JustJimAZ

The Unconventional Use of Foam Heads

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I think we can all agree we live in a most extraordinary time. Through the miracle of internet, we have access to information, inspiration, and materials that would have been inaccessible only a few years ago.

It is possible to find the works of avant-garde artists and make cheap copies for our own sinister ends!

Take these "masks" by Werner Strub, for instance:






A haunter inspired by such things can easily make a similar prop. By first wrapping a large foam head in cellophane, a haunter can make any number of these props and still keep the head!

The "secret" is simply to use glue, paper-mache style. Mix up your 1:1 water and PVA glue paste. Saturate some string, cloth, or yarn in it and apply to the head in an approximation of the piece you like.
You have to use cellophane or cling wrap, because the glue will stick to aluminum foil when it dries, and it will be tough to remove cleanly. Plastic wrap is much easier.

There may be some difficulty getting the material to conform to the contours of the face. One way you might overcome this is to let the glue saturated material dry a bit so it's tackier and will stick better. Adding a layer of plastic film on top, then covering with aluminum foil may give you the contours you want, too.

If you do ONLY the front part of the face, removal will be simple. If you cover the whole head, you will have to cut it off the head form when dry. Repair is simple, as it's just a bit more material and glue. With experience and experimentation, who knows what new creepy forms might grow out of this?

Happy Haunting!
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