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How to Make a Theatrical Street Lamp

Creating a theatrical street lamp can make the difference between a substandard or inspired scene. Erecting a real street lamp is often unthinkable in the theater--especially for low budget or school productions--due to the heavy equipment, confusing wiring configurations and safety concerns. Constructing your theatrical street lamp out of foam provides for a light-weight, three-dimensional object that you can move on and off stage hassle free. Covering the foam with paint and patching it with papier-mache provides uneven, life-like textures to make the lamp appear weathered and real.

Things You'll Need

  • 18-inch by 60-inch Styrofoam pillar
  • 4-inch by 24-inch Styrofoam base
  • 12-inch by 18-inch Styrofoam block
  • Marker
  • Work gloves
  • Utility knife
  • Spray paint
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 cup flour
  • Pot
  • Medium-sized bowl
  • 3-inch by 3-inch paper towel strips (multiple)
  • Acrylic paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Permanent epoxy
  • 2 or 3 bumper stickers
  • 120-grit sandpaper
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place one 18-inch by 60-inch Styrofoam pillar, one 4-inch by 24-inch Styrofoam base and one 12-inch by 18-inch Styrofoam block nearby.

    • 2

      Draw the outline of the lamp head onto the foam block with a marker. Put on a pair of work gloves to protect your skin. Trim the foam block into the shape of the lamp head along the marker lines using a utility knife.

    • 3

      Take each piece of foam outside. Coat the pieces in spray paint. Coat the base and pillar with black, green, silver or metallic gray paint. Coat the sides of the lamp head with bright yellow to emulate a working light. Allow two hours for the pieces to dry.

    • 4

      Boil five cups of water and one cup of flour in a pot for three minutes to make a papier-mache mix. Allow the mix five minutes to cool. Pour the mix into a medium-sized bowl.

    • 5

      Soak a 3-inch by 3-inch paper towel strip in the mix. Press the strip into the pillar. Rip the strips into different sizes. Continue until all sides of the pillar and base are haphazardly plastered with paper towel. Allow the paper towel pieces two hours to dry.

    • 6

      Coat the paper towel pieces with acrylic paint--the same or different colors as the pillar and base. Allow two additional hours for the paper towel pieces to dry.

    • 7

      Assemble the three lamp pieces. Bond the pillar to the center of the foam base with permanent epoxy. Bond the lamp head to the top of the pillar with permanent epoxy.

    • 8

      Rough the edges and surface of two or three bumper stickers with 120-grit sandpaper. Apply the stickers at random places around the pillar to give the lamp a vandalized appeal.

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