Introduction

This blog will document the design, manufacture and application of a prosthetic piece. I will include research, step by step images and evaluations of my performance in tasks such as face casting, moulding, sculpting, colouring and application. 

Techniques will be demonstrated and the appropriate materials will be discussed. The final result will be a full character makeup utilising facial prosthetics, costume and props.

Hope you enjoy...

Prosthetic Research

A prosthetic piece used in the media makeup industry is a product made to change or recreate the look of the human body. This time consuming process is executed by body/ face casting, moulding, sculpting, advanced colouring and application. 

Image one

Danny DeVito as The Penguin in 'Batman Returns' (1992) 

Image one is Danny DeVito before and after the makeup for 'Batman Returns' as his role The Penguin. Stan Winston and Tim Burton collaborated to design an iconic character for the film after previously working on Edward Scissorhands together. The design process was the first step of the creation which meant drawing the actors face and adapting it to fit the character brief. Mark McCreery being the artist, experimented with various nose shapes before disputing his final design. Image two shows the design development and image three shows the final example.

Image two

McCreery, M.

Image three

McCreery, M.

Winston began to sculpt the piece after casting DeVito's face and decided that he was unhappy with creating just a pointed nose, so using influences from a production he worked on in the past called 'The Wizz' he began to make a crow beak like shape. Image four shows the final sculpt on the mold.

Image four

Winston, S. (2010)

The final Penguin look included a T-shape nose lip and brow appliance, dirty, crooked teeth, pale skin and dark circles around the eyes. John Rosengrant (2012) stated "It was such a blast to watch Danny transform into the Penguin. We could just see it happening, right before our eyes.” Images five and six show the transformation. 

Image five

Winston, S. (2010)

Image six

Winston, S. (2010)

Image seven

Jim Carey as 'The Grinch' (2000)

Image seven is Jim Carey before and after his makeup for the role of The Grinch. Universal pictures and imagine entertainment presented a Ron Howard film based on the Dr. Seuss book 'How the Grinch stole Christmas' with the help of an award winning production team. Rick Baker began his makeup designs for the film in 1998 with the actors and producers input creating 125 designs for the film. Image eight shows three prosthetic pieces used on the film which are displayed at Orlando's Universal Studios.

    Image eight

The Grinch Prosthetics (2010)

Baker and his team of over 60 makeup artists applied as many as 110 makeups a day using, by the end of the production, 8,000 facial appliances, 3,500  prosthetic ears, 300 wigs and  150 facial hair pieces. Image nine shows Baker applying the makeup to Jim Carey.

Image nine

The Grinch makeup application (2000)

The final look consisted of the sculpted mask, disfigured teeth, contact lenses and a hair body suit made from Yak hair dyed green which Baker sewed into a lycra spandex suit. Carey expressed that he could not breath through his nose and felt like he was being buried alive on a daily basis. Image ten shows the final look. Unknown (2000)

Image ten

The Grinch (2000)

Strange Beauty Influences

Image one

Yago Partal Zoo Portraits (2013)

Image two

Yago Partal Zoo Portraits (2013)

Image three

Yago Partal Zoo Portraits (2013)

Image four

Yago Partal Zoo Portraits (2013)

Image five

Yago Partal Zoo Portraits (2013)

Images one, two three four and five are taken from Yago Partals portfolio Zoo Portraits. Partal takes inspiration from the trend in which celebrities have influenced other individuals by dressing their pets in items of clothing. He takes a more exotic approach using zoo animals and dresses them in stylish outfits.

Image six

Jean Paul Gaultier Ready-to-Wear fall Winter 2008/2009

Jean Paul Gaultier displayed numerous fox heads as hats in his autumn/ winter 2008 collection which caused a huge stir with PETA. PETA is an organisation which exhibits animal rights campaigns and is against the wearing of fur and leather. Although this became an issue for Gaultier, he had started a worldwide trend of wearing animals as hats.  

   

Strange Beauty Iinfluences: Jean Paul Gaultier Ready-to-Wear Fall / Winter 2008 (part 1)

I have taken inspiration from Jean Paul Gaultier's Ready to Wear Fall/ Winter 2008 Collection as the animal heads have generated the idea of creating half human half fox. Spike413 (2008). The 'Hunter Gatherer' trend is also an element which I will be transferring into my final piece.

Overview of final look (Including hair and makeup research)

My final design will be a prosthetic nose and mouth piece in the shape of a fox. As this look will be fashion based I have taken inspiration from Jean Paul Gaultier's Autumn/ Winter collection 2008/2009 and Yago Partals Zoo portraits. The prosthetic piece will be painted using rubber mask grease paints to match the correct tone of a fox's nose and mouth area and will be blended to the colour of the models skin. Using the trend Hunter Gatherer as an inspiration, the outfit and accessories used will reflect this topic.

When choosing a model, it was important to look for someone with the correct hair, facial features and eye colour to suit the design. Knowing that the eye makeup would include browns and neutral colours, I chose someone with hazel coloured eyes. Image one is a colour chart showing the shadows which work well with hazel coloured eyes and image two is a colour chart which shows neutral shadows which work well with all colour eyes:

Image one

MAKEUP THE ULTIMATE GUIDE pg49 (2008)

Image two

MAKEUP THE ULTIMATE GUIDE pg50 (2008)

 It is important for this look to have bold striking eyes which is why eye contacts will be used and the makeup design will be created to have focus on the eyes. Image three shows the type of design I plan to use.  

Image three

When focussing on the hair style for the look it is crucial to capture the elements of a wolf but also look into using a high fashion style. Image four and five are two styles which have caught my attention which could suit the overall style.

Image four
Unknown. (N.D)



Image five
PR Photos. (2009)



Health and Safety

CHEMICAL:
Curing and gelling agent- Curing and gelling agent are both poisonous and may cause allergic reactions. If the product is placed near the mouth it may cause severe damage. Protective clothing such as goggles and gloves must be worn when using the product and it must be used with care. If either of the products are spilt, it must be cleared up immediately with water and wipes which then must be disposed of. 
Fumes-  Inhaling fumes may cause intense  irritation to the nose and throat. Adequate ventilation must be used to remove ammonia fumes and a respirator mask must be worn to prevent any respiratory distress. 
Toxic vapours- During the curing process toxic vapours are given off which are poisonous and may harm a persons respiratory system. To avoid this happening a household cooker must not be used as it may poison oven cooked food. Food must not be eaten while the product is curing. 
Allergies-  Anyone working around the products in this process may get an allergic reaction if they have an allergy to a product. The allergy might be unknown so it is important to complete patch tests 24 hours before using a product such as latex, IPA, Pros-aide and Pro clean. Gloves and other protective clothing should be used. 
Flammable Products: A lot of chemicals used in this process are flammable such as foam latex. These products must be handled with care and be kept away from anything which may cause the products to set alight. Products should be used sensibly. 

HYGIENE:
Cuts- an open cut or wound may cause the spreading of germs or infection. To avoid this, open cuts must be covered up and worked around. Brushes must be cleaned before and after using them. 
Cross- Contamination- Cross contamination may cause germs to spread and may lead to harmful infection. This can be prevented by keeping a work station clean as well as cleaning brushes before and after using them. 
Food and Drink- Bacteria may spread if having food near the work station. Food and drink must be kept away from the work station and hands should be washed thoroughly after consuming any food or drink. Use mints or chewing gum after eating and before working on a model. Do not put food in the oven which is used to cure the foam latex. 
Personal hygiene- Make sure when working with products that your hands are frequently washed. Before working on a model hands should be washed and teeth should be clean to avoid bad breath. If one has just ate, use mints or chewing gum. Carry deodorant at all times in case throughout the day you sweat.

SLIPS, TRIPS AND FALLS:
Spillages- If a product is spilt, this may cause someone to slip and fall. Someone may also come into contact with the product and may be allergic. To avoid this a spillage must be cleaned up immediately and people around must be warned that something has been spilt.    
Loose wires- Equipment with loose wires including and air brush compressor and a mixing machine may cause someone to trip over. Wires must always be pushed to the side when using them and people must be warned. When a product with a wire is not being used it should be cleared away. 
Equipment on the floor- Equipment on the floor such as chairs and bags may cause people to catch their feet and trip over. To avoid this, bags should be kept under the desk or in the cloak room and chairs as well as other products should be tucked away when not in use. 
Sharp products: Sharp products such as sculpting tools should be aware of at all times. If someone is to trip they could put there hand on a sharp product when trying to catch themselves. To avoid this when not in use the tools should be packed away and when in use should be handled with care. 

ELECTRIC:
Loose wires- Equipment with loose wires including an air brush compressor and a mixing machine may cause someone to trip over. Wires must always be pushed to the side when using them and people must be warned. When a product with a wire is not being used it should be cleared away. 
Wet surfaces-  Wet surfaces can cause an electric shock if an electrical product comes into contact. It may also cause products to be damaged. To avoid this, a wet surface must be immediately cleared up.
Heated Equipment- Electrical equipment may overheat if left on and may burn people. People in the work area should be warned that the product is on when in use and when not in use the product should be turned off. 
Pat test- Electrical equipment such as an air brush compressor, a hair tong and the mixer should all be pat tested before use. If these products are not pat tested someone may get electrocuted by a damaged product which is not suitable for use.  

Face casting

Prosthetic makeup is used today mainly to create wounds, change the shape of the body/face or to create a completely new face which is where mold making comes into action. The first procedure of mold making is casting the body part in which you wish to use prosthetic makeup. Below is a step by step providing images and instructions on how to complete a face cast: 

Image one

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

- Bald cap/ swimming cap             - Small hammer

- Latex gloves                               - Overalls

- Scissors                                      - Rubber mallet

- Mod rock

- Bin bags/cloak

- Alginate

- Cold water

- Room temperature water

- Plastic bucket x3

- Vaseline

- Chisel

- Sandpaper

- Plaster

- Burlap

- Rasp

Step 1: Dress yourself in the overalls and put on two pairs or latex gloves per hand.

Step 2: Begin to set up the equipment, measure out 1:3 ratio of alginate to water having 500g of alginate and 1500g of cold water. These must be in separate buckets to start with. To cast the face use a three minute alginate and on a larger body part use a 9 minute alginate. This is the length of time it will take for the product to set. Also prepare yourself with a bucket of room temperature water.

  

Step 3: Cut the mod rock in to pieces size depending on the body part you are casting. For the face cut into pieces 10-20cms long and enough to layer the body part four times. Leave this on the work space for now.

Step 4: Prepare your model by covering any body part which is not being casted. Cover the hair with the bald/swimming cap (Image one) the bin bags can be used to cover the rest of the body. Add Vaseline to any body part showing hair which is getting casted for example the eyebrows.

                                                                                                                                                            

Image two

Step 5: Pour the cold water in to the bucket of alginate and mix quickly until the product is a paste like texture. (Image two)

Step 6: With assistance apply the alginate as quickly as possible to the top of the models head the alginate will then pour down the face. Scoop the alginate from the chin and continue to apply to the face filling in gaps to avoid air bubbles and clearing the nose passage way. Do this before the alginate sets within three minutes. (Image three)

Image three

Step 7: Wait for the alginate to set.

Step 8: Once the alginate has set, soak and drain the mod rock bit by bit in the room temperature water, apply to the face and spread with hands making it smooth. Layer it four times.

Step 9: When the mod rock is dry and hard begin to slowly take the cast off the model. If any part of the cast gets stuck to the skin use Pro clean to help the process along. (Image four)

Image four

Step 10: Remove the first pair of gloves from your hands and help your model get all of the mod rock and alginate off the skin before moving on with the cast.

Step 11: Mix a small amount of alginate with water and hold it in your hand. Place the nose area of the cast over the alginate to fill in the nostrils. Do not allow the alginate to flow over the nostrils as it may change the shape of the nose.

Step 12: Get the final bucket and fill it with cold water and the add plaster with a ratio of 1:2.5 water to plaster then mix this together to make a paste.

Step 13: Using your hands (with gloves on) fill the cast with the plaster slowly, a small amount at a time and spread it around the cast avoiding air bubbles.

Step 14: Add burlap into the plaster placing it on the inside of the cast avoiding any bits that may stick out. Then add the remainder of the plaster and continue spreading it until it is extremely thick.

Step 15: Leave it to set.

Step 16: Once the plaster has set and is ready to be parted from the alginate, use the rubber mallet to tap the face cast loose allowing the mod rock to break away.

Step 17: Next use a small hammer and chisel to knock off any unwanted bits still attached to the cast.

Step 18: Take the rasp to file the edges and the sand paper to smooth over the rest of the cast until you are pleased with what is left. (Image five)

Image five