Advice on Making Barnacle Encrusted Skull

[VanceC]

I'm brand new here but my current project is to create a perfectly authentic looking human skull wearing a 1940s dive mask, encrusted with barnacles, etc. The idea is the skull was found underwater (or on the rocks) after being in the sea for 60 years.

I am currently shucking about a hundred barnacles that I harvested from an ocean jetty. My plan is to use these plus other marine crustaceans on a replica skull I have acquired. First I will be doing paint effect to the entire skull before attaching the mask and barnacles. My question for you is what would the eyes/nose area (covered by the mask) look like as opposed to the rest of the skull which was exposed to the open ocean? I have some pretty good reference photos for the surface of he skull but can't decide what to do under the mask. Ideas?

Attached is an actual encrusted skull without a mask

Thanks, Vance

 

[ZeroSum]

That's a tricky question (not being a face rotting/marine life expert). My guess is the flesh around the mask would break down first, then under the edge of the face mask, as well as all around the head. The mask would come loose then (probably the rubber would break down as well?) and barnacles would be able to get at the area previously sealed off by the mask.
The skull in the picture I would guess was lying top-down in the sand and that's why there's no barnacles there. So your barnacle distribution depends on what 60 years does to skull/flesh. Again, guessing, but I would guess that is ample time for all the flesh to have broken down.

 

[VanceC]

That's a tricky question (not being a face rotting/marine life expert). My guess is the flesh around the mask would break down first, then under the edge of the face mask, as well as all around the head. The mask would come loose then (probably the rubber would break down as well?) and barnacles would be able to get at the area previously sealed off by the mask.
The skull in the picture I would guess was lying top-down in the sand and that's why there's no barnacles there. So your barnacle distribution depends on what 60 years does to skull/flesh. Again, guessing, but I would guess that is ample time for all the flesh to have broken down.

Thank you, ZeroSum. I agree with everything you said. Here is my thinking. I'll have areas of encrustation spanning the skull and onto the mask and strap, so somewhat attaching the mask but not a perfect seal. There wouldn't be any barnacles inside the mask as I believe they need an environment of flowing water to feed. Barnacles on the outside of the glass. I agree about the decomposition of the flesh but I'm struggling with what we'd see inside. Would there be remnants of rotted tissue? Would it be just black in there? Maybe the eye sockets and nasal cavity would be mostly black/greenish but we'd see some lighter brown areas of surrounding bone? But if it's too dark it will be hard to see and uninteresting. My plan is to begin with painting the surface of the skull using the photo as a guide to colors, then gluing on the mask and strap bits, then apply barnacles, mussels, limpets and a scallop or two, all of which I was able to harvest. I also want to create areas of skull surface with a bumpy texture of tiny barnacles like I observed on the rocks. For this I am going to try to create a texture stamp with a ball of epoxy clay. I've been watching a lot of videos on sculpting and painting techniques so there's much experimenting to do. I would really like to hear your thoughts and ideas so thanks again, Vance

 

[ZeroSum]

I'm struggling with what we'd see inside. Would there be remnants of rotted tissue? Would it be just black in there? Maybe the eye sockets and nasal cavity would be mostly black/greenish but we'd see some lighter brown areas of surrounding bone? But if it's too dark it will be hard to see and uninteresting.

Well... that's the tricky part Devoid of all flesh... I don't know what colouration the skull would have. Probably the same as on the rest of the skull but slightly less. The seal on the mask has gone and all the innards of the skull have gone, so water and sea life and microbes will get in there. You might just have to settle for artistic license!

In case you haven't seen these images already, I got curious and did a wee google:

8000-year old underwater burial site reveals human skulls mounted on poles

A team of researchers with Stockholm University and the Cultural Heritage Foundation has uncovered the remains of a number of Mesolithic people in an underwater grave in a part of what is now Sweden. In their paper published in the journal Antiquity, the group describes the site where the...

phys.org

Remains found on a shipwreck in Truk Lagoon, Anilao, Philippines.

Remains found on a shipwreck in Truk Lagoon, Anilao, Philippines.

www.gettyimages.co.nz

Human skull underwater

Human skull underwater

www.gettyimages.co.nz

https://www.reddit.com/r/submechanophobia/comments/gigxrs

https://i.natgeofe.com/n/96439318-e71b-4ca2-9f4e-14186882eeb3/underwater-archaeology-1740524_16x9.jpg

That ought to aid in inspiration at least.

 

[VanceC]

I decided to leave the mid face mostly unpainted as the effect of looking into the mask to see just bone was more impactful. Artistic license. All in all I am very pleased with how it turned out. Opinions?

 

[VanceC]

Well... that's the tricky part Devoid of all flesh... I don't know what colouration the skull would have. Probably the same as on the rest of the skull but slightly less. The seal on the mask has gone and all the innards of the skull have gone, so water and sea life and microbes will get in there. You might just have to settle for artistic license!

In case you haven't seen these images already, I got curious and did a wee google:

8000-year old underwater burial site reveals human skulls mounted on poles

A team of researchers with Stockholm University and the Cultural Heritage Foundation has uncovered the remains of a number of Mesolithic people in an underwater grave in a part of what is now Sweden. In their paper published in the journal Antiquity, the group describes the site where the...

phys.org

Remains found on a shipwreck in Truk Lagoon, Anilao, Philippines.

Remains found on a shipwreck in Truk Lagoon, Anilao, Philippines.

www.gettyimages.co.nz

Human skull underwater

Human skull underwater

www.gettyimages.co.nz

https://www.reddit.com/r/submechanophobia/comments/gigxrs

https://i.natgeofe.com/n/96439318-e71b-4ca2-9f4e-14186882eeb3/underwater-archaeology-1740524_16x9.jpg

That ought to aid in inspiration at least.

Thank you very much for the input. You found a lot of reference images that I missed. Tell me what you think of the final piece.

 

[ZeroSum]

I'd say you nailed it!

 

[VanceC]

I'd say you nailed it!

were you able to see the video? If not send me an email. vancecarriere@gmail.com

 

[VanceC]

I've had the idea for this project for a decade; I am a skin-diver and I co-founded the Museum of Skindiving History in 2001. Prior to that I collected vintage historical dive gear. (That mask is a very rare piece made in about 1939)
So, now I've finished it…what the heck to do with it? It's not exactly the kind of thing the wife wants to put in the living room or show her friends and fam. Would anyone want to buy something like this? It would make a great movie prop if I just write and produce a movie, haha. Before I finished it, my 24 yo son said he would love to have it but when it was done we were both a little surprised that it TOO real and creepy to show off. Oh well, into storage, I guess.

 

[ThorFX]

I've had the idea for this project for a decade; I am a skin-diver and I co-founded the Museum of Skindiving History in 2001. Prior to that I collected vintage historical dive gear. (That mask is a very rare piece made in about 1939)
So, now I've finished it…what the heck to do with it? It's not exactly the kind of thing the wife wants to put in the living room or show her friends and fam. Would anyone want to buy something like this? It would make a great movie prop if I just write and produce a movie, haha. Before I finished it, my 24 yo son said he would love to have it but when it was done we were both a little surprised that it TOO real and creepy to show off. Oh well, into storage, I guess.

oh please put that thing into the water near a diving spot, pretty please!
awesome work btw, really looks authentic!

 

[VanceC]

oh please put that thing into the water near a diving spot, pretty please!
awesome work btw, really looks authentic!

Thank you Thor and yes, I am absolutely going to go back to the jetty where I got the barnacles and shoot video and take photos. I'm actually thinking about what a cool prank i could make or shoot a short video there of "finding" it, probably at night, and putting it up on YouTube just to see what reactions I get.

 

[ZeroSum]

were you able to see the video? If not send me an email. vancecarriere@gmail.com

Yep, I ended up just downloading it directly. And it looks great!

 

[VanceC]

I decided to leave the mid face mostly unpainted as the effect of looking into the mask to see just bone was more impactful. Artistic license. All in all I am very pleased with how it turned out. Opinions?

 

[VanceC]

oh please put that thing into the water near a diving spot, pretty please!
awesome work btw, really looks authentic!

I shot video of showing the skull to anglers on the Jetty, telling them I'd just found it but I'm not much of an actor so now my plan is to do exactly what you suggested. I am going to take it down and "discover" it on the bottom. I'll post it on Youtube April 1.

 

[VanceC]

So I have three finished and working on a fourth. This one will be GSW victim, no mask. Once I have these four I'd like to see if anyone in the movie industry prop departments or companies are interested in using me to make props. Everyone I show them to thinks they are great but I feel like I might be able to make some $ using real barnacles as I do. Thoughts? Any idea who to approach or contact? TIA