Making scars and wounds in latex or plastic

Small pieces such as scars and burns can be made by painting latex or plastic straight into a negative mould. The mould is made from a scar or wound that has been modeled on a flat board.

- To make a mould, model the scar or wound in clay or plasticine.

- When dry, brush the whole with petroleum jelly or sugar soap, which will act as a separating agent.

- Cover the model with plaster of Paris or dental stone to a thickness of about one and a half inches to  make a negative mould.

- When dry remove the mould from the model.

- Seal the inside of the mould with shellac.

When completely dry, the latex or plastic can be brushed into the mould to the thickness desired. Color can be added to the latex by scraping pancake, or pressed powder base, into the liquid. Build up the layers but leave the edges thin for blending into the skin.

- Use talcum powder and a soft brush to lift out the latex piece from the mould. Talcum the piece all over as you proceed to stop it sticking to itself.

LATEX

Another versatile material can be used straight from the tube for working directly onto skin or it can be moulded and used in prosthetics. Surgical adhesive, like that usually used for sticking false eyelashes, can also be used for small scars. It is similar with plastic materials.

MAKING A WOUND OR A SCAR ON SKIN

Small wounds and scars can be made directly onto the skin :

- Rub some barrier cream into the skin.

- Mark the wound or scar with an eye or lip pencil.

- Apply latex or plastic to the area from the tube or with a modeling tool

- Smooth the edged into the skin and model it as it dries.

- Apply make-up as necessary and powder. The latex will look smooth and shiny, as does a scar.

- If the required effect is a new wound, additions such as tissues, cotton wool and blood effects can be added to the drying latex. Even stitches can be added by tying knots in dark, thick cotton, cutting the thread either side and placing them in the latex.

- The skin can be made to appear as if it is peeling by lifting the edges of the latex. Blisters can be made by making a hole in the latex and lifting it to form a bubble

- Cornflakes and other breakfast cereals make excellent scabs and grazes.

Latex is also used for manufacturing pieces such as bald caps. The latex is painted onto a plastic block, allowed to dry and built up in layers, leaving the outside edges very fine to blend into the skin.

BLOOD

- The color of blood should not be taken for granted.It is needs thought and research. Arterial blood is brighter than venous blood because it is oxygenated and congealed blood turns darker the longer it is left. 

- Blood can be bought ready-made in both light and dark colors but consideration must be given to staining; some blood products will stain both skin and clothes. It is important for costume staff to check with make-up about staining if blood is being used.

- To make your own, it can be mixed with water and red and yellow food coloring. The thickness can be varied by adding flour or glycerine or clear syrup to make it more viscous. Adding black treacle, more flour or crushed breadcrumbs will create congealed blood. Adding crushed cereals will create various bloody wounds and grazes.

TEARS AND SWEAT

- Tear sticks, available to buy, are held near the eyes to make them water: there are also such products as Epson Salts and Olbas Oil that have the same effect. However, care must be taken when using them. Some people have extremely sensitive eyes. Eye drops used in excess may give just as good an effect.

- Glycerine is an extremely useful product to have. By dropping a little under the eyes it will trickle slowly creating the effects of tears. It can also be stippled onto the face and body to give the effect of sweat. It does not dry out as quickly as water. Be careful not to get glycerine in the eyes as it an sting for some time. Make sure that it is cleaned off the face before the artist rubs their eyes.


- A mixture of glycerine and water is effective as sweat and can be kept in a small water spray for speed of application. It is shiny and catches the light. It does not dry up like pure water. Pure glycerine will give heavy globules, but again make sure the products are cleaned off the skin when filming is finished.

INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL EFFECTS

Creating special effects is one of the most exciting aspects of working as a make-up artist. The sense of achievement in having produced realistic effects is tremendous. As always, the secret of success is that the special effects do not look like make-up. This means that subtlety is required: little rather than more make-up will give best result. Experiment with tools for application-stipple sponges, hairpins, the end of a brush rather than the bristle, and a variety of modeling tools.


- Research is paramount not only for accurate coloration but to establish where the make-up should be applied. If someone has fallen and bruised his or her face, the bruise would more likely be on a prominent bone, cheekbone or forehead for instance, not on a soft area.


- Continuity must be considered and planned for. A bruise or wound doesn’t suddenly vanish overnight and the healing process needs to be considered.


- It is worthwhile checking, if possible, how it will be filmed. A lot of work could be done only to find that it was on the wrong side of the face or body. The amount of make-up required would be affected by whether it is to be filmed as along shot or a close-up.

DIRT OR BREAKING DOWN

‘Breaking down’ is the term used for creating the effects required when an artist is affected by environmental conditions in the story. It can be just making someone look hot and sweaty or showing that they have been in a dirty place. Again it is important that these effects look realistic.

The make-up artist needs to ask the following questions:

* How did the person get dirty?

* If a child has a dirty and rubs his or her face, where would the dirt be?

* If a person were perspiring, where would it show most?

* If someone were crying, how would the tears fall?

There are many products now made especially for TV  and film- colored powders, colored gels, specially colored grease paints. There’s even tooth enamel that gives the appearance of rotting teeth.

It is surprising, though, what can be found in the kitchen cupboard that will do just as well as commercial products. Sometimes mixing your own colors and material produces more realistic effects than manufactured products. However, don’t get carried away. Vegetable soup is wonderful as fake vomit, but looks so awful the audience may end up feeling sick.

Although food products should be safe to use, if in doubt test the product on a sensitive area of skin such as behind the ears or on the inside of the wrist, and use a barrier cream.