Halloween Pumpkin Creeper

I originally wanted this prop to be standing up but I had a lot of scrap pieces of PVC pipe that I wanted to utilize. As a Creeper he turned out great!

A styrofoam pumpkin
Flat black indoor/outdoor spray paint
Paper towels
Disposable gloves
Expanding insulation spray foam
Heat gun
PVC Pipe cutters
Welding glove
exacto knife
Plastic painter’s drop cloth
Plumber pipe insulation foam that fits 1/2 inch PVC pipe
Aluminum foil
Masking tape
Orange and black acrylic paint
Liquid latex (optional)
Black creepy cloth (optional)
Safety glasses
1/2 inch PVC pipe cut into sections: neck to head = 2 inches; neck to shoulders = 1.5 inches; each shoulder= 6 inches; each bicep part of arms= 8 inches; each forearm= 6 inches; spine = 15 inches; each hip= 3.5 inches ; each thigh= 6.5 inches; each calf= 7.5 inches
Five- 45° angle 1/2 inch PVC pipe connectors
Four- 90° angle 1/2 inch PVC pipe elbow connectors
ONE- three way 1/2 inch PVC Pipe connector
ONE- four way 1/2 inch PVC pipe connector

Draw your face on the pumpkin and carve it out with an X-Acto knife. Only dig it out about a half an inch as the heat gun will melt it more. Using your welding glove, hold the pumpkin by it’s stem and with the heat gun on low, start to melt the pumpkin all around. I stay in each area just until the skin starts to bubble a little. Do the face last. It will quickly start to rot so do not put a lot of heat on it. Spray the pumpkin lightly with black spray paint in sections and immediately wipe part of it off so you can still see the orange a little. The paint will also eat away at the styrofoam underneath the skin. Spray Paint until you feel you have your desired look.

Cut the plumbers pipe insulation foam to fit the PVC pipes on the upper biceps, hips, thighs and spine areas. This give these areas a thicker appearance. Use the heat gun on low to secure the foam and create a creepier effect.
Attach the head to the neck and secure with expanding insulation foam. Allow to set up completely.
Assemble the body. make sure the pipes are secure in the connectors.
Build up the joints with aluminum foil. I decided to give him a tail also. Unroll the plastic painters drop cloth and cut about 6 inches or more wide and then completely open this piece up. Start tightly wrapping the plastic around the aluminum foil joints and then down each leg. Cut the remaining plastic and start to “shrink wrap” this area with the heat gun on low. I had wrapped it at least around twice in each area. you can go all the way down each area if you like. I just went down on the plumbers insulation foam a little just to secure it better. I built up the chest area with plastic bags and covered it in aluminum foil before I shrink wrapped it.

I used plastic Skeleton hands, cutting and melting them to get an eerie effect. I built them up with aluminum foil and shrink wrapped them in plastic. I attached them to the bottom of the legs and arms and secured with masking tape. Once they were in The position I wanted them in, I went ahead and shrink wrapped them to the legs and arms. After adjusting the arms and legs to the desired position, you are ready to paint the body.

Add some water to some orange acrylic paint so it will get down into the creases. Allow to dry. Softly Use the black spray paint just enough to give the body depth and a rotten look but where you can still see some orange. Wipe off excess. Use until you get the desired result. allow to dry.

To make him look like he just came out of the swamp, use the creepy cloth, liquid latex and black acrylic paint. Pour 1/4 c of latex in a bowl and squeeze a dollop of black paint and stir till uniform in color. This will look grey but it will dry darker. Cut strands of the creepy cloth to your desired length, paint on the colored latex onto the fabric and drape it onto the prop wherever you like. Use as much as you want!