Zombies

Zombie: Halloween (2012) MUA: Caitlyn Worland
Model: Sammy Van Moolenbrook

Zombies.  A word I am sure we have all grown accustomed to hearing, especially over the last year or so.  Although the concept and idea of Zombies, or the living dead, has existed as a standard post-apocalyptic creature for quite some time it seems that the height of their reign in popular culture has truly been over the last few years. 

We’ve seen shows such as The Walking Dead and Zombieland sweep across screens in countries across the globe.  More and more people are participating in Zombie Walk’s worldwide, with World Records for participation being broken, and Zombie costumes and makeup improving out of sight each year.  Even the realm of literature has been swarmed by brain-eating, decaying and death defying Zombies with the release of several Zombie Survival Guides and novels.

Zombie Walk (2012)
MUA: Caitlyn Worland

This suggests that society appreciates and enjoys the thought of Zombies and all that can be associated with them, including the breakdown of society as we know it, but what does all this mean to a makeup artist?  It means that makeup artists worldwide are having more of an opportunity to practice and master the art of Zombie special effects makeup. 

Given that today’s audience are yearning for more realistic and often grotesque special effects, makeup artists are learning and discovering more and more ways to make their Zombie creations more revolting, confronting and realistically terrifying.  If a Zombie Apocalypse is what the world wants, than I say, makeup artists worldwide should give it to them.

Personally, I have always had a passion for Zombies and I don’t discriminate, I love all Zombie ‘types’ equally.  When it comes to my appreciation for Zombie special effects makeup, I do tend to favour the Zombies that have chunks of the face or jaw missing, or are decayed and rotted to the bone to the point that you can see the inner workings of what once was a human. 

"Zombie Bride" MUA: Caitlyn Worland
Model: Atalanta Ehrenreich

Traditionally I don’t think drenching a Zombie in blood alone can create a ‘living dead’ character.  The very idea of a Zombie is that they may have been walking the world as a decaying corpse for quite some time so fresh blood as opposed to rotting flesh, missing limbs or maggot infestation just wouldn’t make as much sense.  There is one place on a Zombie that certainly requires fresh blood, and that is around the mouth.  We all know a successful and well fed Zombie will have had a few live meals of recent and wouldn’t have been very neat and tidy about it – hence why their mouth, chin and even neckline of their clothing can and should be drenched in blood.

Zombie Walk (2012) 
MUA: Caitlyn Worland

When it comes to the Zombies we see on TV series such as The Walking Dead, the average person likely doesn’t realise the amount of preparation and effort that goes into each one of the Zombies present on those shows.  Zombies that have the bottom half of their jaw missing, bones and teeth protruding from the side of their cheeks and caved in heads and faces would all be created using prosthetics that would be hand sculpted and manufactured. The process of making such complex prosthetics is a lengthy one and would require a post all of its’ own; so we’ll leave that one for now. 

Alternatively, a more basic Zombie created with latex, silicone, tissue and other standard special effects makeup can be ‘brought to life’ fairly easily in approximately 30-60 minutes.  With events such as the Brisbane Zombie Walk,   "The Walking Dead" themed Fright Night at Movie World on the Gold Coast, and Halloween all recently taking place, I've had my fair share of quick Zombie makeups.

Fresh Zombie attack
Zombie Walk (2012)
MUA: Caitlyn Worland

I found the most important part of creating a quick yet effective Zombie was the highlighting and contouring in the cranial work.  I made sure to create flesh tones that resembled rotting and dying flesh with the occasional mottled effect thrown in.  I also created quick and easy scabs, wounds, and torn and decaying flesh using tissue and latex that I then further developed with standard SPFX makeup products and effects.  Some Zombies may have more dramatic and grotesque wounds and that's where I bring in pre-made latex scumbles which can easily be applied and combined with tissue and latex to create flappy, oozing wounds.  The final addition for my quick and easy Zombie makeup effects is blood; which I tried to not get too carried away with...

To be honest though, the key to pulling off a spectacular Zombie really comes down to the model or actor.  You can create the most breathtaking Zombie with all their bits and bobs falling off but if the actor or model can't pull off that mind numbing, brain hungry, empty eyed look and groan then you're back to square one...

Yours in Blood & Gore,


Caity

Blood

"Death Cab" (2012), David Kiolle
MUA: Caitlyn Worland

There is just something about blood that makes everything in life so much more exciting.  I’m not sure whether it’s the colour, texture, or sometimes even the taste (depending on the brand) that makes blood, the fake kind, so appealing.  

What I do know for sure is that I love everything about it.  As a special effects makeup artist I take advantage of and use fake blood quite often in my line of work.  Due to this I saw it fit to sum up what I've discovered, learnt and love about fake blood , whilst also providing some examples of how I've used it.

Whilst I love the effect a bucket of blood can have when dropped onto the head of a pretty, curly haired blonde in a nice pastel dress, I do understand that there is a time and place for fake blood and that the rules surrounding this need to be understood. 

Most makeup artists will jump straight to whatever blood they can get their hands on and just throw it onto a wound or smear it onto clothing, thinking it will automatically make the overall effect somewhat better.  As much as I love blood (in the least serial killer way possible), I know from research, experience, and the teachings of a wise SPFX makeup artist, that the addition of the wrong blood, in the wrong amount and in the wrong pattern and place can ruin a perfectly good, well crafted wound or overall character.  It is important to learn about and experiment with all the different types of fake blood that are on the market.

FAKE BLOOD

1. Rubber Mask Grease Paint (RMGP)

It's all about layering when it comes to creating wounds and injuries so why not start with something that isn't actually blood.  RMGP, when used in combination with products such as Fresh Scratch and Mouldlife Arterial Blood can create a very realistic looking wound or injury. There are two colours in this palette I use quite frequently for special effects - Red and Lake, and I advise you to get yourself familiar with both of these.  

However, as this isn't a tutorial on how to create a wound or injury I won't venture much further into how to use this palette effectively.  All you need to know with regards to RMGP and fake blood in general is that you should never just grab the first bottle you can find and throw it on your prosthetic.  You need to layer it and combine it with other products to ensure you create the most realistic effect possible.


2. Kryolan Fresh Scratch

"Death Cab" (2012), Kurt Norvilas
MUA: Caitlyn Worland

Fresh Scratch, an actual fake blood, is ideal for almost all open wounds, lacerations, scratches and wound effects.  Personally, I use it to give my wounds a little more depth and impact as the deep colour, thick  consistency and freshly glossy look this blood has allows for the wound to really come to life.  

It can be used heavily as a wound filler or sparingly in the areas you really want to stand out and look even more grotesque.  The shot of the facial wound to the left is an example of how Fresh Scratch can create depth in a wound.  As can be seen it allows for a relatively 2-Dimensional latex prosthetic to appear much deeper than it actually is and therefore more realistic.



3. Mouldlife Arterial Blood

Professional
Makeup Academy

My preferred and most commonly relied on fake blood is the Mouldlife Arterial Blood.  I buy mine in a 1L bottle and go through it way too quickly.  I find it to be just the right density and thickness to  hold its' shape and body when applied but to also be able to run and move when prompted.  The Arterial blood in this brand is my preferred colour and tone as it is dark enough to be believable but still has a powerful impact on the audience.  

Also, there are a  couple of added bonuses with this blood - not only does it wash out of clothes, hair and brushes but it is also peppermint flavoured and non-toxic so can be used in and around the mouth safely and without discomfort to the actor or model.

The most important thing to remember when adding this kind of blood to your work is to not overdo it.  It is tempting to just throw buckets of the stuff at a wound but creative control is vital when it comes to the application of fake blood.  There should only be as much blood as the wound would produce in real life, regardless of whether it would look more dramatic or theatrical with copious amounts of blood.  Sometimes, just by adding the slightest amount of blood you can create something more breathtaking, eerie and realistic than a mere blood bath ever could, and this is what will have the greatest impact on an audience.

"Death Cab" (2012)
Caitlyn Worland

To be honest though, there are thousands of types, brands and colours of fake blood out there and it comes down to personal preference and style.  These are just a few of the products I've enjoyed using when it comes to special effects makeup and I hope to come across some new and exciting products to play with in the near future.

One last thing to remember, when it comes to fake blood - you can't be afraid of getting your hands dirty...


Yours in Blood & Gore,

Caity