Skull Wall Sconce

$20 - $25 (based on 2023 prices)
Makes one sconce

In 2023, I was commissioned by a local theater to serve as a consultant and prop builder for their production of The Haunting of Hill House, which was based on Shirley Jackson’s novel. Being a fan of the books since I was a teenager, I jumped at the opportunity and spent several months creating a collection of items to decorate both the house depicted on the stage and the cemetery created in the lobby to greet patrons before they entered the theater. For this project, I built several stone-like sconces to hang on the doors of the theater and mirror the weathered stone tombstones in the lobby.

• One human-sized plastic skull
• One eight-inch oval picture frame
• One strand of orange battery-operated LED lights
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in flat black*
• One 5 oz. tube of siliconized caulk*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat brown*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat gray*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat olive*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat white*
• One hot glue gun and glue sticks
• One 2 oz. bag of floral moss

1. With a sharp knife or pair of scissors, cut off the back portion of the skull, ensuring that it sits flat. Then, cut out the eyes and nose. To make this step easier, purchase a skull made of thin plastic or you can buy a plastic skull mask and bypass these steps.

2. Remove the backing from the picture frame, center the battery pack for the LED lights on its surface, trace the outline, and then cut it out. You want the pack to rest in the center of the skull, so you may need to alter the position depending on the size of your frame.

3.  Insert the battery pack into the opening and hot glue it in place. You want the frame to sit flush against the wall, so do not let the pack protrude too much. In fact, it might be best to temporarily position it, test the fitting, and then permanently adhere it. After you have done this, reinsert the backing into the frame and glue it in place.

4. Cover the LED lights with plastic and, on a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, give the frame and inside of the skull an even coat of black spray paint. This will darken the interior of the sconce once it is assembled and help the light refract.  

5. Line the inside of the skull with the lights and glue them in place. You want to position them so they are not visible once the sconce is assembled. As with step three, it may be beneficial to temporarily adhere them with tape to test their visibility before finally affixing them.

6. Center the skull on the backing and glue it down. You want to position it so the battery pack sits between the eyes to help mask it whenever the lights are on.  

7. Use a paper towel to pat the caulking onto the frame and skull. Apply a small dollop to the towel and gently dab it onto the surface to create a stone-like texture. Do not overthink your application because a random pattern produces a more natural look.

8. Allow the caulking to dry for at least twenty-four hours. Then cover the openings for the eyes and nose with tape and, on a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, give the prop one or two even coats of black spray paint. You can apply additional layers; however, keep in mind that this is the base coat and much of it will be covered by the other colors.

9. Use a stippling brush to build up layers of gray and white paint, working from dark to light to give the prop the look of stone. If one color becomes too overpowering, you can always apply more of the other color to dial it back.

10. To age the prop, water down brown paint and brush it along the frame’s surface, allowing it to settle in the fissures. Then, use the stippling brush to pat olive paint randomly onto the prop to mimic moss. How much of both colors you apply depends on the level of weathering you want.

11. Accent the prop with small clusters of floral moss. For the best results, glue them in random places and refrain from applying too much, since this detail can easily overpower the prop.  

12. Depending on your chosen aesthetic, you can further enhance the prop with elements like cockroaches or other insects crawling across its surface.

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