While I definitely do A LOT of shopping this time of year, once all of the Halloween merchandise hits the shelves… it’s also a great opportunity for me to get inspired to try some new projects. A few weeks ago, I came across a skull that I thought looked pretty cool. It appeared to have a foil like finish, which I thought was unique. As I was about to put it in my cart, I thought to myself “I could do that.. or at least something similar“. Looking back now, I’m glad I took the challenge…. these Foil Skulls look just like the ones I saw in the store…. and cost next to nothing!
It just so happens that I have a lot of skulls laying around that are in need of a makeover… but if you don’t amass Halloween decor like I do, you can pretty much use any skull that has distinct lines… even cheap plastic ones. In fact, the silver one pictured is a skull I bought from the dollar store last year. I had painted it silver for another project that never came to fruition. While it actually doesn’t look half bad in the photo, even with the silver paint, the skull is VERY obviously plastic. It always bothered me… thus why I never completed the project. This $1 plastic skull was the perfect candidate for a makeover!
Please note – this project is for responsible adults only. Fire hazard is involved.
What you’ll need:
- Skull
- Aluminum Foil
- Baking Spray, Butter, Spray Butter, etc
- Spray Adhesive
I wanted to do more than just cover a skull with foil… I wanted to give it an aged quality. To do that, I needed to tarnish the foil. This was actually a lot of fun… I felt like I was back in science class! I took a few sheets of aluminum foil, and sprayed a variety of elements onto them and then Broiled them in my oven.
Tip 1 – Of everything I tried, the Baking Spray with Flour and the Spray Butter created the best results
Tip 2 – If the foil is laying on a low rack in the over, it will eventually get discolored, but I got the best results when I put the foil on the top rack directly under the broiler…. But a HUGE warning: When I used the top rack, the foil went up in flames petty quickly and had to be put out. The good news is that it left an amazing discoloration pattern on the foil. So – if you use the latter method, DO NOT leave the foil unattended, and be prepared to blow out the fire immediately!!
Once your foil is tarnished, starting tearing it up into squares.
Spray sections of your skull with adhesive, wait for it to become tacky, and apply the squares of foil. Smooth out, and ensure the foil is secured into all of the skull’s indentions.
Repeat until the skull is covered..
Allow to Dry.
Such an easy project.. and such a fun way to give some old decor a makeover.
Like Skulls? Try this Mod Podge Tutorial to create some Skull Wall Art… or create these DIY Skull Wine Bottle Stoppers.
YASSSSSSSSS. Another DIY skull idea: wrap a dollar store skull in cling film/plastic wrap. Use a hairdryer to “melt” the wrap onto the skull. It will only take a few seconds per area. It winds up looking like crinkly old skin, sometimes with some connecting “strings”, especially at openings at the mouth. It’s a really cool look.
Thanks Ophelia! Great idea.. I’ll have to give that one a try!! I love hearing about new DIY techniques!