Great Stuff Pumpkins

Great Stuff is such an interesting product! It can create so many amazing things, at the same time being scary to use! The first time I used this stuff was when I created a pumpkin head for my "Pete". I was in need of a rather large foam pumpkin to carve. It not being the "Halloween Season" a little hard to find, discounted.... and I refused to order one from the popular company that makes them! Besides that they are pricey, the shipping was almost just as much! I turned to my prop making friends, they suggested I use great stuff, and showed me a cool video done by Alen Hopps. You can see his video here.
But let me say with many asterisks.**** He makes it look so much easier than it really is! Watch the video if your interested in making them, but here is my experience, and thoughts!
I went and bought a large beach ball... the biggest I could find! I took an old sheet that I wouldn't be using anymore (scrap fabric), and wrapped it. The fabric needs to be wet, it helps cure the "Great Stuff". Then I took another piece of wet fabric, laid it out, and sprayed the great stuff in the center, like a base for the wrapped beach ball. I sat the wrapped beach ball in the center of the stuff. Then with my daughter holding the ball in place, I just started spraying Great Stuff all over the ball, the pull up the bottom layer fabric, closing it with electrical tape. Then I take electrical tape, and wrap the ball like how a pumpkin has creases.

After a few hours of drying, and you will feel it begin to harden, I then cut away the electrical tape, and slowly and gently peel off the fabric layer. You need to be careful doing this, b/c some areas may be a little thin, and will tear easily if it is. After I get it completely unwrapped, I noticed I had a few bare spots, as if I didn't spray enough stuff, or it fell a little before it got a chance to set, so I took more great stuff and sprayed in those areas. Those areas did become bumpy, but I was ok with it ... It made it look as if it was an old pumpkin. 

 The fabric hanging from the top, I used it as a base to create the stem of the pumpkin. The bottom of the pumpkin was a little bare/thin... but that was ok with me, b/c I cut a hole in that area... I needed my pumpkin to be hollow, so that I could use it as a head. After I cut the hole out, and the stem part was dried, I gently pulled out the layer of fabric and the beach ball that was inside. I carved a face that I wanted for him too. When carving great stuff, its very similar to carving the craft foam pumpkins that you buy. 

It was suggested that I Drilock the pumpkin. Drilock is a product that will seal from outside moisture, usually the product is used for homes ... I think to seal cracks and what not. This Was The Worst Mistake I Did!!! B/c I carved the pumpkin, the Drilock is a heavy paint-like substance... it made his upper lip area fall down some. After the drilock dried, I ended up carving a little more to try to open up his mouth some. Since I was using a exterior paint, to paint the head, I was no longer concerned with sealing it. I painted the inside & outside orange. Then I had some extra outdoor green, brown & black paint to use on the stem and accent it some. In all it worked out. I ended up making 3 more Great Stuff pumpkins... smaller ones, they were also difficult to do. I say difficult, b/c using Great Stuff for this type of project... you have to have everything ready, prepared, and be able to work quickly. The product is hard to control. Oh! Wear Gloves!!! Most important thing! lol