Haunted Mansion Life-Sized Replicas

 

All of the following creations were made by my daughter and I.  There were designed to be easily replicate-able without advanced machines like 3D printers and laser cutters.  They were made from easily obtainable items from craft stores and big box home improvement stores.  The major component was sheets of XPS house insulation foam.   They were also made to be done on a budget.  Most of the pieces were made for under $40.  The most expensive was $100.

Welcome foolish mortals.  Our tour begins at the entrance with this custom Haunted Mansion sign. 

I made resin copies of leaves, laser cut the letters, and sculpted the head and skull,  and arranged them on an oval frame. 

 

We pass by an eerie face on a tombstone.  As we look upon it, it looks back.   

Leota was sculpted on a wooden plague using free form air and some realistic eyes I bought on eBay. 

 

DIY Haunted Mansion Madame leota tombstone
DIY Haunted Mansion Madame Leota tombstone

 

Haunted Mansion monster face fireplace grate

Next we enter the parlor where perched on the mantle is a grotesque gargoyle holding to candlesticks leaning in for a closer look. 

He was made by creating a frame out of pvc pipes, bulking up the frame with crumpled up tin foil, covered in smooth on free form air, and a face sculpted in super sculpey.  The candles sticks are led battery powered.  

DIY Haunted Mansion gargoyle candelabra
DIY Haunted Mansion gargoyle candelabra

 

Hanging above the gargoyle are 4 elongated portraits revealing the grim fates of each.

I made them in photoshop and added canvas texture to the them, printed them off and framed them.  They are 48″ tall.

DIY Haunted Mansion stretching portraits
DIY Haunted Mansion stretching portraits

We stroll through a long corridor of creepy doors that creek and howl. A serpentine door handle, a mace like knocker, and a face in the grate peer down upon you.

The door was made out of XPS (expanded polystyrene) sheets from the big box store.  It is the kind of foam that goes on the sides of houses during construction. 

DIY Haunted Mansion green door hall
DIY Haunted Mansion green door hall

The walls are covered in an eerie wall purple wallpaper that seems to be staring at you. 

This is actually a 36″ x 36″ painting I did on canvas.

DIY Haunted Mansion purple wallpaper painting
DIY Haunted Mansion purple wallpaper painting

 

The hallway is decorated with gothic faces carved into the corbels and word work. 

The corbels are carved out of XPS foam and covered in a coat of mod podge, painted, and weathered. 

 

 Many frames of ghostly faces adorn the walls as does a cross-stitched piece in a rough hewed wood frame.

The pictures were found online and placed in dollar store frames.  The Tomb Sweet Tomb sign was modified by me in photoshop to look like cross-stitching and the frame is carved out of XPS.

As you pass by a coffin the lid slowly begins to rise as an otherworldly green glow emanates from inside.

The coffin is made from XPS foam, some pvc pipes, a plastic skeleton, and some frames and yard decor from the dollar store. 

DIY Haunted Mansion coffin with rising lid
DIY Haunted Mansion coffin with rising lid

 

 As you round the corner you see a large clock looming over you as its monstrous face peers down. This was made out of 1″ XPS foam almost entirely. 

It was sanded and shaped like as surfboard and then given a hard coat.

 

Haunted Mansion 13 hour monster clock

 

 You descend into the darkness and her a feminine voice calling out to the spirits.

This was a large streetlamp acrylic globe with a sculpted head with smooth features.  The wig is blue with little green extensions I added.   I sculpted the chair back out of XPS foam.  The projector is hidden inside the book stand.  

Haunted Mansion Madame Leota projection head in crystal ball

A old organ plays its self as it fills the room with eerie tones.

An ominous organ sits against the wall with is unearthly wailing filling the chamber.

This was made out of clear plastic tubes for ceiling light bulbs.  Painted gold and placed on our piano.  

Haunted Mansion organ with bat and dueling portraits

As you head through a creepy graveyard a spooky head pops up from behind a tombstone.

This head was 3D printed for a local charity haunted house I helped run.  

Haunted Mansion pop up head with teacup in graveyard

 

As you pass by an old crypt you see a skeletal arm bricking itself in.

This was made from 1/4″ sheets of XPS form, with a halloween store skeleton arm, and hardware store trowel.

Haunted Mansion arm bricking himself in graveyard

 

As you enter into the light you notice a ghastly arm. holding a torch lighting your way to safety.

This was a hand sculpted arm made from Super Sculpey over a PVC skeleton.  The torch is a vuvuzela and modified old funnel.  It is mounted on a plywood board.  It was painted black, drybrushed gold, and given a patina teal wash.  

Haunted Mansion arm holding torch

Just as you head to safety a disembodied head in a hatbox says he hopes you return soon.

The hatbox was made from a discounted out of season planter, the head was sculpted by hand from Super Sculpey and the hair was a big craft fur.