The “how-to” site Instructables.com is running a DIY Halloween contest where people can submit their homemade Halloween costume ideas. I came across a DIY Slipknot Mask instrutable which can be helpful for anybody out there who doesn’t want to pay top dollar for the official masks.

A lot of the supplies you need for this project are things that can easily be found around the house.

Supplies:

Foil If you don’t have at least 4 feet of foil, you will have to buy more.
Leather I found an old leather jacket and cut up the leather from that.
Zipper (optional) For my mouth I used some of the zipper from the old jacket, but you can do whatever you want.
Sewing Needle Get a large one for it will have to be sharp to sew up the mask.
Thread You will need thread the same color as your leather and some red thread as well.
Elastic Bands
Scissors A large, sharp pair is recommended.
Newspaper For the paper mache part.
Flour You will need 1/3 cup of flour.
Water You will need 1/2 cup of water.
Glue I used a glue stick.

Depending on what you want your mask to look like, you may use some other items.

Check out the “How To Make A Slipknot Mask For Free Page” for a walkthrough with pictures and more details. For drummers, some minor adjustments to the mask pictured, (like white fabric instead of leather and dark markings) can turn it into a Joey Jordison mask.

Of course a lot of people wouldn’t recognize that you’re a drummer unless you’re either carrying around a snare drum and floor tom. To make it easy you could just carry a pair of drumsticks with you.

OK, let’s say this Halloween you’re all set to go out dressed up as well…a drummer. Not really any specific drummer, just yourself. How can you add anything to this costume besides just bringing your drumsticks with you?

You could bring your practice drum pad, but that would look kind of lame, and people would probably think that you are carrying around a drink coaster. A cool option is inflatable bongo’s. Yes you read that correctly, inflatable bongo drums.

The ones I found above are only $3.99 and you can easily carry these around with or without drumsticks. This is also probably the most inexpensive Halloween Costume ever.

In case you haven’t noticed I created a new page on this blog entitled “Halloween Costume Ideas.” I thought drummers/musicians would find this useful when brainstorming costume ideas this year. It’s pretty hard to come up with ideas that are centered around drumming or drummers.

On that page I gave an example for the ladies of dressing up like Meg White of The White Stripes. For guys though, another great example I thought of would be Tre Cool of Green Day. Now, I don’t expect you to lug around an entire set of Ludwig drums but a Tre Cool costume is relatively easy.

First of all, you’ll need to spike up your hair, if it’s not long enough you can choose from any number of Halloween wigs. Make sure they’re not too long though (you’re going for the look in the pic above). As far as clothes, any t-shirt will do but preferably a Green Day t-shirt, grab a pair of drumsticks and you’re ready to go. Since Green Day released “American Idiot” and that album was huge, a lot of younger kids will recognize this costume and besides the wig and drumsticks, there is little you have to spend money on.

I know it’s a little early to start thinking about Halloween costumes but lately I’ve seen a ton of stores and websites advertising Slipknot masks, its really kind of comical. If your kid or you yourself want to dress up as Joey Jordison for Halloween they now make a mask modeled after the one he wears.

It’s a little bit lame for adults, but I am sure the band is seeing a pretty penny from having people license the right to use Slipknot’s trademark masks. I’m also sure that a lot of people will want them this year, as the band’s latest release “All Hope Is Gone” debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart last week.