This page is all about helping you with what prosthetics are and how to use them including any other information about anything to do with special effects sold here at Awen Creations!
This will include Frequently Asked Questions and also a segment of our Prosthetics appliance booklet which comes in full with all orders.
FAQ’s
(Q)
What’s the difference between a Rubber mask and a Foam latex Mask and a rubber latex effect?
(A)
The difference is a Foam latex mask is a very soft foam mask, much like the feeling of sea sponge, which is glued to your skin and painted over so that it gives the impression of not just a mask but a special effect come to life.
Because our foam latex masks are made from Foam the mask once glued to your skin will move with your expressions and look just as real as on those Hollywood films!
Rubber masks are usually full rubber masks. These need no gluing or painting required.
Rubber Latex effects are effects that are not as soft as foam latex and are much stronger and harder to tear.
(Q)
My skin tone is green/yellow/brown/pink with purple dots. Will the foam latex prosthetic mask go with my skin tone?
(A)
Yes! Prosthetic masks come in a natural pale yellow and have to be painted over, once attached to your skin, no matter what skin tone you are, so as to blend in your mask to your own skin tone. Even if your natural skin tone is pale yellow you will still find you will need to paint over to blend in your special effect prosthetic mask.
(Q)
Can I use my special effect more than once?
(A)
Yes! Our special blend of prosthetic foam latex means you can use your special effects up to 30 times or more as long as you’re careful and look after your special effect.
(Q)
How long can I wear the prosthetic special effect for?
(A)
As long as you want! We here at Awen Creations create your special effect to be as comfortable and soft as possible. We create our special effects to be used on feature films which can be worn for hours and hours of filming and so we create our effects to be able to be worn for hour’s even days at a time!
(Q)
I have no make up training can I still paint the special effect?
(A)
Yes of course you can! You don’t have to be a Fine Artist to do special effects just a little time and patience. To make this even easier for those people who have never painted a picture ever we have also put together an easy information booklet detailing everything you need to do Step By Step. Also if there’s anything your not sure on you only need to give us an email and one of our professionals will answer any questions you have to help you out!
(Q)
What paints should I use to colour my prosthetic mask?
(A)
For a typical Mask you will need:
A base colour.... For example in the Satan mask a base colour was a Rust Brown.
For shadowing... a Black colour paint would be used.
For highlighting.... where the parts of the mask is raised, like the nose and cheek bones; A Bright Red would be used.
This section is a rough copy of our appliance booklet that accompanies each item ordered from us.
Awen Creations Prosthetic Step-By-Step Instructions
Application:
First you should clean your face thoroughly and any men with beards should preferably have a clean shave or just be careful avoiding your hair!
If you are using a prosthetic over e.g Eyebrows, Short beards, sideburns; and it cannot be avoided to apply the glue over this area, you can cover you’re your hair in Petroleum Jelly. (also known here in the U.K as Vaseline.) Apply a good amount over the e.g eyebrow, and your Glue will not attach to any hairs. This then acts as a barrier to your hair to the glue.
This is just a small range of adhesives that can be used:
Liquid Latex:
Paint using a sponge or your finger tips a layer of latex on to your face missing out your eyebrows and any other hair covered places and then cover the inside of you prosthetic e.g. the mask!
Some people don’t prefer this method of appliance because liquid latex dries to a solidified coating of rubber and can pull at body hair when removing.
Once the latex on your face and mask is almost dry apply the mask to your face starting with the nose and working outwards until completely stuck.
Liquid latex is available in most high street stores in both the UK and America.
After you have glued down your prosthetic to your ear or face or hand etc you can then proceed to getting a small amount of liquid latex on the tip of your fingers and dabbing it to seal around the edges of your professional prosthetic piece.
Liquid latex is the best over all material to use as it works as both an adhesive as well as a blending agent.
Spirit Gum:
(Most people miss use Spirit gum in appliance so please read carefully.)
For applying a full mask start with your nose and paint a layer of gum glue covering the whole bridge of the nose.
First paint an adequate amount of spirit gum across the bridge of your nose then start to with your fingers dab at the spirit gum along you’re nose until it becomes tacky. Don’t do this for too long as it will lose its tackiness you will see your finger sticking to the glue when it becomes ready!
As it becomes ready for sticking starting with the nose align the foam in place directly into position.
Once the piece is in place check the over all position of the mask on your face. The size of the masks half size, ¾ size and full size masks are made to a natural non generic face size and stature. In some examples your face may be a little larger then the foam can be slightly stretched to fit but remember everyone will look different with the same mask on!
Once you have worked your way around the entire mask and it is completely attached to your face we can go on to the next phase!
Make sure you have stuck down all little pieces and non are missed out as leaving out a piece unstuck to your skin will only result in loss of facial expression when you are finished!
Remember Spirit gum needs to be dabbed to be made sticky, many gum glue containers do not tell you how to use it.
Toupee Tape:
This method is fine if you are allergic to all glues (highly unlikely) but it does give limited movement ability when applied.
Sweating would be a problem with this method as it would render the tape glue not to stick efficiently.
Wash your face thoroughly to begin and then apply the tape covering the whole of the inside of the mask.
When you are ready take off the backing to the tape and apply it to your face starting with the nose and working outwards until you have covered the whole of the mask.
Medical Adhesive:
All professional make up artist prefer this method of application, this glue leaves no room for mistakes and is tacky and sticky instantly.
Medical Adhesive is very similar to Spirit gum and is applied the same way. (See above.)
Prosthetic Adhesive:
Also know as Pros-aide this is a very stick substance and has to be removed after appliance with a removal solvent specially designed for this glue. This is hardly manufactured anymore although if you decide to go with this method, be sure to read the instructions for appliance and removal before hand.
This is applied the same way as liquid latex.
WARNING:
Although it is obvious I will state that using any other glue e.g. Super glue or cow gum glue or other Cyanno-acrylate adhesive is extremely poisonous and toxic to the skin and should not be used.
With these glues the vapors are toxic and would be absorbed into the skin. This would not be something you would want being absorbed into the paws next to your brain!
And the glues would permanently stick themselves to your skin resulting disaster!
Blending the Edges
Now you have your prosthetic foam latex securely glued to your skin you can begin into blending the edges of the prosthetic by blending them in with your skin.
The edges of the foam piece are very thin like tissue paper. These will allow you to blend in the edges using one of the following techniques to blend the edges to your skin to create the illusion of it being your face and not just a mask! And making it all believable to anyone looking at you!
Liquid Latex:
This is the easiest way to blend in edges of the foam appliance.
Get a small amount of liquid latex on a sponge (a stipple sponge is useful but you can use a piece of a bathroom or kitchen sponge too.)
Start to stipple the latex between an inch over the mask edge and skin and do this quickly.
Latex dries shiny and stippling in small amounts will not make it so shiny unless you whack big globs of it on.
Eyelash Adhesive:
This method can be used if you are prone to excessive sweating that can crack liquid latex. Eyelash Adhesive will not crack under sweat.
This is applied in exactly the same way as liquid latex.
Other techniques!
Some pieces can be hidden by using blood, a costume and even hair/ wig all depending on your character design.
For example the hair line of the prosthetic can be covered by the fringe of your hair or wig.
You can use your imagination with what ever you want!
Painting the Prosthetic Piece:
The colouring of the mask can be changed every time you apply it to your face; this gives the advantage over other masks that are soled in high street stores! The mask will look completely different with each different colouring.
This is where your imagination comes in!
I will give you example of what colours can work together after this colour appliance is explained.
Rubber Mask Grease Paint:
Also known as Latex mask cover paint or just Grease paints.
Rubber mask grease paint is castor oil-based form of make up and will not seep into the foam.
The paint is fixed with powder which can lighten the darker tones. Your knowledge of the use of Rubber mask grease paint will grow as you come more accustomed to it.Note: Please read the instructions before you use them if you choose this method!
Conventional Beauty Make-up Paint:
This is good to use but as it is petroleum based they will eventually degrade the rubber.
This can be overcome by applying castor oil to the outside of the prosthetic and then add the face paint!
APPLYING THE PAINT
In applying always start with a base colour these are usually a lighter shade of colour than the ones you will use after this!
You can always choose a colour of your own choice or you can go with the stereotypical choice!
I have listed a few below!
- Hannya Devil: a dark red
- Vampire: a foundation cosmetic paint can be used to match your own skin colour, its always better to go one tone under for that white look.
- Face off: dark brown.
Always apply make-up with a clean sponge or a fine brush (hog hair preferred!) this will give you better quality and avoid smudging and finger prints covering your mask! Always paint the same colour on the mask and over your skin up the edges you will have cover by clothes. Air brushing can be done also if you have the appropriate equipment but a base colour can be applied using a powder and then highlight after with airbrush.
Highlighting and Shadows
This is an important part of the finished piece as it will bring the mask to become three dimensional.
Leaving it with just a base colour will only leave it looking flat.
In your own skin there are many shades of colour which give it the three dimensional effect. This is the wanted outcome with your mask.
Shadows:
It is best to start with shadows as you can correct a shadow mistake later with highlighting.
Remember to have your shadows a few tones darker than your base colour. The shadows do not have to be done always with a black!
Shadowing can be done with a stipple sponge but can be done with a fine paint brush or sponge.
Highlighting:
Choose a highlighting shade a few shades lighter than your base colour.
This can also be applied using a stipple sponge but can be done with a fine paint brush or sponge.
Remember to highlight your skin as well as the features of the mask to complete the entire effect!
Note: In matching colour look at the notes below.Blue Red and Yellow are primary colours and can be perfectly identified between each other! These cannot be shaded together as they create the secondary colours:
Orange, purple and green when they are mixed.
All primary colours mixed together create brown.
White and black are highlights and dark tones of each colour and are mixed with either primary or secondary colour as desired.
Note:
Remember your finished colouring piece does not have to be perfect and stippling can be done after to create spots which can cause it to be more life like as no face is immaculate of freckles and spots.
If you are using grease paint then once you are done now is the time to powder your finished piece use either baby powder or any other you can be although baby powder is the cheapest!
Use as much as you want more is better as too little will not set the make-up! Be sure not to wipe!!!
You can use KY Jelly to give the end piece a shine afterwards if you so desire!
That’s the end of applying your make-up and the finished piece will look realistic and fantastic!
Now you can add and smaller features such as teeth, blood, puss and costume!
Don’t forget to cover your hands and neck also with the same make up tones as your face so as to complete the effect.
And don’t forget to have fun!
Removal:
This is a fairly easy and straightforward task.
In the film industry some foam pieces are very delicate and can take up to an hour to four hours to remove the foam latex.
Spirit gum:
Spirit gum does have its own removers but contains mineral oil which over time will degrade the foam. Instead you can use alcohol to take it off and use the spirit gum remover to clear it off your face. Although soap and hot water can do just the same!
Use a cotton bud to gently rub at a corner with the alcohol on and work a piece at a time.
Work from the top to the bottom and be care full of your eyes!
You should powder the back of the mask to clear any stickiness or sweat from your skin.
Toupee Tape:
This is the easiest to remove. Depending on how long you have worn the prosthetic some of the tape may have come off.
Take your time as not to rip the foam! When you have the mask off take care in taking off the tape from the back of the mask and wash it after. As described below.
Liquid Latex:
This is fairly the same as removing the Toupee tape.
After slowly peeling the mask from your face wash your face with soap and water clearing all liquid latex from your face. You may notice your skin is dry and want to rub moisturizer into your face.
With the foam piece try to peel away any liquid latex and be care full with the edges.
Medical Adhesive:
The best way to remove this is Baby oil although this contains mineral oil which will degrade the foam, so take care in washing the foam immediately after removal.
This method will take a little longer than the others. Be patient!
Prosthetic Adhesive:
You must follow the instructions with the container in order to do this carefully!
Storing:
The best way of storage can be to put it some where out of the light in an air tight zip bag, as air and light can degrade the foam!
Now your prosthetic foam latex piece is ready to use again!
We at Awen Creations hope you have enjoyed your experience! Awen Creations aim to create and bring you the best effects available!
We at Awen are very interested in how you liked your prosthetic piece and what you did with it.
STILL HAVE QUESTIONES?? NO WORRIES! JUST EMAIL US AT awencreations.co.uk AND ONE OF OUR PROFESSIONALS WILL GET BACK TO YOU SHORTLY!