Rebecca found a remarkably detailed doll on Facebook Marketplace. The doll is 33 inches tall and looks like the perfect starting point for a monster-mudded angelic figure on an ornate gravestone/base. The picture at the right is a reference photo of an actual grave that we’re basing the design on.
Carving the Foam
Starting with two 16x16x2″ inch” pink foam. Bent a hot-knife blade into shape for bevel cutting. The trick was to make sure the hot knife was well supported as it sliced through the foam. The top layer beveled an angle approximately 4×1.5″ For the lower layer (inverted), the bevel cuts out 2×3/4″. The hot knife doesn’t move perfectly smooth through the foam, leaving a ridged effect that we think will look like very weathered stone on top. The top piece bevel leaves an 8×8″ surface, and we mount an 8x8x2″ block on top of that for the doll to stand on.
The sides are made from 1-inch thick foam, There are two sizes of trapezoids to cut. You need two panels of each size. The first are 11 inches wide at the top, and 15 inches wide at the bottom, and 24 inches tall. The second pair, which sit inside the first pair are 9 inches wide at the top, 13 inches wide at the bottom, and 24 inches tall.
Building a Sturdy Base
The doll with all her monster mud will be pretty heavy, so we need to make an inner wood frame to support the figure. We also want the base to be pretty heavy to make sure it is bottom-heavy and won’t easily fall over. The wood frame is made of four 2×4’s 18 inches long with 45-degree angle cuts on each side. The four uprights are 2×2 stock, 25.5 inches long. The 2×2’s sit inside the 2×4 frame, and are held apart by four 2x2x8″ pieces. The top of the uprights are held apart by four 2x2x6.25″ pieces. Note: because the sides are slightly angled, you need to cut the ends of each cross-piece with a 5 degree end. Top cross-pieces will thus be a trapezoid that is 6 inches on the shortest (top) side. The bottom cross-pieces will be trapezoids that are 8 inches across on the longest (bottom side). A 5 degree angle isn’t much, but it makes assembly SO MUCH easier.
At the top and bottom, insert a 6 inch, and an 8 inch 2×4 block spanning the “back” of the piece. Drill a 3/4″ hole through each of these so they are vertically aligned with each other. These will hold a length of 1/2″ conduit that will span all the way from the bottom block, through the top block, and up through the the six inch thick top pink foam structure and then another 2.5 feet or so beyond to support the doll, 54″ ought to do it.
Placing the Doll
Wing and a Prayer
Now for some clothes…
Let the Monster-Mudding begin…
More to come…
We entered her in the 2023 Home Haunter Awards under the category of Best Static Prop.