How To Make A Father Christmas Bucket Photography Prop

Following on from my Christmas Chimney Prop Tutorial (here) this tutorial shows you how to make a Father Christmas bucket - perfect for posing a newborn baby in.

You will need

(1) Plastic plant pot large enough to place a newborn baby in - this cost me £3 from a cheap High Street shop
(2) Brown or black leather belt - I picked this up in a charity shop for 50p
(3) White faux fur - this was actually the most expensive item and I purchased 1/2 metre
(4) Double sided tape
(5) Scissors
(6) Hot glue gun or glue strong enough to stick to plastic
(7) Red crepe paper (you could use tissue paper but crepe paper is sturdier) - I needed to use 2 packs

Step 1

Place double sided tape intermittently around the top,  bottom and underside of your pot.  This will make things easier as you adhere your crepe paper.


Step 2

Most crepe paper comes folded like this.  Cut one edge to remove one folded edge.

This will leave you with strips of folded crepe paper with only one folded edge.

Step 3

Begin to place your folded strips of crepe paper around your pot.  Use the double sided tape to hold each strip in place while you add glue to place the next strip on top.

Try to dribble the glue onto your paper rather than dragging your glue gun / glue nozzle across the surface as this can cause the crepe paper to tear.  Take it nice and slowly with each strip


Step 4

When you've added your paper all the way round your pot, apply double sided tape all the way round the rim

Step 5

Apply the faux fur around the rim and glue the overlap at the back.

Make sure you leave enough fabric going down inside the pot.

Step 6

Unless you have got an extra long belt, cut your belt in half at the back.

Step 7

Apply double sided tape along the back of the belt.  I preferred to do it this way rather than using glue as I wanted to be sure to get the belt in exactly the right place and glue may have dried too much.

If you're struggling to pull of the backing paper without removing all of the tape, tear the backing in the middle rather than trying to lift at the corners

Step 8

Apply the belt around the middle of the pot!

Stand back and admire your handywork!

Place something heavy in the base of your pot and always photograph babies in buckets using the composite method.  Baby should be touched at all times with the finger removed in Photoshop.

I hope you enjoy this tutorial and perhaps have a go at making one for your photography studio - if I can do it, you definitely can!  Please show me any images you take!