Skull Planter

$15 - $20 (based on 2023 prices)
Makes one planter

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 skull planters to cluster among the weathered stone tombstones in the lobby.

• One seven-inch plastic skull planter
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in flat black*
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in flat brown*
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in green apple*
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in olive*
• One 5 oz. tube of siliconized caulk*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat black*
• 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 sheet of cardboard large enough to trace the outline of the planter’s opening
• One 4 oz. bottle of all-purpose tacky glue*
• One four-inch floral foam disk
• One hot glue gun and glue sticks
• A random assortment of old sticks
• One 2 oz. bag of floral moss
• One four-foot garland of artificial leaves (roughly thirty leaves per garland)

1. Thoroughly wash and dry the planter. If there is any sticker residue, use rubbing alcohol to remove it. Then, use a paper towel to pat the caulking onto its outer surface. Apply a small dollop to the towel and gently dab it to create a stone-like texture. Do not overthink your application because a random pattern produces a more natural look.

2.  Allow the caulking to dry for at least twenty-four hours and then, on a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, give the inside and outside of the planter an even coat 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.

3. 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 apply more of the other color to dial it back.

4. To age the prop, water down brown paint and brush it along the edge of the planter, allowing it to run downward and settle into the fissures. Following this, use the stippling brush to pat olive paint randomly onto the prop to mimic moss. How much of both colors you apply depends on your chosen level of weathering.

5. To give the prop extra weight and prevent it from being top heavy, fill the base of the planter with a large rock or another hefty item. Do not make it too heavy, though, because this can make the prop difficult to lift.  

6. Trace the outline of the planter’s opening on a sheet of cardboard and cut it out. To give the illusion the planter is full of dirt, the cardboard will sit near the top and create a base for you to adhere the sticks.  

7. Glue a foam disk to the bottom of the cardboard to give extra support to the branches. Once this is completed, nestle the cardboard into the planter’s opening and glue it in place. You may need to gradually trim the disk until it sits as low within the planter as you would like.  

8. Darken the cardboard with a coat of black paint. Although this step is optional, it helps cover any images or writing in case they become visible through the moss. Then, make a hole large enough to accommodate the sticks, insert them through the hole and into the foam, and glue them in place. Depending on their height, you may need to push them further into the cavity of the planter to make the prop more stable.  

9. Coat the cardboard with a light layer of glue and adhere the moss. For greater visual impact, you can also add clusters of moss to the sides. Try to use discretion, though, since this detail can easily overpower the prop.  

10. Separate the leaves from the garland and arrange them onto a sheet of cardboard or newspaper. To prevent the leaves from moving, adhere them to the surface with painter’s tape. Beginning with a base coat of green apple, build up layers of black, brown, and olive to make the leaves look dead. Once they are dry, turn the leaves over and repeat the process on the other side.  

11. For further distress, use a lighter to wilt the leaves and burn their 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.  

12. Randomly glue the leaves to the branches and moss. Do not overthink the application, since you want the foliage to be sparse to replicate the way dead branches appear.  

13. Depending on your chosen aesthetic, you can further enhance the prop with elements like insects crawling across its surface or disheveled crows hanging from its branches.

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