Thread: Best/easiest way to make "dummies" for props?

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I am trying to make some prop dummies for a few things for our big Halloween party, and am looking for ideas. I know that "best" and "easiest" aren't always the same thing, so I figured I'd ask for both, LOL.

We made one last year in the basic, old-fashioned way of just stuffing old clothes - we used and old flannel shirt and pair of jeans, then stuffed a full head mask as well and attached it to the top of the shirt. That worked well for what we used it for (hung from a noose in an elevator shaft ), but this year I need to make a "spider victim" that I am hoping to attach to the large rope web I am trying to make, and a body to put in the coffin that we are also constructing.

Has anyone ever made a spider victim before? I was thinking of just getting some old longjohns and stuffing them for the shape, then wrapping it in a piece of that gauzy fabric, then attaching some fake web to the outside... how does this sound?

Last year when I needed a quick body, I just dressed one of those plastic skeletons (Blucky?), then put a mask on it. He was just lying in a coffin, then I used on of those bloody arms. I can dig up a picture of last year in a few minutes.


You cant' even tell he's a skeleton..

For the spider victim, I made a cocoon shape out of chicken wire and then took the stufing out of a old comforter and wrapped it around the chicken wire. Attached a mask at the top with some fake cobwebs strewn across it and it looked great. You can even have a hand or foot sticking out for more realism. I used a hand with the wiggling fingers.

do a search for "terra" and "spider victim" she did her whole garage in spider victims one year, she had two (i think) one that actually wriggled and writhed and another that was static. Check her stuff out, she does really good work!!.

Quick spider egg sacs

try the link above, its for her post on making spider egg sacs, but you can probably use the same method.

-dk

Thanks, and I do like Terra's work - that's awesome!

I made one for a friends Halloween party a couple years ago.

I used the basic stuffed clothes method, with a polystyrene wigform head, then wrapped the whole affair in old net curtain, mummy fashion, before covering with lots of web (and plastic spiders, of course). Cheap, easy, quick and lightweight.

It looked quite effective.

looking good.

I will gladly offer up an ex-husband for your propping pleasure. He is pretty much a dummy all on his own. No modifications needed.

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Originally Posted by msmello

I will gladly offer up an ex-husband for your propping pleasure. He is pretty much a dummy all on his own. No modifications needed.

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

that's a good use for them, never thought of that ....LOL...

Originally Posted by msmello

I will gladly offer up an ex-husband for your propping pleasure. He is pretty much a dummy all on his own. No modifications needed.

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

LOL!!!! I can't believe I missed this post before ...

Well, if he is still available, I need more props for this year - one we hang down an elevator shaft