Gelatin Wounds.
This is a basic tutorial on how to create semi-realistic wounds for film use or halloween using only things you can find at wal-mart or a similar store.
This wound can be applied to any part of the body, but like any appliance may start to peel with excessive movement. It can be reapplied with duo eyelash adhesive or spirit gum.
For this tutorial, you will need the following:
2 packets of knox unflavored gelatin or similar product
hot water
flesh tone make up
talcum powder
red make up
(OPTIONAL) a bruise wheel make up set
Thick Blood - instructions within
(thick blood ingrdients: 1 tub vaseline, 1 containter red icing dye (NOT FOOD
COLORING)
1 Knife - NOT SHARP
1 batch Natural looking FX Blood (you can use commercial blood, but it does not look
as good as the recipe I will include.
FX Blood ingredients: 2 large bottles of Kayro Syrup, 2 large bottles red food coloring, 1
bottle blue food coloring and 1 bottle hershey's chocolate syrup. Mixing
instructions in the tutorial
It should be noted that there are several flaws in this wound resulting from
a) the fact that I did not have any flesh tone base and had to improvise on the fly. (my cats got into my make up case)
b) The fact that I was doing this on myself, so the gelatin started to peel near the end. And
c) My duo eyelash adhesive had been destroyed in the same precision strike that got my flesh tone base.
This wound can be applied to any part of the body, but like any appliance may start to peel with excessive movement. It can be reapplied with duo eyelash adhesive or spirit gum.
For this tutorial, you will need the following:
2 packets of knox unflavored gelatin or similar product
hot water
flesh tone make up
talcum powder
red make up
(OPTIONAL) a bruise wheel make up set
Thick Blood - instructions within
(thick blood ingrdients: 1 tub vaseline, 1 containter red icing dye (NOT FOOD
COLORING)
1 Knife - NOT SHARP
1 batch Natural looking FX Blood (you can use commercial blood, but it does not look
as good as the recipe I will include.
FX Blood ingredients: 2 large bottles of Kayro Syrup, 2 large bottles red food coloring, 1
bottle blue food coloring and 1 bottle hershey's chocolate syrup. Mixing
instructions in the tutorial
It should be noted that there are several flaws in this wound resulting from
a) the fact that I did not have any flesh tone base and had to improvise on the fly. (my cats got into my make up case)
b) The fact that I was doing this on myself, so the gelatin started to peel near the end. And
c) My duo eyelash adhesive had been destroyed in the same precision strike that got my flesh tone base.
First Off - Shave the Targetted Area
This fx process is easy to remove, even if you don't shave the unwanted hair from the area, but it helps to do so. Trust me when I say, if you don't, it can get relatively painful in the removal process.
Mix the Knox
The main component for this make-up effect is Knox unflavored gelatin. I use knox because it's the only brand available around here. There are other other brands, and it doesn't matter which brand you use.
Unflavored gelatin can be found in the jello aisle of your local super market for about 1-3 dollars per box. For this tutorial, we only need 2 packets. (half the box).
There are many formulas for mixing the gelatin. Some are used for making cheap, single use appliances - including foamed latex style - and many other effects.
For this specific one, I only used water and gelatin. You can ad a teeny bit of glycerin to give the knox a more rubbery texture, if you want.
First, take a coffe cup of hot water and put it in the microwave for about a minute. While the water is in the microwave, pour the knox in the bowl. Pour a little water in an mix it thoroughly. Ad a little tiny bit of water at a time. The desired consistency of the gelatin is that of pancake batter.
Set the Gelatin aside for about a minute so it can JUST start to gel.
Unflavored gelatin can be found in the jello aisle of your local super market for about 1-3 dollars per box. For this tutorial, we only need 2 packets. (half the box).
There are many formulas for mixing the gelatin. Some are used for making cheap, single use appliances - including foamed latex style - and many other effects.
For this specific one, I only used water and gelatin. You can ad a teeny bit of glycerin to give the knox a more rubbery texture, if you want.
First, take a coffe cup of hot water and put it in the microwave for about a minute. While the water is in the microwave, pour the knox in the bowl. Pour a little water in an mix it thoroughly. Ad a little tiny bit of water at a time. The desired consistency of the gelatin is that of pancake batter.
Set the Gelatin aside for about a minute so it can JUST start to gel.
Apply the Gelatin
Scoop up a good bit of the gelatin and spread it evenly over the target area. You need to move relatively quick, because as the gel cools to room temperature, the texture will change and it will not be useful for this any more.
As you can see in the photo, I did manage to get some in my hair. This is not a tragedy, but it does make it difficult to a) remove and b) blend the makeup later on.
Once the gel is applied, take your knife and dip it into the still hot water. Use it to smooth out the edges of the gelatin so that the wound is blended with your skin. You will need to dip the blade several times as the gel will soak up some of the water and as the knife cools it will start to stick.
As you can see in the photo, I did manage to get some in my hair. This is not a tragedy, but it does make it difficult to a) remove and b) blend the makeup later on.
Once the gel is applied, take your knife and dip it into the still hot water. Use it to smooth out the edges of the gelatin so that the wound is blended with your skin. You will need to dip the blade several times as the gel will soak up some of the water and as the knife cools it will start to stick.
Create the Actual Wound
Now that you have the gelatin smoothed around the edges, take the (DULL) knife and slide it through the center of the wound area. This creates your cut. You need to do this while the gel is still semi-liquid.
There are a couple different ways the actual wound can be made. In this case I took a butter knife and cut the surface down to the skin. Then I took the knife and made some inconsistencies in the surface.
You can also take a string and tape it to your arm, apply the gel, wait for a couple minutes and then pull the string up to make a jagged wound. Alternately, you can add layers near the end and tease the new gelatin with a stick as it dries to make truly horrific wounds.
There are a couple different ways the actual wound can be made. In this case I took a butter knife and cut the surface down to the skin. Then I took the knife and made some inconsistencies in the surface.
You can also take a string and tape it to your arm, apply the gel, wait for a couple minutes and then pull the string up to make a jagged wound. Alternately, you can add layers near the end and tease the new gelatin with a stick as it dries to make truly horrific wounds.
Apply Makeup
Here is where what I said in the intro comes into play.
By this time, since I was working on myself, I was twisting a bit as I did, so the edges started to peel. If this happens to you, apply a little duo adhesive to the edges, push it down and then smooth it down to blend. (Duo adhesive is available on amazon.com for less than $5)
I did not have any because my cat ate it. It was at this point that I realize she had also eaten my cake flesh tone... SOOO... I improvised by mixing some brown and white. I apologize for the condition of the blending, but that is all I had, and you will see that it still looks good in the final product.
Apply make up to the edges of the wound. I recommend a "Bruise wheel" which is a combination of red, black, dark green dark yellow and brown. When the skin is broken it is normally a traumatic experience and the bruise wheel allows you to create that unhealthy look at the edgesof the wound. I went with the yellow as a base, a little green along the length, black and purple at the edges.
Once that is done, trace red through the cut itself. Don't worry about getting it over the edges or even on the edges of the gel because we'll be using thick blood on it in the next step.
By this time, since I was working on myself, I was twisting a bit as I did, so the edges started to peel. If this happens to you, apply a little duo adhesive to the edges, push it down and then smooth it down to blend. (Duo adhesive is available on amazon.com for less than $5)
I did not have any because my cat ate it. It was at this point that I realize she had also eaten my cake flesh tone... SOOO... I improvised by mixing some brown and white. I apologize for the condition of the blending, but that is all I had, and you will see that it still looks good in the final product.
Apply make up to the edges of the wound. I recommend a "Bruise wheel" which is a combination of red, black, dark green dark yellow and brown. When the skin is broken it is normally a traumatic experience and the bruise wheel allows you to create that unhealthy look at the edgesof the wound. I went with the yellow as a base, a little green along the length, black and purple at the edges.
Once that is done, trace red through the cut itself. Don't worry about getting it over the edges or even on the edges of the gel because we'll be using thick blood on it in the next step.
In my experience and opinion, the thick blood or gore-blood is what sells any of these... It makes the wound look like it has some real damage to it.
To make thick blood, take a container of petroleum jelly. Get some red Icing dye (FOOD COLORING WILL NOT NO NOT WORK). Add some dye and mix thoroughly. Do it a little at a time, because not all dyes and not all petroleum jellys are the same. Keep adding red till it looks perfect. Some like theirs more red. I actually add all the red, and a tiny bit of blue... but that is because it makes the gore look like it's starting to dry out.
Using a q-tip, apply the gore along the inside of your wound. A little will go a long way, but don't be afraid to put lots on.
To make thick blood, take a container of petroleum jelly. Get some red Icing dye (FOOD COLORING WILL NOT NO NOT WORK). Add some dye and mix thoroughly. Do it a little at a time, because not all dyes and not all petroleum jellys are the same. Keep adding red till it looks perfect. Some like theirs more red. I actually add all the red, and a tiny bit of blue... but that is because it makes the gore look like it's starting to dry out.
Using a q-tip, apply the gore along the inside of your wound. A little will go a long way, but don't be afraid to put lots on.
Add the Realistic Blood.
To make my realistic blood:
in a large (2 liter) container, put 1 and a half LARGE bottles of kayro syrup (32 ounce bottles) and 2 of the big bottles of red food coloring. Add 7 drops of blue food coloring and a healthy squirt of chocolate syrup. Cap it off and shake to mix. If you need it darker add more chocolate syrup. If you need it lighter, only use 1 and a half bottles of red. If you need it thinner, ad 1/2 cup water.
On this wound, I used the basic recipe and applied it with a turkey baster. The photos don't show it, but just take the turkey baster and gently squeeze some into the cut we made.
Viola - cut arm.
To remove, just soak in hot water for about 15 minutes, the gel should dissolve
The three photos in this step were made using the same technique...
in a large (2 liter) container, put 1 and a half LARGE bottles of kayro syrup (32 ounce bottles) and 2 of the big bottles of red food coloring. Add 7 drops of blue food coloring and a healthy squirt of chocolate syrup. Cap it off and shake to mix. If you need it darker add more chocolate syrup. If you need it lighter, only use 1 and a half bottles of red. If you need it thinner, ad 1/2 cup water.
On this wound, I used the basic recipe and applied it with a turkey baster. The photos don't show it, but just take the turkey baster and gently squeeze some into the cut we made.
Viola - cut arm.
To remove, just soak in hot water for about 15 minutes, the gel should dissolve
The three photos in this step were made using the same technique...