Video Tag
Every video tagged “sculpting” in the library — a focused slice of the Halloween archive.
124 videos
Wicked Makers' Jaimie and Jay transform a Spirit Halloween mechanical crawling hand animatronic into a screen-accurate 'Thing' from Netflix's Wednesday series. The build walks through disassembly, clay sculpting over the existing mechanism, two-part plaster mold making, latex skin casting, and final painting. A guest expert in mold making and sculpture joined the project and contributed key technical guidance throughout. The result is a fully functional walking animatronic with a realistic latex skin that closely resembles the on-screen character.
In this installment of the Monster Lab series, Ed Edmunds of Distortions Unlimited walks viewers through making a plaster mold from a sculpted Halloween mask. The tutorial covers the mold-making step in the broader process of building monster masks the Distortions way. It's part of an ongoing series that also touches on sculpting, painting, and casting.
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.
Industry veteran Ed Edmunds of Distortions Unlimited leads this comprehensive tutorial on creating a form-fitting, moveable latex zombie face mask from start to finish. Drawing from multiple Monster Lab sessions, the video walks through every major stage of professional mask production: clay sculpting, mold making, latex casting, airbrushing, finishing, and hairing. With over 40 years in the Halloween manufacturing industry, Edmunds brings professional-grade techniques to a DIY-accessible format. The result is a wearable, flexible zombie mask built using the same foundational methods used in commercial prop production.
This tutorial walks through how to transform an off-the-shelf Halloween skeleton into a convincing burned-corpse prop using sculpting putty and painting techniques. The build is designed to be accessible for intermediate DIYers looking to elevate a basic store-bought prop into something far more sinister. Companion tutorials for crafting resin eyes and custom teeth are referenced to take the finished piece even further. The result is a striking charred skeleton display piece suitable for home haunts or yard haunts.
In this episode of Monster Lab, Distortions Unlimited founder Ed Edmunds makes the case for WED clay as his preferred medium for sculpting monster masks and large Halloween props. Originally developed for Disney animatronics, WED clay is a water-based, air-dry material prized for its smooth, pliable working properties and slower drying time — qualities Ed demonstrates hands-on with a monster mask sculpt. He also honestly addresses when oil-based clays may be the better choice, such as for SFX appliances or small figurines. The episode is part of a long-running tutorial series aimed at bringing professional prop-house knowledge to DIY builders.
Allen Hopps of StiltbeastStudios walks through the process of building a two-part plaster mold from an original sculpt, intended for producing pull-out latex masks. The video covers the key stages of mold construction used in professional-level special effects prop making. It serves as a practical introduction to the mold-making workflow for anyone looking to reproduce original mask designs at volume.
StiltbeastStudios walks through the full process of crafting a Baby Yoda-inspired prop or wearable character piece suitable for haunted attraction use. Running over three hours, this is an in-depth, professional-level build video from experienced creature maker Allen Hopps. The project bridges pop-culture character design with Halloween haunt applications, resulting in a detailed creature prop or costume element. Given the channel's signature style, viewers can expect sculpting, molding, and finishing techniques demonstrated from start to finish.
This behind-the-scenes look from Distortions Unlimited follows the studio as it designs and builds two new monsters for Halloween 2024: an Alien Spider prop and a Banshee animatronic. Viewers watch the full workflow from clay sculpting and armature construction through molding, trimming, and finishing, with several crew members tackling different stages. A highlight is a paint-off between two artists to decide the spider's final color, while the Banshee races to come together before the Transworld Halloween show.
In Monster Lab Episode 25, industry veteran Ed Edmunds of Distortions Unlimited walks viewers through the full sculpting process for latex monster hand gloves using WED clay and assorted sculpting tools. The gloves can be adapted to a wide range of creature types, including zombies, werewolves, aliens, and beyond, making the technique highly versatile. This episode is the first in a multi-part arc, with follow-up episodes covering molding and painting. At nearly 100 minutes, the tutorial offers an in-depth, professional-grade look at creature hand construction.
This behind-the-scenes tour of Distortions Unlimited's production facility showcases the full lifecycle of professional Halloween props and animatronics — from pouring and pulling foam to painting and programming finished pieces. The video highlights a seasoned crew with over four decades of monster-making experience, all based in the USA. Featured creations include the Electric Zombie, Xenovore, Cyclops Head, Ancient Wizard, and Zombie Breakout animated props. It offers a rare, authentic look at what it takes to manufacture commercial-grade Halloween products at scale.
Monster Tutorials walks viewers through crafting grotesque human-face pies — a cannibal-inspired Halloween prop popularized in haunted displays. The build combines clay sculpting, plaster work, and latex to create realistic baked-crust pies with eerily lifelike faces pressed into the filling. Acrylic teeth add a finishing horror detail that elevates the realism. The project draws inspiration from the creations of haunt artist It Came From Under My Bed.
Part one of a two-part series from Monster Tutorials walks viewers through the complete early-stage process of creating a realistic latex shrunken head prop. The tutorial covers clay sculpting, plaster mold making, latex pouring and pulling, foam filling for structure, and applying a base coat of paint. Inspired by real-world tsantsas, the project is aimed at producing a convincingly authentic-looking oddity or haunted attraction piece. Part two continues with finishing details including hair and final painting.
This behind-the-scenes video from Distortions Unlimited — a veteran American monster-making studio with over 45 years in the industry — walks viewers through the creation of four distinct Halloween animatronics and props: the Xenovore, Demon Legend Prop, Alien Incubator, and Infected. The production process spans multiple disciplines, including sculpting, molding, latex pouring, painting, welding, and mechanical work. The video offers a rare professional-level look at how large-scale Halloween animatronics go from concept to finished creature. It serves as both an educational showcase and a brand spotlight for one of the haunted attraction industry's most established manufacturers.
In this episode of the Monster Lab instructional series, Ed Edmunds of Distortions Unlimited walks viewers through the complete process of creating a gory latex bloody eyeball Halloween prop. The build covers every major stage — sculpting in clay, making a mold, casting in latex, airbrushing detail, and finishing with blood effects. Distortions Unlimited is a respected name in professional Halloween manufacturing, lending real industry credibility to the techniques shown. At 37 minutes, the video is detailed enough to give beginners a solid foundation while offering useful refinements for intermediate makers.
Distortions Unlimited founder Ed Edmunds joins fellow artists to distill their professional Monster Lab instructional series into ten essential latex mask-making tips. The video covers the full pipeline from clay sculpting and mold making to painting techniques, including how to render convincing eyes and airbrush creature skin. It serves as a highlight reel designed to funnel viewers into the full-length Monster Lab episode series for deeper instruction.
In this extended director's cut of Monster Lab, Ed Edmunds and Tom Cassidy of Distortions Unlimited walk through sculpting a baby mutant creature called Mutinee, inspired by their Mutant animatronic. The tutorial covers the full clay process, from bulking out the form to blocking large anatomy, refining details, and finishing the piece. It's a hands-on look at professional creature-sculpting workflow using WED clay and a range of sculpting tools.
This long-form tutorial from Stiltbeast Studios walks through the complete process of building a two-part plaster mask mold from start to finish. Running nearly four hours, it is structured as a comprehensive, question-answering session covering every stage of the molding workflow. The format suggests a live or recorded hangout, making it especially accessible for learners who want real-time explanations alongside the demonstration.
SKS Props walks through the full fabrication process for turning a standard craft foam pumpkin into a detailed Dungeons & Dragons Beholder creature. The build layers EVA foam and foam clay over the carved base to add dimensional tentacle eyes and organic textures, then finishes with Liquitex acrylics and FX paints for a convincing monster look. A standout technique involves crafting glowing monster eyes from clear Christmas bulbs wrapped in foam clay. The finished piece works equally well as Halloween décor, a haunt prop, or a D&D game-room display.
This highlight reel draws from standout moments across Distortions Unlimited's 'Making Monsters' reality series, which aired on the Travel Channel. Viewers get a behind-the-scenes look at the professional monster-making studio, featuring key team members including Ed Edmunds, Jordu Schell, and guest Alice Cooper. The clip showcases the breadth of Distortions Unlimited's work, spanning animatronics, masks, costumes, and large-scale Halloween props. It serves as an energetic introduction to the company's craft and the personalities who bring their creatures to life.
A lighthearted factory tour of Distortions Unlimited, one of the Halloween industry's longest-running professional prop and costume manufacturers, hosted by owner Marsha Taub-Edmunds alongside an uninvited gorilla visitor. The tour walks through key production departments including sculpting, welding, the paint room, pouring, and shipping. With over 40 years in the business, Distortions Unlimited supplies professional-quality animatronics, masks, props, and costumes to haunts and theme parks worldwide. The video blends humor with a genuine peek behind the curtain of large-scale Halloween manufacturing.
Distortions Unlimited offers a behind-the-scenes look at their professional prop and animatronic production floor during their 'Halfway to Halloween' push. The team works to complete two Alien Parasite animatronics while simultaneously beginning the sculpt of a new Mutant Baby prop destined for Monster Day 2023. The video provides an insider view of the creative and time-pressured process of professional monster making at one of the USA's longest-running Halloween prop manufacturers. Viewers are encouraged to follow up with the next episode to see the completed Mutant Baby sculpt.
This tutorial walks through the full process of transforming a craft foam pumpkin into a DnD-inspired Beholder creature prop. The creator demonstrates hot knife cutting, adding sculptural detail with EVA HD foam and foam clay, and finishing with Liquitex acrylics and Createx airbrush paints. A standout segment covers building expressive monster eyes using Christmas bulbs and foam clay, giving the prop an eerie, lifelike quality.
Ed Edmunds of Distortions Unlimited unboxes and assembles their popular Nosferatu (Count Orlok) Halloween display prop, walking viewers through what's included and how to set it up. The video doubles as a fun collaboration with Anthony of Ace of Clay, who sculpted a miniature Nosferatu inspired by the Distortions prop and ships it to the team for an on-camera unboxing reveal. The mini sculpture then gets a playful tour of the Distortions Unlimited facility. It's a lighthearted behind-the-scenes look at two Halloween creators celebrating a shared love of classic horror.
