Hints & Tips for making my Halloween Costume Needed!

[PeaSoupintheye]

Hey there everyone

I've not been around for a few weeks, been busy with my Halloween build up and getting through my many horror films as we build up 'the' night. I will put down the films I have been watching on 'The last movie thread' when I get a minute...Anyway back to the point...Over the year I have noticed quite a few talented people on here when it comes to effects and I would be incredibly grateful to you people if you could give me any hints on making my Zombie costume.

So far, I have purchased the following in order to make the supreme Zombie outfit but I am hoping you guys could aid me in actually putting this altogether come Saturday night (there is a prize for the best outfit in the club we visit every year)

Liquid Latex
Cream Face Paint
Green F.Paint
Tons of Blood ( I created my own using Corn Syrup)
A Nice Suit thats in need of ripping ( I figured I tear the back out as though I was laid out in a mortuary)...

Any hints & tips would be gratefully received. I'm lookin reallly for hints on wounds and basic tips on applying the makeup. I spotted someone has mentioned buring fake lips and apllying to the neck but I have been unable to find fake lips ANYWHERE...obviously here in Manchester UK no body goes for fake lips hehehe.

Anyway - I await your expertise. Cheers :)

[novakru]

I am not in the least talented in horror make-up ,but I was thinking maybe you could get some chewing gum and forming sores with bloody make-up on it?

Don't know if that would work, but thought I'd throw that out there anyway.

Good luck, it sounds like a great costume in the making, please post pics after you have it all put together.

[Roderick Usher]

I do the zombie thing regularly.

The liquid latex is the key. I always put a layer of white down first and then start into the latex - large areas, let it try and repeat.

The more layers, the better at least 3 maye 6-8. then make a small tear in selcted spots of the latex and (using a fine tipped make-up brush or paint brush) apply dark red make-up under the latex. This gives the look of flesh falling off the face/neck/back of hands.

Then do the black/blue shading to the eyes and lips, give everything a dusting of powder and pour small amounts of fake blood into the latex "pockets" you've created.

If you've make a heavy enough latex pocket, you can actually hold some fake blood in it for a little while - a good set up for a gushing gore moment...if you desire such effect.

ALSO - for those of you out there who buy fake blood in the stores...it's too red. add a little Yellow & Blue food coloring to the stuff to add a better brown tint. And if it's too runny, ad some clear corn syrup to it.

Hope this helps:D

[crabapple]

Ooo, I can help! Remember the castor oil, too!

Cream makeup contains a lot of mineral oil, and that soaks into latex and makes it rot. There is a special type of makeup called "Rubber Mask Greasepaint" which contains only castor oil--no mineral oil in it at all. Max Factor developed this in the 1930's. But these formulas are usually only available from specialty outlets. There is a compromise that will help you and is fairly inexpensive.

Get a little bottle of castor oil (4 ounces is probably more than enough) and mix some into your cream makeup colors. 20% of the total volume is enough to make a difference. It will slow down the mineral oil's ability to soak into the rubber. The result will be a longer-lasting makeup.

It works better if the cream makeup you're starting with is in more solid form--like a stick, or a tub. If it's in liquid form, say, in a tube, then it probably contains too much mineral oil.

After the makeup colors are applied, you will have a greasy face. Take a powder puff and some baby powder (talc) and press the powder carefully but liberally into the paint job. The powder will absorb a lot of the oils, and you can lightly pat it away with the same puff, allowing it to fall off. The powder will mute the intensity of your paint job, but you can restore some of the brightness with a little bit of water applied with a soft sponge.

[PeaSoupintheye]

Thanks alot guys for your hints and comments - I'll be sure to post pics! I probably won't get much time after today to post again until after Halloween so I will take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy (and spook filled) Halloween!