Special effects makeup artistry is used in theatre, television and movies. It allows an actor to be transformed into a wide variety of creatures. There are several types of special effects makeup including body painting, special effects, theatre and fantasy.
History
- Special effects artistry has been practiced around the world for centuries. It was first used in ancient Egypt. Romans used lead based makeup and also lightened their faces with chalk. In 1914, Max Factor introduced pancake makeup. It is a water based pressed powder that was used in black and white movies. Pancake makeup is a fundamental part of special effects makeup because it was the first type of makeup used in early black and white movies.
Special Effects
- The first special effect artist was Jack Pierce. He created the scary vampire look made famous by actor Bela Lugosi. Modern special effects artistry consists of using materials such as latex, and rubber. Latex is used because it can be molded easily and used for skin effects.
Stage Makeup
- Facial features can get blurred on the theatre stage. Audience members in the very back row need to be able to see the actor, therefore highly pigmented makeup is used on stage. Pancake makeup is used to create dramatic special effects and to accentuate an actor's facial features.
Body Painting Special Effects
- Body painting is used to enhance features and create illusions such as camouflage. Small designs are are painted all over the body and resemble tattoos. Body special effects artistry can also be used to transform the actor into a monster, alien, or creature. Liquid latex and rubber are used to transform the appearance of the body.
Fantasy
- Fantasy characters play an important role in television and movies. Makeup is applied instead of rubber to give a more realistic look. A wide variety of products and accessories are used to create different appearances. Fantasy special effects can be focused on a specific area of the body, such as the eyes. Fantasy characters are usually made for science fiction films and television shows.
REFERENCES
http://www.ehow.com/facts_5032416_special-effects-makeup-artistry.html
Tips for a Special Effect Makeup
Theme-Take a theme or a character and start working on it. You can also refer to a character from your favorite movie or a book. Since its Christmas season you can pick an elf as one of the character that you would want to look like.
Character-Elves are short and tiny people with long ears. These elves also have special power and they are known to be Santa Clause’s helpers.
Makeup Style-This is where the special effect makeup can be used. Take some cake makeup and apply it over your face, neck and ears. The cake makeup is available in many brands in the market. Do not apply the cake makeup on your eyebrows. With the cake makeup you would also be able to make fine lines or wrinkles on your face. Do this with a fine tipped brush.
With the help of a small paint brush this can be applied. Now the next step is to fix the elf ears, so with the help of special glue put a few drops of this on the artificial ears. As you put the glue on the elf ears, gently spread it with your finger tips and attach it to your own ears. Take some makeup proof and dip it in charcoal powder. Apply this powder on your face, neck and ears.
It may take a lot of time to get the exact color, so you may have to apply several coats of this powder.
Next, dip a fine tip brush in white powder and shade your eyebrows with it. This will help you to lighten the color. You can now attach the beard to your chin with the help of a hairspray. To get an elf-like look, use silver or a white mascara on your eyelashes. Color your lips with eye crayon and then apply a light pink lipstick on it.
FAKE BLOOD RECIPES
What's a Halloween costume party without blood for special effects? Fake blood is available in novelty and party supply stores but making it yourself is fun and you'll see more realistic results. Mix up a batch before a party and keep the local vampires in good supply.
Here are some recipes for you to make your own realistic-looking fake blood. Real blood is reddish brown so you may need to alter the amounts of ingredients for the desired affect. Keep in mind, fake blood is messy and some of these recipes may leave stains, so use with caution and allow plenty of time for drying.
Homemade Fake Blood
- 1 c. Karo Syrup
- 1 Tbsp Water
- 2 Tbsp Red Food Coloring
- 1 tsp Yellow Food Coloring
Mix together in a mixing bowl and you're done. Try adding blue or yellow for a different shade.
Chocolate Fake Blood
- 1/2 c. Warm Water
- 4 Tbsp Corn Syrup
- 1 Tbsp Powdered Cocoa
- 1 tsp Red Food Coloring
Blend the water and cocoa together and then add the rest of the ingredients. Let the concoction sit for awhile and skim the bubbles off of the top. Add a couple of drops of yellow food coloring if you're not satisfied.
Simple Fake Blood
- Clear Corn Syrup
- Red Food Coloring
- Milk - Optional
However much fake blood is how much corn syrup you'll need. Pour it into a bowl and mix in some red food coloring. Add some blue if you like. Adding a small amount of milk will make the blood appear darker and thicker.
Realistic Recipe
- 2/3 c. Corn Syrup
- 1/3 c. Warm Water
- 5 Tbsp Corn Starch
- 4 tsp red food coloring
- 1 Tbsp Powdered Cocoa
- 2 drops of green or yellow food coloring
Mix the corn starch with the water in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the corn syrup. Add the food coloring slowly, checking for color.
Thanks to Andy for the following recipes:
Gravy Blood
This is fairly new and I haven't had chance to test it properly but its looks GREAT!
- Gravy Granules
- Red Food Coloring
- HOT Water
The directions are EASY, all you do is make the gravy up as you would normally but if you feel like it, you can make it a bit thicker, then add the red food coloring. It's up to you how much you add but too much will stain as it will not have been diluted enough.
Cheap 'N' Easy Blood
This is good for spidering:
- Plain Flour
- Water
- Red Food Coloring
- 1 tsp. of Coffee
Boil the water on the stove, then sieve in the flour, making sure you get ALL of the lumps out. The quantity of ingredients aren't important, it just depends on how much you want. Once you have the flour mixed nicely into the water it should look nice and thick. Next, add the red food coloring.
You will notice that it's a ghastly, bright red colour but don't worry this is why we add the coffee. It is important that when you add the coffee to make sure the mixture is hot, otherwise it wont dissolve, but up until adding the coffee can be done in a ordinary mixing jug or pan.
Palmolive Imitation Blood
You can also make fake blood with Palmolive dish soap, (it doesn't matter how much you put in) it depends on how much blood you want! Add red berry powdered Kool-Aid!
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