The thought behind the project
The severed Minecraft head is a prop for a halloween costume, acting like a trick or treat basket. Constructed from acrylic/polyethylene/polypropylene sheets, the head is painted with the signature pixelated aesthetic and features internal RGBW LED strips inside the box. The primary function is to express four distinct “moods”—Angry (red light), Sad (blue light), Disgust (green light), and Happy (yellow light)—by dynamically shifting the color of the internal lighting. The basket includes a red handle and a “severed neck” base, with black paint for the eyes and mouth, ensuring both visual impact and a clear pathway for the light to shine through. The shades of the pixels are created by painting multiple coats of acrylic paint on the surface to help create a opaque and translucent light dispersal.
The prop’s intention is to blend the nostalgia of my brother and my shared love for Minecraft with a playful Halloween fright. By presenting the instantly recognizable Creeper head in a dark context—a “severed neck” basket—it introduces a darkly humorous twist on a beloved game element. The dynamic, shifting NeoPixel lights (from “angry” red to “sad” blue) use in-game visuals to create an eerie, mood-depicting glow, transforming our childhood interests into a uniquely personal and subtly unsettling costume piece.
Materials & Parts
- 1/4″ white translucent acrylic sheet – For the main structure, laser cut to make a 8×8″ cube. Purchased from the VFL.
- (2) RGBW LED Neopixel Sticks – For the light source, I had one in my kit. Borrowed another one from Jay.
- Adafruit Gemma M0 – For the code, already there in my kit.
- Electrical wires – For the light source, already there in my kit.
- USB Battery Pack – For the battery, already there in my kit.
- Solder – For the light source, taken from the VFL.
- Acrylic paint – For the tones in the light, to paint the pixels on the inside surface of the sheet.
- Acrylic cement – Solvent that helps join the acrylic together.
- Paint brushes – To paint the pixels. Already had them, any paintbrushes work.
- Hot glue gun – To glue the top and bottom to the acrylic box. Taken from PoD.
- Foam board – To make the severed neck of the head. Already had some.
- 2.5 mm wire – To make the handle, taken from the VFL.
TinkerCAD circuit
https://www.tinkercad.com/things/39yYl1YGqdN-halloween-tinkering
Code
Process
The completed ‘Mine-Crafted’ life prop
At the NYC Halloween Parade
My journey and experience
Crafting a Minecraft head costume with NeoPixel sticks illuminating it from within was honestly an ambitious but fun project. While the soldering proved to be a real challenge, trying to attach those tiny wires to the compact Gemma M0 board tested both my patience and my dexterity, the final result made it all worthwhile. Parading through the streets of NYC for the Halloween parade was an incredible cultural experience, with the energy of the crowd and the creativity on display making every frustrating moment at my workbench fade away. Looking back, if I were to build this prop again, I’d construct the top and bottom sections in acrylic as well, rather than just the sides, to achieve a fully translucent effect that would really let those NeoPixels shine through every surface and create an even more striking glow.
A special mention and big thank you to everyone, especially Becky, Josh, the entire VFL team, Rhea and Manya who helped me see this project through till the end, believing that I could execute it! Thank you to Becky and Smokey for accompanying my friends and I to the parade as well! Thank you for your support!