# Ram Horns - El Fauno Style - HELP



## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Planning on taking things a notch up this year and getting back into make-up on the costume front (just been doing basic masks the last 10 years, used to go all out with appliances in the past).

I'm looking at doing a take on El Fauno (from Pan's Labyrinth) this time around. Now since I don't wanna go around in a loin clothe during a New England fall (not to mention save on some expenses) gonna go with robes for the body. With that in mind most of my time will be spent working on the mask.

Here's a reference image that I'm using:










I found a foam latex appliance thats a decent fit for the facial features over at HalloweenDirect.com (its not exact and if anyone can find a closer fit lemme know):










Gonna trim it on the bottom so my natural goatee comes through as well as change some textures when I paint it.

The thing I need to really focus on will be the horns. Most all of pre-made stuff always seems to place the horns on the forehead - El Fauno's is just above and slightly behind the ears. I've seen a few mentions elsewhere of using goat horns from off ebay but I'm looking for something lighter yet durable. So any tips on making a set as well as mounting techniques would greatly be appreciated.

Thanks,
-TM


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

http://www.gypsyroses.org/XLargeHorns.html

Some ideas or products you may be interested in.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Those are wicked cool - nice find, but a little out of my price range. I could pick up some real goat horns on ebay for $20 but they're too heavy to walk around with all night. I'm kinda hoping to be able to create or find some under $25-30 bucks.

-TM


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## eanderso13 (Apr 10, 2008)

You could always get the real Ebay ones and make molds of them and cast some latex or rigid foam horns from them...Time consuming, but probably the cheapest way to get what you REALLY want.


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

casting and molding all for $25-30 bucks?


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## eanderso13 (Apr 10, 2008)

I don't know...I've never molded or cast before...but it seems that anyone who would sell these things would do so for a lot more than it would cost you to do it yourself...and then you'll have an extra Halloween skill!

You know....papier mache is probably the way to go...


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

I disagree on it being sold for more than what it cost to mold and make, because prices can be made up along the way for molding with enough sales. Although, I have to admit, you do have a point. Not only would a new skill be started, but more could be made up and sold to recoup some cost and have some extra money.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Think I'm just gonna do a combination of wire, foam, and paper mache for the horns. Basically pillow stuffing type foam for the basic shape, wire to hold it in the pose, then paper mache to make it solid. 

What I think I need most in direction is on mounting it. An obvious choice would be a bald cap but since I naturally go with the Mr.Clean look I wasn't planning on wearing one. I was planning on a mid-scalp long length wig though so maybe incorporating that into the design. I'm open for suggestions.

-TM


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

you could always cut them out of couch cushion foam and then run a wire thru it 
(I use a scissors and a razor)

paint it white then stain them.


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

why not use the ol' arrow thru head mech? A wire running over your head.


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## BadTable Manor (Apr 16, 2008)

Here's an idea from a book called (aptly) "Halloween", by Joanne O'Sullivan:
You'll need:
two 1 1/4-foot long by approx. 2-inch wide pieces of upholstery foam
two pieces of 18-gauge wire, long enough to run the length of each horn, plus about 3"
white thread (doesn't state how much, check out direction #6
white acrylic patching cement (for patching roofs. "Rooves"?)
white acrylic paint
paintbrush
clear acrylic sealer (spray)
large-eye needle
elastic cord

1.* You can make the horns longer or wider depending on the size of your head and the type of horn you're making.* 
2. Round off both ends of the foam pieces.
3. Taper one of of each foam piece approximately 6 inches from the end. You will now have two matching cone-shaped pieces of foam.
4. Insert a piece of wire lenghtwise through the center of each cone. Leave about 3" of wire sticking out of the wide bottom of each cone.
5. Bend the wire to form the cones in the shape you want.
6. Starting at the wide end of one cone, wrap thread tightly around the foam, forming jointed sections. Continue til you reach the tip of the cone. Repeat with the second cone, trying to keep your wrapping pattern as similiar to the first horn as possible.
7. Bend the wire extensions at the base of each horn into small hooks.
8. Mix one part acrylic patching cement with two parts white acrylic paint. You can either paint the mixture on the horns with the paintbrush or dip the horns into the mixture.
9. Hang the horns to dry. If you dipped the horns, make sure there are no clumps of the paint mixture left on them.
10. Paint the horns with the white acrylic paint and hang them to dry a second time.
11. Spray clear acrylic sealer over the horns and allow them to dry.
12. Use the needle to poke large holes in the inside top of each horn. Thread elastic cord through the hole and stretch it around your head to figure out how long it should be to hold the horns snugly on your head.
13. Once the horns are strung, position them on your head.
**One beef I have with these directions is it doesn't explain how to keep the thread from falling off once you've reached the tip of the horn. Hot glue, perhaps?


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Thanks BTM... This is similar to what I was looking at doing. I have a couple ideas brewing on how to mount them based on the way Michael Bielaczyc did it over at Aradani Costumes.

He sells the mask (but not the horns) he made based on it... But it's a little different than what I'm looking for. Also thinking of adding a set of Moria Orc teeth into the mix for an added creep factor.

-TM


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