Glow-In-the-Dark Cemetery

Tom Spina Designs

Here we have a small cemetery’s worth of tombstones sculpted out of EPS foam. This eerie set was commissioned by a client of the Tom Spina crew to create a hidden, otherworldly effect…

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When night takes the sky, they glow in the dark! The client gathered some ideas and reference images (visiting a 150+ year old graveyard) for Richard Riley and the crew to work off of. Richard created the basic shapes of the tombstones, then added on details like lettering, trim, etc.

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The tombstones feature references to horror actors, writers, and characters. Below are tombstones of the ill-fated Victor and Elizabeth Frankenstein straight from Mary Shelly’s novel.

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Here we have a tombstone for Bela Lugosi, the man behind Universal’s original Dracula, and Lawrence Talbot, who transforms into the Wolf Man (originally played by Lon Chaney Jr.)

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Here’s a closer look at Victor Frankenstein’s tombstone and a tombstone with “Gray” written on it (Bob Gray is an alias for Stephen King’s Pennywise the clown). The Gray tombstone features a hidden message in the glow-in-the-dark paint.

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Once the tombstones were sculpted, they were hard coated for outdoor use. Next, they were painted with several grey shades and washes to give them a realistic look. Finally, the glow-in-the-dark UV paint was added to give the set a ghostly appearance at night. Check them out on their website here: https://www.tomspinadesigns.com/prop-fabrication/foam-props-trade-shows-events-theme-parks/custom-tombstone-halloween-prop/

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2022 Pieces

Richard Riley and the Tom Spina Designs crew made even more incredible tombstones for the same client in 2022 as well as a mausoleum based off the 1992 version of Dracula. The tombstones include references to even more classic horror movies, such as Phantom of the Opera, Friday the 13th, The Shining, and many more!