Thread: help please with inserting a skull into a wall

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I want to figure out how to cut a hole in a sheet of foam that a skull will set into without having to cut the skull in half to get the shape.
Can anyone help with ideas?

Make a bowl of jello. Before it sets, put the skull into the jello at the correct height and angle. Wait until it sets. Remove the skull Lay a piece of tracing paper over the set jello. Trace the opening with a marker. Transfer the design to the foam.

Smear the skull with pam, vegetable oil, or vaseline. Make a 1" halo on the skull to the point where it would be sticking out of the wall with modelling clay. Put the skull in the freezer until the clay is hard. Remove from freezer. Carefully remove skull. Trace the inside of the halo onto the foam.

There are probably other ways to do this.

Craig

I would simply hold the skull against the foam in the position desired. Then, take a long pencil (sharpened of course) and slide the pencil along the aligned skull and trace it's outline as best you can, then cut your outline and ....voila! Insert the skull into the opening, fill any gaps with "great stuff" foam and trim with a razor knife and decorate as desired.....works for me

make a paper mache mold of the skull and then you dont have to cut your skull in half, use the paper mache half and seal over it with drylok or some paint.

TNB, I've been thinking about a prop requiring several half-skulls as well. I'm going to try putting wet sand into a plastic shoe box and then pressing the skull into the sand. I may spray it with non-stick spray as well. Then I'm going to use plaster of paris in the sand mold. I'll let you know how it works.

ok I'll give it up.
I'm making columns for my yard and the design has a skull with a light inside

Can't recall from whom, but I bought a bunch of half and three-quarter skulls made out of plaster last year... They're going on the crypt this year. I think it was someone from here.

thes are much larger than a normal skull.
They are the size as one of those pumkin display might be.
They even have a hole with a light in the center of the back.

I like simple. Try A piece of paper taped to a wall. A skull mounted about 6" out in front of it, say an a table or something like that. Then a light about 4" in front of that . They must be in line with one another. Turn on the light. Turn off the room lights. Trace the silhouette. It may be off slightly but you can alter it by sight after getting it that far. Sounds too simple to work. If you try it let me know how it worked!

There are several substances that dissolve foam...wd40 I think. maybe you could coat the skull with it and just slowly push it in. ud have to be careful not to let it drip and to wipe it clean rite away so it doesnt keep dissolving...idk. its a thought.