# Packing Tape Ghosts



## Haunt On A Dime (Jul 28, 2015)

I am not sure if this is already a thread, I am only on page 26 of the 50+ back forum pages.

*If you have had experience doing this please share in the comments, plus any ideas, considerations or feelings to why it would or wouldn't be a good idea.*

I was looking for a lightweight and easy way to make semi-transparent ghosts which cost very little and held a form well. I came across packing tape casting and it seemed like it could work. I'm assuming it would be lighter than hardened cheese cloth, and hold a more human form.

THE PROCESS

1. Wrap your body part in plastic wrap.
2. Wrap plastic wrap in two layers of packing tape.
3. Cut single line down tape to loosen and remove from body.
4. Remove any excess plastic wrap.
5. Use tape to seal removal cut.








I did my arm just to try it.
Was going to do full upper bodies and different positions to place around the haunt.


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## lawrie (Aug 4, 2015)

This is a great technique. If you look on the props page someone has just finished a full Ghost Bride.


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## Haunt On A Dime (Jul 28, 2015)

Awesome. I'll check it out.


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## Ghost of Spookie (Sep 28, 2008)

3M has tape sculpture contests each year for the best creations. Not sure if they are still doing them as seems like 2012 was the last I could find but saw a few years of entries over time. I recall posting about them a while back. First time I saw one of them was on a TV halloween news story and it was of an Invisible Man sitting on a slide.

Here's the website for their 2012 contest "off the roll". They still have video tips available to view. http://offtherollcontest.com/index.html

Some more cool examples:

http://arrestedmotion.com/2009/11/off-the-roll-tape-sculpture-contest/ Love the carousel horses.

http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/scott-off-the-roll-tape-sculpture-contest


I liked this one and instead of a gun pictured it with just an outstretched hand and arm (like you did) and that little girl prop with the rotating head sitting in front of a tv with static on the screen like in Poltergeist I think it was.


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## Haunt On A Dime (Jul 28, 2015)

Ghost of Spookie said:


> 3M has tape sculpture contests each year for the best creations. I recall posting about them a while back. First time I saw one of them was on a TV halloween news story and it was of an Invisible Man sitting on a slide.
> 
> Here's the website for their 2012 contest "off the roll". They still have video tips available to view. http://offtherollcontest.com/index.html


Very cool. I'm thinking that if I don't rush the warping to keep as few wrinkles as possible, I'll have a great looking see through form. I was playing with the idea of trying some glow in the dark blue paint as well, but I'm not so sure. Maybe hook them up to a couple well placed LEDs...just need to understand how LEDs work first.


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## Ghost of Spookie (Sep 28, 2008)

Haunt On A Dime said:


> Very cool. I'm thinking that if I don't rush the warping to keep as few wrinkles as possible, I'll have a great looking see through form. I was playing with the idea of trying some glow in the dark blue paint as well, but I'm not so sure. Maybe hook them up to a couple well placed LEDs...just need to understand how LEDs work first.


You might also look into those rice LED lights on very thin strands of wire that are battery powered. LEDs will put out light in a straight line unless the light can be refracted kind of like what Gemmy does on their LED spotlights with the multifaceted globes on them. But placed inside the tape sculpture it might just reflect off the many angles of the tape sculpture. I always wondered if the arm with the gun above was lit from the TV or had an additional source.


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## Jenn&MattFromPA (Sep 4, 2013)

Last year I made my first full-sized prop, and I used packing tape to create the torso & arm shape. I wanted a female cemetery mourner and I wanted her a bit short, so I used my 12 year old niece as the body model. First I wrapped her torso with packing tape - sticky side OUT - then I wrapped her over & over again with sticky side DOWN. I then cut a line up the back, released her & retaped the seam. 

Then I had her pose one arm the way I wanted it, and I wrapped her arm & shoulder using the same technique above, then cut it off her. Did the same with the other arm & shoulder. Then I put the torso & arms onto my PVC prop frame and taped them together to create a more solid body. I also taped hands into the wrist area. 

!!! One piece of advice from me - I bought cheap, clear packing tape from the Dollar Tree store. It was great except it had strong fumes! I recommend you actually do the packing tape outside or with a lot of ventilation, because it was pretty potent! 

I am no pro by any means, but I was happy with my result. For some reason I don't have a photo of the prop here - I'll have to look for one.

ETA - photo of finished prop, sorry there's not a photo of the process ~


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## A Little Odd (Jul 19, 2015)

I have found lots of examples on Pinterest. I showed them to my husband and he got all excited. I was thinking a strand of fairy lights, or an led spotlight from the bottom would work best for lighting.


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## God of thunder (Sep 18, 2012)

A Little Odd said:


> ...or an led spotlight from the bottom would work best for lighting.


Sounds painful lol


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## Gregg Stephens (Aug 3, 2015)

I tried last night and worked well, but the fingers didnt look quite right  any ideas on how to getting them looking just right?


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## Haunt On A Dime (Jul 28, 2015)

I found the fingers pretty hard to do if you are doing it on yourself, but what I did was used small pieces of tape for them.

I also decided that I will probably getting plastic food service gloves for the people I will be doing this on as it will just make it so much easier. Try that, it will probably make it super easy.


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## Gregg Stephens (Aug 3, 2015)

fantastic idea with the gloves, it still looks really good. I've taped it to a strobe light and looks great just need to make another 5 or 6


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## Sharonr3106 (Sep 8, 2014)

I have just made this Ghost Bride from tape, was time consuming but worth it





















Here's link for video when she is lit up, sorry it is on side don't know why it has done that and can't seem to change it

https://youtu.be/ozVG6_quikk


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## Saki.Girl (Aug 22, 2012)

I did a witch hat and head here it is


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## Sharonr3106 (Sep 8, 2014)

Cool, love the green glow


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## lilibat (Aug 10, 2015)

I did this last year.








Over the summer she decapitated due to heat in the garage where she was stored. I am going to seal the neck openings and just have her hold her head in her hand this year I think.


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## A Little Odd (Jul 19, 2015)

Love all these ghosts! I hope mine can come out anywhere near as good. Seeing that I am a little on the chunky side, all of my ghosts will look they came from a well-fed family haha. My son is 6'5" and very skinny, so thinking he might make a good Abe Lincoln ghost.


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## zero (Aug 27, 2004)

Haunt On A Dime said:


> I am not sure if this is already a thread, I am only on page 26 of the 50+ back forum pages.
> 
> *If you have had experience doing this please share in the comments, plus any ideas, considerations or feelings to why it would or wouldn't be a good idea.*
> 
> ...


SIR !! Well done, people like you with these ideas are why I still lurk around here...Nice idea


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## zero (Aug 27, 2004)

lilibat said:


> i did this last year.
> View attachment 248373
> 
> 
> over the summer she decapitated due to heat in the garage where she was stored. I am going to seal the neck openings and just have her hold her head in her hand this year i think.


nice ......!!!


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## halloween71 (Apr 22, 2007)

great post..think I may try some pumpkins


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## Cutencharming (Aug 29, 2015)

I was thinking about using those lights. They are called "Fairy lights" Lights for All Occasions sells them in all colors and the plus is that they are battery operated also. I am worried that they either won't be bright enough or give that beam you mentioned. I don't have any real trees in my yard so I am making a stand that will allow it to spin in the wind we almost always have at night here. So battery operated would be best.


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## TheNextMartha (Sep 3, 2011)

Just got done making this packing tape/saran wrap ghost tonight. It's going to be a background prop so the pipe won't be as visible as in this pic. I used a purple fire and ice bulb on it and the movement looks fantastic in real life.


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## printersdevil (Sep 7, 2009)

That is awesome looking. I love the lighting.


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## Sacrillege (Feb 28, 2015)

*Packing Tape Bride*















Took a whack at it...the great thing is that if it fails....it didn't cost alot
Put her on the roof of my office....at night it looked pretty neat!


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## punkineater (Apr 26, 2014)

..here are a few of my ghosts from 2014...


























ghost #1 & #3 are one in the same-#3 is light test photo. #2 is about 6ft tall(used just torso, arms & head), and ghost #4 is 7ft tall~used same body form as #1 but with lightweight plastic painters plastic for her flowing gown.


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## MamaGrizzly (Feb 24, 2013)

I tried this. Ended up trapped in my own tape on the kitchen floor. You guys are good.


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## Sacrillege (Feb 28, 2015)

MamaGrizzly said:


> I tried this. Ended up trapped in my own tape on the kitchen floor. You guys are good.


Thanks a bunch...was my first try...about 3.5 hours of work but the effect was really great!


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## crazy xmas (Dec 30, 2008)

GREAT idea!!!


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## Zombastic (Oct 26, 2011)

My first attempt. It's rough and I need to tweak it a bit. 
I'm gonna put some out in the yard, coming outta the ground with glowsticks in them.


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## Forral (Oct 6, 2015)

I just stumbled upon this site via Pinterest a couple of days ago. This tutorial was enough to get me to register and stop hiding in the corner. I made a form from my left forearm and hand, planning to do my right hand and wrist only and a face of some sort. I made a slight adjustment though. I'm making props for my Halloween party at my house and have my front porch completely lit with UV lights. I added a layer of scotch tape between the plastic wrap and the packing tape to make it glow nicely in the light. I'm planning on having it either coming out of the porch ceiling or rising out of the floor, will have to see how the complete set comes out and how it looks. On a related note are there any tips for making a good face mold?


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## Frightshow (Sep 14, 2015)

I'm doing the same technique for a mermaid prop. The key item in the material list is: a very patient wife (she was the model). Make sure to work quickly while taping an entire human figure - so they don't pass out from having their knees locked. I can't get over how ridiculously easy this was to make. Just make sure to have enough tape and plastic wrap on hand!

Work in progress pic:


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## A Little Odd (Jul 19, 2015)

Forral said:


> I just stumbled upon this site via Pinterest a couple of days ago. This tutorial was enough to get me to register and stop hiding in the corner. I made a form from my left forearm and hand, planning to do my right hand and wrist only and a face of some sort. I made a slight adjustment though. I'm making props for my Halloween party at my house and have my front porch completely lit with UV lights. I added a layer of scotch tape between the plastic wrap and the packing tape to make it glow nicely in the light. I'm planning on having it either coming out of the porch ceiling or rising out of the floor, will have to see how the complete set comes out and how it looks. On a related note are there any tips for making a good face mold?
> View attachment 260790


Welcome to the forum! Scotch tape glows under black lights?


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## lilibat (Aug 10, 2015)

Here she is for 2015, head in hand. Decapitation is but a mere inconvienence.


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## ticialovesmonkeys (Aug 18, 2015)

You can use a foam head form for heads. Makes it pretty easy. That's what I used. I just didn't put any arms on mine, just thought it would look creepier. And I used 3 different girls (my daughter and two of her friends). Then I made hearts for them with red tissue paper and covered that with tape, it's the pocket we put the lights in. Then just used trash bags for the skirt.


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## Brandon Reuter (Oct 8, 2015)

My wife and I make these every year and love how much fun they are. We cover ours in cheese cloth and a clear latex spray so they don't fall apart in the weather and velcro electric tea lights in ours so they dimly glow. Here is a picture hanging off of our partially finished column at a craft fair we did last weekend.


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## savagehaunter (Aug 22, 2009)

Wow! These all look amazing!


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## Brandon Reuter (Oct 8, 2015)

So I have a question for some of you guys I need to make a life size one of these that floats on water. I figured I could use chicken wire as the frame to keep everything solid and make the bottom of it look like an old victorian dress then spray with silicone for a little extra water proofing. It will only be up one night and will be positioned on a canoe or raft of some type. Any suggestions before I start building?


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## minksocks (Aug 18, 2015)

WOW. I love them. Might give them a go either this year or next. Thanks guys


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## Brandon Reuter (Oct 8, 2015)

Has anyone tried covering the plastic in a clear art resin to give it the hard durability to withstand getting them packed up for the year or do you just store them very carefully?














6ft ghost i did for the Halloween event used chicken wire for the frame and had battery operated clear christmas lights in the wire to make it glow at night.


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