A little glow, a few fluttering folds and a pair of surprised eyes: these homemade Halloween ghosts have plenty of character. Make a little family for your mantelpiece, light up your Halloween table or create larger hanging ghosts for a spooky window display.
The secret is wet strength tissue paper. Soaked in diluted PVA and draped over a simple mould, it dries into a lightweight shape that lets light shine through. Add a battery-operated tealight and your ghost is ready for its big entrance.
This guide covers two ways to make small ghosts, plus a larger draped version. You can follow the instructions below from start to finish, or there is a great video linked at the bottom.
Why wet strength tissue paper works so well
Ordinary tissue can be difficult to handle once soaked. Wet strength tissue paper stays together when wet, allowing you to dip it in your glue mixture, gently squeeze out the excess and unfold it again for shaping.
As it dries, the glued tissue becomes firm enough to hold its folds while staying wonderfully light. Its translucent finish makes it particularly effective for glowing Halloween decorations: the paper softens the light beneath it, while the creases give every ghost a different silhouette.
There is no need for a perfectly smooth finish. Those rumples and trailing edges are exactly what make it look like a ghost wearing a sheet.
What you’ll need
- Wet strength tissue paper
- PVA glue and water
- A bowl and a brush or stirring stick
- A cup to support your mould
- A polystyrene ball, tennis ball or similar rounded object
- A polystyrene egg if you want to try the strip method
- A black pen, or black card and scissors, for the faces
- Battery-operated LED tealights
- A covering to protect your work surface
For larger ghosts, add scrap paper, tape, a piece of smooth plastic to cover the mould and thread for hanging. Choose large white wet strength tissue sheets if you want longer, trailing folds.
First, mix your diluted PVA
Stir together one part PVA glue and three parts water until fully combined. For example, use one small cup of glue and three of the same cup of water.
This is the diluted PVA mixture you’ll use to soak or brush onto the tissue. Washable PVA or medium PVA can be used, as shown in the demonstration.
Method one: make a little draped ghost
1. Build a simple support
Rest your ball on top of a cup. The ball makes the rounded head and the cup raises it off the table, giving the tissue space to hang down. Make sure the support is steady before you begin.
2. Soak your tissue
Tear a roughly square piece of wet strength tissue paper large enough to cover the ball and drape down around it. Dip it into your diluted PVA so it is wet all over.
Gently squeeze out the excess mixture, then carefully unfold the tissue. Ease the folds apart slowly so you have a sheet ready to drape.
3. Give your ghost its shape
Lay the tissue over the ball, with the centre forming the top of the head. Let the edges fall around the cup and arrange them into loose folds.
If you want your ghost to stand on a table, let some of the lower edges rest on the protected surface to form a base. Keep the inside open for the light you’ll add later.
4. Let it dry completely
Leave your ghost on its support until it is fully dry and holds its shape. Small ghosts may take a couple of hours, but thicker layers, a wetter mixture or a cool room can mean a longer wait. Check that the folds are dry before gently easing it away from the mould.
A useful tip: if your mould is absorbent or likely to stick, cover it with smooth plastic before draping the tissue. This is particularly helpful for the scrunched-paper mould used for the larger ghost.
Method two: make a ghost with tissue strips
Prefer to use a brush? Try building the ghost with overlapping strips over a polystyrene egg. This gives you another way to control the shape without dipping a whole sheet.
- Tear your wet strength tissue paper into strips and lay them on a protected surface.
- Brush the diluted PVA onto the strips until they are thoroughly wet.
- Arrange the strips over and around the egg, overlapping them slightly so they join together.
- Keep an opening at the bottom so you can remove the mould and place a light underneath.
- Use your brush and a little more mixture to smooth loose edges, then leave the tissue to dry completely before carefully removing the mould.
A few creases will add character, so don’t spend too long trying to flatten every fold.
Add a face and switch on the glow
Once your ghosts are dry, draw on eyes with a black pen or cut shapes from black card and attach them with a little PVA. Try tiny round eyes, long oval eyes or an open mouth for a surprised expression.
Place a battery-operated LED tealight beneath each ghost and see the folds light up. Group a few together for a Halloween table centrepiece, or arrange them along a shelf where their faces can peek out after dark.
Use battery-operated LED lights only. Never place a real candle or naked flame inside a paper ghost.
Make a larger hanging ghost
Planning a bigger Halloween display? Explore our guide to making giant tissue paper ghosts for another project to try.
For a bigger decoration, use the same draping technique with a larger sheet. The lightweight tissue makes a lovely floating shape, with long folds that look especially effective hanging at different heights.
- Make the head mould. Scrunch scrap paper into a ball, secure it with tape and cover it with smooth plastic to help the dried tissue release.
- Raise it up. Set the mould on a stable support with enough room for the tissue to hang down.
- Soak and drape. Dip a whole sheet into your diluted PVA, squeeze out the excess and unfold it. Lay it over the mould and let the folds fall naturally.
- Add another layer if you like. Place a second wet sheet at a different angle for more trailing edges. The glue-coated sheets will stick together as they dry.
- Dry, release and decorate. Allow extra drying time for the larger shape and any overlapping layers. Once fully dry, carefully lift it from the mould and add its face.
To hang your finished ghost, an option is to pass a loop of thread through two small holes near the crown. Test it gently over a table first, and reinforce the attachment area with an extra small patch of glued tissue if needed, allowing it to dry again before hanging.
Try a small group in a window, or hang one above a display of the little glowing ghosts. Keep these paper decorations indoors and dry so they retain their shape.
For another ghostly project, try our DIY floating ghosts with wet strength tissue paper.
More Halloween inspiration: pumpkins and skulls
Once you’ve tried the ghosts, there are plenty of ways to experiment with the same materials. A rounded tissue lantern can become a skull with the addition of dark eyes and a nose, while orange colour and a Halloween face turn a lantern into a pumpkin.
The examples in our video include a skull shaped over a balloon and a pumpkin coloured by adding orange paint to the glue mixture. You can also paint the dried tissue afterwards. These are ideas for your next make; the video shows the finished examples rather than a full pumpkin or skull tutorial.
Watch the ghost-making demonstration
Want to see how the soaked tissue opens out and falls over the mould? Join Nikki from Carnival Papers for a demonstration of both small ghost methods and the larger draped version.
Watch the Halloween craft demonstration on YouTube.
A few questions before you start
Can I use ordinary tissue paper?
This method is designed for wet strength tissue paper because it can be soaked and handled while wet. Ordinary tissue will tear or break apart during the dipping and unfolding stages.
How long do the ghosts take to dry?
Allow a couple of hours or longer for small ghosts. Larger shapes and extra layers need more time. The best check is that all the folds feel dry and the shape holds before you remove the support.
Do I need to add a light?
No. Your ghosts can be used as lightweight decorations on their own. An LED tealight simply brings out the translucent finish of the tissue.
More Halloween crafts to try
Keep the Halloween crafting going with our guide to how to make a witch’s hat—another project to add to your seasonal decorations.
Looking for more seasonal inspiration? Take a look at Happy Halloween, Are You Ready to Get Spooky? for more ideas from Carnival Papers.
Make your own ghostly gathering
Start with a little tabletop ghost, then try a taller shape or a whole family of different faces. The same simple materials can take you from a friendly Halloween decoration to a wonderfully spooky window display.
Shop white wet strength tissue paper to get started, or explore Carnival Papers for more creative materials.
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