Art the Clown Costume
Bring the silent, monochrome terror of Terrifier to life this Halloween.
Art the Clown from the Terrifier franchise has quickly become one of modern horror's most iconic and deeply unsettling villains. Fans choose this look for its high-impact, silent-menace aesthetic that stands out in any crowd. The costume consists of a baggy black-and-white clown jumpsuit, a ruffled collar, a tiny black top hat, and a stark, grinning face paint design.
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Time
- ~45 min
- Budget
- $40–120
Try it on
See yourself as Art the Clown
One clear photo of yourself; we render you in this costume — face untouched, full body, about 20 seconds.
One render, $1. No account needed — if it fails you're not charged. Pricing.
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Want a different costume on this photo, or a whole group in costume? Open the Try-On Studio.
What you need for a Art the Clown costume
Short on time? Buy it ready-made
Spirit Halloween sells the complete Art the Clown costume — one box instead of 7 pieces.
Black and white clown jumpsuit
A baggy, split-color black and white jumpsuit featuring large pom-poms down the center chest.
DIY: Use a baggy black jumpsuit and fabric-glue white fabric panels and large white pom-poms down the front.
Ruffled neck collar
A pleated, white ruffled neck ruff that fastens securely around the collarbone.
DIY: Pleat white coffee filters or crepe paper and staple them to a white ribbon to tie around your neck.
Tiny black top hat
A miniature black bowler or top hat attached to a thin elastic headband.
DIY: Cut a small top hat shape out of black cardstock, hot-glue it to a black headband, and tilt it slightly to the side.
White bald cap
A latex or vinyl white bald cap to cover your hair and ears completely.
DIY: If you have very short or shaved hair, slick it back with strong gel and paint it white with face paint.
White cotton gloves
Simple, lightweight white cotton gloves that cover the wrists.
Black trash bag
A classic heavy-duty black plastic garbage bag used to carry your costume props.
DIY: Fill a standard black trash bag with crumpled newspaper to give it volume without adding weight.
Black pointed shoes
Sleek black dress shoes or pointed costume shoes to match the monochrome aesthetic.
DIY: Wear basic black sneakers or slip-ons and cover them with black felt boot covers.
Rather not assemble it? See ready-made Art the Clown costumes at Spirit Halloween ↗
How to put it together
- 1
Put on your base layers, then step into the baggy black-and-white clown jumpsuit and zip or button it up.
- 2
Secure your hair flat against your head using gel or a hairnet, then pull the white bald cap over your head, tucking in any loose strands.
- 3
Apply the stark white and deep black face paint, ensuring your neck is also painted white to blend with the bald cap.
- 4
Fasten the ruffled white collar around your neck, making sure it sits upright and covers the transition between the jumpsuit and your neck.
- 5
Place the mini black top hat headband on your head, angling it slightly to one side over the bald cap.
- 6
Slip on the white cotton gloves and step into your black pointed shoes.
- 7
Grab your black trash bag filled with lightweight props to complete the silent slasher look.
Makeup & hair
Cover your entire face, ears, and neck in opaque white face paint. Use black face paint to create large, hollowed-out circles around your eyes, paint thin arched eyebrows high on your forehead, and draw an exaggerated, wide, pointed black grin with blackened lips. For added terror, use yellow and brown tooth FX paint to give yourself a rotting smile.
Art the Clown for couples, groups, kids & more
- couples
- Pair up with someone dressed as Sienna Shaw in her golden warrior princess armor, or the Pale Girl in her matching mini clown suit.
- group
- Gather a crew of classic modern slashers, including Art the Clown, Pennywise, and Billy the Puppet.
- kids
- A scaled-down, less-bloody version of the black-and-white clown suit with simplified face paint.
- Plus size
- Look for oversized or unisex clown jumpsuits with elastic waistbands for a comfortable, baggy fit.
- pet
- A black-and-white ruff collar and a tiny black hat headband for a cooperative dog or cat.
Tips
- Use a high-quality setting powder over your white face paint to prevent it from smudging or transferring onto your white collar.
- Keep a bottle of water with a straw handy so you can hydrate without ruining your painted black lips.
- Carry a clean, empty black trash bag to store your personal items like keys and a phone while staying in character.
- Practice communicating entirely through theatrical mime gestures and silent, wide-eyed grins to truly embody the character.
Art the Clown costume FAQ
- What does Art the Clown carry in his bag?
- In the films, Art carries a variety of crude, rusty tools and weapons in his black trash bag. For a safe costume version, fill the bag with crumpled paper or lightweight plastic toy props.
- Do I need a mask or should I use makeup?
- While official latex masks are available, using face paint and a bald cap allows you to mimic Art's highly expressive, unsettling facial movements much more effectively.
- How do I make the teeth look dirty?
- You can use cosmetic tooth paint (tooth FX) in nicotine, decay, or black shades. Apply it to dry teeth and let it dry for a few seconds; it easily brushes off with toothpaste later.
Did you know? Actor David Howard Thornton, who plays Art the Clown, has a background in mime and physical comedy, which he used to give the character his signature silent, theatrical personality.