How to Make a Fake Wound With Fake Skin
Nothing completes a zombie or accident costume like a large, bloody fake wound. While you can purchase latex wounds that simply adhere to your skin with little effort, making your own custom wounds is not very difficult. Practice creating the wound several times before you actually need to wear the costume to reduce mistakes and frustration right before your costume party.
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Instructions
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1
Apply a thin layer of spirit gum to your skin where you want to create the fake wound. Let the spirit gum dry until it forms small strings that pull away from your skin when you tap your finger on the spirit gum. This means that the spirit gum is tacky and ready to use.
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2
Remove a chunk of fake skin putty from the container and gently stretch the putty until it is larger than you want the finished wound to be. Make sure that the putty is approximately 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thick.
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3
Press the fake skin firmly onto the spirit gum and smooth down the edges of the fake skin so that they blend into your real skin. The center of the fake skin will still be 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thick but the edges will be very thin. This will give the fake skin a more realistic look.
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4
Carve the shape of the wound into the center of the fake skin with a toothpick or a metal nail file. Be careful not to actually scratch your skin underneath the fake skin putty while creating the appearance of the wound.
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5
Rub a small amount of black makeup in the center of the wound you created. This will darken the area and give it a more realistic appearance when you add fake blood. Instead of appearing bright red, the inside of the wound will be dark red.
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6
Apply fake blood to the interior and exterior of the fake wound. Start with a small amount of fake blood and add more blood gradually until you have achieved the desired effect.
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Tips & Warnings
If you cannot find fake skin putty or you would like to save a little money, mix up your own fake skin with unflavored gelatin. Combine 1 tbsp. unflavored gelatin, 1 tbsp. boiling water, 1/4 tsp. liquid glycerin and a few drops of food coloring to achieve your skin color. Let the mixture cool just until it can be handled and then apply a 1/4-inch layer directly to your clean skin. Continue creating the wound as you would with fake skin putty from step four. When the gelatin cools completely, it will set and should last for several hours.
Copper food coloring is often referred to as a light skin tone color. This shade can be darkened to achieve other skin tones by adding a small amount of brown or black food coloring.
Apply spirit gum remover to the fake wound to easily remove it. Attempting to pull the wound off without using spirit gum remover could be painful and cause skin irritation.
References
- "Special Effects Makeup"; Janus Vinther; 2003
- Princeton: Theater Safety
