Hellraiser Pin Head Costume

The basic materials needed are:

• Plastic Q-tips (or other source for thin plastic tubing)
• Ball tipped sewing/quilting pins, ~1" long
• Metalic silver/chrome spray paint
• Latex rubber bald cap
• Liquid Latex (eyelash glue)
• White and black face paint
• Black Trench coat
• Black pants
• Black boots

To make the pins, I used the plastic shafts of Cotton swabs (q-tips), with the cotton removed and the shaft of each swab cut in half. I then threaded them up on string and spray-painted them with silver-chrome spray paint. To get the rounded ends, I used ball-ended quilting pins, also painted with the same spray paint. Each pin assembly is one half-shaft with one pin. Put a drop of liquid latex on one end of the q-tip shaft and push the pin into it. You will need ~130 of these things, depending on how many lines you draw on the bald cap.

To make this even feasible, most of the pins are added to the bald cap well ahead of time. This means the only ones needed to be glued on directly are on your face, and much reduced in number.

To prepare it, I took a miniature basketball to hold the bald cap while I worked on it, a manikin head or wig holder would work well too. Start by marking a line down the center of the cap from the center of the front to the center of the back. At 1" spacing, continue the lines to either side, maintaining the spacing all the way back. You should have about 5 lines from temple to temple and an additional 2 or 3 between the temples and ears, arching over the ears.

Next mark 1" intervals along the center line, starting just back of the front edge of the cap. From these marks, extend lines to the last line over the ears, following the contour of the cap. The spacing will narrow at the edge line since the cap is rounded, and the line just over the temples can be merged into the line behind it to maintain the grid looking spacing. Use google image results to assist in how the lines are layed out.

At each intersection, dot a drop of liquid latex and let dry. Take one pin assembly and put more liquid latex on the cut end of the tube. Once it starts to dry, attach it to the cap at an intersection. Hold it in place until the latex dries (a few seconds). Do this for all line intersections. To make the pins stay attached better, add an extra drop at the base of each one and let them all dry.

Paint the cap with white creme paint, trying to avoid getting any on the pins. Once the white is on and dry (and thick enough to mask the bald cap's color), go over the lines between the pins with black paint pen as thin as you can. You can detail the lines with more liquid latex and other colorings to be more like the movie character, black works fine though.

If a pin comes off, just re-apply liquid latex and stick it back on. The latex is fairly strong and flexible (which is why its used for costume glue), so most pins will stay in place throughout the evening.

So its time to party! First things first, its best if you shave your head, or at least cut your hair extremely short. With help, gently put on the bald cap and make sure its centered and all the pins are sticking fairly straight out. Use liquid latex around the edge to hold it in place and to smooth the edge so it blends in. Re-glue any pins that fell off or fell over (one side of the pin likely came detached).

Using the same glue-on techniques as on the bald cap, extend the lines onto your face from the cap and glue pins at the intersections. You should get 3 or 4 lines across your face: one across your chin, one above your lips, two across the nose. Again, use internet images as your guide. Once the pins are glued in place and feel relatively secure (wiggle and make sure they won't immediately fall off), paint your face white and try to blend it in with the white paint of the cap. Be sure to paint under your chin, in and behind your ears and your neck (this is where a partner really really helps!). Once the white paint is dry, draw in the lines between the pins to complete the grid pattern.

Finish up with black lip stick and some black eye shadow. For added effect, get some black-out contacts. Paint your hands white and fingernails either white or glow-in-the-dark. Wear the trench coat with the collar turned up, button it closed and remove the belt (if it has one). Wear a black turtleneck, black pants and dark leather boots.

Thats it! Have fun! Just be super careful to NOT bang your head on anything, be superduper careful when sitting in chairs with head rests and while drinking (straws help)! If you are out walking the streets, be sure to illuminate yourself as the costume is mostly black and will be nearly invisible to cars!