Mac-O-Lanterns

This Halloween season, our studio is bringing some old computers back from the dead.
    It wasn't something we planned to do. In fact, the idea sprang from a conversation on Twitter just a couple of nights ago. I had been looking to unload a bunch of old Mac Classics (we had been collecting them for an art project that never developed). That started a Twitter conversation that soon turned into a Twitter brainstorming session. The idea of the Mac-O-Lantern was born.
    Two days later, an old Mac was alive and smiling.
    There's still time to make your own. Besides a working computer and a little technical know-how (very little), all you need is three cans of spray paint and a bit of epoxy. And here's the best part...no slimy guts to clean out!

How to Make a Mac-O-Lantern

1. Find your old, working Mac. Give it a nice cleaning.
2. Mask off the screen with tape. We used clear shipping tape.
3. Paint the entire body orange. We used Krylon Fusion Pumpkin Orange. We started with another type of paint, but it didn't adhere very well. The Fusion line is made especially for plastic and worked great.
4. Paint the mouse brown for a stem. We used Krylon Fusion Satin Espresso.
5. Cut the keyboard cord into leaf and vine sections and paint them green. We used Krylon Fusion Hunter Green.
6. Let the paint dry completely, preferably overnight.
7. Attach the mouse and cord pieces with epoxy.
8. Create your face. We made ours in Illustrator and then turned it into a JPEG through Photoshop. We had to dig around a bit, but we found an old external floppy drive and transferred the artwork via disk.
9. Display your face. We downloaded JPEGView from The Mac Orchard and have multiple faces rotating on the screen like a slide show.

Have fun. Use our rather basic design as a springboard for your own creativity. Add some animation. Bring sound into the mix. Here's your chance to show off your old-school programming skills.
    Just be sure to come back and leave a link to some photos in the comments.

Comments

[Scarlet]

These are so cool. I'm sending this link to every computer geek I know, as a Halloween greeting. Great idea!

[Roland]

And I thought halloween had turned commercial.

[jpblogger]

Just Great!

[Peter]

HA! To think I just had mine sitting in the basement as a clock. This is a much better use for it. The best thing is, after 20 years, they're still working. I love those old things.

[Hooeyspewer]

Wonderful job! Making me feel bad I unloaded all of ours already. Congrats!

[Bryan Mohr]

WOW! Those are soooo cool.

Great idea. I'm jealous.

[Kim Mickelsen]

These are awesome! I have one in the basement that I couldn't bring myself to trash because it still works. What a great idea. Thanks.

[mws]

Very cool! Can you upload or post a link to the jack o'lantern faces, too?

[ZuZa]

wOw! yOur bLog is reaLLy great! :-)

[Jamie V]

When you make one do you call it My IMac'o'lantern?

[MrVolley]

Yeah i know, Halloween is over but can i get those Faces displayed on the Screens?

[Geeky Acorn]

Awesome!! I just posted a link on my blog. yeah I know I'm a bit late for Halloween, but this really is brillintly creative!!

[Alex Palma]

Thank you for this article because its really informative, i love reading your article and i hope that i will read some more about this stuff, its really informative and very entertaining. thanks a lot and have a great day. hope you can also visit my site by clicking my name ~ god bless ~

[Josh (Morning Banana) Hamilton]

That is quite an awesome idea, but I wonder if kids will kick the screen in. Like they do pumpkins. haha Happy Halloween