Hi! Steff and I are so excited about this crackle paint skull! As soon as we saw it at the Wood Connection we knew we had to come up with a cool way to finish it–and we did! It took some trial and error, but we found the best and easiest way to get that cool crackle look and we’re excited to show you how! First, let’s go over the supplies needed for this exact project. Of course you can use the crackle paint technique on whatever project you want-it’s so perfect for Halloween, but if you would like to make this skull and block here’s what you need.
From the Wood Connection:
- Skull and crossbones
- Wood block
- Pick your Poison vinyl
- Paint: black and white
- paint brushes
- Wood glue
Other supplies:
- Elmer’s glue
- Black glitter paper
- Blow dryer (optional)
Start by painting the sides and back of the skull white. Also paint the sides and front of the face overlay white.
Next paint the front of the skull black. Then paint the block black. 
Now for the crackle!! Make sure the black paint is dry, and then paint a thick coat of Elmer’s glue over the entire front surface. Be sure not to do too many brush strokes over the glue.
Let the glue set just until it’s tacky, about 3-4 minutes is just right.
Now paint a thick coat of white paint over the glue. DO NOT over brush- one or two passes is all. The idea is not to push the glue around as you paint the white on.
Now set it aside and let it dry. It will crackle as it dries. You can use a blow dryer if you want to speed up the process-plus it’s super fun to see it start crackling right before your eyes! 
Here is a short video tutorial I put together for mastering the crackle paint. Check it out for some visual guidance on the process. 🙂
So cool right?!! We love it!
Once the crackle surface is completely dry, it will look something like this:
Okay, we’ve covered the coolest part of this project, let’s finish up the rest!
Take a piece of black glitter paper and trim it to fit behind the eyes and nose of the face overlay. Put some glue on the wood piece and then glue the paper on.
Apply the vinyl to the block. The vinyl works just like a sticker. Peel away the bottom, place the sticky sheet with the words onto the block and press the words down. Then carefully peel away the sticky sheet.
Now use wood glue to attach the face onto the skull block. Let dry.
Set the skull on the block and you’re done! Time to decorate for Halloween! As a friendly reminder, everything can be touched up or re-done. If your crackle didn’t work out how you want, just lightly sand it and start over! Or try again on the backside. Trust us, we know a thing or two about touching up and re-doing on craft projects. 😉
This was a project for our September Wood Connection craft classes. We LOVE teaching these craft classes and putting together the craft kits with simple step by step instructions. To keep up with our upcoming classes and kits be sure to follow us on Facebook HERE and on Instagram HERE, and HERE. We always post the upcoming classes to our followers first. 🙂
