We are always on the lookout for super-easy DIY Halloween creations that take an already astounding Halloween decoration display and make it even astoundinger. (That’s a word, right?) That’s especially pertinent this time of year when all of us are putting the finishing touches on Halloween decoration displays – looking to fill that one last empty corner, or figuring out how to modify this thing or that thing to use as one last spooky prop.
That’s where Heidi Ferguson and her Honeybear Lane blog comes in. Heidi, who lives with her family in Lehi, Utah, put together a simple how-to video on making a crystal ball that is capable of flawlessly displaying Eerie Eyes and Halloween Moon digital decoration collections, among others.
For anyone who recently has been using the AtmosFX Community Blog for Halloween decorating inspiration, you know this pretty-much hits our sweet spot. Over the past several weeks, we’ve published articles highlighting both really cool Halloween how-to videos, and clever decorations you can make with circles and spheres.
As you can see from the video, Heidi paints just half of the glass globe with white paint. That’s a key point, because it allows you to place the projector behind the globe for back projection. Not only does it make it easier to hide the projector, but it also ensures that nobody will block the projection when they move up close to try to figure out how you created the effect! (Did you notice she hid the projector in the gut of the skeleton behind the crystal ball?)
While Heidi used a glass lamp globe she purchased from Ikea, you might be able to find other round glass objects that also work well, such as a fishbowl. That said, if you don’t have a round glass globe, remember that just about any sphere (Beach ball? Bowling ball?) can be turned into a dynamic crystal ball. In that case, you’ll have to project your digital decoration from the front, but you’ll still get some pretty amazing results.
Thanks for the great idea, Heidi – we love when clever people like you show how easy it can be to create a really dramatic effect.
What clever ideas are you working on for Halloween? There’s just two weeks before Halloween and we want to see the photos and videos of all your grand creations! It is easy to submit them – just use this handy form right here!
