Introduction: Chupacabra Creature
this is a slightly complicated build yes but if you set aside some time it is accomplishable. for this instructable it is important to note that the materials are not cheap and the method requires sculpting ability and patience. I know there are plenty of you out there that can achieve these results so if its something that interests you GO FOR IT!
make sure you sketch out a few ideas of what you want to make before you start or at least have a lot of reference pictures to go off of.
Step 1: Materials
for this instructable you will need the following:
1. clay
2. styrofoam
3. amber shellac
4. apoxie sculpt
5. Silicone
6. liquid latex
7. flex foam
8. paint
9. faux fur
10. sculpting tools
Step 2: Getting Started.
so you have to start with a base
in this case I used Styrofoam
I used a very dense floral foam and then shaped it and covered it in a few coats of amber shellac to give it extra strength
you can use anything as an understructure really including another sculpture but it really just matters on what will work best for whatever you want to make
once all the coats of shellac are dry you can start putting on a base of clay and start roughing out your design
Step 3: GET SCULPTING!
next its all up to you and your artistic ability
i used two plastic teeth molds that i made for an earlier project to assist in the sculpting of the teeth
i also used two plastic balls to stand in for the eyes
the claws and large fangs were all made out of apoxie sculpt.
once you are happy with your over all sculpture you can begin the moulding process
Step 4: Moulding
there are many ways to mould your sculptures and there are better choices depending on the final product
for my purposes i wanted to make it out of silicone to make both soft and rigid final products.
i used a fast cure silicone so that i could brush it on all over the sculpture and keep the overall mould thing and economical
once the silicone is cured you should make a sold jacket to keep its original shape i suggest using fibreglass if you can but plaster bandage also works but just make sure its strong enough to hold the shape of your sculpture but you must also be able to easily remove and put the silicone mould back in
once you have a solid jacket ready to keep its shape its time to remove the sculpture as you can see i just ripped mine right out.
now you can start your casting and ultimately your final detailing
Step 5: Casting
in this case i used liquid latex as a skin coat to capture the detail
i poured in a bucket of latex and slushed it around to accomplish this then poured the excess back into the bucket
after waiting a few hours for the latex to dry i mix up a few cups of flex foam and fill the entire sculpture after that is cured you can pull the whole thing out and get to painting and furring the creature
(I apologize for the lack of photos for this, i just did this portion quickly and didn't have time to take pics)
Step 6: Final Product
i cut forms of fur and stuck them on with a heavy duty adhesive formulated for latex
i painted the body and fur and added spines down its back by cutting some feathers and the end result speaks for itself
this creature looks great anywhere outdoors but to give it that creepy wild feeling indoors i made a stand out of styrofoam and sand and fake plants
hope you enjoy the chupacabra!

Finalist in the
Halloween Decorations Contest
17 Comments
10 years ago on Introduction
Congratulations on being a finalist in the Halloween contest!!! Can’t wait to see if you win! Good luck!
10 years ago on Introduction
Can you use a similar process to create a flexible, hollow version? It would make an awesome hand puppet!
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
absolutely you can but for the best strength you would want to make a solid core and fill the space between the mould and the core and then you would have a perfect puppet
10 years ago on Introduction
The Chupacabra is named Goat Sucker, because it drains every last drop of blood, mainly of goats and livestock. Its skin is sometimes blue or gray, and some legends say they have wings. Its eyes are as big as hen eggs, with huge claws and fangs. Two Brazilian fishermen said they killed a chupacabra dead, and say they still have the head, but won't let anybody look at it. Sounds pretty fishy to me. . .
10 years ago on Introduction
Hi. I like your work myself but have a question since I've never even heard of a Chupacabra before this. Is this a real animal found somewhere in the world, or something mythical or suspected to exist. I'm really curious. It would be interesting to read more on this animal or myth. Thanks. And keep up the good work.
Lynn Magnuson
New Orleans, LA.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Hi lynn ...
it is a mythical or suspected creature ... reports have only started being acknowledged over the past 20-30 years but they go back 100's of years from locals in the lower united states and rocky areas and also continue all over south america. its a really interesting story definitely worth reading more up on.
thank you,
have a good one
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
I believe the name Cupacabra is literally "goat sucker" I t supposedly sucks the blood of goats and, I presume, other creatures. I think it currently falls into the same category as bigfoot, the loch ness creature and the abominible snowman.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Thanks Paqrat ... I got on the web shortly after asking that question and got a regular dissertation of information on the subject. Interesting legend. As I've been around a dog with mange before ... that seems the most likely story. Such a dog would look pretty creepy with no hair and a hairless tail like a rat! Mange is a skin condition caused by several types of mites, tiny insects that burrow into the skin or hair folicles. The dog scratches and/or the hair falls out from the irritation. It's treated with Ivermectin by veterinarians but it's pretty disgusting looking untreated. Takes about a month for Ivermectin to get rid of the tiny parasites. On humans, sarcoptic mange is called "scabies", but we can't get red mange. But that creature definitely looks like a mangy dog!
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Ben Radford has pretty much solved the mystery of the Chupacabra and wrote about it in an excellent book that came out last year. If you're interested, you can read the first chapter on his website before deciding if you want to buy the book: http://benjaminradford.com/books-by-ben-radford/buy-tracking-the-chupacabra/
This is an EXCELLENT piece, McNopants13. I admire your sculpting abilities!
10 years ago on Introduction
Mr. McNopants13, I saw your no reply under my comment. I apologize if I said something offensive.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
oh not at all, I am sorry i guess i just ddn't get to reply to you i must have skipped it at some point .. i apologize. as for the foam there are many densities of foam to go through so it depends on what your planning on making. my foam i got at a local craft store however when working on larger projects i will order from a polystyrene foam distributor they can deliver large blocks if need be however if u dont have a hot wire cutter or a milling machine its hard to manage such large peices also home depot and other DIY big box places have foam insulation pieces and those can also be used for great under structures.
hope this was helpful
and thank you for your comments
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Thank you for the information. I will certainly try to follow your material suggestions.
Great works! I am sure you are having loads of fun. I work in cement and a styrofoam armiture should do the trick for my needs instead of using plywood, 2x4s and rebar.
Thanks again.
Your fan.
10 years ago on Introduction
So, this is what a Chupacabra looks like! Great work! I would like to attempt such a sculpture. Can you tell me where to get large pieces of foam? Or does it have a special name for sculptors?
Thanks! Keep your wonderful imagination going.
10 years ago on Introduction
Congratulations! Every Chupacabra I have seen while hiking in the mysterious and deadly Superstition Mountains has looked exactly like this. It is so real!!
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
hahaha Thanks Rhino ... i have never seen one so until i do it must live only in my imagination. but thank you for the reassurance
10 years ago on Introduction
That is so awesome! Putting this on my to do list for ... well, probably next Halloween. .. It's a long list, but this one is on the top!
10 years ago on Introduction
This is really creep and realistic looking! Awesome decoration for Halloween :D