How To Make A Haunted Mirror So You Can Always Hang With Ghosts

Start by getting a frame the size you’d like your finished “mirror” to be. Find an image of a face you want to use as the ghost (I found a vintage photo of a girl using Google image search), and blow it up so the face is life-size. Print the image out in black and white. Remove the glass from the frame and wipe off any smudges using glass cleaner and a paper towel. Lay the glass down on a flat surface in a well-ventilated area and position the printout face up underneath the glass where you want the ghost to appear. Shake a can of Krylon Looking Glass Spray Paint ($13.99) rigorously—essentially until your arm is tired. Then use it to very lightly spray the entire glass piece; let dry (this will probably take less than a minute). Now spray 4 or 5 thin coats over the glass except where you want the image to be visible in the final mirror. Let each coat dry completely before spraying the next one and shake the shit out of the can between each coat. To achieve the mercury glass effect that makes the mirror look antiqued, use a spray bottle to lightly spray water on the glass before each coat. Once you are done, coat the entire glass with a clear coat spray, such as Krylon Acrylic Crystal Clear Top Coat ($7.49), to seal. Flip the glass over; the unpainted side will have a mirrored reflection. Using double-sided tape, affix the printout to the inside of the frame’s backing so that the face will show through the part of the glass that has only one coat of paint. Assemble the frame. When you look into the mirror the single coat will have a slight mirror effect but the image will still be visible, ready to scare any unsuspecting looking-glass gazers. 

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Tutorial by Callie Watts
Photograph by Megan Senior; Devil jar and goblet: Irene McCollam Ceramics

This article originally appeared in the Oct/Nov 2015 print edition of BUST Magazine. Subscribe today!