Thread: To Fill Or Not To Fill

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Just wondering what most haunters do with their masks?

I have few nice masks now and I was thinking of filling them with great stuff to use as static props standees. There are a few that wearing them would be difficult, and my guess is that I would get more use out of them as props. But would I be wrong to use them this way?

I fill mine with newspaper or anything that is not perminate... that way, I could change them for other uses. If you fill them with foam, then you're stuck with that application.

I stuff mine with newspapers, Grocery bags, old t-shirts, whatever. You have to be careful with the great stuff as it doesn't act the way you really want it to when filling mask's. It can easiy distort in all directions and ruin the shape. Also, If it squeezes out say, a nostril ( tape those up by the way) and gets on the
out side of mask, its there for good...It can easily turn into a disaster, lol. If you wind up trying it, line the inside of the mask with a plastic bag at least...that should help control it. I think when the pros foam fill a mask, they do it while its in the mold to keep the integrity of the mask intact.

You can stuff with almost anything (that won't react to the latex) and then use them to build monster props. From looking at haunter's pictures it looks like lots of people do this for their Halloween displays.

Speaking from experience - if you try to fill a mask with GS foam, the mask itself will streeeeeeeetch out as the foam expands. There's no way to keep it from doing this (unless you have the original mold for the mask) and it flattens out features (like the nose, for example).
I find that foam wig heads with extra packing foam as needed work better. I use strips of foam for cushions to pad where needed and it works great. You can also wear the masks another year if you want and it's no harm done.
On another note - GS foam doesn't stick to latex masks, so you can peel it out later if you want, as long as there aren't too many undercuts and your mask isn't too stretched to allow it. The reverse print is kind of neat, but very stretched so not so good for making duplicate heads )

I use wig heads for my static props. I can change the mask each year or if I still want to continue wearing them I can. I also glue eyes into the wig heads so the mask looks like someone is wearing it.

Originally Posted by sheepies666

GS foam doesn't stick to latex masks, so you can peel it out later if you want, as long as there aren't too many undercuts and your mask isn't too stretched to allow it. The reverse print is kind of neat, but very stretched so not so good for making duplicate heads )

Hmmm, I've seen Great Stuff stick to latex!...call me crazy.... maybe because I disturbed it while it set or something.

I myself use styrofoam heads. I have also used coffee cans, milk jugs, plastic bags, tried great stuff too but the foam head works best for me.

I saw someone on here wondering if he should take old costumes and make em into ToT'er pikes with a sign that says "Didn't Say Trick or Treat" or something to that affect. I really liked the idea, but some people may not like it, get their panties all up in knot.

Originally Posted by chop shop

Hmmm, I've seen Great Stuff stick to latex!...call me crazy.... maybe because I disturbed it while it set or something.

Hmmmm....could be that the latex form I put the GS into had some sort of coating on it. I peeled it right off without any problems. Or maybe it's because I waited a couple years before doing it.