Thread: So simple, so spooky haunted mirror

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This may have been shared here before, but I'm pretty pleased with what I have so far. (This is my first DIY Halloween craft!) To create this super easy scare, you will need:
1 mirror (I found an 8x10 mirror in a frame at the Dollar Tree)
1 photograph of a person (look for vintage b&w photos online)
1 sharp edge (knife, razor blade, carving tool, etc.)

Simply remove the cardboard back from the mirror. Line your photograph up to see what portion of it you want revealed. Using your sharp tool, begin scratching the finish off the back of the mirror. Do a little at a time, then turn the mirror over to see progress. Less is more, if you scratch off too much, you end up with more of a picture frame than a mirror. Once you get the desired effect, place photograph behind mirror and replace cardboard backing. Now leave in your bathroom, hallway, or somewhere someone is bound to check themselves out...they're in for a surprise!
Here's how mine turned out thus far. I wanted it to be very subtle and cause guests to do a double take. Quite eerie if I do say so myself.

Haha, I like the subtlety of the effect. At first I totally didn't see anything, and then I was like "OMG!" so you definitely achieved the double-take reaction from me! Nice job.

Every year I keep saying I'm going to make a haunted mirror and every year I don't get around to it!

I can't see it. What am I looking for? Help!

Nice Effect! (You can see the eyes about 3/4 the way up in the scratched off area.)

Paint remover, believe it not, works very well and leaves no scratches. Use lightly, leaving some foggy reflection on the glass makes is very eerie. I'm gonna use an backlit inverse mask behind mine to make it "follow" as you pass by.

Interesting, I wonder if you could do that with a piece of glass or plexiglass of the same dimensions but instead of having to scrape off you can actually add to. I'm thinking here some either really sheer material, with the photograph glued to the back then sprayed with an adhesive. Just and idea.

I've seen "mirror" spray:

http://www.amazon.com/Krylon-K090330.../dp/B003971BAY

This apparently only works on real glass though. Didn't find anything about using it on plastic (there were some threads asking if it could be done that quickly degenerated into "get a real mirror and be professional about it" without an answer). I figure it would probably eat the plastic but you never know. I'm sure you could get some interesting effects scratching it and putting something behind it.

It looks great! I lovelovelove mirrors, and want to do one of these so bad, but it breaks my heart to actually "damage" one.

I've heard that paint thinner and toilet bowl cleaners will eat away the reflective coating to do something similar too.

gr8 idea

me likey! lol

amk

all the suggestions here r great but be careful if u use old mirrors the silvering can be toxic and if scraping it off u may inhale it and become a "Mad Hatter"