How to make a Mount Rushmore Costume

Be Patriotic!  Go as the great Presidents of the United States!

Here, you can see me as Teddy Roosevelt, mostly because I wear glasses.

This costume is very simple to create, being mostly made of paper mache.

Step 1 Materials

Paper Mache:
- Newspapers, torn into 1-to-2 inch wide strips
- Water, semi-warm
- white school glue
- Flour

Frame / Rest of the Costume:
- Several scrap pieces of wood (I used some old baseboard molding)
- Chicken wire (hardware store, very cheap, 'cause you only need a few feet)
- Masking tape
- Spray paint (I used a grey primer, then some "rock texture" overlay to give depth)
- Old blue jeans - sacrified for shoulder straps
- Old bed sheet
- Staple gun and Staples
- Work gloves for molding the chicken wire
- Wire cutters (for trimming the chicken wire)
- Zip ties to attach masks to the chicken wire
- President Masks (I did Lincoln, Washington, and Jefferson since I wear glasses)
Jefferson: http://www.halloweenstore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=16-02
Washington: http://www.halloweenstore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=16-01
Lincoln: http://www.halloweenstore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=16-04
- Grey face makeup (or clown white and some black, mix your own -- that's what I did)
- Grey hair spray

Comments

[DJECH]

We did not go full Teddy but we followed most of your directions to a T. Thank you for helping us make our daughter's post-South Dakota trip to "be Mount Rushmore for Halloween" come true. We heard the phrase "that is wonderful" more than a few times. Thank you so much for sharing your methods and creativity; your brought a lot of smiles to our Halloween. Best to you and yours.

[mazinbenny]

It looks great! Wonderful job!

[rhino]

Five stars, three cheers, two thumbs up, a round of drinks, and a couple bong hits. Stand tall and be proud!! Keep this costume handy and offer your services to political candidates as a spokesman in the upcoming election cycle. You would have been a hit at "Occupy Wall Street"

[mazinbenny]

Good idea! Thanks for the compliments.

[jmitrovic]

Awesome idea for a unusual and unique costume! I hope u continue making them who knows maybe one day u start a business so I can buy one :)))

[mazinbenny]

Thanks! You can see some of our other costumes here: https://picasaweb.google.com/bghess/ItalianHalloween http://www.flickr.com/photos/mazinbenny

[zglarivee]

I am doing a project for South Dakota this looks great. I am going to make it. Was it fun to make???? I hope so :D

[arpoky]

I'm not sure if it was only my mom and her siblings, or my mom and dad AND Mom's siblings, but they all got together for a costume party and made a four-person Mt. Rushmore costume.

[gdtripp]

ROTFLMAO!! What an awesome idea for a costume, and hilarious at the same time!! I can just imagine the first time you tried to go through a door... *THUNK* (headpiece jamming against doorframe) *THUD* as you topple over backwards xD

[bassclarinet23]

Nice project!

[oreoshadow]

lol. (yes i actually laughed out load when i saw this)

[oreoshadow]

was it heavy?

[mazinbenny]

 No, not at all!  That's the beauty of paper mache.  I could easily pick up the whole thing with one hand... I'd guess it to only be 5 pounds or less.  It was more awkward than anything else... ie. I had to turn sideways to walk through doorways.

[thepelton]

That's cute!  I loved it.

[Killer~SafeCracker]

Cool, I like it.

[rimar2000]

Ha Ha Ha!! Very clever!!!

[DanMonsterMan]

very nice job!  Fun and well executed.  Great job!