameter)
• One plastic syringe
• One 8 oz. can of oil-based interior wood stain in Jacobean*
• One 8 oz. can of oil-based interior wood stain in red chestnut*
• One latex mask
• One pair of metal cuticle scissors
• One pair of silver tweezers
• One 0.3 fluid ounce bottle of red food coloring*
• One 4 oz. bottle of clear, all-purpose tacky glue gel*
• Three 1.5-inch T-pins
• Two cotton swabs

1. Thoroughly wash and dry the sheet. If there is any sticker residue, use rubbing alcohol to remove it (soak a paper towel in the solution, let it sit over the area for a few minutes, and wipe away the remaining glue). After cleaning the sheet, roughen its surfaces with coarse sandpaper to help the paint adhere and then give it one or two even coats of metallic silver spray paint. This step is entirely optional; however, if the sheet has a non-stick coating, you want to cover it so the blood has something to firmly adhere to (otherwise, it will peal off after drying).

2. Turn the bowl upside down and, on a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, give it a coat or two of black spray paint. This will give it a darkened surface in case portions of it show through the openings of the mask (you can always bypass this step by purchasing a black bowl). Once the paint has dried, determine where you want the face to sit on the sheet and glue the bowl in that spot. This will serve as support for the mask to prevent it from drooping.

3. On a newspaper-lined surface in a well ventilated area, paint the syringe with the Jacobean wood stain. I discovered that applying a thin coat and patting it with paper towels produces a hazed appearance. Then, dab the surface with the red chestnut wood stain to create spots of dried blood.

4. Position the mask, scissors, syringe, and tweezers on the sheet and glue them in place. You can arrange the items however you like and can substitute the scissors, syringe, and tweezers for other types of medical-looking instruments. For the best hold, I highly recommend using superglue for all of these elements.

5. In a plastic container (because the food coloring will stain, use something disposable or that you won’t mind dying), pour in your desired amount of clear glue gel and slowly add red food coloring to the solution until it achieves the sanguine hue you desire. To give the blood further density, add blue food coloring and mix well.

6. Apply the blood glue to the prop and allow it to fully dry. You can use an old spoon or plastic utensil to strategically dribble the liquid along chosen areas or pour it haphazardly for a gory mess. During this step, add cotton swabs and T-pins to the sanguine pool for extra detail.

7. Depending on your haunt’s theme, you can embellish the prop further with swarms of maggots crawling across the face’s surface or attach a specimen tag to the sheet’s side. 

*You will not use the entire bottle’s content for this project.