Zombie Makeup
Zombie Makeup- special effects and filmmaking
This is the first message i have posted here. But, anyway, I am doin the FX for a zombie film. Keep in mind, this "Film", (if you can even call it that), will be extremely cheap, and cheesy. So, the zombie makeup i was planning on doing, was basically a type i had seen in a Dick Smith book. The cotton, KARO syrup, and paint method. I messed around with this method, using acrylic paint over the cotton, with glue, and found that it worked rather nice. However, i need a method, that will leave me with something of a mask, that can be reused over again. I was thinking, of maybe replacing the paint, with liquid latex. Would the liquid latex be better to use, and, is it safe to apply liquid latex to the skin, or, must you use something to remove it with? I've never used liquid latex before, that is why I am asking. I have many more questions, but, i have already written too much...please respond with anything you think may help me.....................P.S. Keep in mind, i am a young amatuer, with hardly any $.
Liquid latex sold in make up shops has most of the ammonia removed and is intended to be used on the skin. Arts & crafts stores carry mold making latex which is cheaper because it may be a lower grade of rubber with more fillers present, which won’t be a problem for what you are doing. Molding latex has a problem – too much ammonia in it. It is intended for fast drying, not skin use, so it must be de-ammoniated.
Pour some latex into a container and stir in about 1/3 the volume of water. Let it sit uncovered, the odor is caused by the ammonia evaporating. Every so often add a bit more water until the ammonia smell is nearly gone, then seal it up tightly. It will take longer to dry but not smell so much and be irritating. I sometimes do this with the latex sold for make up use as well.
Latex shrinks as it dries, and the more fibrous material in it, the more it shrinks. Tissue paper or paper towel are often used to make wrinkled or peeling skin or to build up structures or wound edges, much like you would work with paper mache. Soaking a cotton ball in latex will result in a lump that takes forever and a day to dry, shrinks tremendously, and is harder than a super ball. The thicker the latex is, the stronger the end result will be, but the less flexible as well. You will have to experiment to find the balance between durability and flexibility that you want.
Be careful about putting latex on your skin – it grabs onto fibers like cloth and hair and won’t let go! You have a lot of fine, hard to see hairs on the face, backs of the hands, and arms. Latex doesn’t hurt when peeled off skin, but if hairs become imbedded in it, then it will be worse than tearing off a bandage. Think along the lines of a woman waxing her armpits or bikini lines and tearing out the hair – Yee-Ouch! Coat the skin lightly with petroleum jelly. It will make the latex bead up a bit, but will protect the hair. I like to spirit gum a bit of tissue over each eyebrow or coat them with derma wax before applying latex on top. If it drips on your clothes and you don’t flood the area immediately with water, you will have an imbedded spot of rubber that will not wash out.
Liquid latex is fun, inexpensive, handy stuff. Even when you move up to more advanced, flexible false skin materials, you'll probably still find that you buy liquid latex by the gallon.
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Jeff F - Moderator
Magic and FX
Amazing the Masses
[This message has been edited by Jeff F (edited 08-01-2000).]
I forgot to mention, this movie will be shot in B & W. I was wondering, if it would look all right if i just did the coloring of the makeup, in greyscale, and maybe shades of brown. Also, is it o.k. to paint the latex with acrylic paint? I've repainted latex masks before with acrylics, and the paints didnt crack, and they stuck fine.............................Thanx again
For B & W you don't have to worry about color at all, just the darkness or lightness of tone.
I reccomend pretinting latex by adding a little acrylic paint. You can also use coloredlatex as a paint for cured latex rubber.
While acrylic paints will adhere to latex structures, they are not as flexible and will eventually crack. At first they will have fine cracks that don't show when the piece is unstretched, but the more the piece is flexed and stretched, the more the paint will look beat up and flake off.
For short term, "quick and dirty" work straight acrylic on latex is fine, but I'd avoid it for masks or props you plan on keeping for a while.
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Jeff F - Moderator
Magic and FX
Amazing the Masses
black and white will totally free you up. you should use an airbrush to paint your pieces, if you have access to use. i use it to paint mine, before they completely dry. the paint seems to bond a little with the latex, and when it's dry, the paint stretches with it without cracking.
also, regardless if you have an airbrush or not (but it'd be easier
), do washes on your pieces. zombies are supposed to be dead and whatnot, so give your pieces a clean undercoat, then dirty it up with a dilluted (watered-down) darker paint.------------------
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