This is a short tutorial on how to decorate or “dress up” a Styrofoam® tombstone.
It really isn’t all that complicated an issue and I’m certain that it’s quite easy to figure it out, but I thought perhaps this may be helpful to someone.
This is a fast, easy and fun way to add a little additional creativity to your Halloween displays.
While the Styrofoam® tombstones are nice, inexpensive accents for holiday displays, (and I purchase a large quantity of them every year because I have learned by trial and error that they are more expensive for me to make for myself) they are a little too drab for my tastes. I always paint them before I add them into any display, for myself or for other people that I create props for.
While fun for adults (I paint these every year) this project is also great for kids and can help them to be entertained while also promoting freedom of expression, allowing for them to exercise creativity and individuality, which builds self-esteem.
This is a relatively easy project that won’t break ones budget. Depending on which materials are your preferences (and from where you purchase your “supplies”) this project costs under $10.00 (on a high dollar estimate).
Let's Go!
Begin by gathering whichever products that you’d like to use for your project.
I used Craft Smart® craft paint in a basic “black” and “white” for this project.
Dispense a liberal amount of craft paint onto your palate.
This is how the Styrofoam® tombstone appeared before I painted it.
These Styrofoam® tombstone props can be found in almost any retail outlet in the seasonal department in with the Halloween decorations between August and October. I purchased this particular prop at Dollar Tree®.
One can begin painting whichever part of the tombstone that one feels either comfortable with, or creatively inclined to paint.
I suggest that the larger areas such as the border and main body of the stone be painted first before the accents (spider and the inner web - if one has purchased this very same design in this tutorial) this way if paint accidentally gets onto the accent parts, one won’t ruin work already completed. That being stated (and because I tend to do things backwards lol) I began by painting the spider. I used only a solid colour (black) for it.
The spider is complete.
With the spider complete (if you have followed my lead and painted that first) begin to work on the larger areas of the tombstone.
Take your brush and mix a little of the black and white paint together. Don’t focus too much on getting the paint evenly mixed into one solid colour or particular shade. When painting a tombstone, I tend not to thoroughly mix the paint because I like when I am able to get highlights of light and dark, and pull different values off of one single brushstroke. I think highs and lows give the tombstone (albeit a foam prop) a more natural appearance.
Keep working until you have covered the surface of the tombstone.
After I get the basics painted I like to add a few highlights while the paint is still wet and drying.
Choose your own highlighting to suit your personal taste. Experiment a little. There is no wrong way to do this.
After you have completed painting the body of the tombstone, let it dry for a few minutes before you begin to paint the web (or any accents present on the tombstone that you are painting). This will ensure that you don’t accidentally smudge the greyed (or darker areas) onto the web.
Begin painting the web (or whichever accent is present on your tombstone.)
With the web complete add any additional highlights that you’d like and allow for it to dry completely: about an hour to an hour and a half’s time.
The finished product!
I prefer to add a coat or two of a varnish to ensure that the paint doesn’t run should the prop get wet (as from rain if to be placed outside). It is not entirely necessary but I strongly suggest taking this extra step to preserve the piece. Paint binds to different materials in different ways. Craft paint, although technically acrylic paint, is mostly water based and is only permanent when applied to certain materials; it is not necessarily permanent across board as it should be (or as is stated on most bottles of craft & hobby paint.) . Because the Styrofoam® tombstone is somewhat of a porous material the paint is only really semi-permanent.
I varnished this piece with Krylon® Kamar® Varnish but something as simple as Americana® DuraClear™ Gloss Varnish will be sufficient. If you are completing this project with children then I do not recommend using an aerosol varnish such as the Krylon®.
I am also a huge fan of glitter, and there are two great relatively inexpensive (under $3.00) craft and hobby varnishes that are infused with glitter that you can use too: Americana® StarLite Varnish, and Folk Art® Gems™ Diamonds varnish.
All of these products can be purchased at Michael’s® (Arts & Crafts Store).
*** I do have other photographs someplace of additional dressing that I did for this tombstone, including adding a little spider webbing, but unfortunately I can’t locate those at the moment. I will add them in at a later date! *** .
