# One Way to Make Artificial Flames



## ghostlland820 (Jan 11, 2014)

Last year's Halloween setup required a large number of artificial flames. I tried a couple different methods of making them, but none of the attempts looked convincing. At the last minute, I lucked out and found a combination--based on those cheap flame torches--that made realistic fake fire. I've attached a video showing how I did it. The prop is by no means original or perfect, but the tutorial might provide you with a starting point from which to make something better. 
Addition: A message at the end of the video named a youtube channel to search for my full 2013 Halloween video including the ghost setting the house on fire. I've removed the videos from that link and will soon delete the entire youtube account. Some of my students (I'm a high school teacher) decided to create a mock twitter account with that username. If you search, you will find it ... and see why I'm ready to retire. *sigh* 

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## kermat13 (Jul 13, 2008)

that's really cool--except my neighbor would be freaked out every time--lol


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## matrixmom (Oct 29, 2010)

That was phenomenal ..!! What are talking about the flames are perfect! I love the whole story too- how she blows it out and it all goes off. Was this your home? How did you get it to look so stark black??


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## Gym Whourlfeld (Jan 22, 2003)

I once had a mechanical light blinker from a really old car dealer's sign that had maybe 300 115 volt lights on it making a big arrow. (Really "Old-School"!)
I had one 150 watt bulb and some other red bulb in the second floor of my house, spaced at opposite ends of a large room.
The blinking pattern like "Yellow-yellow-red-yellow and since the light fixtures were so far apart the colors seems to wash back and forth , immitating what looked like a real room full of flame.
Of course I had to build displays and things in that upstiars space =end of the room-full -of -fire outdoor display.


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## ghostlland820 (Jan 11, 2014)

matrixmom said:


> That was phenomenal ..!! What are talking about the flames are perfect! I love the whole story too- how she blows it out and it all goes off. Was this your home? How did you get it to look so stark black??


Hi. The only lighting on the house came from fluorescent blacklight tubes. The fake shutters glowed because they were painted with Wildfire optical white blacklight paint.


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## Abunai (Jan 28, 2008)

Very cool.
Thanks for the video.


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## Si-cotik (Aug 12, 2009)

I'm surprised no one called the fire department lol


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## DaveintheGrave (Feb 12, 2004)

Great tutorial! Love it.

I also still really like the spinning "Superman" rings, too!


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## xxScorpion64xx (Oct 15, 2011)

Wow, really nice imitation fire, great job!


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## ghostlland820 (Jan 11, 2014)

DaveintheGrave said:


> Great tutorial! Love it.
> 
> I also still really like the spinning "Superman" rings, too!


Thanks. I need to come up with something that makes better use of the rings...maybe use them when I recreate a flying saucer scene. Also thinking the rings might be worth their own tutorial, although, like the flames, they could have used more work.


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## ghostlland820 (Jan 11, 2014)

Si-cotik said:


> I'm surprised no one called the fire department lol


That was a real concern, so I called in advance.


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## punkineater (Apr 26, 2014)

Fantastic fire effects!!! Love the ghost lady torching the house~great how to vid also, thank you!


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## Scary Papa (Jan 31, 2012)

Very well done effect and good tutorial as well. How did you produce the ghost effect?


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## ghostlland820 (Jan 11, 2014)

Scary Papa said:


> Very well done effect and good tutorial as well. How did you produce the ghost effect?


Hi. The ghost is a homemade video (edited in iMovie) shown on a flat screen television. You can't see the tv, but the image is reflected off a large angled sheet of glass in the bedroom. I used one laptop to play the video and a second to turn on the "flames" in sequence. If you watch this video, you can catch a couple glimpses of the setup: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0lI3YhS04A


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## craftygirl (Jun 4, 2012)

That was AWESOME!!! Great job!


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## PirateDex (Jun 25, 2014)

Wow, that looks fabulous...best to give the fire department a heads up to prevent them responding to all the call ins.


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## JaCk (Jul 15, 2014)

Very nice --- thanks for posting the video! --JaCk


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## Nepboard (Sep 21, 2009)

WOW!! Very, very cool. Nice job!


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## Lowretta (Oct 30, 2012)

Great tutorial! Don't downplay the result - the flames look VERY realistic. I was going to agree with Si-Cotic about neighbors calling in a fire, but I see you took care of that in advance.  I'm pretty sure my electrical skills are up to giving this a shot. Thanks so much for sharing!!!


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## ghostlland820 (Jan 11, 2014)

Lowretta said:


> Great tutorial! Don't downplay the result - the flames look VERY realistic. I was going to agree with Si-Cotic about neighbors calling in a fire, but I see you took care of that in advance.  I'm pretty sure my electrical skills are up to giving this a shot. Thanks so much for sharing!!!


***blushes*** Thanks.


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## The Halloween Lady (Jul 17, 2010)

Flippin brilliant!


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## SaltwaterServr (Jul 28, 2014)

Fantastic, all the way around. Wow. 

Step 1. Buy a new house that has two story windows facing the street. All of ours face the wrong direction. Le sigh...


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## xipotec (Aug 31, 2014)

spectacular!


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