Skull with Candle

$15 - $20 (based on 2015 prices)

Makes one skull

I enjoy refurbishing the dopey Halloween props I buy on clearance at the end of the season (see my discussion of this in the swamp hag’s introduction). I purchased this prop in November of 2014 for less than ten dollars. I liked the concept, but hated its execution. With a little hot glue and wood stain, the prop’s hidden potential was easily unlocked.

• One skull prop with candle
• One 8 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying latex paint in flat white*
• One 8 oz. can of oil-based interior wood stain in Jacobean*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat black*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat red*
• One 0.44 oz. bottle of clear nail polish

1. Remove any paint or decorations from the prop to give it a clean surface. The version I purchased had a print vacuformed to it. I scraped this off to expose the plastic beneath.

2. Using hot glue, give the candle extra girth by building up layers and piping drips of wax down the sides and onto the skull. The process works best if you move in stages, applying one layer at a time and allowing the glue to dry between each application. Also, I found that pumping the glue along the top of the candle and allowing it to naturally run downward creates the best results.

3. On a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, apply one or two even coats of white latex paint. Although I only used one coat, you may want more depending on your desired coverage. Keep in mind, though, that this is a base coat and meant to give the prop a uniformed canvas before adding the wood stain. Don’t spend too much effort and time ensuring the coverage is pristine, since it will be masked entirely by the stain.

4. Once the paint has dried, stain the skull. I used two coats; however, you may want more. Like the hot glue process, apply one coat at a time and allow the stain to dry between applications. You want to gradually work from light to dark to give the skull an aged and rotted appearance. As a helpful hint: barely stain the teeth (you want them lighter than the skull).

5. To give the skull detail and depth, paint the eye sockets, nasal cavity, skull sutures, and the spaces between the teeth black. If you use a skull that has additional embellishments – chips and cracks – paint these as well. 

6. Apply four coats of red paint to the candle. I used four because I wanted a deep, vibrant red to contrast with the dull blacks and browns of the skull. You, of course, are free to use fewer (or more) coats based on your chosen appearance for the prop.

7. To make the candle look waxy, cover the red paint with a layer of clear nail polish. If you want the candle to seem old and unused rather than freshly melted, do not add the nail polish, but give the candle a light brushing of brown paint to simulate dirt and dust.

 

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