Lollipop Skull

$30 - $40 (based on 2019 prices)

Makes one skull

Back in 2017, my office selected a demented circus theme for our annual decorating competition. The contest gave me an opportunity to tackle one of the two subjects I swore I would never touch: clowns. By drawing inspiration from turn-of-the-century travelling shows, I was able to focus on a twisted carnival idea that did not relying too heavily on clowns. In 2019, the haunt’s venue elected to do its own carnival concept, which gave me a second chance to revisit the idea. Utilizing the same inspiration, I expanded on the props made for 2017 and applied a more twisted slant. This particular prop, which incorporated the skull lollipops from 2017, was part of the concessions display – a gory smorgasbord of bloodied treats and severed limbs.

• One human-size plastic skull
• One roll of colorful wrapping paper (roughly seventeen square feet)
• One 4 oz. bottle of all-purpose tacky glue*
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in nutmeg*
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in flat black*
• Two small, white ping pong balls (1 3/8” in diameter)
• One 0.44 oz. bottle of clear nail polish*
• Five skull lollipops (learn how to make them here)
• One 3/16” wooden dowel
• One 0.3 fluid ounce bottle of red food coloring*
• One 4 oz. bottle of clear, all-purpose tacky glue gel*
• One distressed playing card (learn how to make it here)
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat red*
  

1. Remove the mandible from the skull and hot glue it agape to create a screaming face. To aid the process, use a sturdy object – a glass jar or tin can – to support the skull as the glue dries. You may need to apply multiple coats to ensure a firm hold.

2. Cut or tear apart the wrapping paper. You can either isolate distinct images or use random sections (as I did). Cover the entire surface of the skull with the cuttings. This process works best if you move in stages: apply a layer of glue to one section, press the paper down until it sticks, and repeat the process.

3. On a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, dust the skull with a light coat of black and brown spray paint to add age and distress. To give the appearance of dirt, hold the can over twelve inches away from the skull’s surface and make quick flicking motions. You can also apply a flecking of black paint and smears of brown paint to enhance the weathered appearance.

4. Apply a couple coats of clear nail polish to the ping pong balls to give them a glossy appearance and glue them into the skull’s eye sockets. I decided to keep the eyes a ghostly white; however, you could paint irises and pupils on them for a more whimsical look. Also, to aid in the painting process, create a small stand to hold the balls (I used an upturned paper plate with two holes cut into it).

5. Use a 15/64 drill bit to make five holes in the crown of the skull and one in the right eyeball. The number of holes and their placement, of course, all depend on how many lollipops you plan to attach and the positions in which you want them displayed.

6. Insert the lollipops’ sticks into the cranial holes and the wooden dowel into the eye hole and glue them in place. For a sturdier hold, consider using superglue. Depending on the weight of your lollipops, you may need to play with their positions and how deep their sticks enter the skull to prevent the prop from being top heavy.

7. 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.

8. On a newspaper-lined surface, apply the blood glue to the prop and allow it to fully dry. You can use an old spoon or plastic utensil to strategically dripple the liquid along chosen areas (e.g. around the openings of the eyes and nose and pooled about the sticks) or pour it haphazardly for a gory mess.

9. Use red paint and a distressed playing card to create a label for the prop. You want the wording to be haphazard. To achieve this, exaggerate curves, create sharp points, and elongate certain aspects. You could also write letters backwards and deliberately misspell words. Keep in mind, though, that the label needs to be readable, so try not to overdo your artistic flairs.

10. Punch a hole in the upper and lower corners of the card and use them to attach the card to the dowel sticking out of the eyeball. For added support, you can glue the card in place.

11. You can enhance the prop’s creepiness by gluing clusters of bugs to its surface.

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