How To Do Sfx Makeup

Life casting SFX Makeup is a procedure where a 3D replica of a face (or body part) is achieved through casting and molding. Our most popular use is for a base to sculpt custom prosthetics onto an actor. By using the histrion's life cast, we are able to attain realistic prosthetics to create ageing, likeness makeups, disguises or get the whole nine yards and create fantastical creatures or characters for film, tv or advertisement purposes. The possibilities are endless!

We invite you into our studio to accept a backside the scenes expect at our life casting process for the talented American player, Jilon Ghai Vanover. Check out our fourth dimension-lapse for the entertaining process and go along on reading if y'all're interested in the technical know-how, including a materials list. We also invite you lot to comment on our blog and ask questions.

Whilst the process was entertaining and a lot of fun, face casting is too a very serious procedure. At that place are a lot of technical processes yous should be aware of and a lot of tools & materials required to achieve a successful life bandage.

THE LIFE Bandage

Information technology is important to brand sure your model or role player is fully aware of the procedure you are about to perform on them. Requite them a run through of all the steps and an estimate on how long they will exist under the bandage. Claustrophobia or feet can be triggered whilst casting, so make sure they are comfortable with what they are about to under-go. Assure them that if they freak out, you lot can get them out quickly; it'south always wise to have an banana or 2 on hand. Perhaps chat about a "condom" gesture for if the Actor is in distress; ours was failing arms!!!

Life Casting SFX Makeup and Baldheaded Cap Application Materials and Tools include:

Alginate
Alginate bonder
Plaster bandages (pre-cut before you lot brainstorm)
H2o
Vaseline
Cotton wool buds
Mascara wands
Buckets and Tubs
Measuring cups
Spatulas
Pilus Gel
Bald cap
Pros assist
Tweezers
Bondo
Isopropyl Myristate
Sponges

Prep your Actor or Model

Life casting SFX Makeup is a messy process , so we taped a large blackness rubbish bag around the Actor'due south chest to protect his skin. We draped a pocketbook around his legs and feet to go along his trousers, socks and shoes clean and alginate free. We as well prepped the floor prior to life casting, with a plastic sheet on the floor for piece of cake clean-up. To exist a bit more eco-friendly in the by, we tried paper simply this ended up being more of a pain for clean-up than anything.

Bald cap awarding

To prevent much clean up on the Ultracal cast, application of the bald cap should exist seamless. We used a stipple latex baldheaded cap made by i of our assistants. Nosotros had paper thin edges to allow for seamless blending.

Showtime applying the bald cap in the center if the forehead applying pros-aid to both the skin and the bald cap.
Make certain the pros-aid is completely dry earlier sticking down.

TIP: Pros-assist is a contact-simply adhesive, meaning it sticks to itself when dry out. Use a hair-dryer to speed up this process.

The Role player's ears should be under the bald cap.
Stick the bald cap all the way downwardly effectually the head.
To clean up the edges, utilise tweezers to rip the $.25 of excess latex on the seams.
Stipple pros-aid over all the edges
Castor over baby pulverization to testify seams & where bondo is potentially needed.
Smooth any problem areas for a seamless terminate with Bondo

TIP: Bondo is a thick paste of Pro-assist and Cabosil.

For this project, we simply needed to achieve a forepart copy of the Actor so it was a lot simpler in process
Nosotros used a sharpie to mark the "centre" bespeak on the caput and shoulders.

Applying the Plaster Bandage for Life Casting SFX Makeup

To apply plaster bandages dip offset in warm h2o and softly clasp out backlog water and so use directly to the alginate starting with framing the face.
Make sure you don't squeeze out whatsoever plaster.
We use the Gypsona make of plaster bandages as they are all-time for life casting and set-up apace.
Place 2-3 layers of plaster bandage folding over the edges for forcefulness and create boning through the heart; under the chin, and nose areas by folding the bandage into strips.
Permit anywhere between 10-twenty minutes drying time, the bandage will go hard and dry when set.
One time the plaster cools down, to remove go your Actor to curve forward so that y'all can hold the cast while they wriggle their face to release,
Place cast into a basket with towels or bubble wrap to make a steady bed for the cast to sit for molding.

Tools and Products for making the Life Cast

Ultracal 30
Water
Buckets (one empty for mixing, one with water for cleaning, and another filled with enough h2o for the whole process)
Vaseline
Cups
Kidney Tool
Burlap

Life Casting SFX Makeup – Grooming

Start by prepping the bowls with Vaseline to stop the Ultracal from sticking to the bowls in one case set up.
Close up the olfactory organ holes to cease the Ultracal from running through.
We used plaster cast to practice this only the holes could likewise be filled with clay however there is risk of the clay popping, either or both techniques can be constructive.

Splash Coat

Use a loving cup or 2 of water into a mixing basin.
Scoop cup by cup of ultracal into the h2o and spread it out evenly over the h2o.
Permit this sit for 30sec – 1min as it strengthens the Ultracal.
Every bit you see the powder sit closer to the surface, kickoff mixing. The consistency should still baste off the fingers but not too watery.
Brush a splash coat over the whole cast and into all of the faces details around 0.5cm thick.
This tin be washed a few times to go a prissy layer and leave to set.
Allow the Ultracal gear up-upwardly to the indicate that it gets thick but still has a wet-look surface layer. Don't let Ultracal set up-upward completely.

Mud Coat

This coat is significantly thicker than the kickoff.
Add together Ultracal to your start batch to create a thicker consistency.
In our example the leftover Ultracal had thickened itself due to setting time.

TIP: Never add more than h2o to Ultracal – this can result in cracks.

Again experience and having a feel for the Ultracal will help with consistency of the layers.
The mud coat should resemble a thick custard consistency.
Using your easily scoop and drop the mud coat onto the splash coat creating an even layer that is thicker than the first.

Burlap Layer

Before you begin the molding process, brand sure accept accept enough cut squares of burlap sized to adjust your mold.
Make clean out your previous bucket of ultracal and mix a new batch like to your splash coat, dip your burlap one piece at a fourth dimension into your splash coat and start laying down your burlap layers.
2-3 layers is recommended for a potent mold folding your burlap in one-half around the edges for a clean finish and to provide strength in your framing.
Once 2-iii layers are downwards fold your last pieces of burlap into long strips and lay in a t germination as your 'boning' and in any place you experience you will need extra back up.
In our example we laid extra under the chin too and used the burlap to secure a pole through the middle and then that our bandage was held on a stick for the filming purpose of our life cast.

Beauty Coat

Ultracal is a tough rock and if left crude it tin actually cut your skin therefore 1 last beauty glaze is brash to smooth out your mold preventing cutting yourself on the jagged stone.
This coat is mixed to the same sort of consistency as your mud glaze and is just enough to make a thin layer over your burlap.
As information technology sets upwardly, information technology is good to go on running your kidney tool over it to brand squeamish smooth finish.

Setting Time

One time your mold has heated up then cooled down completely y'all know it is completely set and tin can exist released from your bandage.

Cleaning your Cast

Make clean up your mold of any air bubbles/imperfections and sand downwardly whatsoever precipitous edges specially effectually the edges of your mold.

Voila!!!!

We promise you enjoyed our blog on Life Casting Sfx Makeup. We would love to hear any thoughts, comments or questions you might have!

Photograph of our final Life casting below (information technology'southward black as we had to paint information technology black for another projection nosotros were using it on)