--- title: Recipes for Disaster – A Few Fun Ways to Improve Your Halloween Décor with Rosco description: Recipes for Disaster – A Few Fun Ways to Improve Your Halloween Décor with Rosco image: https://spectrum.rosco.com/hubfs/Gargoyle_trip.jpg --- ![](https://spectrum.rosco.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Rosco/Images/page-top-bg.jpeg) [![NewSpectrumlogo](https://spectrum.rosco.com/hs-fs/hubfs/NewSpectrumlogo.png?width=320&height=150&name=NewSpectrumlogo.png)](https://spectrum.rosco.com) - [Home](https://spectrum.rosco.com/) - [About Spectrum](https://spectrum.rosco.com/rosco-spectrum-featured-products-3?hsLang=en) - [Featured Products](https://spectrum.rosco.com/rosco-spectrum-featured-products?hsLang=en) - [Rosco.com](https://us.rosco.com/en) Home About Spectrum Featured Products Rosco.com ![](https://spectrum.rosco.com/hubfs/Gargoyle_trip.jpg) # Recipes for Disaster – A Few Fun Ways to Improve Your Halloween Décor with Rosco ##### Tough, Textured Tombstones with Rosco FoamCoat [![FoamCoat Tombstone](https://spectrum.rosco.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Spectrum_RIP2.jpg?width=160&height=300&name=Spectrum_RIP2.jpg)](http://modelshop.co.uk/Content/DynamicMedia/cms-uploaded/files/4D_guide-Tombstone.pdf)Everyone’s seen the inexpensive foam tombstones that you can buy around Halloween. However, if you’re looking for tombstones that will survive more than one season – [here is an easy DIY tombstone recipe from our friends at 4D Modelshop in the UK](http://modelshop.co.uk/Content/DynamicMedia/cms-uploaded/files/4D_guide-Tombstone.pdf) that uses [Rosco FoamCoat](http://www.rosco.com/scenic/foamcoat.cfm) to make them much stronger.  Note how using the FoamCoat on the carved tombstones also allowed them to use spray paint on the foam - without melting their carved, ‘foam-made’ masterpiece. ## FoamCoat For Gruesome Gargoyles Too [![FoamCoat Gargoyles](https://spectrum.rosco.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Gargoyle_trip.jpg?width=560&height=145&name=Gargoyle_trip.jpg)](https://spectrum.rosco.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Gargoyle_trip.jpg?hsLang=en) If you’re aiming your Halloween décor away from the morose and toward the macabre – then use the same FoamCoat techniques above to create gargoyles. [Peter Miller from Rutgers University](http://www.masongross.rutgers.edu/theater/faculty/peter-miller) shared this process with us for sculpting lifelike gargoyles out of a block of foam.   [![FoamCoat in single and 3.5 gallon buckets](https://spectrum.rosco.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/FoamCoat-in-single-and-3_5-gallon-buckets-1.jpg?width=432&height=294&name=FoamCoat-in-single-and-3_5-gallon-buckets-1.jpg)](http://www.rosco.com/scenic/foamcoat.cfm) FoamCoat is available in single and 3.5 gallon buckets   If your tombstones or gargoyles need to be extra-strong, we suggest three coats of FoamCoat: • Coat One: One part water to one part FoamCoat. The watered down FoamCoat will seep into the open areas between the foam cells to strengthen the foam. • Coat Two: Tint the FoamCoat with [Off Broadway #5382 Paynes Grey](http://www.rosco.com/scenic/offbroadway.cfm)and apply onto the foam to establish a base coat of FoamCoat and color for your project. • Coat Three: Use the tinted FoamCoat again, this time in a shade lighter and/or darker than the first. Use the third coat to create any desired texture and dimension. It’s best to let each coat dry for 1-2 hours before applying the next coat. If your third layer is particularly thick and textured, you might want to consider letting it cure overnight before adding any final painted details. ### Blood Effects That Stay Wet – Even After They’re Dry [![Crystal Gel Bloody Stump](https://spectrum.rosco.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Crystal-Gel-Blood-Stump-e1414615786266.jpg?width=369&height=279&name=Crystal-Gel-Blood-Stump-e1414615786266.jpg)](https://spectrum.rosco.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Crystal-Gel-Blood-Stump-e1414615786266.jpg?hsLang=en)There are several recipes for different blood effects out there - here’s ours: 3 parts [Rosco CrystalGel](http://www.rosco.com/scenic/crystalgel.cfm)mixed with one part red food coloring. This recipe offers up thick, sculptable, shapable blood effects that dry with a gloss – making the bloody club, or blood spattered wall always appear as if it’s covered in wet, sticky blood and gore. [![](https://spectrum.rosco.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Crystal-Gel-Blood-Coagulating-e1414615991568.jpg?width=370&height=277&name=Crystal-Gel-Blood-Coagulating-e1414615991568.jpg)](https://spectrum.rosco.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Crystal-Gel-Blood-Coagulating-e1414615991568.jpg?hsLang=en)You can also use the recipe to create coagulated blood effects by making the blood a little darker and coating tissue paper in the CrystalGel mixture to add opacity and a crinkled, molded texture to the effect.  It's worth noting that this recipe is quite permanent.  It's great for scenery, props or even costumes that you want to look wet & bloody for many Halloween seasons to come. If you’ve got any Halloween special effects you’ve created with Rosco products – we’d love to see them! Post them up to [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Rosco_Labs)or [Instagram](http://instagram.com/rosco_labs)and tag them @Rosco\_Labs.  Happy Halloween! Joel Svendsen October 30, 2014 [Questions?](mailto:spectrum@rosco.com) [Scenic and Staging](https://spectrum.rosco.com/tag/scenic-and-staging) ![](https://spectrum.rosco.com/hubfs/Joel-profile-pic-Nov-2016-160x160.jpg) ## About Joel Svendsen Marketing Director: Joel's Rosco career began in Rosco's Hollywood office in 1999 – first in sales covering the Western US and the Los Angeles Film & Television market, and then as Product Manager for Rosco's Film & Television Products. Joel's knowledge about Rosco's products and how they're used in each of our different marketplaces makes him well suited for bringing the stories in Spectrum to life. ### Related post [MIX® From DMG Lumière by Rosco Be A Part Of The Color Evolution](https://spectrum.rosco.com/index.php/2018/04/mix-be-a-part-of-the-color-evolution?hsLang=en) [The First 100 Years: What is the ROS of Rosco? and Laboratories?](https://spectrum.rosco.com/index.php/2010/09/the-first-100-years-what-is-the-ros-of-rosco-and-laboratories?hsLang=en) [DOUBLE RAINBOW ACROSS THE SKY! - FULL ON update](https://spectrum.rosco.com/index.php/2010/09/double-rainbow-across-the-sky-full-on-update?hsLang=en) [Introducing WindowCling™ Easy-To-Use Filters For Controlling Windowlight](https://spectrum.rosco.com/introducing-windowclingtm-easy-to-use-filters-for-controlling-windowlight?hsLang=en) ### Receive Email Alerts About New Spectrum Blog Posts! ### Categories [Architecture](https://spectrum.rosco.com/tag/architecture) [Dance](https://spectrum.rosco.com/tag/dance) [Entertainment Lighting](https://spectrum.rosco.com/tag/entertainment-lighting) [Film, Television and Broadcast](https://spectrum.rosco.com/tag/film-television-and-broadcast) [Photography](https://spectrum.rosco.com/tag/photography) [Rosco - The Company](https://spectrum.rosco.com/tag/rosco-the-company) [Scenic and Staging](https://spectrum.rosco.com/tag/scenic-and-staging) © 2022 Rosco Spectrum - [Home](https://spectrum.rosco.com/) - [About Spectrum](https://spectrum.rosco.com/rosco-spectrum-featured-products-3?hsLang=en) - [Featured Products](https://spectrum.rosco.com/rosco-spectrum-featured-products?hsLang=en) - [Rosco.com](https://us.rosco.com/en) - ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Joel Svendsen", "url" : "https://spectrum.rosco.com/author/joel" }, "dateModified" : "2023-08-14T16:52:37.227Z", "datePublished" : "2014-10-30T17:17:52.000Z", "headline" : "Recipes for Disaster – A Few Fun Ways to Improve Your Halloween Décor with Rosco", "image" : [ "https://spectrum.rosco.com/hubfs/Gargoyle_trip.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://spectrum.rosco.com/index.php/2014/10/rosco-recipes-for-disaster", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://spectrum.rosco.com/hubfs/ROSCO_WAL_H_RGB.png" }, "name" : "Rosco Laboratories" } } ```