Shrunken Head Cloche

$25 - $30 (based on 2019 prices)

Makes one display

Part of 2020’s twisted carnival theme involved Dr. Victor’s Oddity Museum, a collection of bizarre artifacts meant to resemble the curiosity exhibits customary in turn-of-the-century travelling shows. To achieve this, I crafted a bevy of familiar oddities, from mummified mermaids to shrunken heads. For this particular prop, I elected to use a plastic cloche rather than a glass version to reduce the risk of injury. Also, to save time, I repurposed an old store-bought shrunken head used in 2015’s voodoo theme; however, you can craft your own to personalize the item.

• One plastic cloche with detachable base and handle (roughly eight inches tall)
• One shrunken head small enough to fit within the cloche
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in hammered bronze
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat black*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in grasshopper*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in hunter green*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in olive*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in orange spice*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in surf blue*
• One 8 oz. can of oil-based interior wood stain in Jacobean*
• Two pieces of 8” x 11.5” copy paper (one with specimen labels printed on it and one blank)
• At least four tablespoons of black tea (e.g. Darjeeling, Earl Gary, English Breakfast, etc.)
• One pan large enough to soak the copy paper
• One 4 oz. bottle of all-purpose tacky glue*
• One foot of brown twine
  

1. Disassemble the cloche and, on a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, apply an even coat of hammered bronze spray paint to the base and handle. 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 bronze will be covered by the other paints.

2. Begin the aged patina by building up layers of green paint: grasshopper, hunter green, and olive. You want the metal to appear oxidized, so focus your application on the areas that would be exposed to the elements and work from dark to light. I found that applying small amounts of paint to a stippling sponge and patting it lightly on the surface works best. You may want to practice on a piece of cardboard first, though.

3. Complete the aged patina by applying a light speckling of orange spice and surf blue to the surface. Akin to step two, use a stippling sponge for this application and keep its coverage to a minimum. You want the colors to accent the oxidization and not be too overpowering. Also, give the base and handle a flecking of black paint. You can do this by either quickly flicking a paintbrush or using an old toothbrush and strumming your finger across the bristles. Since this process flings paint everywhere, it’s best to perform it outside.

4. Boil enough water to completely submerge the copy paper and pour it into the pan. Add the tea. The longer you allow the tea to brew, the darker the stain will become. Likewise, greater amounts of tea will produce a richer stain. I found that a combination of English and Irish Breakfast brewed for over ten minutes produces a nice, deep brown. 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. Although it can be time consuming, this process works best if you stain each sheet of paper individually.

5. Once the paper has dried, trace the outline of the base onto the blank sheet, cut it out, and glue it in place. To make the paper appear even more decrepit, crinkle it and create holes before adhering it to the base.

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. Center the shrunken head on the base and glue it in place. For a sturdier hold, consider using superglue.

8. Cut out the specimen label, leave a small border, and give the specimen a name. To roughen the label’s appearance, use sandpaper to fray its sides and create holes. You can also use olive or vegetable oil to add further stains to the label. I discovered that applying a small amount of oil to your index finger and patting it on the paper works well.

9. Reattach the handle to the cloche, wrap twine around its base, and knot the ends, trimming one and leaving the other with a two- or three-inch excess. Punch a hole in the top of the label and thread the twine through it, knotting the ends and trimming the excess.

10. Reattach the cloche to its base. If you plan for a more permanent display, you can glue the item down. Likewise, you can add extra embellishments, such as strands of voodoo beads, to cater the prop to your haunt’s theme.

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