The Mad Lab contest for May actually let me cross something off of my to-do list. The Parkfield Morgue needed some additional props and by using ping pong balls to make eyes, this new prop fit perfectly into the plan for 2009.
Ingredients are as follows:
a potentially diabolical canister ($2.99 at Goodwill)
aquarium sealant ($4.98 at Home Depot)
ping pong balls ($8.98 at Wal-Mart)
oil-based paints (no cost -- from my Garage of Evil!)
two large jugs of cheap hair gel ($7 at Big Lots)
Time spent for this creation: about a week and that includes a lot of drying time!
This particular canister was originally used for hair care products so it was not water-tight. The canister featured a lot of metal including a handle and latch which really was what I wanted for this prop. I washed and dried the cannister and then followed the manufacturer's instructions for the aquarium sealant giving it ample time to dry properly.
While that was drying, I cut a sponge to a circle slightly larger than a wine cork. For the iris, oil-based paint was applied using the sponge and allowed to dry. The pupil was added by dipping a new pencil eraser into black oil-based paint. The effect of a cataract is achieved by thinning white or grey oil paint and sponging it over the iris and pupil.
Using the catalog from the Anatomical Chart Company for inspiration, the ocular muscles and areas of bloodshot were added to the eyeballs for effect. Puff paint was also added to give more texture to the effect of the ocular muscle. To dry the eyeballs, I found that they fit perfectly into the holes drilled for tea lights in the PVC candles that I'm making!
Using a combination of green, red, brown, and black oil paints, the cannister was aged dramatically.
The hair gel came in two colors: a gross, deep yellow and an ice blue. I mixed them together and came up with a weird green mixture. The eyeballs were placed by hand all around the canister and I used a chopstick to push them away from the glass. During Halloween, I will use a glow stick or two to illuminate the prop which will be placed in the center of the gel. For the pictures, I used a low-temp light so the gel wouldn't cook.
'Eye' love this project! Thanks for taking a look!
Tags: Parkfield Eyeball Pingpong Ping Pong Mad Lab Scientist Prop
