Thread: Suggestions for column toppers?

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Folks, I'm in need of your help. I'm building new cemetery columns this year, and had planned on putting gargoyles on top. See album: Halloween Forum - lwaldeck's Album: Columns '09

The top is covered with plexiglass to allow light from inside the column to shine up from below and illuminate whatever I end up with. The problem I'm having is that most of the affordable gargoyles I am finding are too small. The columns measure 1.5'x1.5'x6'. I picked up a 12" high gargoyle a few weeks ago, but it just appears too small and out of proportion.

I had an idea about suspending a skull I have above with a metal hanger or something, but I'm not sure that would work with the wind I know we're gonna have in the next couple of weeks.

So, I ask of you, any ideas? For both gargoyles or something other?

Appreciate your time.

wow you do need something big on top to finish them off! I was gonna suggest stone crows but they would be too small as well.

What about the small gargoyles sitting on a pile of skulls? You might need to take a few small things and put them on top rather than trying to find something singular and big.

That last sounds like a great idea.

I used a cheap plastic vacuum formed gargoyle 24" tall. These are one sided and not 3D. They have them at Fred myer etc. Then I filled in the hollow back with spray foam and molded it so that the Gargoyle was 3 dimensional. Then custom painted and led eyes. You can insert a threaded pipe in the foam before it dries for a mount. Then screw into the top of the column.
Pete

Something like this with an owl? http://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/90/...6_7fd396af.jpg

Or Black Cats could work.

how about some rising spirts rising spirit :: risingspirit095.jpg picture by davethedead - Photobucket

the rising spirit thing OMG..... WAY cool, if it is underlit that would show them off totally. they would be easy to scale to the size you'd need too!

Maybe something less gothic and more simple. Perhaps a couple of urns full of weeds, dead ivy and dying plants?

been working on my column for a while now with the same issue. found a set of rock/stone buzzards at target, took them back.

this week found these at walmart being closed out for 15 bucks each.



they have a 1/2 hole in the bottom for drainage, which seems to mount a spot light socket perfect. Plan was to use them for lighting in the graveyard or something but recently started looking at my topless columns and thinking that they might work there better.

by the way, nice columns. mind asking how tall are they? thanks

Thanks all for the suggestions. I really like the rising spirits, but I'm afraid I'm out of time for making something else this year.

@gravedigger greg; They are 6 feet tall, and one and a half feet wide and deep. I originally was only going to make them about 4 feet tall, but the wife talked me into making them taller because you could see into the column via the plexiglass top if they were shorter.

Here's my suggestions:

If you have any skeletons (or other props like giant spiders) laying around unused, perch one on top of the column. You could probaby make some quick spiders with some wire and/or pvc and scale them as you need. If you want to make the spider hairy, pick up some grizzly craft fur material at a store like Joann's Fabric and Craft and wrap the legs in it.

Get a large styrofoam ball and spray paint it to match the columns. Find a way to affix it to the top as a large ball finial of sorts. If you can't find a large enough styrofoam ball, maybe a beachball paper machéd or monster mudded would work.

Some kind of flaming dish or bowl perhaps if you have any of those flaming torches around.

If you have the time I'd suggest doing an arch of some kind that could connect the two columns together. I could see even doing this with wood painted black and keep the design simple. Maybe straight pieces of wood (an upside down flattened U would work in a pinch, archway doesn't have to be curved). Cover parts of the arch framing with vines hanging down or "growing" around the archway to add some interest. Add signage across the top attached to the frame to further personalize it if you feel you need to.

I do like the idea of gargoyles but understand the proportional thing. Your columns look fantastic BTW.