# Rising Spirits



## dave the dead (Apr 16, 2009)

Add arms and hands. you can either use the flexible hose with wire inside if you want poseable arms, or just use pvc if you do not need to pose them later.










wrap the pvc and arms loosely with flexible hose. Go for a stringy muscular look with the hose...too tighltly wrapped does not look as natural. Attach with screws, tape, zipties, or whatever is necessary to hold the hose where you want it.

















spray the entire armature with greatstuff to texture it...While the greatrstuff is curing, break it up with a brush, stick , etc to make the texturing smaller. This step is not necessary, but adds in a nice texture later.









Spray paint the entire thing black










to be continued...


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## dave the dead (Apr 16, 2009)

cover the entire armature with pantyhose. I chose black for this project, but other colors work fine depending on what final look you are going for.










cut holes in the panty hose. Go for a corpsed skin look with lots of shreds and tears.










Brush the entire armature with liquid latex and allow to dry.









highlight the exposed 'bone' areas with acrylic paints. Drybrush the pantyhose to add color depth and interest.









The original pair of spirits I made were designed to be mounted over a piece of rebar. Subsequent spirits have been made like groundbreakers or as flying spirits that I hang fron tree limbs.


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## foggyfathoms (Apr 2, 2009)

thanks for the very detailed tutorial! awesome prop info


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## HallowSkeen (Jul 25, 2006)

Dave you are a genious! Awesome tutorial! Thanks for sharing.


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## dixie (Jan 30, 2009)

This is one of those props that truly amaze me because I dont even think something like that is buried anywhere in my imagination... very impressive vision.


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## Curlgoddess (Sep 23, 2008)

Great tutorial Dave. I love these spirits! It amazes me how these things seem to be in motion, even though they are not.


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## Baron Samedi (Jan 15, 2009)

Another great & imaginative piece of art, Dave.

Thanks for the brilliantly detailed tutorial as well.


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## Fiend4Halloween (Sep 5, 2008)

Outstanding prop, great job and thanks for the how-to.


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## Terra (Sep 23, 2007)

Great tutorial and amazing piece! This is a technique that I can use to make many things. Thank you for sharing.


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## dave the dead (Apr 16, 2009)

Terra said:


> Great tutorial and amazing piece! This is a technique that I can use to make many things. Thank you for sharing.


Oh yes...it is a very versatile construction method. Once you get used to bending and wrapping the pvc, the basic method is limitless.
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m240/davethedead/thestral/thestral042.jpg
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m240/davethedead/Sid/Sid043.jpg
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m240/davethedead/banshee/spirit20029.jpg

The pantyhose corpsing is also fantastic over buckies and skulls.
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m240/davethedead/IMG_1805.jpg


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## Terra (Sep 23, 2007)

Okay, my knees just buckled looking at this. Three of these _(one in the rearing position)_ would look so awesome in my yard! *Fantastic,* Dave the Dead.


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## Terra (Sep 23, 2007)

Umm, by the way, got any construction tips for the horse? My head is exploding with possibilities for this.


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## voodoo willy (Feb 1, 2008)

Dave your stuff is fantastic. Thanks for the TUT...I will try this very soon.


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## [email protected] (Oct 9, 2008)

thank you very much for the tutorial I have wanted to do some of these for a while.this tut is much clearer than the the one you have elsewhere.Now I get it.So I'm going to HD tues.how much water hose should I at least have on hand for one of these?also I have some PVC type black irragation hose I have been saving for this project would this work as either the pvc or somewhere else in it?it's about 1.25"DIA thick wall.I'm stoked to do this one


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## dave the dead (Apr 16, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> thank you very much for the tutorial I have wanted to do some of these for a while.this tut is much clearer than the the one you have elsewhere.Now I get it.So I'm going to HD tues.how much water hose should I at least have on hand for one of these?also I have some PVC type black irragation hose I have been saving for this project would this work as either the pvc or somewhere else in it?it's about 1.25"DIA thick wall.I'm stoked to do this one


DWD, there is no right or wrong on a project like this...use whatever supplies you have access to and give it your own unique twist. I have seen a version of the spirits done using metal electrical conduit as the spine, and I have seen a couple versions where the makers actually animated the effect on some sort of turntable base. Don't sweat the fine details...take the basic concept and run with it!


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## JohnnyAppleseed (Sep 17, 2008)

Dave...love it and thanks fortaking the time to post this how to! Exactly a look I was trying to achieve but as Dixie said, don't know if my mind would have stretched far enough to see it come together as you have laid it out here! Simply, "Wow!"


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## halloween junkie (Mar 14, 2009)

OMG Dave those are creepy and awsome at the same time. People walk past my house every day, those would scare them even in the day light. I have to try to make those. My project list just keeps getting bigger!


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## milemarker (Jan 19, 2009)

LOVE all those . Any chance of getting another pic or two of SID ? That prop looks VERY interesting and would like to see different angle of it .

Thanks


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## dave the dead (Apr 16, 2009)

milemarker said:


> LOVE all those . Any chance of getting another pic or two of SID ? That prop looks VERY interesting and would like to see different angle of it .
> 
> Thanks


Sid was assembled he same way as the spirits...pvc framework with flexible hose as the musculature, then pantyhose coated in latex for the skin.
Here's a few in process pix. 
More info here


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## milemarker (Jan 19, 2009)

Thanks ... those extra pics really helped out alot .
Now , without being TOO much of a pain in the keester , could you , or would you , mind telling me how you did that head for SID ? That is awsome !


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## partsman (Oct 18, 2007)

I just love Sid's hands, I think I'll steal....er...I mean...well borrow that idea for my next creation


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## scourge (Jan 5, 2008)

Thanks for posting that tutorial. I forgot how freakin' cool those things were. Nice job!


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## Graven13 (May 10, 2009)

Those are Awesome!!!!


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## HauntDaddy (Apr 8, 2009)

No matter how many times I see them I am truely amazed


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## Hauntcast (Oct 3, 2007)

Nice work Dave, real nice!


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## Warrant2000 (Oct 18, 2008)

Oh, how the inspiration flows!


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## FeelNecro (Sep 28, 2008)

Dave, that is some incredible work!!!
You got my gears turning for sure. 
I just replaced an old worn out garden hose today and threw it in the trash. Tomorrow morning I will be digging it back OUT of the trash `cos you just breathed new life into it.
Thanx for the how-to and the inspiration.


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## FeelNecro (Sep 28, 2008)

I would love to see more pics of the coach Sid is driving. Looks awesome from what I can see.


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## Graven13 (May 10, 2009)

My 16 year old son is trying his hand at making these. He found a couple of halloween skulls laying around and added the teeth. 








He made the teeth out of sticks he found in the backyard,and shaped them into fangs. He is really looking forward to the next step....Thank you for posting this project,my son is having a blast


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## Dragonomine (Sep 28, 2008)

That is really amazing! How would it hold up with wind?


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## dave the dead (Apr 16, 2009)

Looking good Graven 13!

Dragonomine, I have never had a problem with wind on these creatures, and have seen some significant windstorms...as with any prop, just make sure they are anchored well.


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## Variant (May 21, 2009)

I love this tutorial. Thanks Dave The Dead. I've already started mine for my yard haunt this year.I'll post pics of mine once I finish them


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## Variant (May 21, 2009)

Here's mine so far. Still got alot of detailing to do.


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## Terra (Sep 23, 2007)

Very nice Variant!


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## voodoo willy (Feb 1, 2008)

looks good Variant. Love the tombstone idea. As soon as I catch up on some things I think I'm going to try one like that.


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## Dragonomine (Sep 28, 2008)

Looks awesome so far!


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## Variant (May 21, 2009)

*Finished*

Here is my finished spirit riser. Learned alot making this. One of the next ones will be more highly detailed as it will be under brighter light. Let me know what ya all think


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## Dragonomine (Sep 28, 2008)

I love it!! That's sure to scare the kiddies!


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## Fangoria (Oct 26, 2008)

Dave you are God! I think I'm going to try my hand at that. My idea is to make it look like its coming out of the trees and to keep the armiture flexible so that I can hook it to a motor to make it move.


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## DannyK (Sep 21, 2008)

Dave, great idea...I think I might be able to adapt this for my haunt this year...i also am thinking about minor automation with this...dont have everything figured out yet, but when I do you guys will know

Variant, I like the tombstone idea,what is the overall height on yours?


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## Variant (May 21, 2009)

The tombstone is roughly 2ft tall. The entire prop is a little under 7ft tall.


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## DannyK (Sep 21, 2008)

good work, im definately going to have to find a place for these in my haunt


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## digitsy (Apr 2, 2009)

TThank you for sharing your ideas. It's amazing job!


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## Vai (Sep 26, 2006)

Wow, looks fantastic! Definitely will give this a go.
Also was just browsing your web page and saw this little feller:

The Shadow Farm: Nigel Skullsworth Pennington

Wondering if you have or would do a tut for these guys? 
Your prop work is CRAZY!


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## HalloweenPropMan (Jun 23, 2009)

Wow! Totally awesome prop, thanks for the tut and for sharing!


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