When it comes to Halloween decorating, skeletons are featured favorites. 

T-Rex Skeleton

Terrifying dragons and dinosaurs are a few of the latest décor entries. 

Saber Tooth Tiger Skeleton

Wild dogs and Sabre Tooth tigers are sure to follow. 

Close-Up Rooster Skeleton

What about ferocious chickens?  Ferocious may be a bit of a stretch, but “cocky” is a well-earned title. 

Confident & Cocky

At a farm near my home, I saw a defiant rooster face off against a slow-moving minivan.  That bird crowed at the top of his lungs.  I wonder if roosters use curse words.  The bird won the battle of wills!  Apparently, roosters always have the right of way. lol. 

Unpainted Rooster Skeleton

There are many Halloween bird skeletons, including vultures, crows, ravens, and ducks.  When I saw this rooster, I knew I had to do something to make him stand out in a crowd. 

How to Paint a Rooster Skeleton:

Inspiration

A rooster’s crown and wattle tend to be red, but anything goes for the feathers. 

Inspiration

Because my favorite color is blue, I chose inspirational photos accordingly, but you can choose whatever colors you prefer. 

Supplies

Supplies:
Rooster Skeleton (12-1/2” high x 11-1/2” long x 7-1/2” wide) sold at JoAnn Crafts
Acrylic Paints – red, black, metallic sapphire blue, & metallic periwinkle blue
Paintbrushes

Painted Head Details

Brush red paint onto both sides of the two most recognizable traits of roosters, the comb and wattle.  Darken the eye sockets with black paint. 

Unpainted Rooster Tail

As you might imagine, roosters are very proud of their plumage.  Those tail feathers should be bold and colorful to make their presence known and to impress the ladies! 

Painted Tail – Option 1

Paint the tail black, which tends to be the most common tail feather color. 

Painted Tail – Option 2

Paint the tail a combination of metallic green and metallic blue. 

Painted Tail – Option 3

Paint the tail metallic blue.  I love the iridescent blue feathers shown in the two inspirational photos.  What bothered me about the skeleton was the five bones in the tail, which resemble a metallic hand. 

Defining the Tail Feathers

Carefully apply a line of black paint down the length of each tail bone and angled short strokes to create a feathered appearance. 

Side by Side

Minimally painted head details versus fully defined tail feathers.  If you are satisfied with your results, you could stop at this point.  Additional steps below will give the rooster a more frightening appearance.  

Painted Eye Detail

Outline both eyes with red paint.  This changes the entire expression with a few easy strokes.

Eerie Glow from Within

Paint the inside of the ribs with metallic periwinkle paint.  Many Halloween skeletons come with LED lights hidden inside to illuminate the rib cage.  This one did not come with lights, but the metallic paint produces a similar visual effect. 

Joint Details

Add red on each of the ball joints for the wings and the knees. 

Unpainted Rooster versus Completed Rooster

As you can see, this rooster has come a long way from its humble beginnings.  At a distance, you can easily recognize it, and the extra painted details catch the light, drawing your attention to this demanding and amusing creature. 

For more ideas, please click here to read last year’s post on skeleton painting. 

Happy Halloween & Happy Crafting!