Back to Holidays Gallery Skeleton This near life-size skeleton was made from light-weight beaded polystyrene foam. Most of the bodymembers were made seperately. The hands and feet were one piece. The jaw was articulated. Wire hooks held the pieces together so it could be disassembled to be moved or stored. The foam was coated with hydrocal, which gave a very realistic bone-like look and feel. The entire skeleton, after coating, weighed less than one pound! It hung by a small wire that came out of the back of the head. The teeth were the most difficult part to sculpt. Getting the right shape for the ribcage was pretty tough too. The ribs all snapped into the back of the spine. Everyone in the house learned the names of most of the bones by the time it was finished. This would make a great group project for high school or college biology and anatomy. Building a skeleton from scratch gives you a feel for the human anatomy which is much more thorough and engraining than looking at books. Plus, you make it for just a few dollars. The skeleton went back to the grave last Halloween. We hung the skeleton in the front entryway with a bowl of candy on a stool directly underneath. When the trick-or-treaters quit for the night and it was time for bed we wisely put the bowl of candy out of reach from my sister-in-law's little dog Jessy, who we were watching for the night. The next morning Jason was proudly sitting in a heap of chewed up "bones". Next time I will leave a treat out for the late night tricksters.