Spooky Skulls on the cheap

It’s that time of year again; time for all things spooky and ghoulish! In honor of the scariest month of the year I have decided to share my technique for creating several Skulls from just one. Here is a list of supplies you will need.

Plastic skull (I get mine at a dollar store)

Aluminum foil

Masking tape

News paper or old phone book

PVA glue (school glue)

Water

Craft Knife

Cotton balls

Silicone caulk (I get mine at Wal-Mart for 2 dollars)

An old paint brush

Acrylic paints

Paper pulp

Recipe for paper pulp: soak torn pieces of newspaper in hot water. Let stand for 30 minutes to an hour. Add wet paper to a blender and pulse until it takes on a consistency of oatmeal. Squeeze out excess water then Add pva glue and dry wall compound (joint compound). Measurements depends on amount of paper used, Mix well. 

Step one:  tear off a piece of foil large enough to cover your skull. Begin by gently pushing the foil into any recessed areas of the skull completely covers the skull. 

Step two: cover the foiled skull with masking tape. Be sure to get every nook and cranny covered. 

Step three: mix you papier-mâché mix (a 50/50 mix of water and pva glue) add a layer of papier-mâché on the skull. Let dry and repeat three more times. 

Step four: use your craft knife to cut around the skull (essentially in half)  I can’t stress this enough, GENTLY remove the plastic skull. 

Step five: use masking tape to join the two skull halves together. Add two more layers of papier-mâché and let dry.

Step six: spread paper pulp all over the skull creating details like teeth, brows, eyes or whatever your heart desires. 

Step seven: squeeze out a small amount of silicone caulk on a disposable plate; using an old brush add the caulk and the cotton balls to the skull.  This makes a nice rotting skin look.

Step eight: paint your rotting skull with acrylic paints or use a gel wood stain (pictured here)

And you’re done! You can now make several skulls that cost next to nothing to make.