So here's the tut:
Material:
A lamp kit:
A socket, either with a pull chain, or keyless, and in this case:
An on/off switch to to put on an
Electrical cord
A plug
What they call a nipple, which is a threaded tube, at least 3 inches (8 cm) tall
A nut that fit the nipple (so strange a word for this...) or some duct tape
A small sturdy box (for the base)
Some rocks (to put inside the base)
An empty toilet paper roll
Scotch Tape
Aluminium paper
White (or pink) paper, brown paper from a bag, cardboard from a box, thinner cardboard, and tissue paper (for the "clothes")
A medium size balloon
Flour glue: Pour some cold water in a non-metallic bowl, and sprinkle the flour on it, 2 tablespoons at the time, each time whisking after until smooth: you want to reach the consistency of a heavy pancake batter. Add a few drops of bleach, and mix. Zap it all in a micro-wave, for 45 seconds at the time, until the glue bubbles a few seconds, no more: you want glue, not a paste. Whip it smooth and let it cool.
Bits of exposed film, or bits of cheap sunglasses
Petroleum jelly, black Gesso, acrylic paints, acrylic varnish
Method
Blow the balloon. Screw the socket on the nipple. Put the light-bulb (no more than a 40 watts) in the socket (do not bother with wiring at this step). Now, cut the TP roll for the neck; ideally, the light-bulb will be in the lower third of the head, and the nipple should stick inside the box's top for at least an ½ inch (1.5 cm), and the pull chain, if any, should be a bit over the the top of the neck.
Close the box, mark in pencil where the cover meets the base the box. Open the box, and on the cover, mark the exact center, then make a hole slightly smaller than the nipple, so you'll have to force it a bit to insert. Tape the TP roll on the cover, so the hole is in the middle. Crumple some aluminium paper to make the shoulders, tape in place.
On to the hat: Cut the brim out of the cardboard from a box, and cut the hole in the middle to fit the balloon in (and not to small, as I did with my first hat...).
Cut a long rectangle out thinner cardboard for the crown, tape it in place inside the brim. This hat won't have any top, as to ventilate the heat from the light-bulb.
On to the balloon: Grease it all with petroleum jelly, except for about an inch under the knot. It's for the release later.
Time for papier-mâché: using torn bits of white (or pink) paper, dipped in the flour glue, put 4 or 5 layers of paper over the balloon, up to about an inch of the knot, and on the neck. Do the same, but with the brown paper, on the hat, inside and out, shoulders, top of the box, and the bottom part of the box. Take care not to go over the pencil mark, as you want the box to close later. Let everything dry: it may take from 2 days to a week...
Pierce the balloon, and discard. Cut down a little the opening, which will be the top of the head, so it's nice and even. Now position the head over the neck, and mark where you'll cut another opening: better do it smaller than larger. Tape the head to the neck, inside and out, and then put papier-mâché, at least 3 layers, over the Scotch Tape, inside and out. Put also some papier-mâché over the cut at the top of the head. Put some colored tissue paper for the clothes. Let all that dry.
Put Gesso all over the hat, let dry. Varnish everything, let dry.
Make a hole at the nape for the pull chain, if necessary, and another hole in one side of the bottom of the box.
Time to wire the lamp, except for the plug, and the on/off switch, if you use one. Thread the end of the wire through the head, and neck, then through the cover; then insert the socket in the head, and the nipple in the hole in the box's cover. Use either a nut, or duct tape, to secure the nipple. Insert the wire through the hole on the side of the box. Put the plug at the end of the wire, and a light-bulb in the socket. Add the rocks inside the box, close it. Put the hat on the head, and test the lamp. With the lamp on, mark where you want the eyes and mouth. Unplug the lamp, take off the light-bulb, pierce the eyes and mouth, glue on the eyes bits of exposed film, or bits of cheap sunglasses. Put the on/off switch on the electrical cord, if necessary.
And voilà!
Am I being over-explicative? Or unclear? English is not my maternal language...
