When creating postiche for a character makeup, various types of hair are often used: human hair, animal hair, and synthetic hair. You might think that hair is hair, but there are very clear differ­ences in hair textures, in addition to the obvi­ous color variations. Of the human hair used for postiche, there are European and […]

In this chapter you learned about: ■ The three basic skin types ■ Preappliance skin care ■ Various adhesives ■ Materials needed for appliance application ■ Application techniques ■ Blending appliance edges ■ Applying makeup to various appliance materials ■ Removing and cleaning prosthetic appliances ■ Post-removal skin care ■ Storing the appliance ■ Types […]

Before starting, make sure you have everything at hand that you will need for the removal; more than likely your performer has been wearing the prosthetic for a long time and is more than ready for the appliance or appliances to come off. The trick is to work efficiently and carefully, particularly around the eyes. […]

If handled deftly, an appliance should be reusable, no matter what material it was cast with. Even foam latex can see multiple applications if the removal is gentle and the appliance is properly cleaned and stored, though more often than not foam latex won’t survive the removal. At best, the appliance will hold up, but […]

If your silicone appliance has been painted already, as described in Chapter 6, your makeup needs for the appliance should be minimal after application. If you were not the one who painted the appliance, it would be beneficial to have a color chart showing what was used. If not, you must eyeball it and mix […]

Makeup should be applied to cold foam the same way as for gelatin or foam latex; it should be sealed first and the sealer allowed to dry fully. Remember that urethane foam is moisture sensitive and, even after having fully cured, might wrinkle slightly when exposed to moisture in a makeup foundation or even thesealer, […]

When applying makeup on gelatin, you first need to seal it, if it hasn’t already been made as part of a GFA, with the G (for gel) being gelatin. If you apply makeup directly onto the gelatin, the color will be absorbed into the gelatin instead of sitting on top; depending on what you are […]

The foundation you use for your appliance will largely be decided by the material the appliance is made of. Foam Latex If your makeup appliance is made of foam latex, a good choice for coloring after application is rubber mask greasepaint, or RMGP; Graftobian, Kryolan, and Mehron each make RMGP. RMGP is best applied with […]

Concealing appliance edges is what helps sell the believability of your makeup. If your appliances have been made well to begin with, blending off the edges is not par­ticularly difficult. You do need to be conscious of very thin edges and not let them fold over on them­selves, which can cause them to stick, and […]