Empty eye sockets stare down a deserted piece of old interstate. Nothing stirs but the occasional raven. One of his hired goons. The cracked and crumbling asphalt, scorched by the unrelenting sun, staggers off into the distance.
Yellowed teeth chew the wind. "Clack!" They grind together. "Grrriiitchhh!" One of his lieutenants alights on a nearby branch to report a cloud of dust on the horizon. Someone approaches.
He hisses laughter and barks a command. His rook flies off, cawing madly for his comrades to follow. The game begins, and as he always does, "Crow" has made the first move.
Ever felt like you were being watched? Inscrutably scrutinized? That'll fluff your tail. Now, wouldn't it be fun to share that feeling with your friends and neighbors this Halloween? Well, have we got a project for you! Build your own inscrutable paper mache skeleton. On a stick.
The "Crow" project is sort of a combination of Dark Tower and Army of Darkness. And the list of materials is laughably simple:
- Newspaper. Lots. And none of that glossy stuff from the Sunday Subliminal Democrat coupon section. Yeah, it'll work, but we like gritty, honest paper. (A reason to possibly avoid the op ed pages)
- Your favorite paper mache glue. Spookyblue's spookyglue of choice is two parts Elmer's to one part water. It's lighter than carpet latex, and not so yucky to the touch when dry.
- Duct tape, scrap lumber (1x2, 1x4, whatever's lying around the garage), a 1/4" carriage bolt and nut, screws, nails, and a case of Mt. Dew (really).
- Optional: A pool noodle, tongue depressors (paint stir sticks work great, too), and a paper mache skull. Wait! The skull's optional? Nope. Just the paper kind, but you might not have one. Of course, you can always make one.
- Paint (latex or acrylic), and outdoor sealant. The sealant I use was a gift, and it's industrial strength, so you're probably not going to be able to find it. Oil-based deck sealer should do the job, but mind the stain color. Walnut colored Brigand might not be your thing.
- A stick.
Materials List
"Crow" is the consequence of a dangerous experiment in paper construction.
Although he exhibits certain scarecrow characteristics, the unwary traveler is just as likely to encounter him lurking along a lonely stretch of blacktop as a corn field.
Highwayman, hunter, his kind requires their own unique definition.
Brigand: Outlaw, robber, thief, member of a roving band practicing "brigandage".
Perfect.
Hide some free time in a sock and bury it in the backyard before starting this project, or it'll mostly get brigandaged away.
"Oversized Stick Monster" got tossed around as a name for a while, but "Brigand" sounds a lot cooler.