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Phantom Stage Makeup Using Latex
Prosthetics
Fall 2007
As part of a natural progression in my stage/special effects makeup interests, I decided it was time to try my hand at making some basic latex appliances. This would be a step up from the old liquid latex/cotton routine I had been doing for so long; a routine that is featured in several tutorials on this site. In October 2007 (just in time for Halloween) I decided it was time to make some basic molds. I based my designs off the original London deformity created by makeup artist Christopher Tucker (for Andrew Lloyd Webber's stage musical, in case anyone got lost). I have seen numerous interpretations from various productions around the world, but throughout the years I still consider Tucker's work (as featured in the George Perry book, The Complete Phantom of the Opera) to be the simplest, yet most effective design.
The effects used on Michael Crawford and other actors to follow in his footsteps are created using foam latex. This is a great choice of material because it is lightweight, flexible, and very realistic effects ca be achieved with it, but it can be tricky to use. Being the amateur that I am, I could not jump right into using foam latex. I had no interest in buying all the gram scales and a dedicated oven for that sort of thing, so I decided to make the disfiguring prosthetics using a process known as slush casting. This uses liquid latex, which is poured into the mold, sloshed around, then the excess poured out. Once the latex in the mold dries, the appliance is ready for makeup. This process is relatively straightforward and much more suitable to my needs, though I certainly would like to have a go at foam latex and foam gelatin in the future as my training continues.
I had intended to have a life cast of my own face done, but that unfortunately failed. Having run out of time, material, and lackeys to do the dirty work for me (you can't cast your own face in alginate and plaster!), I resorted to using a styrofoam wig block as my face, and sculpted the deformities off that. The prosthetics are done in three pieces: the forehead, cheek/upper lip, and lower lip. The main difficulty with using a base that is not your own face is that there is no guarantee the prosthetics will fit you once they are ready for application. I sculpted carefully and tried not to get overly ambitious about building up on the nose (as Tucker did in the photo above), as I knew it was not likely to fit.
Prosthetic Sculpts:
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After the sculpting was complete, I built a wall around the edge using clay and aluminum foil so that I could pour in the UltraCal 30 plaster. I let the plaster sit at least an hour, removed it from the mold and cleaned out any clay, then left the mold to sit for several days in order to fully cure. Once the curing process was done, I could then pour the first set of latex prosthetics.
Prosthetic Test Appliances:
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The paint job was a bit rushed at the time, but that's what testing and practice is for! I had initially intended to use a bald cap and simply place the forehead appliance and wig over the top of it, but I learned another important lesson: putting on a bald cap by yourself and making it look believable is near impossible. So after losing an hour long battle to the bald cap (and ending up covered in medical adhesive), I scrapped the entire idea. Instead I simply put my hair up in a wig cap, applied the forehead prosthetic, and let it rest on top of the wig cap. The wig covered it well enough, and I was spared the need for a bald cap all together.
End Result
So this process was an interesting experiment, but I did NOT end up using these
prosthetics as part of my makeup routine (with the exception of the forehead
prosthetic). The slush latex pieces just don't move well enough as foam
latex would, and because I did not have texture stamps (or think of cheap ways
to texture), the "skin" is too smooth to look realistic. The
biggest problem with these is the blending edge. So as a result, I ended
up going back to the old cotton/latex routine, and incorporated the forehead
prosthetic into the mix as well, as that was the prosthetic I was happiest with.
Current Makeup Supply List
People have been asking me what products I am currently using, so here is a list
of the updated makeup stock:
- Kryolan
Rubber Mask Grease Paint (W line)
- Kryolan Cream Paintstick Makeup (color 3W)
- Mehron Rubber Mask Grease Paint (Red)
- Ben Nye Cream Highlight/Shadow Palette
- Ben Nye Translucent Setting Powder
- Kryolan Fixier Spray
- Kryolan Medical Adhesive (and Remover)
- Kryolan Spirit Gum
- Kryolan Eyebrow Cover (plus Flexible Sealor and Acetone)
Comments or questions regarding the makeup process? Please feel free to email me at phantomtango1[at]yahoo[dot]com, or sign the guestbook!
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