Necronomicon: Book Of The Dead

EDIT: I'm so very glad that this has sparked a discussion about the origins of the Necronomicon and that someone pointed out H.P. Lovecraft. I am a big Lovecraft fan myself. This is, however a prop modeled after specifically Raimi's Evil Dead Necronomicon Ex Mortis. But I do encourage everyone to read up on Lovecraft and his

Make your very own Necronomicon and you can summon the Evil Dead to possess your friends and family. Ok, not really with the possession, but at least you'll have a GROOVY prop.

Watch the Video Tutorial here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6HGmFxxUSE

The Necronomicon Ex Mortis also known as the Book Of The Dead from the Evil Dead Movie Trilogy. The trilogy being the movies Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn, and Army Of Darkness aka Evil Dead 3, or the Medieval Dead. All three movies center around the Book Of The Dead which when read aloud can summon, well, the Evil Dead aka the Deadites. In each movie the Necronomicon had several different looks, so in designing mine I decided to go with kind of a hybrid of all the looks and at the same time stay with the same basic idea. The book is supposed to be made from human flesh and the cover specifically looks like someone's face was stretched over it.

Since noone I know would let me stretch their face out over a book, I decided to go with the next best thing to human flesh. Duct Tape.

OTHER MATERIALS YOU'LL NEED:
Corrugated CARDBOARD
SCISSORS
DUCT TAPE
MASKING TAPE
ELMERS GLUE
WHITE CARD STOCK OR PAPER
MOD PODGE
BRUSH
LIGHTER
COLD BOWL OF WATER
HOT BOWL OF WATER
TEA BAG
PAPER TOWELS OR SPONGE
RED ACRYLIC PAINT
YELLOW ACRYLIC PAINT
BLACK ACRYLIC PAINT

Step 1 Backing and Spine

We're going to start with the backing and spine. You're going to need good sturdy corrugated cardboard. These pieces I took from a computer box if you can't tell. Cut it out to your desired size. For me I wanted my Necronomicon to be fairly big. I cut out a piece for the spine and lined it all up. I taped it loosely together with masking tape. Always making sure that it's still able to open and close. I taped up any open gaps, then I reinforced it with duct tape just to give it some sturdiness, but at the same time making sure it wasn't so tight it couldn't open and close.

Comments

[violetkitty]

it sais that your video has been removed when you play it

[PatrickPrejusa]

I deleted the video, but now it won't let me embed a new one, so I replaced it with a Youtube link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6HGmFxxUSE

[JohnJY]

 Necro-nom-nom-nom-icon.

[jay3135]

Tea is a great choice for making lots of absorbent materials look older, cloth and paper being the most common. One thing that might help speed up this step is to the put the tea in a spray bottle and mist each page to your desired darkness. Great tutorial though!

[necropolian]

this will be perfect to make the mysterium xarxes...

[gorillailla202]

The mysterium xarxes was white with red binding wasn't it? And I don't think it had human skin stretched over it XD

[necropolian]

ehe, but most methods of this 'ible can be used for it.

[Iridium7]

I was thinking on making one that Lovecraft described.

[Mr.Dev]

Is the Modge POde or any type of sealer necessary for this?

[TheGeekFather]

I used a beat up old AD&D monster manual for mine

[TheGeekFather]

I tried to get one done for halloween this year but didn't quite make it. Finished it and plan on using it next year. Thanks for the Idea. And yes I would never sell such a thing. Even if I did use a beaten up copy of the AD&D Monsters Compendium as the body. Thought it would be appropriate.

[Iridium7]

how did you get your pages to dye with the tea? every time i do it it just wets the paper.

[Iridium7]

I am thinking on making my own. it doesn't look too hard but I was thinking on filling the whole book full of paper, so I have a question if I were to write my book in red pen (after all it is written in blood) whould it show up on the Tea, or would I have to write it first?

[PatrickPrejusa]

it really should show up after you've done the tea. I fear that the ink may run if you apply the tea after. Unless of course that's the kind of look you're going for, with runny words and all. I would definitely stain the pages first, and then after it's dried write your words in. I'd love to see how this turns out when you're done.

[Iridium7]

yeah what you said about it bleeding that might be good if I can somehow control how it bleeds. I am actually working on a book an thought about using the whole thing and printing my book in it. work in progress.

[narunijja]

i just made 1 and i made it damp and burned the sides works pretty well!

[tango_down]

klatoo, farato....nihhhmmppft.

[bethehammer]

Nice job! saw this after halloween... but I am going to make one and pack it up for next year... Or perhaps I could just leave it in my cube at work :-)

[crafty_crayons]

nice ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

[Iridium7]

Sweet Instructable! I think I am going to make my Necronomicon more like a book rather than a prop. More work but it will be a labor of EVIL!

[JerBear]

Great job! I made one with a blank journal and liquid latex, but yours is much cheaper!

[Foaly7]

Does anybody know about the Egyptian Book of the Dead? Because if you can find a translated copy online, you could put the translation in this Book of the Dead! ;-)

[clarissa_ann]

Good Job! ... I'm going to make one and use it as a guest book at my next spooky party

[C17H19NO3]

Very cool. I would shape the mouth slightly different, to give it a creepier look, but that aside this thing is awesome.

[Dragon Maze]

I am relieved that others were quick to point out that Raimi was doing an homage to Lovecraft when he included the Necronomicon. If you have ever heard of a show called "The X Files", it is just a modernization of an entire genre of fiction that Lovecraft invented, with mere mortals investigating the hidden horrors that lurk below the surface of our "civilized" world.

[k4gdw]

I seem to remember an episode of Herculese, The Amazing Journeys that may have been a cross-over episode that finished up the story on a Xena, Warrior Princess episode in which the Necronomicon made an appearance. Including having to say Klaatu Barada Nikto! to defeat it.

[shutterbugbug]

how did you attach the pages?

[PatrickPrejusa]

I basically just kinda duct taped them into place. It was very crude. However I am currently working on the pages and I'll send you an update if I come up with something better as far as binding the pages.

[TheScientist]

it's been around a lot longer than the evil dead movies. I suggest you read some H.P. Lovecraft :-) from wiki: "The Necronomicon is a fictional book appearing in the stories by horror novelist H. P. Lovecraft. It was first mentioned in Lovecraft's 1924 short story "The Hound", written in 1922..."

[TheScientist]

arrrgh pressed the button too soon! cool idea for a prop!!

[GENIUSMAXX]

wait, fictional?, then why is it sitting on my shelf......

[Dr.SteveBrule]

...Because publishers capitalised on the idea after hoax 'necronomicons' were put up for sale illegally and interest was made by hysterical readers. Lovecraft himself wrote a fake history of it which is probably included in the book on your shelf. It would be great to keep in the kitchen for recipes. No one will ask you to cook ever again.

[Erik Lindemann]

Another good idea for the inside would be to pick up the "Necronomicon Spellbook" from your local bookstore. Then in red/brown ink (old school style - feather and whatnot) transcribe the text into the book. I gotta say, this is pretty good. As a big fan of all of Bruce Campbell's and Sam Raimi's work, I give this a 5 rating.

[sonaps]

Quite the impressive job, and I'd say professional grade in appearance. However, the name "Necronomicon" breaks down into 3 main parts "necro" "nomi" and "con". When translated into their most plausible meanings as a title you get "death/dead" "names" "record", or simply put as "the book of dead names".

[Tool Using Animal]

Klaatu Barada Nikto!

[jongscx]

that's what she said...

[gmjhowe]

haha! good work!