Brain Cloche

$15 - $20 (based on 2020 prices)

Makes one cloche 

 

You cannot have a Frankenstein-themed haunt without dozens of brains littering the laboratory. For this version, I placed the organ under a glass cloche. I normally do not incorporate glass into a haunt, since it runs the risk of breaking and injuring guests and scare-actors; however, I could not find a plastic version that I found visually appealing.

• One glass cloche with detachable wooden base (roughly six inches tall)
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in flat black*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in metallic bronze*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in olive*
• One plastic brain
• One 0.3 fluid ounce bottle of red food coloring*
• One 4 oz. bottle of clear, all-purpose tacky glue gel*
• One 8 oz. can of oil-based interior wood stain in red chestnut*
• One piece of white copy paper with specimen labels printed on it
• Four tablespoons of black tea (e.g. Darjeeling, Earl Gary, English Breakfast)
• One pan large enough to soak the copy paper
• One 4 oz. bottle of all-purpose tacky glue*
• One pair of silver tweezers

1. Disassemble the cloche and, on a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, apply an even coat of black spray paint to the base. Although I only used one coat, you may want more depending on your desired coverage. Keep in mind, though, that this is the base coat and much of the black will be covered by the other paints.

2. Once the paint has dried, detail the base by apply a layer of metallic bronze. You want to give the illusion of worn metal, so gently brush the paint along the raised surfaces in a quick, back-and-forth motion. It may work best to experiment with a scrap of cardboard first. Also, to enhance the aged patina, randomly smudge olive paint on the base with either a paper towel or sponge.

3. After the paint has dried, position the brain on the center of the base and glue it in place. For the best hold, I highly recommend using superglue.

4. 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.

5. 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, you could add cotton swabs or T-pins to the sanguine pool for extra detail.

6. On a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, paint the cloche with the wood stain. I discovered that applying a thin coat and patting it with paper towels produces a hazed appearance. Likewise, brushing the rim with a swift downward motion creates the illusion of grime buildup.

7. Boil enough water to completely submerge the paper and pour it into the pan. Add the tea. The longer you allow the tea to brew, the darker the stain will become. Submerge the paper into the tea mixture and soak it until it reaches the color you desire. I soaked mine for eight hours and scattered the loose-leaf tea over the top of the paper to add spots. Remove the paper from the water and allow it to dry. After the paper dries, cut out the label and roughen its surface with sandpaper. For further distress, use a lighter to burn one of the edges. I found a Butane gas lighter, because of its length, makes the process easier and safer. Likewise, perform this step in a well-ventilated area and near either a sink or pan of water.

8. Glue the label to the cloche. As you do so, try not to obscure too much of the brain. You may have to assemble the entire prop and play with the label’s position before permanently affixing it.

9. Dip the tip of the tweezers into the remaining blood glue and attach it to the outer edge of the base so it appears outside the cloche. To quicken the build process, it might be more efficient to do this during step five.

10. Reattach the cloche and, if you like, add further embellishments like a swarm of maggots crawling across the prop or a bloody handprint on the glass. 

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