# First Skull Corpsing!



## Aelwyn (Jul 7, 2008)

I used a plastic skull similar to this:










It's a slightly different shape, but you get the gist. It's hollow plastic. So I cut out the eye sockets, the nose, and the bottom teeth (I actually cut it so it has fangs).

I got out the trusty white glue and some toilet paper (the cheap kind), and started slapping it on. I covered the whole skull, then dried it with my hair dryer (I'm impatient, what can I say?).

I have some wood varnish from varnishing my spirit board, so I mixed that with a red-umber colour paint. I added some more tissue, some spread out cotton balls, and covered in the varnish/paint mixture. I think it took me a total of a half hour to do the whole skull.

This is the outcome so far:



















I plan to paint the inside yellow, and I cut a hole in the back to tape a battery operated tealight inside to light the eyes and mouth. I also need to do some highlights and lowlights for paint.

So far, not so bad.

I plan to do a bunch of these to put around the front and side of our walkway, chained together, on dowels so they stand about 4-5 feet tall. I'll paint the dowels black, and put moss all over them. Some of the corpsed skulls will have hair, as well.

Any comments? Suggestions? Critiques?


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## HalloweenZombie (Jul 22, 2007)

Nice work. Now you've got an expensive looking prop for next to no money. You should give these out to friends and family for Christmas. I know I wouldn't mind getting one.


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## Aelwyn (Jul 7, 2008)

HalloweenZombie said:


> Nice work. Now you've got an expensive looking prop for next to no money. You should give these out to friends and family for Christmas. I know I wouldn't mind getting one.


Thanks! Yeah, it cost about $3 to make. Woo!

As for gifts, my family thinks I'm strange for starting Hallowe'en so early. My parents dropped by while I was in the first stages of corpsing (and waiting for the varnish to dry on the spirit board), and just rolled their eyes....LOL.


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## lkal32 (Aug 3, 2008)

I wouldnt want to open a present and see that thing.... Its pretty scary


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## Aelwyn (Jul 7, 2008)

Added some highlights, lowlights, and off-white on the teeth. I painted the inside black, but think it might need a lighter colour as it just absorbed the light of the flickering tea light I put into it (couldn't really see it through the eyes or mouth).

What do you think?


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## scream1973 (Dec 23, 2007)

Looks great... Especially given that its cost you like $3 to do..


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## Haunted Bayou (Feb 16, 2007)

Great job.


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## Aelwyn (Jul 7, 2008)

Thanks guys!

I went upstairs to grab some lavender to make my roomie tea (she's a bit anxious after a bat was flying around downstairs, even though pest control says it's not down there anymore), and on the way back downstairs, I was startled by my own skull! 

Guess it's doing its job, eh?  LOL!


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## cerinad (Jun 23, 2008)

That awesome!! lol my family thinks I'm weird too, but they're getting used to it, either that or they just don't say anything anymore.. anyway great work!!


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## Bloodhound (Oct 16, 2007)

What a great job on the skull! Thank you for posting it, too cool!


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## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

If you get some silver or pearlescent paint and lightly stipple/sponge it inside the skull, and do it just so, it'll still look mostly black but it'll reflect the light from your tealight a lot more. It's kinda hard to explain... but a friend of mine a long time ago made a little cave for a diorama and did that and it looked very cool. Sort of like a geode/crystal cavern effect. Dunno if that's the effect you want but it made for a neat little cave.


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## midnight_moon (Apr 28, 2008)

WOW! Very nice job!! I just bought a couple Dollar Tree skulls.
I might do some practice on them to see what i come up with.


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## spideranne (Jul 17, 2006)

Great job. The first one is always special.


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## Aelwyn (Jul 7, 2008)

Revenant said:


> If you get some silver or pearlescent paint and lightly stipple/sponge it inside the skull, and do it just so, it'll still look mostly black but it'll reflect the light from your tealight a lot more. It's kinda hard to explain... but a friend of mine a long time ago made a little cave for a diorama and did that and it looked very cool. Sort of like a geode/crystal cavern effect. Dunno if that's the effect you want but it made for a neat little cave.


Good idea! I have lots of pearly paint, so I'll have to try that.


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## Aelwyn (Jul 7, 2008)

spideranne said:


> Great job. The first one is always special.


He is! I named him Mr. Corpsey-Head.  LOL.


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

Have you thought about toning the teeth down with yellow or decay?

Nice job!


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## Aelwyn (Jul 7, 2008)

Sickie Ickie said:


> Have you thought about toning the teeth down with yellow or decay?
> 
> Nice job!


I'm going to. They're actually not as bright as they show up in the pics...they're mostly brown, with a hint of off white---but I'll add some dark yellow/brown to them as well.


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## edwood saucer (Aug 21, 2006)

Thrifty! Great job...


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

Good Job Ael...


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## Aelwyn (Jul 7, 2008)

I decided Mr. Corpsey-Head didn't look gooey enough. So I slapped some silicon rubber caulking on him. Now he's all "fresh meat" looking, and also water proof!

Without flash:









With flash:


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