Raise the Dead: Spooky Skeleton Portraits with Smoky Style 💀

Halloween projects are the perfect excuse to play with rich, moody backgrounds and a little extra texture. In this project, Amanda Dillon of Mettle Modern Design, an Essential Stencil brand ambassador, creates a pair of striking Skeleton Portraits using a smoky black-and-white stain blend and dimensional gold raised stenciling.

The finished pieces have plenty of spooky personality, but the techniques are easy to adapt to other stencil designs and color combinations. The real stars of this project are the blended stain background and the raised texture created with modeling paste.

Materials You'll Need

Create the Smoky Black and White Background

Start with two 8" x 10" wood panels. Using a sponge, apply black stain to the front and sides of each panel.

Lightly spritz the surface with water as you work. This helps the stain glide more smoothly and makes it easier to blend.

While the black stain is still damp, lightly apply white stain to the center of each panel.

Using a clean sponge, gently blend the white and black stains together. Work back and forth between the colors until the transition feels soft and smoky rather than creating a hard line or obvious shape.

Don't worry if the background doesn't look perfect right away. Continue lightly blending and feathering the colors until you can no longer clearly see where one color starts and the other stops.

Once you're happy with the smoky effect, allow both panels to dry completely.

Prepare the Panels for Stenciling

Once the stain is dry, lightly sand both panels to smooth the surface and remove any raised grain.

This creates a cleaner surface for the next step and helps prepare the panels for your raised stencil design.

Create the Raised Skeleton Design

Now it's time to add some dimension.

Mix Master's Touch Modeling Paste, or your preferred modeling paste, with a small amount of gold paint. Stir until the color is evenly incorporated and you have a thick, dimensional mixture.

Position the Skeleton Portraits Stencil Set on your first panel and secure it with tape.

Using a spatula or silicone spreader, carefully apply the gold modeling paste mixture over the stencil openings. Spread the paste evenly across the design, then gently lift the stencil straight up and away from the surface.

The slow reveal is the fun part! Lifting the stencil carefully helps preserve the crisp edges of your dimensional skeleton portrait.

Repeat the process on your second panel using the other Skeleton Portrait design.

Allow the modeling paste to dry completely before handling or displaying your finished pieces.

Final Reveal: Spooky, Smoky, and Dimensional

The finished Skeleton Portraits have a dramatic combination of texture and contrast. The soft black-and-white background gives the panels a smoky, shadowy look, while the gold modeling paste creates a raised design that stands out from the surface.

This project is a great reminder that stencils aren't just for flat painted designs. By combining a custom stain background with modeling paste, you can add depth and texture to your favorite designs.

Ready to create your own spooky portraits? Grab the Skeleton Portraits Stencil Set and explore more Halloween-inspired designs from Essential Stencil to start creating your own dimensional décor.

Watch the Project Video

Want to see Amanda bring these spooky Skeleton Portraits to life? 🖤💀 Watch the full project video below for a closer look at the smoky stain background, raised stenciling technique, and all the creative details!