TUTORIAL - Evil Clown SPFX Makeup

So I'm sure we've all been scared of clowns at one time or another - usually the type that have evil eyes and bloody smiles.  I'm not sure where this deep seeded fear came from but I can imagine movies and books like IT by Stephen King and the wide variety of paintings, digital art, drawings, and makeups that have brought the most terrifying versions of clowns to life hasn't helped. 

For me however, it has always been more of a fascination than a fear.  I have always been intrigued by how every clown is wearing a disguise, pretending, and can be whoever they want to be.  I have also always loved how something that is supposed to represent fun, laughter, enjoyment and entertainment for children can carry such terrifying connotations.  With that in mind, I wanted to create a clown makeup that portrayed the exact thing I've always loved about clowns - EVIL - and what better way to do that than to slash out the cheeks and give my clown a great big bloody smile!

So here's how I created this look....

Step 1 - Silicone Slash

The first thing you should always do when creating a makeup that involves prosthetics is to put  the prosthetics on first! Why? Because silicone and latex prefer to stick to skin than  other makeup products such as foundation or Supra.  It also makes the whole process faster and more efficient as Silicone can take up to 20 minutes to dry so it can be drying whilst you finish the rest of your makeup.

Like any silicone prosthetic that you sculpt straight onto the skin you need to mark out where you want it then apply the desired amount.  Then, using a sculpting tool, smooth out the edges to the skin so that there are no visible ridges.  You then need to gouge out the inside of the wound to create your desired effect and pattern - remembering that wounds of this nature will usually be jaggered and imperfect.

Now leave the silicone alone till it is completely dry!

Step 2 - Pale Base

Almost all characters of this style and genre start with a pale base (you can also do this step after eyes if you like, depends on personal preference).  To achieve this I used a mixture of a very pale foundation and white Supra, buffed into the skin with a setting powder over the top.  I made sure to blend this down the neck also.

Step 3 - Eyes

For the eye makeup I went with greys, ice blues, dark navy and black eyeshadows - most of which were shimmer.  I started with an eye primer, then a base ice blue, contouring the socket line with the darker colours.  I highlighted the inside of the eye and under the arch of the brow with the ice blues and darkened under the eye with the navy and black.  

I then blackened my water line and under the eye with a Mac smudge liner and penciled in my eyebrows with a waterproof black liner.  Once I had everything looking very perfect and pretty I smudged and blended the eyeshadows and ran Mac gel liner under my eye line, up through the brow and down my cheeks to give the eyes a creepier look.  I didn't want this makeup to look too pretty, but pretty enough and I also wanted it to resemble the stereotypical clown eyes famous in pop culture.  I then added a set of luscious lashes for the glam look and completed the eyes by adding Mac gel liner to my upper eye lid.

Step 4 - Adding Colour to the Silicone Slash

Before I applied any colour to the silicone I first powdered it down with translucent powder to remove any un-natural looking shine.  I could then move onto the fun stuff.  I used red and lake RMGP for trauma around the edges and for inside the wound.  I then moved onto using fresh scratch to add a bit more depth and chunkiness to the wound.  It is important when painting prosthetic wounds that you leave some areas bare, as showing natural skin makes a wound more believable to you're audience. 

Step 5 - Lips

I wanted deep red lips that resembled blood so I lined them with a Lake pencil, over accentuating my lip shape.  I then used Mac 'Diva' lipstick,  to fill in the lip colour, and outlined the lips with black gel liner which I then blended inwards into the red.  Finally I finished the lips with a clear gloss to pump up the 'bloody' look.

Step 6 - BLOOOOOOD!!!!
My favourite part, as always, is adding the blood :D I had to restrain myself from adding too much, as I didn't want to ruin my sculpting and painting efforts by drowning it in blood.  I strategically placed blood in the wound where the cuts would be deepest and dripped blood down from the wound at balanced points along my cheeks and chin.

The final touch was the blood spatter surrounding the wound - very subtle but I think effective.  I created this using the brush I've grown accustomed to calling my 'spatter' brush.

Step 7 - Contact Lenses

For the finishing touch I applied "Manson" contact lenses which really finished off the look by adding that extra creep factor.  However - I don't recommend applying or removing contact lenses unless you know how and have the right equipment to sterilise and clean the lenses.

All in all, this makeup wasn't overly difficult but turned out quite well and definitely as creepy as I 'd hoped.  I can only wish that my makeup and others like it make their way into peoples nightmares all around the world. :D

Yours in Blood & Gore,

Caity

Character Makeup - Black Swan

Black Swan Makeup Trial

As I've said before, almost all character makeup begins with a cranial makeup and that's exactly where my Black Swan makeup began.  However, before I even picked up a makeup brush there was plenty of research to be done.  I wanted to know exactly how Natalie Portmans' makeup looked for the Black Swan from several different angles and under a variety of lighting so that I could achieve the best and most accurate result.

Black Swan image from Kenton

My favourite from all of my research photos is the shot of Natalie Portman that was used on the promo poster for the movie.  This shot shows her makeup at its' most theatrical as the extremely white base allows for the eye and lip makeup to really stand out.  I also think it is the creepiest and most evil of all the shots of this makeup - which is the look I wanted to achieve.  Therefore, when attempting to replicate this makeup this photo was my main reference.

I wanted to achieve a fairly white base but I went a little lighter for the practice just to see how it turned out.  I ensured that I had fairly heavy contouring in my cheek bones and temple before I applied the white base transparently to ensure the shadows of the cranial contouring could be seen through the foundation.  Once applied I buffed the base into my skin so it didn't look quite so shiny and fake.

I then began the eye makeup by drawing the outline of the swan wings, ensuring both sides were perfectly even.  Regardless of whether the curved edges were exactly the same, I ensured the points at the bottom of the wings finished in line with one another as the eye is drawn to this point and any mistakes would have been extremely obvious.

I then filled in the areas and patterns I wanted thicker with black gel liner to allow for the 'wings' to take shape.  The final step for the eyes was to add silver eyeliner in all of the remaining spaces.  Once the eyes were complete I moved onto the lips, as my mouth and lips are a different size and shape to Natalie Portmans i extended the lip colour beyond my natural lip line.  I used a blue based lip liner and lipstick along with black gel liner to create the lip colour - blending is the key for lip colour like this so don't be afraid to blur one colour into the other.

Finally I added just a touch of blush under my cheek bones to emphasise the cranial and narrow my face.  I made sure not to place the blush on or above the cheekbones as this was not done for the makeup in the Black Swan movie.  I also recommend continuing the white base down the neck and across the chest to where the costume starts.  This allows for the overall character to be created.

Version with whiter base

When I recreated this makeup for the second and final time I used a lot more white for the foundation.  Looking back I prefer the initial, more transparent, version of the makeup.  

The intensity of the white in the second version caused the makeup to lose some of its' eerie effect and looks less real.  This is an example of why transparency in makeup is important for film and television makeup creations.

To finish off the look I wore a black corset decorated with feathers and diamante studs, black tutu, white ballet tights, and a silver tiara that I dry brushed with black acrylic paint.  This is a fairly basic character makeup that most people would be able to create with minimal makeup products so I hope that some of my readers are willing to recreate the Black Swan.



Yours in Blood & Gore,

Caity

TUTORIAL - Bald Caps

Bald Cap and paintwork on 05.09.12
Model: Katherine Barrett

I’d like to welcome you all to the wonderful world of Bald Caps.  To most, the idea of making someone appear as though they have no hair is quite befuddling, but once you break the process down it’s really quite simple.  By simple, however, I do not by any means suggest a quick or fast process…

Many popular characters throughout film and television history have worn bald caps.  Some bald caps have been for the most basic purpose of making an actor or actress appear as though they have shaved their head.  On the other end of the scale – they have also been used to create the more complex fantasy and sci-fi creatures.  Regardless of the purpose or character being created the process up until the final makeup application remains the same.  First thing first, we start with the manufacturing of the latex bald cap itself.

Step 1 - Template: First of all you must (or should for accuracy) measure your actor or actresses head – this ensures that the bald cap finishes at the appropriate point on their forehead or eyebrows, depending on whether eyebrow block out is also being done.  These measurements are taken by wrapping your helpless actors head in gladwrap, covering that in sticky tape then drawing in the eyebrows, hairline and any other important features.

This, now firm, template of their head is then transferred onto a ‘Red Head’ which is a dummy head used for making bald caps.  Once the relevant features are marked onto the Red Head and you’ve decided how far down you want the latex to come you can start the delightful stage of coating the Red Head in several layers of latex.

Step 2 - Manufacture: This step wouldn’t be so bad if you didn’t have to dry and powder each coat – causing the length of the process to be dragged out significantly.  First of all you MUST coat the Red Head in Vaseline – otherwise you will never get the bald cap off!  Then, using a tight weave sponge (open weave will leave a rough surface to the bald cap) you can then coat the required area with a layer of latex, dry with a hair dryer and powder over it to seal it.  You repeat this 7 times, any more and it will be too thick, any less and it will be too weak and likely tear.

The most important thing to remember is that the front edge that frames the face will need to be thin, smooth and have no imperfections.  In order to achieve this you will need to taper the edge by placing each layer a few millimetres back from the previous edge.  On the 4th and last layers you can extend it back out to the first edge for reinforcement.

Step 3 - Red Head Removal: Once you have done the hard yards and powdered your freshly manufactured bald cap you then have to leave it to rest overnight – don’t be impatient or you will regret it.  With fresh eyes and a firmly set bald cap you can now remove it from the Red Head.  Using a flat, thin brush and some powder gradually flick the edges free, starting from the base of the neck.  It is vital that you do not go anywhere near the front edge until you have worked your way around from the base – you do not want to destroy this edge.

As you free the edges you should then be able to easily peel back the rest of the bald cap, ensuring that each newly exposed section of the underside of the bald cap is powdered before progressing any further.  If you avoid this step your bald cap may stick to itself and you will be left with something that is about as much use as a dead fish.

Sam Porzionatos' work

Step 4 - Hair Flattening: Now you should have something that resembles a scalp, which means you’ve reached the more interesting part.  Take a large amount of professional grade gel, the kind that sets like concrete and slick back your actors’ hair.  Ensure to pay close attention to any ‘fly-away’ hairs around the ear and front hairline as you need this area to be as neat and tidy as possible.

Sam Porzionatos' work

Step 5 - Application: Place the bald cap on your actors head, twisting and pulling until the placement is correct.  Ensuring there is enough latex to cover the hairline around the ears, glue the bald cap down just behind each ear using Pros-aide to keep it in place.  You can then start to trim the bald cap to fit around the ears and glue just in front of the ear as well. 

Step 6 - Latex Seam: The last of the gluing is along the front hairline, but use it sparingly as you don’t want to have any shiny areas on the forehead.  Now you can make a latex seam to seal and blend the front edge to the forehead – this entails 3-4 light layers of latex that extends just below the line of the bald cap.  This seam should be tapered the same as the bald cap.

My first bald cap, with
eyebrow block out

Step 7 - Bond-o: You can now introduce the marvellous Bond-o, which is a filling agent made from a combination of Pros-aide and Cabosil.  Lightly place this in any holes, gaps or ridges and smooth down with a sculpting tool.  Once dried you’re bald cap has now been applied!

Experimenting with paint splatter
effect using a Kehron Aqua Palette

Step 8 - Underpainting: The next stage is the underpainting – to create that natural skin tone blend between the latex bald cap and the forehead (or eye lids if eyebrows have been blocked out).  You’ll need a Rubber Mask Grease Paint palette as Supra won’t work as well on the latex, isuprophel alcohol, and an open weave sponge.  In order to make the bald cap look like a living thing and not just a dead piece of latex, you need to press red RMGP all over with the sponge to give it the natural undertones of skin.  

Professional Photos COMING SOON

Once you have dried this with a hair dryer and powdered it you can then do a layer of natural RMGP, blended to suit the skin colour of your actors face.  It’s important to continue both of these layers beyond the bald cap edge and onto the natural skin to detract from the edge.  Dry and powder then it’s on to foundation.

Step 9 - Character Makeup:  From here onwards you simply apply foundation and the rest of the makeup you want or need for your character as you normally would.  The photos to the left and right are examples of what I did with my bald cap character makeup.

So you shouldn't be fearful, bald caps are quite easy if you follow the steps.  

Have fun and if anyone gives it a try, let me know how it goes!

Yours in Blood & Gore,

Caity

Cranial Makeup

The very first thing I learnt in my Cinemagraphic Makeup course was how to do a Cranial Makeup.  Little did I know that this skeletal style undercoat was the base makeup for all character makeup that has ever existed or ever will.  Even some beauty makeup, particularly photographic,   makes use of the Cranial base coat.

Cranial makeup is the basics of makeup – contouring and highlighting.  The idea is to contour the parts of the face you want to push back using darker tones and highlight the sections of the face you want to bring forward and emphasise using lighter tones.  The rule of thumb is 2-3 shades darker than the skin tone for contouring and 2-3 shades lighter for highlighting.  The key areas of the face that need attention are the eye sockets, temples, cheekbones, jawline and for added effect the muscles and tendons of the neck.  However, for beauty makeup the eye sockets are not contoured, rather highlighting is applied around the sockets area to bring the eyes forward and make them stand out.

Cranial makeup left as is with slight additions such as red around the nose and eyes can be used to create the illusion that a person is sick, ill, or with extreme contouring and highlighting, even dying or dead.  The other end of the cranial makeup scale is when the base is then used as the first layer to an elaborate character makeup that consists of several layers, effects and styles.

We had a bit of a play with applying a character makeup over the top and came with skeletons and skulls, evil witches and vampires.  We even ended up creating a decaying corpse look – with the skin looking like it had been rotting underwater for a month or so. 

From Analogholiday.blogspot.com.au

The character makeup used for Johnny Depp in almost all of the Tim Burton films he has starred in showcases the use of cranial makeup.  Depp has a very sharp and skeletal facial structure to begin with and by emphasising his natural contours and highlights his makeup artist has been able to create some very interesting effects.  

Characters such as Edward Scissorhands, Barnabus Collins, The Mad Hatter, and Willy Wonka are among some of the best examples of the transformation of Johnny Depp into Tim Burton characters using cranial makeup. 

The benefits of Cranial makeup is truly underestimated, and the use of this base coat within the makeup industry is clearly prominent. I hope that this post showcases this and the art of Cranial Makeup is appreciated.