Zombie Prop Head Chop Photo Op

This Instructable is a culmination of many parts rolled into one. If you have any question please ask! I have a ton of photos and I'm pretty sure a lot of them will be just random or the same from different angles.This is great for people who want to add a special effect to their haunt, or just to play around with. The concept is that the static prop is set out and people can get a picture of themselves taking on an Undead.

If I am not clear on anything, please ask! I have tried to keep my Instructables at a maximum of 4 steps while being informative, but this one will be a bit more involved, but still entirely possible!!

Sooooooo....You want to look like you can save the world? Then let's do this!!!!

https://www.instructables.com/id/Making-your-very-o...

https://www.instructables.com/id/Your-Zombie-eyes-a...

You will need these first 2 steps done for your start up kit. I made the zombie eyes, but this whole thing was inspired by ManufacturedArtists and their "Foam Buddy" build. I did do a few things different, but the effects will be the same I'm sure. They added rocks to hold down the plastic/suran wrap. I used an adhesive spray. They used a male form, I used a female form. Just small things that made the difference but I honestly don't think it should matter.

I used about 2 sticks of 5 foot long 3/4 inch PVC, 1 45 degree pvc connector, one tee connector, and 4 90 degree connectors. The connectors were for the base so it stood anywhere I wanted it too. I suppose a hole in a brick or the ground would probably have the same effect...

I also used a prop ax, plastic zombie hands, 2 pool noodles, A zombie mask, Styrofoam head, masking tape, various paints, gorilla glue and hot glue.

Tools were just a hand saw to cut the PVC and Heat gun to bend the PVC. Of course hot glue gun...

Long winded, I know... SO let's do this!

In one pic you see me holding the head to my Foam Buddy. I wanted to see how it was going to fit. I trimmed the neck to have the sideways lean cuz I was going to go for a head chopping motion to this baddy! Last pic is of the form I used to make my Foam Buddy. It wasn't anything against women, I have a form for the male too, and he is going for a more gruesome scene!

So, Foam Buddy tested to look good where it is. Next, I bought a cheap zombie mask from a store and crammed it on the styrofoam head. I added the zombie eyes into the eye holes and made sure they stayed by dumping Gorilla Glue all around the eye hole (but not on the eyes). The plus side was tthe one eye has that crusty look to it, a "Happy Mistake" as the late Bob Ross would phrase it. Lol!

You can see from the pics how I have the head on. The top of the PVC pipe was heated with the heat gun and turned to keep the head in the shape I wanted it to be in. The arms were pool noodles. Each one cut down for a bit more realism. I cut out slices from the noodles at the elbows and shoulders to give it a more natural bend. Tape held them just fine so they kept there shape. Didn't need glue, but that is just choice.

The ends of the noodles were hallowed out so I could slide the hands into them and electrical tape to keep them smooth and held in place good and tight! As you can see the zip ties holding everything together, since "she" was going to have a shirt on, I wasn't worried about those being there, but I did use a bunch of Gorilla glue to make sure they stayed! I will get to the ax on the next step, but I did a couple test pics to see how it was looking.

I wasn't going to have a nude zombie, but I wasn't going to go for a "clean" look either. So I just blobbed on some dark browns where I was going to have the clothes torn. And since it was too tall to have it in full standing, I decided I didn't need the legs and all that stuff, so all pics would be at waist level or higher.

Dark paints for the base of the paint job, You can see the PVC pipe sticking up and how I cut a hole in the toy ax so I could just attach everything easier.

The shirt I used some sand paper and cheese grater to wear down the fabric and give it the worn out look. Just a dollar at good will, so I was ok with doing this. When I tore the shirt, I frayed the ends with the sand paper so it looked worn and not just cut. Good aged effect.

The head and ax were being difficult to hold at the same time to take pics, so it took some creative gluing to hold it all together. But after that, it was smooth going. I even used another can to fill in the hollow back. It wasn't going to be in the pic anyway, but that was just for me to be assured the PVC was locked into place better. You can see the base I made for it. Simple rectangle(ish) shape so it stood on it's own. 3rd pic was just about the finished product but, I didn't like the color differences, so I mixed some Burnt umber brown, some Brilliant Red and a touch of Titanium white and covered all the visible body parts. I even touched up the face a bit so it would all be fairly close to being perfect together.

That actually stands for Keep It Simple Stupid. It's my motto whenever I build something. But this is the (more or less) finished piece. These are just a couple pics of me testing different angles, different lighting, etc. But I'm sure you guys didn't look into this to see my numerous photos of myself. Lol!

So, next step is my conclusion....

Altogether I have been working off and on with this for the last month. Between drying times, change of plans, scrapping ideas, working....blah blah blah, I'd say I have put in a solid 5 or 6 days into this (not straight, maybe 8 to 10 hours a day).

Many possibilities with this setup, trick or treaters getting a photo with the prop, an extra for your haunted attraction, or just a year round conversation piece!

My male zombie is going to be a bit more intense and not for the squeamish. But this was a fun (but also annoying) build and I love the end result. You can set it up higher for taller people or stand the ax wielder up higher for the effect, so it's an adaptable piece.

I have maybe 50 or so dollars into this, so if you charge 1 dollar per person per pic, you can make it back. Or just have fun with a cheap prop! Hope this was informative enough and I will answer all questions as soon as I can! And thank you for making it this far! Lol! Have fun, keep your imagination alive, and make an impression!