Halloween Universe

Video Category

DIY Props

Every diy props video worth your time, gathered in one place. Browse builds, tutorials, and showcases — each embedded from its original creator with a quick summary so you can find exactly what you need.

2314 videos

DIY Pepper's Ghost in a Jar
6:18
Projection EffectsBeginnerlow (primarily cardboard and basic materials)

DIY Pepper's Ghost in a Jar

VanOaksProps demonstrates how to recreate the classic Pepper's Ghost optical illusion at miniature scale, housing the effect inside a bell jar for a self-contained Halloween display piece. Inspired by the iconic ballroom scene in Disney's Haunted Mansion, the build uses an angled reflective surface to make a hidden 'ghost' image appear to float inside the jar. A decorative fake book, constructed from cardboard, is also built to conceal the hidden projection source and give the display a polished, themed look. The result is a compact, eye-catching prop that punches well above its apparent complexity.

VanOaksProps· 181,762 views
HOW TO: Overwatch Mercy Wings
3:10
Costume TutorialsBeginnerunder $10

HOW TO: Overwatch Mercy Wings

This short tutorial from Madeyewlook walks viewers through building DIY Mercy wings from the game Overwatch using foam board, acrylic paint, a hot glue gun, and a Sharpie. The build is budget-friendly and accessible to beginners, with regular cardboard offered as a more flexible alternative material. The finished wings are designed to complement a full Mercy cosplay or Halloween costume, and a companion body paint tutorial is referenced for the complete look.

Madeyewlook· 178,682 views
duct tape corpsing
16:53
DIY PropsBeginnerunder $20

duct tape corpsing

Stiltbeast Studios demonstrates a quick and accessible corpsing technique using duct tape and a blowtorch to create gooey, tendon-like organic detail on skeleton props. The entire project was completed in roughly two hours, making it an efficient method for haunters working under time pressure. Heating the tape causes it to shrink, warp, and string into convincing sinew and tissue textures without the need for expensive materials or advanced skills.

StiltbeastStudios· 174,282 views
Skeleton Groundbreaker | Animated DIY HALLOWEEN Prop How-To Tutorial
23:31
DIY AnimatronicsIntermediate

Skeleton Groundbreaker | Animated DIY HALLOWEEN Prop How-To Tutorial

This roughly 24-minute tutorial walks viewers through building an animated skeleton groundbreaker, a mechanical prop designed to emerge from a graveyard scene with eerie, zombie-like motion. The host provides step-by-step instructions for assembling the moving figure so it can be added to a Halloween cemetery display. It's geared toward home haunters wanting a motorized centerpiece for their yard.

HALLOWEEN DIY & HOW-TO Props & Special Effects· 170,879 views
We made SPIDER EGGS out of Trash for Halloween!
6:08
DIY PropsBeginner$5–$15

We made SPIDER EGGS out of Trash for Halloween!

Wicked Makers hosts Jay and Jaimie demonstrate how to upcycle plastic milk jugs and water bottles into convincingly creepy spider egg sacs for Halloween. By combining recycled containers with clear Christmas ornaments, hot glue, spray paint, and acrylic washes, they create lumpy, organic-looking props at very low cost. The build is family-friendly and completable in a single afternoon, making it an accessible project for decorators of any skill level. Optional string lights can be added inside for an eerie glowing effect.

Wicked Makers· 170,268 views
The BEST Way to Smooth 3d Prints
6:19
DIY PropsIntermediate$10–$30

The BEST Way to Smooth 3d Prints

VanOaksProps presents their signature method for smoothing PLA 3D prints before painting, combining spot putty with acetone to minimize sanding time. The technique draws on basic chemistry to fill print layer lines more efficiently than conventional sanding alone. The workflow is designed to get props paint-ready faster, freeing up time for more creative work. This is presented as the creator's original take on a widely discussed topic.

VanOaksProps· 169,856 views
SPIRIT HALLOWEEN 2022 HAUL! 🎃 DIY Halloween Project Ideas
9:35
Product Reviews

SPIRIT HALLOWEEN 2022 HAUL! 🎃 DIY Halloween Project Ideas

Wicked Makers hosts Jay and Jaimie visit Spirit Halloween for their 2022 haul, showcasing a range of animatronics, licensed décor, and seasonal props they picked up in-store. The video highlights notable animatronic figures including a caged zombie, a clown, and a skeleton, along with licensed collections from popular horror and fantasy franchises. Rather than a straight review, the duo frames their finds as inspiration for upcoming DIY Halloween builds and projects. It serves as both a shopping guide and a teaser for future prop-making content.

Wicked Makers· 167,210 views
What Is The Best Glue For Foam?!
7:43
DIY PropsBeginner

What Is The Best Glue For Foam?!

VanOaksProps tackles one of the most common prop-making questions by putting four popular adhesives head-to-head in a practical foam bonding test. The contenders — white Gorilla Glue, Great Stuff expanding foam, Liquid Nails project adhesive, and Titebond 3 wood glue — are evaluated to determine which performs best on foam materials. The results aim to give crafters a definitive answer before they commit to an adhesive for their next build.

VanOaksProps· 166,934 views
5 Halloween Foam Projects You Need to Try
39:42
DIY PropsBeginnerlow (budget-friendly, per source description)

5 Halloween Foam Projects You Need to Try

VanOaksProps presents a compilation of five foam-based Halloween prop builds, covering a range of themes from a pirate treasure chest to a medieval torch. The projects use insulation foam, expanding foam, and EVA foam to achieve realistic, lightweight, and visually striking results. Each segment serves as a highlight reel, with links to full standalone tutorials for complete materials and painting details. The collection is pitched as accessible to both beginners and experienced prop makers on a budget.

VanOaksProps· 166,144 views
Pool noodle props Easy
5:55
DIY PropsBeginner$5–$20

Pool noodle props Easy

Stiltbeast Studios demonstrates how to quickly build Halloween props using pool noodles and a heat gun, claiming full-body forms can be completed in roughly an hour and simpler structures in even less time. The approach is stripped-down and accessible, requiring minimal tools and inexpensive materials. It's a great entry point for haunters who want to populate a space fast without a big budget or advanced skill set.

StiltbeastStudios· 162,903 views
DIY Halloween Props - Clock from Nightmare Before Christmas
11:06
DIY PropsBeginner$15–$40

DIY Halloween Props - Clock from Nightmare Before Christmas

Wicked Makers' Jay and Jaimie build a replica of the Halloween Countdown Clock from The Nightmare Before Christmas, turning it into an accessible weekend DIY project. The build is designed to work with a range of materials — plywood, cardboard, foam core, or balsa — making it easy to adapt to whatever is on hand. Purchased plans and templates are available to guide the process from cut to finished, painted prop. The result is a decorative piece that doubles as both a Halloween and a Christmas holiday decoration.

Wicked Makers· 161,171 views
spray painting plastic- best primer
9:11
DIY PropsBeginner

spray painting plastic- best primer

Stiltbeast Studios tackles one of the most common frustrations in prop-making — getting paint to stick to plastic — by identifying a preferred primer through hands-on testing. The video walks through why plastic is a difficult surface to paint and what makes this particular primer perform better than alternatives. Real-world adhesion tests are shown to back up the recommendation rather than relying on speculation alone.

StiltbeastStudios· 155,466 views
Simple Cracked & Chipped Paint Effect using a Wood Block
7:00
Set DesignBeginner

Simple Cracked & Chipped Paint Effect using a Wood Block

VanOaksProps demonstrates a quick and forgiving faux-finishing technique that makes haunt wall panels look aged and deteriorated. Using a wood block and layered spray paint, the method replicates the look of decades-old cracked and chipped paint without specialized skills or expensive materials. The result is convincing weathered surfaces well-suited for haunted house exteriors or interior set dressing.

VanOaksProps· 153,447 views
How to Make a Gremlin Prop! Sculpt, Two Piece Mold, SFX, & Paint | MONSTER LAB
51:45
DIY PropsAdvanced

How to Make a Gremlin Prop! Sculpt, Two Piece Mold, SFX, & Paint | MONSTER LAB

In this extended Monster Lab episode, Distortions Unlimited founder Ed Edmunds walks viewers through the complete process of creating a latex gremlin character from scratch. The tutorial covers three major stages: sculpting the creature in clay, constructing a two-piece plaster mold, and painting the finished latex pull for a professional SFX result. Running at nearly an hour, the video provides a thorough, professional-level breakdown of techniques used in the Halloween manufacturing industry. It serves as a valuable reference for anyone looking to move beyond basic prop-making into full creature fabrication.

DistortionsUnlimited· 152,695 views
How to 3D Print your own Dungeons for DnD!
6:07
OtherBeginner

How to 3D Print your own Dungeons for DnD!

Jaimie and Jay of Wicked Makers walk through their workflow for printing and painting modular dungeon tiles for tabletop RPGs. They rely on free 3D model files from Thingiverse — specifically OpenForge designs — and a standard FDM printer to produce stone-style terrain pieces. A simple three-color acrylic painting method keeps results consistent and repeatable, even across large batches of tiles.

Wicked Makers· 151,669 views
www.monstertutorials.com - How to make easy Follow Me Eyes in less than 10 mins
5:25
DIY PropsBeginnerunder $5

www.monstertutorials.com - How to make easy Follow Me Eyes in less than 10 mins

This quick tutorial walks viewers through building a classic 'follow me eyes' Halloween prop using inexpensive, easy-to-source materials — all in under ten minutes. The effect relies on a well-known optical illusion that makes printed or cut-out eyes appear to track anyone moving past them. A downloadable eye and iris template from the creator's website is provided to help viewers get started immediately. The result is a simple but genuinely unsettling decoration suitable for any haunted space.

Monster Tutorials· 151,595 views
How to Paint a Halloween Mask Using Brush Painting Technique | Monster Lab
33:14
DIY PropsIntermediate

How to Paint a Halloween Mask Using Brush Painting Technique | Monster Lab

In this episode of Distortions Unlimited's Monster Lab series, Ed Edmunds demonstrates how to paint a Halloween mask using only a brush. It serves as an alternative to a prior airbrush-focused episode, making the technique accessible to those without spray equipment. The walkthrough covers hand-painting methods for achieving a finished monster mask look.

DistortionsUnlimited· 145,632 views
Krampus mask 2
21:34
DIY PropsIntermediate

Krampus mask 2

Stiltbeast Studios walks through the process of building plastic horns from scratch and breathing new life into an existing latex Krampus mask. The video covers a range of prop-making and finishing skills applicable to haunted attraction and home haunt builds alike. It's a multi-technique session that blends fabrication and refurbishment into a single cohesive project.

StiltbeastStudios· 143,879 views
KINGDOM HEARTS Halloween Town Sora Makeup Tutorial | AND KEYBLADE BUILD
12:05
Makeup TutorialsIntermediate

KINGDOM HEARTS Halloween Town Sora Makeup Tutorial | AND KEYBLADE BUILD

This tutorial walks through recreating the iconic Halloween Town version of Sora from Kingdom Hearts using special effects and prosthetic makeup techniques. The video also includes a DIY build of Sora's signature Keyblade prop to complete the cosplay look. Creator Madeyewlook (Alexys Fleming) delivers a full character transformation combining SFX artistry with prop crafting. It's a dual-purpose video ideal for fans who want a screen-accurate cosplay from head to prop.

Madeyewlook· 143,256 views
DIY Fake Tree Stump With Spray Foam
8:11
DIY PropsBeginnerlow (many materials sourced from dollar stores and home improvement stores)

DIY Fake Tree Stump With Spray Foam

VanOaksProps walks through the full process of building a convincing fake tree stump using a 5-gallon bucket as a base form, expanding spray foam for texture, and layered acrylic and spray paints to achieve a realistic wood-and-moss finish. The build relies on inexpensive, widely available materials, making it accessible to beginners. A handy secondary use highlighted in the video is concealing a projector inside the hollow stump, adding functional value to a purely decorative prop.

VanOaksProps· 142,582 views
5 DIY Halloween Motorized Props
28:57
DIY AnimatronicsBeginnerlow (budget-friendly builds emphasized)

5 DIY Halloween Motorized Props

This VanOaksProps compilation packages five separate motorized prop tutorials into a single nearly 30-minute video, designed to ease builders into adding movement to their haunts. Projects range from a simple pop-up mechanism to a rocking tombstone, an animated skeleton, a motorized haunted shovel, and a creepy wilting flower. Each build is presented as approachable and affordable, with links to the individual source videos for full parts lists. The overarching goal is to demystify basic animatronic techniques for home haunters at any skill level.

VanOaksProps· 142,194 views
DIY Animated Halloween Lighting Effect
6:54
Lighting TutorialsBeginner$20–$50

DIY Animated Halloween Lighting Effect

VanOaksProps demonstrates a beginner-friendly animated Halloween lighting effect that requires no prop controller or advanced electronics. The core build uses a slow-rotation motor, a lamp socket wired to an extension cord, and a decorated deli container that spins around a lit bulb to cast shifting, moody shadows. Silhouette patterns cut into or applied to the container add themed visual texture to the effect. The result is an atmospheric, low-cost lighting prop accessible to haunters at any skill level.

VanOaksProps· 141,186 views
DIY Zero Tombstone - Nightmare Before Christmas
25:53
DIY PropsBeginnerlow (basic foam sheets and entry-level airbrush)

DIY Zero Tombstone - Nightmare Before Christmas

This tutorial walks through building a replica of Zero the ghost dog's tombstone from Nightmare Before Christmas using insulation foam sheets and basic carving tools. The creator positions it as an accessible beginner project requiring minimal investment. An airbrush is used for finishing, giving the prop a polished, screen-accurate painted look. It's a great themed accent piece for a graveyard yard haunt or NBC-inspired Halloween display.

Monster Tutorials· 139,193 views
EASY DIY Realistic Resin EYES
46:56
DIY PropsIntermediate

EASY DIY Realistic Resin EYES

This tutorial from Monster Tutorials walks viewers through the process of casting highly realistic eyes using silicone molds and resin. The build combines printed iris files with layered white and clear resin pours to achieve convincing depth and detail. Finishing steps including sanding and polishing give the final pieces a lifelike, glossy appearance. The materials used are accessible hobby-grade products, making this achievable for intermediate prop builders.

Monster Tutorials· 136,004 views
Best DIY Props Videos · Halloween Universe