re: Anyone else go crazy with outdoor Halloween decorations?

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Anyone else go crazy with outdoor Halloween decorations?

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Yep.



Close up up head being stored in box...


Halloween was always a big deal when I was growing up and my Dad loved it. I've adopted that with my own sons and they enjoy it as well. We start talking about it in summer and start planning anything new.

The above guy, who we call Benito thanks to the label that had come on his painter's jumpsuit I'd bought off E-Bay years ago, is really fun to see in real life. I built him with an inner structure so he's got a chest cavity and his shoulders are right, so as he hangs there even in daylight (I don't put him up until Halloween day because it can't weather) he looks like a person in a costume. We have tons of people who refuse to walk up to him because they are sure he'll move...something I need to figure out how to do.

Also have grave stones, torches, music, etc.

Oh...the idea for this guy came from Supernatural. In that, it's an actual guy with his elbows over the back of the cross, which is cool but I just couldn't do it without having multiple pivoting joints so I went this route.

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The above guy, who we call Benito thanks to the label that had come on his painter's jumpsuit I'd bought off E-Bay years ago, is really fun to see in real life. I built him with an inner structure so he's got a chest cavity and his shoulders are right, so as he hangs there even in daylight (I don't put him up until Halloween day because it can't weather) he looks like a person in a costume. We have tons of people who refuse to walk up to him because they are sure he'll move...something I need to figure out how to do.

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Oh I'm digging that. I may have to borrow that one...

Those look fantastic!

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Dude...Benito is AWESOME! How did you create the inner structure? Chicken wire?

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Tried all kinds of stuff at first. Because my initial idea was to have his arms over the top of the cross bar so his elbows would be behind it and tied thereto hold him on. Turns out, that's kind of difficult to do with a PVC skeleton!

At first I had made musculature out of pool noodles for biceps/triceps and forearms...the point was that if he didn't look like a real guy in that jumpsuit there was no point. Each piece was connected with zip ties to allows for bending and twisting at the joints. Really looked cool by themselves but they simply did not works when I tried to put it all together.

The chest was different though. Yes...it's wire framing. I molded it directly from a chest cavity...and attached it the right way to the "spine." So, it hands where it should and fills the space correctly.

The REAL trick was the traps between his neck and shoulders! After doing the skeleton and putting in the chest and dressing him, as he stood there he just looked fake. He was square at the top... I had some think furniture type cushioning around and cut them into triangles and placed them between his neck and shoulders and it all changed. That gave him the right shape and IMMEDIATELY made him look alive. It was spooky s hell, honestly.

I ended up not even filling in the rest of his body. Because he's up on that cross and his chest is so big and full, the jumpsuit hangs correctly. Unless the winds blows hard and presses it up against the pipes, or you go and grab his leg, you'd never know.

First year I had built him we ended up not putting him on the cross. Halloween got changed at the last minute to an earlier day because of rain and I was forced to just stand him up near the front door and I had his hands behind his back. Even with everything else I had going, THAT was the scariest thing there, because he stands about 6'5" and feels for all the world like a real guy. Nearly every adult that came by couldn't help but ask if he was going to grab them, or ask me to tell "him" please not to move because he'd scare the kids. haha

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Dude...Benito is AWESOME!

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Oh...and the head. haha

My wife HATES that thing. It's a cheap mask from Spirit over a Styrofoam head. But the burlap I got from a garden place, and it was just crap that was lying around. It's molded directly onto the mask with liquid latex. Once it got a little stiff I was able to sort of mold it and create the ridges over the mouth and pull it back into those overlapping patterns on the head. I did build the nose up with clay, because it made it look more like a live person with a mask on rather than a prop.

Thing is, I don;t build Benito until a day or so before Halloween, and even then he's in the garage away from sight. I mean...I can't have him out like that. Plus, the goal is to get people to think he's a real guy, so he can't be out days before.

But...I love the head so much that I yank him out of the closet on October 1st each year and place him on our mantle! My boys adore it and can't take their eyes off of it. My wife...not so much.

Well that sucks.

Does she decorate for Christmas?

Does she view Halloween as an evil holiday?

FWIW, my wife grew up strict Catholic. Her family never watched horror movies or went to haunted houses. They trick-or-treated, but only in "cute" costumes - nothing remotely scary.

Therefore, when we got married she wasn't too thrilled about Halloween decorations. But, I made it clear that my favorite holiday is Halloween and I will decorate inside and outside for Halloween. Also, my favorite movies are horror movies. I won't force her to watch them, but she shouldn't be surprised if during the month of October I sneak away to another room to watch horror movies.

Considering she's a Christmas nut, she "allowed" me Halloween considering I put up with her Christmas shenanigans starting on Thanksgiving, including her non-stop listening of Christmas music on the radio.

It's been many years since we were first married. Now she looks forward to Halloween almost as much as I do and she participates in the planning and decorating. She's come to realize how much fun Halloween is.

Shame on her parents.

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my hood is the defacto go get candy form those guys neighborhood

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Same with our hood. We live in a neighborhood that hands out full size candy bars and Jell-O shots to parents.

Mizzou-
Thanks for the info!
And that looks really great!
I used the AtmosFear 3d form last year and projected on it and it was a nice illusion - but the 3d form was kind of cheap.
I will try the bridal mesh idea - I just could not find the right material last year.
I did the singing pumpkins last year as well - big hit!
Thanks Again!

Good Luck and thanks for the advice!
I am going to try to but the bridal mesh in a doorway and rear project onto it but slightly from the side as you suggested. I think AtmosFear has a new on out - Macabre Manor - I'm going to try that one this year.
I also have to invest in a new lighting machine - the old firefly is done! Any suggestions on that?