Rise From Your Grave
2022
This is the first (and only) table I have made... so far!
I started working on the skull back in 2019 and it is inspired by The Last Podcast on the Left. The saying "rise from your grave" is part of the podcast's introduction, and in one of the episodes, the guys mention that it actually comes from the 1988 Sega game, Altered Beasts, but, "rise from your grave," makes me think of Marcus' quote about mental illness: "Your mental illness is not your fault, but it is your responsibility" - Marcus Parks
How fucking true that is, too! So, when I hear, "rise from your grave", I correlate it with his quote. This piece represents how I see adversities as opportunities to learn and grow, allowing us to rise from the graves we bury ourselves in unnecessarily. Thanks for looking! Megustalations-
Started by wrapping a plastic skull-shaped shot glass holder (say that 5x fast) in aluminum foil and used tape to help form some of the facial details.
Layering the paper mâché on thick
I used an old shampoo & conditioner box for the tombstone base on this project.
I stuffed the base with balls of paper to give some additional support for the skull.
Putting it all together now!
Side by side of the finished paper mâché with the plastic shot glass holder I used.
I made DIY clay! This is me mixing cornstarch and school glue together.
Use some vegetable oil on your hands when mixing to prevent sticking!
I was really shocked at the quality this DIY clay mixture provided. It is air-dry, so no baking, and non-toxic. Perfect to use for crafting with kids!
I was just fucking off at this point
I added each of the "stones" individually. Lots of layering happened on this tombstone.
So much work!
After I got the skull and tombstone covered in clay, I put this project into a plastic shopping bag and set it aside. It sat alone in this bag for nearly three years, unfinished, and seemingly forgotten until we moved. Once I got settled in, I decided it was time to finish this piece.
It was never my intention to turn this into an end table. That's just what happened. I trusted the process.
Before/After of adhering the moss and flowers to the side of the table
Back view of the gravestone
Side view of the gravestone
This is the top view of the table before I poured the first coat of resin. I did not get any pictures of this process, but I used green Frog Tape and taped off the bottom of the base to avoid the need to sand the resin drips. This worked okay, but there are a few things I will change in my process for future projects.
*drum roll*
After ~40oz of epoxy resin, here is the finished piece! Once I installed the table legs, I painted the bottom black and signed with a Sharpie!
Materials Used:
-Skull & Tombstone: Paper mâché & DIY air dry clay (corn starch & school glue)
-Assorted dried flowers & moss
-Acrylic Paint
-Epoxy Resin
-Time & patience