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Skull, books and Candle

My latest how to, a pile of books with a skull atop, topped with a flickering tealight candle this prop is inspired by a prop made by Davis Graveyard.

This can be used both inside and outside, would make a great addition to any graveyard and with this prop using a battery operated tealight, this can be positioned anywhere in your display.

SUBMITTED BY: Herman Secret
SUBMITTED ON: August 23, 2010

TYPE:

Outdoor

AGE:

Tween

MATERIALS:
Foam Skull Tealight candle (from Candle how to) Styrofoam offcuts Dark grey, mid grey and white paint Styrofoam adhesive Sharp long bladed Knife and Xacto Knife Sandpaper or sanding block

DIRECTIONS:
1. Cut 4 pieces of Styrofoam, various sizes - I used 1.5" and 2" thick foam, and cut the pieces 8" x 6", 9.5" x 7", 11" x 6.5", 11" x 7.5"
2. Round off the edges of one side of each piece of Styrofoam. For this I used a sanding block, medium grade.
3.
4. Next, cut out an area at each end and along the back edge of each piece, approx 1/8" to 1/4" deep. For clarity the area to be cut has been drawn on one edge of the foam piece
5.
6.
7. Lightly score or sand along the edges and that have been cut away. This will give the impression of there being pages, then glue the 4 pieces stacked at random.
8. If your skull is a complete skull with jaw, remove the jaw.
9. Cut the base of the skull, so that it is level, and the teeth are lower that the base of the skull by approx 1/2".
10. This is how the skull looks in place on top of the stack of books. Glue in place.
11. Draw, then cut out a circle from the top of the skull, the same diameter as the candle that will be used.
12.
13. Base coat the entire piece in dark gray.
14. Top coat in mid grey, leaving the indentations, eyes and nose, in the dark grey.
15.
16. Dry brush in white, adding highlights to the books, leaving strips on the spines as shown .
17.
18. Outline the edges of the books in white to define the detail on the spines.
19. Line the inside of the edges of the book in white to resemble pages
20. Dry brush the skull in white, start at the top of the skull then working down
21.
22. Lightly dry brush the front of the skull in white.
23. Finally add the tea light candle.
24. As a final finish to the prop, add wisps of spider webbing