How to Make a Fake Gel Hand
Make a fake gel hand with gelatin or ballistics gel and a dental alginate based mold. Alginate is a rubber-like substance that is made out of seaweed. It is also called prosthetic grade cream. Once you have made your mold, you can pour the gel into it to make your prop. Use your own fake gel hand as a stage or movie prop, or as part of your Halloween costume.
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Things You'll Need
- 4 unflavored gelatin boxes, 1 ounce
- 2 large bowls
- Spoon
- Alginate powder
- Bowl
- Helper or hand model
- Petroleum jelly
- Plaster gauze
- Large pot
- Candy thermometer
- Empty long box
- Kitchen shears
- Paper towel
- Flesh tone liquid latex
- Makeup sponge
- Red makeup
- White makeup
Instructions
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1
Mix 4 ounces of unflavored gelatin powder with 4 cups water in a large bowl. Stir it thoroughly with a spoon to dissolve the gelatin. Place the bowl in your refrigerator for one hour.
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2
Mix 1 cup alginate powder with 1 cup water in a bowl.
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3
Cover the model's hand with petroleum jelly to allow for ease of removal once the alginate has set up. Spread the alginate over the model's hand, up to the wrist and 1 inch onto the arm. Cover his entire hand with a 1-inch thick layer of the alginate. Wait five minutes for it to start to set.
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4
Cut the plaster gauze strips into 8-inch long segments. Fill a bowl with warm water. Completely submerge the plaster gauze into the water and then wrap the gauze around the alginate on the model's hand. Press the gauze down into the alginate. Wrap the alginate layer with three layers of gauze to completely cover it. Wait five minutes, then help your model wriggle his hand out of the mold. Alginate acts like a gel and is pliable so it will bend enough for him to remove it safely from the mold.
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5
Remove the gelatin from the refrigerator. Place it in a large pot and onto your stove on low heat. Insert a candy thermometer and watch the gelatin. When it reaches 130 degrees Fahrenheit, remove it from the heat.
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6
Set the hand mold into a long box and place it in your sink, standing the box up on its closed end with the open end with the cavity of the mold facing up toward you. Pour the gelatin into the mold. Place the box with the filled hand mold into a refrigerator and let it cool and set for 36 hours.
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7
Remove the mold from the refrigerator. Cut the plaster gauze off with a pair of kitchen shears. Gently peel off the alginate in small sections so you don't damage the fake gel hand. After you have removed all of the alginate, wipe off the gel hand with a wet paper towel and then pat it dry.
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8
Paint on three even layers of flesh tone liquid latex with a makeup sponge. Add red makeup around the knuckles and white makeup around the fingers to make the skin look realistic.
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Tips & Warnings
Handle hot gelatin with care as it can burn.
Work in a well ventilated area when using latex paints.
References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
