At Zombies & toys, we get a lot of stuff in the mail.
Today was no different as UPS brought us a nondescript, head sized brown box.
My excitement grew exponentially as I carefully opened the package.
I looked inside.......
Nope, no decapitated head
:-(
However, our friends at http://wholesalehaloweencostumes.com did send us some SFX to play with.
Cinema Secrets has been around since 1985 and is a standard for some industry professionals.
Recently, they even sponsored Ru Paul's Drag Race by providing modeling industry cosmetics for aesthetic & cosmetic applications. Boasting over 4000 items in their catalog, they are a good resource for anything that you may want to obtain cheaply for Halloween.
That brings us to our package contents.
Three items were included:
Cinema Secrets "Woochie" line body hits, accessory pack & injury stack.
Today we will be talking about the "Woochie" Line, which has two distinct grades of products.
We will be exploring a few of the lower end SFX.
It is time to see what an SFX guy with 21 years of experience can do with these things.
Time to break out the fiberglass test face...
To the left, you can see the Cinema Secrets Body hits.
A shot to the forehead from above is my choice for today.
Upon opening the spirit gum, I discovered it is a little too thick.
This may be due to heat exposure and/or minor evaporation.
I could probably still use it but.....
A little isopropyl alcohol will fix it right up.
The key to getting a good stick is two fold.
1 - application of spirit gum to both the face and the appliance
2 - about 90 seconds of dry time prior to actual placement.
Dry times vary greatly, so just wait until both areas are "sticky" to the touch.
And I do mean sticky.
The trick I learned was it must ALMOST feel dry.
Clean your fingers while you wait with the make-up remover in the kit or...
go put some mineral oil or Oil of Olay on your fingers..
This will clean you hands & prevent you from sticking to your appliance.
By the time you come back, you can begin the "lock down" process.
This simply means that you will spend the next 5 minutes pushing on the appliance to ensure a high strength adhesion and feathered edge.
As you can see, the edges of the appliance are well attached.
This will make the cover-up more simple & professional looking in the end....
Take your time with this & do not rush.
Art is a process.
Next we add some base make-up & layer it with more make-up for depth.
At this point, you may notice some things.
The use of the included "bruise" make-up has caused some issues.
The product contains chemicals that ultimately caused the spirit gum to release somewhat.
This could be fixed by a cleansing wipe & feathering with liquid latex, which of course, was not included in the package contents.
I will not be winning any contests with this type of application for sure.
:-(
But for now, I will keep calm & carry on
So I will just add my favorite Cinema Secrets product, blood gel, to the bullet hole & call it good.
Final thoughts?
Cinema Secrets produces awesome products.
These are not them but are super cheap & even cheaper from http://wholesalehalloweencostumes.com
These items are reusable but is advisable to step up to silicone or foam products in the "Woochie" line.
Foam & silicone products are more expensive & one time use but well worth the investment.
If not, don't forget to buy some liquid latex & quality theater make-up, as you'll want to have them if you are looking for professional quality results.
A couple tips....
Everyone has access to liquid latex in a cheap format from their local hardware store.
It is cheaper to purchase liquid latex in bigger bottles online but in a pinch "Bish's Original Tear Mender" is pure liquid latex & is the same stuff that costs more from a costume shop.
Liquid latex can be deadly to those with allergies, so be aware.
Spirit gum is really liquefied tree resin.
It can also be deadly to those with tree/pine & nut allergies
Again, use with caution & for goodness sake keep it out of your eyes.
The eye experience is not something you want to try, trust me.
Spirit gum & latex stink.
Spirit gum is cut with pure ethyl alcohol which evaporates quickly, so no smoking while working. Also, liquid latex is cut with ammonia which just stinks.
Take breaks often & get some air
These products irritate the mucosa and the skin.
They can also cause issues with asthmatics.
A simple solution is to add a fan to the work area & keep inhalers handy.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.