Project Story: The Grinning Reaper

I've been working on this project for about three years now, on-and-off (but mostly off).  It all started with a six-inch papier-mâché skull purchased on a whim from a craft store.  I didn't really know what to do with it, but after it had been painted a beige color and collecting dust for a few weeks, I decided I wanted to build an articulated body for it.  Of course, the body would have to be a bit below scale, giving the figure a rather playful, comic appearance.
A gangling, elaborate contraption of string, cardboard, Popsicle sticks, hot-glue, wire, masking tape, bubble wrap, and pipe cleaners was constructed.  The dratted thing was nearly three feet tall.  After testing the body, I found it to be poseable, but very wobbly, needing much finicking before it could stand or hold a pose.  However, I was satisfied for the time being, and, still unpainted and lacking a costume, "Richard" (as he was then known) was cast into my closet for about two and a half years.  Recently, while I was cleaning out the closet, Richard emerged.  I wasn't sure what to do with him, so I brought him back down to my workshop and left him there.  And this weekend, I finally got around to working on him again - just in time for Halloween!

This is what he looked like after I'd made some repairs and reinforced his joints with hot-glue and masking tape.

Now Here he is, fully reinforced, covered with masking tape to make the surface more paintable, and coated with acrylic sealant.

After I'd finished his body construction, I coated him in beige paint, let it dry, and sprayed him with sealant.  Then, I looked up a reference picture of a skeleton to draw in the spaces between the bones.  I filled in the spaces with black paint, cleaned up the edges with more beige, and sealed him again.
Here he is, fully painted:

Once I was finished with the reaper's body, I needed an outfit.  I decided on a simple black hooded robe, the classic grim reaper getup.  I found a big black T-shirt, trimmed the tag, turned it inside out, and pulled it over his head. And here he is, complete!  Happy Halloween!