#11 Give the Ghoul a Hand

Wow I have not been on for quite sometime, but I knew this would happen...it being October and all! But here is a good one just in time for Halloween.

Corpse Hands!

sorry not painted yet here... add that picture later

I have tried just about every method imaginable.... there is the coat hanger/pen method, which is a great recycle idea. For that one you take old dried up pens and markers...

Grab a couple coat hangers...  bend them around a traced hand.

mark the knuckle joints

Masking tape them together good.

Cut up your pen tubes (ink parts removed) to size and drop them over according...

Then go over it all with masking tape, and then either paper mache or latex. 

I have done this method alot as well as one that uses drinking straws in place of the pens. 

Both ways are great, but the the following method I like the most.

I start with coaxial cable the bendy kind. You may have leftover wire like this around your house. This stuff is about a 1/4'' round and keeps its shape like wire when you bend it.

You also need wire cutters and pliers, cotton balls, and masking tape.

Now a quick thought about liquid latex. 

You can order it online of course.

 I have heard you can get the stuff in adult shops as well.

 I would not be opposed to, but the only one here is far away....

 and I don't like going in that place alone!

So if you are not up for that kind of distracting adventure....

Michael's and Hobby Lobby have it.

 It's called Mold Builder. 

My store has it in their glue section, but I have seen it in the clay section sometimes.

It's not cheep though. This 16 oz jar is $14... great time for those michael's 40% off coupons.

First we are making a tracing of your hand,

 or if you have little girly hands like me...my husbands hand, 

Mark the joints.

sorry these are sideways have to fix that

I cut my wire according, and masking tape them together at the wrist. 

That wrist by the way fits perfectly snug in 3/4 inch schedule 40 pvc pipe.

I add the thumb on other side.

Then I start making the palm. 

Using my traced image and my own hand as a guide,

 just wrap the masking tape around and connect the fingers. 

once I get the palm connected good I add the thumb.

Then i tape over the whole deal and mark my joints again as a reference.

Now comes the liquid latex. 

I brush a little on an area, with a cheap brush i do not care about because it will be ruined.

I like to use my finger actually...the latex is easy to get off.

Then add pieces of cotton ball and go over the cotton with more latex.

I let it dry before each layer. 

Just a couple hours in the sun do just fine.

I fill in my palms, fatten them up.

Add little knuckles at all the joints. 

And go over the whole thing with more latex. 

You can do as many coats as you want depending on how dead your ghoul is.

In these pictures its not quite dry. 

It dries to a yellowish color but you can paint it whatever color you want.

The cool thing about this method is the hands are flexible. 

But if you don't need it to be posable you can easily skip the latex part and 

go the paper mache route instead. 

This is just a easy, versatile base for what ever you choose to do with it.