Lumen Maleficus - The Lantern of Malice

**Spats** · 09-10-2009,07:35 PM

Hey, gang.

I love lanterns. While most people like the victorian railroad oil lanterns, or colonial tin-punch models, I've always been a fan of the old medieval lanterns, the sort that used panels of horn in a single door (lamp-horn = lanthorn = lantern, doncha know).

So I decided to make one, some warped, corroded old lantern from a defiled monastery or the dungeons of a mad nobleman.

I started with a large oatmeal can (eat yer oats - keeps ya regular!) and cut the door away. The handle is a coat hanger wire, bent into a spiral and covered in masking tape. I built the roof with crafting wire and covered that in about three layers of masking tape.

I cut the face from the door and reinforced the edges with crafting wire so it would maintain it's curved shape. I attached the door with a brass clasp and hinge from Lowes, using hot glue to hold the screws.

I coated the piece inside and out with Sculpt or Coat twice, making sure I had complete coverage, then added the rivets (dollops of hot glue).
I painted it with black latex, dry-brushed it with acrylic craft paint called "Aged Bronze", and glued in a sheet of calligraphy parchment paper for the panel.

The lantern isn't made for wet weather or flame, obviously, but it holds a three-battery pumpkin light just fine. I would recommend glowsticks, pumpkin lights or LED lights for this piece, no hot bulbs or (once again) no flame.
The handle is sturdy and the lantern hangs with no stress or warping. It's a solid little piece.
So if you want something unique for that Flying Crank Ghost or for your indoor haunting illumination, and you don't have any metal crafting skills, I offer this cheaply made little prop for your consideration.

**Frankie's Girl** · 09-10-2009,07:41 PM

That is lovely!

**savagehaunter** · 09-10-2009,07:42 PM

very cool prop. You really personalized this thing. The finished product looks lick real tin.

**Mr_Chicken** · 09-10-2009,07:53 PM

very cool

**JohnnyAppleseed** · 09-10-2009,08:46 PM

Wow and I'm sure Quaker Oats never imagined this from an oatmeal container! Nicely done!

**ducdukgoose68** · 09-10-2009,08:55 PM

Great looking prop. I love when home made props turn out.

**Spats** · 09-10-2009,09:20 PM

High praise. Thanks, folks.

It did occur to me while finishing the lantern that there are likely plenty of people who could make a more stalwart version using thin-walled 6 inch PVC or Aluminum flashing. What to use for a curved translucent pane of glass or horn?

No idea, aside from actually boiling and shaping horn (good luck!).

I suppose you could use drum skins...