# $3 Styrofoam skull transformed into a creepy clown head ($5 to $12 total)



## rwolfe (Sep 28, 2014)

Once upon a time, at a Dollarama far far away, there was a $$3 Styrofoam skull waiting on the racks, lost amidst dozens of other 20" Styrofoam skulls. Bob knew he was barely passable, and he was desperate to be so, so much more. 










Lucky for Bob, I saw his potental and bought him, because I am cheap and I'm all about transforming cheap stuff using a bit of ingenuity. (And paint. And hot glue. And cardboard scavenged from cereal boxes.) I started by sticking a $0.15 Styrofoam craft ball onto his nose-holes (teehee, nose-holes) and then covering him with a layer of paper-mache. 

(As you read this tutorial, you'll realize the sad fact is that in addition to being cheap, I am also lazy. If you are not lazy, there will probably be many points where you think, "I could do that better. My paper-mache would be smoother, I'd touch up those little bits of paint, I would have masked off his eyes and mouth first, I'd make a stencil so everything matched perfectly." If that's your personality - go for it! As for me, I am a veteran and unapologetic corner-cutter, so things will look messy.) 










I covered Bob with two coats of white acrylic paint ($1 at the dollar store). If you aren't lazy, you can do a second layer of paper-mache using white paper so you don't have to do two coats of paint. Also you could make the paper-mache a lot smoother by using paper towels or toilet paper, or sanding it afterward. (Not that I've ever sanded paper-mache, but I know people who have. IT'S A REAL THING.)










Painting began, using a variety of acrylic neon paints from the dollar store, as well as some black acrylic paint. ($6 for all of them.) After awhile I started sulking about just how uneven Bob's nose was, and it was kind of a big deal because it just didn't look right. So I went out to my Field of Cares and found one sad little care still clinging to its dried-out vine, brought it indoors, and used it to redo Bob's nose with a toilet-paper-and-neon-paint covering until the nose looked smoother. 










Next I scrounged through the recycling bin and found a wrapper from Tim Horton's that was thin enough to bend well. (I'm Canaaaaadian!) You could also use rice paper, or any form of thin paper that you can kind-of see through. I held it in place over Bob's gums and used a ballpoint pen to trace his teeth, to create a template. I made a lot of weird "URRRRGH!" noises while doing this, because it seemed appropriate, what with Bob's wide-open mouth and all. 










I transferred the template to a piece of cardboard from a cereal box, then free-handed some fangs. Learn from my mistakes, children: use pencil to do this, not ballpoint pen. It took me two coats of white paint and two coats of neon yellow to cover the pen marks later. 










I cut out all the fangs and painted them appropriately. (I'd only done the first three coats of paint when this photo was taken, so you can still see the pen lines. Argh.) I also finished filling in Bob's mouth with black paint. That must have tasted appalling, but Bob suffered in stoic silence. He has an admirable level of fortitude, considering he's made out of Styrofoam.










I hot-glued his fangs in place. Afterward I wished I'd remembered that hot glue is also blacklight-responsive; I probably would have used a different adhesive, or been more careful to make sure all the hot glue was hidden. C'est la vie. I also outlined all his makeup in black Sharpie. ...what's that, Lassie? You say I have to use Sharpie because I suck at drawing lines with paint? God, Lassie, don't you have some kids to save or something?

This was also the point at which I realized he was no longer Bob the Styrofoam Skull. He'd become... Ernesto von Polkabutt. I picked his name because I have the sense of humor of a ten-year-old and references to derrieres still amuse me. Sorry-not-sorry.










I painted most of his eyes red and added some pupils using contact paper, because I wanted them to shine in the blacklight. This could have been done with paint too. I added a line of white paint around the edge of the pupil to give it some added visual interest under the blacklight. I then used a couple broken toothpicks to secure a $2 clown wig (yay, dollar stores!) to Ernesto's skull, by sticking them through the wig into the Styrofoam until they held the wig in place. Look at you, Ernesto! 











Ernesto loves being under the blacklight. It makes him feel beautiful. 










Total cost for the build, assuming you already own paint and Styrofoam craft balls: $5. If you have to buy all the paint and a Styrofoam ball, it'll still be under $12. Total time was about 8 hours (spread out across several days, due to having to wait for paper-mache and paint to dry). 

I think I'm going to end up turning him into the head for a big ceiling-hanging flyer; if I do, I'll add it to this tutorial later.


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## Evil Elf (Jun 16, 2013)

Well that is as hilarious as it is informative. Looking forward to any future how-to's you might post.


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## rwolfe (Sep 28, 2014)

I'm a big believer in sharing knowledge, so I'm sure you'll see more from me.  My entire Halloween decorating budget this year is a paltry $150, so I'm going to be spending a lot of time transforming dollar-store props over the next month. I don't doubt there are plenty of other people dealing with similar budgetary dilemmas (especially others who are just starting on their Halloween-decorating journey like me), so more cheapie tutorials are always a good thing!


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## PMTT (Oct 13, 2013)

I don't like clowns but I just couldn't tear myself away from your instructions! Thanks!!


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## rwolfe (Sep 28, 2014)

Clowns are kind of inherently creepy. (Dear clown friends who may see this comment because I linked my tutorial on Facebook: I'm sorry I'm contributing to the demonization of your profession. I know YOU'RE not creepy. I know you'd never kill or maim anyone (not deliberately, anyway). Please don't send me angry messages. I love you.) The maze that freaked me out the most at Wonderland's Halloween Haunt 2013 was the "Clowns at Midnight" attraction. That being the case, a creepy clown HAD to be part of my setup! 

I have three more skulls to transform; I think the next one will be a creepy Mardi Gras-style mask. The kids and I are still debating as to the other two skulls but my kids are pushing hard for one to become a mummy, and at least that would be a quick alteration.


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## PMTT (Oct 13, 2013)

Can't wait to see what you come up with!


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## punkineater (Apr 26, 2014)

ROFL...and Bob is wonderful too!


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## rockingthehomestead (Sep 1, 2014)

I enjoyed this tutorial immensely.


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## TRENTWOOD TERROR (Aug 13, 2014)

Love this post! Glad you gave Bob/ Ernesto some love and did it on the cheap. That is the only way i can do things so i like seeing other versions of how to do it! I loved the humor in your post ,entertain while you educate is always the best policy!


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## annamarykahn (Oct 4, 2009)

awesome tutorial ... ur commentary made me 

of course thumbs up for using black light!

amk


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## Screaming Demons (Sep 15, 2008)

Great idea, rwolfe.

Target had a glow-in-the-dark skull last year that looked a lot like that last year. Dollar Tree has them this year. They are smaller and made of plastic but would make a great starting point for only a dollar.


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## rwolfe (Sep 28, 2014)

Ernesto wants you to walk down the stairs so he can give you a great, big, snuggly hug. Don't you like snuggly hugs?










Ignore those bloody handprints. A child fell down and skinned his hands and Ernesto helped him, that's all. You don't need to be afraid of your pal Ernesto.










(The picture doesn't do justice to his size. His body is about eight feet long and each arm is three or four feet long.)


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