Our Arrow Wound Prosthetic looks great in combination with this prop. We never recommend using add-ons made out of wood, metal or hard plastic in conjunction with a prosthetic (there are a lot of people out there using sharp edged coke cans, CDs or even pieces of glass to enhance their appliances!) as a fall or bump could end in you injuring yourself severely.

Here are step-by-step instructions to build an arrow that is easy to make, lightweight and safe, and will make the final effect thoroughly gruesome.

You will need:

• Paper straws
• Thin card
• Paper
• Glue (a contact adhesive such as superglue is best)
• Paints (silver and whatever colour you would like to use on the arrow shaft and flights)
• Scissors
• Grey Primer (optional)
• Graphite powder (optional)

First, cut out 3 shapes for your arrow flights from the thin card. After you have cut the first flight, use it as a template for the others to make sure they are all identical.

Next, cut a corner off your sheet of paper, roll it into a small cone and secure it with a little glue. Flatten the cone down then cut the bottom edge to make a triangle. Make sure that the cone (which is now the point of your arrow) fits well over the paper straw and isn’t too large (you can have a few attempts at this).

Now, cut down your paper straw into lengths, one to be the ‘flights end’ of your arrow and one to be the ‘arrowhead end’. Don’t make these too long, remember that the arrow is supposed to be going through a part of your body; make them too lengthy and your arrow will end up looking too long and very unconvincing! Glue on your flights and arrowhead, and paint the whole thing in one uniform colour (we recommend using a grey primer so your next layers of paint apply well, but you can use any neutral colour paint you have to hand).

Now the fun begins! Paint the shaft of the arrow in a light cream colour, use bright, vibrant colours for the flights (using a colour for two flights and a different one for the last flight looks more realistic; a lot of arrows use the different coloured flight to show the archer which way is ‘up’ on their arrow, so it will look extra convincing) and paint a few stripes around each section of the straw. Paint the arrowhead silver, and if you have graphite powder rub some in after the paint job is finished to give an extra metallic look.

If you want to go all the way, you can even cut a ‘nock’ into the straw behind the flight (see the red section in the photo above, the nock is where an archer places the string on the arrow).

Now you’re done, you should have a safe arrow to add to the Arrow Wound Prosthetic that only weighs a few grams and won’t hurt you if you take a bump and as a great plus point, won’t weigh down the prosthetic!

Get your Arrow Wound Prosthetics HERE

Try it this Halloween!

A lot of people think SFX Makeup is an unusual pastime, but there are thousands of people out there obsessed with turning their friends (and themselves) into monsters, demons, and wound covered victims. It can be difficult to know what to buy these talented types for birthday and Christmas presents to fuel their passion because to outsiders, it can be tough to gauge the level of complexity the FX artist in their life is comfortable with.

We’ve compiled a list of kits that make fantastic gifts that will work for everyone with an interest in special effects makeup, from beginners to experts. We’ve even included exclusive discount codes valid until December 20th 2016, so you can bag the perfect present at a great price!

1. SkinWizard Instant Burn FX System

Our Skin Wizard kit is an ideal way to create direct application wounds

The SkinWizard Instant Burn FX System is a kit comprising of 3 coloured gels to create third degree burn FX directly on the skin. It’s great for artists at any level as beginners have the chance to experiment with the product on themselves or others to create varying sizes of effects and begin to understand the principals of building up makeup in layers to create one dramatic look.

Experienced artists will enjoy having this kit handy in their makeup box to create ‘on-the-fly’ effects quickly and easily with no preparation time needed.

The kit comes with full written instructions plus blender, FX blood, paint and wooden spatulas so you have everything you need right out of the box.

Link: SkinWizard Instant Burn FX System
Price before discount: £39.99
20% off discount code: skiwi20%off

2. Pro Haunt Zombie Kit with DVD Guide

The Pro Haunt Kit is great for anyone needing reusable zombie prosthetics

The Pro haunt Zombie Kit was designed for use in haunted houses or for anyone who wants to get multiple uses out of their prosthetics, but lots of beginners enjoy this as it allows them to practise and perfect their application techniques many times over.

As well as including prosthetics, blood, paint, adhesive and brushes, the kit also comes with a tutorial DVD to guide the artist through all the processes needed to get great results through 9 videos. Everything is housed in a durable makeup box (with room for the artist to add their personal kit) complete with a steel mirror.

The only product not included is 99% alcohol (for activating paint and cleaning brushes) but this is cheap and widely available online – we recommend Amazon. It’s also available in local pharmacies. Watch the video below to see the kit in use.

Link: Pro Haunt Zombie Kit with DVD Guide
Price before discount: £169.99
£20 off discount code: prohaunt20off

3. Complete FX Makeup Artist Kit

If the artist you are buying for is producing their own prosthetics, this makes an ideal gift. The pro quality makeup palette, blood, adhesive, blender, adhesive remover and makeup sealer in this pack are great for FX artists at any level – you can never have too many materials in your makeup box and they can be pricey to replace, so the contents of this economical kit is guaranteed to bring a smile to the face!

Our Complete FX Makeup Artist Kit has all the materials you need for a full prosthetic application

Link: Complete FX Makeup Artist Kit
Price before discount: £49.99
15% off discount code: fxkit15%off

4. Toms Makeup Kit & DVD Guide

If you’re going to apply a lot of prosthetics, you need a well stocked kit

Who is Tom and why will your loved one want his makeup kit? Tom is the owner of Nimba Creations and the designer and sculptor of all of the prosthetics you see in our store. This collection was compiled by him to replicate the kit he has on standby when he’s on set for any last minute additions and fix ups that may be needed.

As well as a makeup palette, blood, blender, makeup sealer, adhesive and adhesive remover, the kit contains brushes, tweezers, makeup sponges, wooden spatulas, a metal sculpting tool and a whole stack of other tools and materials to tackle any makeup application job. Also included is the Ultimate Zombie Makeup FX Guide DVD packed full of application and painting tips.

To finish up this mega-kit, there are a staggering 62 pre-made gelatine prosthetics thrown in, from small bullet wounds to zombie style torn face appliances. Any FX artist will be thrilled to unwrap this SFX makeup bonanza on Christmas day!

Link: Toms Makeup Kit & DVD Guide
Price before discount: £299.90
£25 off discount code: tomskit25off

5. Nimba Creations Gift Voucher

Still unsure of what to buy? Our gift vouchers are the perfect solution. Sold in £10 units and redeemable against everything in our store, you can allow your FX makeup obsessive to go on a shopping spree they will love.

Link: Nimba Creations Gift Voucher
Price: £10 each

You can visit our online shop to see the full selection of prosthetics and FX materials at www.nimbacreations.com that are available to get the ideal gift for any makeup artist!

If you are applying our gelatine or silicone prosthetics, here is a complete checklist of everything you will need complete with links – make sure you are ready before your big night!

99% Alcohol

99% Alcohol (also know as IPA) is very useful for prosthetic applications. It can be used to clean the skin and the back of your prosthetic before applying adhesive to make sure you get a lasting bond, and it’s also used with alcohol activated paint palettes to create washes of colour. You can buy 99% alcohol in pharmacies and also from Amazon UK and Amazon US and you can see 5 Techniques for Painting Prosthetics in our tutorial post.

Talcum Powder

Talcum Powder (baby powder) is available from any supermarket or local store. It can be sponged lightly onto cream makeup (like the makeup palette in our Zombie Prosthetic Makeup Kit) to help ‘set’ the paint, and it can also be used to map out the location of your prosthetics. Offer up your prosthetic and get a clear idea of where you are going to apply it, then tap around the edge with a little talc on a sponge; this will leave a ‘ghosted’ area on the skin so you know exactly where to apply adhesive and a good visual clue as to where the prosthetic needs to be when it’s finally time to stick it down.

Prosthetic Adhesive

If you are applying gelatine prosthetics, you will need our Prosthetic Adhesive. If you are applying our reusable silicone prosthetics, you need to use NimbaFix. You can also use NimbaFix on gelatine prosthetics for an extra strong bond or if you are applying in a difficult area, like around the mouth.

Our Prosthetic Adhesive is safe for use on the skin

Gelatine Blender

Gelatine Blender is only used on gelatine prosthetics. It gently melts the thin edge of your prosthetic when its applied to your skin to create an invisible blend. It can be warmed slightly in the microwave (warm, not hot!) to accelerate the process, but don’t use too much as it will eat into the prosthetic too much making it impossible to blend.

Gelatine Blender is used for gelatine prosthetic only

Sil-Blend Paste

Sil-Blend Paste is for creating invisible seams with our reusable silicone prosthetics. Mix part A and part B equally and apply to the edge of your prosthetic, smoothing it into the skin. It will set and bond itself to the edge of your prosthetic and should create a flawless finish.

Makeup Sealer

Makeup Sealer is an optional product, but we highly recommend using it, especially on larger makeups. After you have applied and blended your prosthetic, sponge a layer of Makeup Sealer onto both the prosthetic and the skin to create a uniform surface to apply paint to – it will help you to create a perfect blend.

Makeup Sealer is a great way to get a perfect finish on your application

Makeup Palette and Brushes

To paint your prosthetics, you will need to use a makeup palette. We sell 2 types; our Perfect Palette 2.0 which is a standard range of tones for general use, and a Wound Colours Palette which contains perfect tones for painting muscle, wounds, fat and bone. Both are activated using 99% alcohol.

You will need brushes and sponges to paint your prosthetic – we sell a complete set of 10 Makeup Brushes and you can use basic sponge and foam available from any supermarket.

Adhesive remover

Prosthetic Adhesive Remover can be used for both Prosthetic Adhesive and NimbaFix. While it’s not vital to the makeup process, you may be wishing you had some to hand after your Halloween party. Adhesives are very sticky and can take a lot of warm, soapy water to remove. The adhesive remover is applied to the glue and left to soak in for a few minutes, breaking it down so it can be wiped away more easily.

Prosthetic Adhesive Remover is very useful after the fancy dress party!

You can also consider…

Special FX Blood will be needed if you are doing gore effects, and you can also buy specific quantities of adhesive, blender, remover and sealer in our kits. Our Small Prosthetic Application Kit is great for a few small pieces, our Large Prosthetic Application Kit is better for more complex prosthetics and our Complete FX Makeup Artist Kit includes everything you need for a full application in one pack.

Our Complete FX Makeup Artist Kit has all the materials you need for a full prosthetic application

Got a makeup FX question or comment?

We love hearing from Nimba Creations customers, Cosplayers, Actors, Movie Makers and Makeup FX artists at every stage of their career. If you’ve got a question or comment about our products, Makeup FX or want to show off your latest creation you can contact us via our Facebook Page.

To accompany the makeup application video guides on our YouTube Channel, it’s also useful to browse our step by step guide below, complete with animated gifs for you to follow at your own pace as you apply your prosthetic.

This guide is for our gelatine prosthetics – many of the same steps apply when using our reusable silicone prosthetics, except you will need to use NimbaFix for your adhesive and our Sil-Blend Paste to blend edges.

You can also read our 5 Essential Steps Before Applying a Prosthetic before you begin your makeup process to make sure you’re fully prepared.

1. Position your prosthetic

Before you add adhesive, offer up your prosthetic and get a clear idea of where you are going to apply it. Placement is often vital so you want to think about this carefully before you commit to sticking it down. Once you have the prosthetic in the ideal area, tap around the edge with a little talc on a sponge; this will leave a ‘ghosted’ area on the skin so you know exactly where to apply adhesive and a good visual clue as to where the prosthetic needs to be when it’s finally time to stick it down.

2. Apply Adhesive

Using a sponge, apply a thin, even layer of prosthetic adhesive to both the back of the prosthetic and your skin. Don’t use too much (you don’t want it to drip) and be extra careful around the eyes and mouth. Don’t apply adhesive up to the edges of the prosthetic – leave around 10mm clear to make sure the delicate edges don’t get folded and stuck as you are placing the prosthetic onto your skin. Allow the adhesive to dry on both surfaces.

3. Press on prosthetic

Taking your time and using firm, even pressure, press the prosthetic into place. If it’s a large prosthetic, start in one area and work your way out towards the edges slowly. Take extra time in areas with tight curves (like around the nose and eyes) making sure that you have good coverage of adhesive to get a strong bond.

4. Apply adhesive under the edges of the prosthetic

Dip a cotton swab into your prosthetic adhesive, gently lift the edge of your prosthetic and apply the glue to both your prosthetic and skin, letting each dry before you carefully stick the edge down.

5. Blend the edges of your prosthetic

Dip a cotton swab into your Gelatine Blender and gently swipe from the edge of the prosthetic down onto the skin to begin to melt the gelatine away. Don’t use too much as you will eat into the prosthetic too much and it will become impossible to blend. You can also warm the gelatine blender a little in the microwave (warm, not hot!) to help the blending process. When blending is complete, you can also apply Makeup Sealer if you wish. It’s optional, but sponging on a thin layer of sealer to both the prosthetic and your skin will give you a nice, uniform surface to paint onto, helping the blending process.

6. Paint

There are a range of ways to paint your prosthetic for a realistic finish – read our 5 Techniques for Painting Prosthetics.

You can see the full video outlining these stages below – and don’t forget to show us photos of your application over on our Facebook page!

Got a makeup FX question or comment?

We love hearing from Nimba Creations customers, Cosplayers, Actors, Movie Makers and Makeup FX artists at every stage of their career. If you’ve got a question or comment about our products, Makeup FX or want to show off your latest creation you can contact us via our Facebook Page.

If you’re trying to get a realistic finish to your prosthetic makeup, you need to do more than just applying solid colours with a basic brush. Even monster makeups require an artistic touch to make them convincing, and these are some great techniques to make your paint job look professional.

1. Sponging

If you need to cover a large area (for example adding basic flesh tone) then using a sponge is the way to go. You don’t need to use expensive makeup sponges, in fact we would advise against it; if you are going for coverage you can use any sponge you can find in the supermarket cut into triangles (just remove the scourer first!) so you have lots of cheap foam that you can dispose of once it starts to become clogged or dirty. You can see a full list of helpful things you can buy locally in our 10 Essential Makeup Kit Items you can buy in a Supermarket post.

2. Dry Brushing

Dry brushing is a fantastic skill to master and comes in very handy for adding depth to your prosthetics. This technique allows you to highlight the edges of torn skin or texture in wounds and muscles quickly and easily. Just load your brush or sponge thoroughly with the desired colour, then remove the excess by dabbing it on tissue, paper or just the back of your hand. Then, lightly draw your brush or sponge over raised texture on your prosthetic, and colour will only be left on the high points.

3. Spatter

‘Spattering’ is a great way of adding texture to your prosthetic makeup to stop your colouring looking flat and unrealistic. Get a thin wash of very liquid paint on a half inch thick brush and flick the colour onto the skin and appliance from around 8 inches away. The if the paint is wet enough, the spots and marks the paint leaves should be random – use a few different colours for a really in depth look.

3a. More Spatter!

To get smaller, tighter spots on spatter (more like an airbrush) cut down your half inch brush so it’s more stubbly, a little more like a toothbrush. Dip this into your colour then draw your finger across it to create a spray of paint that will leave a huge array of small spots on your prosthetic – great for creating detailed texture. Also good for general coverage to build up layers of paint subtly.

4. Thin Paint for subtle details

By their nature, the paints in makeup palettes are strong in colour and contain a lot of pigment. By using a greater ratio of alcohol to paint, you can decrease the vibrancy of the tone and create a lot of very subtle effects that will really bring your makeup to life. Veins, for example, suggest something under the skin and gives your paint job real depth, but adding them in a heavy handed way with solid colour will have the opposite effect; nice thin paint will create a far better look for liver spots and blemishes too.

5. Colour Washes

Skin tone is a subtle thing. You should never use a single colour to build up flesh tone, you need to bring it to life by adding thinner washes of colour in reds, greens, yellows and blues. You can also use washes to create shadows; if you have a highly detailed area of texture, run a thin wash of dark paint in and let it settle in the deeper areas. If you combine this with the dry brushing technique to amplify highlights, you should be able to create a stunning 3D effect.

We stock a complete set of 10 makeup brushes as well as an alcohol activated paint palette and a Wound Colours Palette which are ideal for any of these techniques. You can watch a full makeup process in the video below, and you can see more tips on our YouTube Channel.

Got a makeup FX question or comment?

We love hearing from Nimba Creations customers, Cosplayers, Actors, Movie Makers and Makeup FX artists at every stage of their career. If you’ve got a question or comment about our products, Makeup FX or want to show off your latest creation you can contact us via our Facebook Page.

When you have a cool prosthetic to apply, it’s easy to rush into it because you can’t wait to see the final effect. But if you want your application to last, there are a few things you should do first to make sure you the process goes smoothly and you have a good, solid application that will last for your whole photo shoot or party.

1. Prep your work area

Make sure you have all of your tools and materials laid out and ready to use. There’s nothing worse than being half way through an application and having to stop to find more adhesive or mislaying the brush you need to complete your paint job. Dedicate a clean area of a table and lay out everything you will need for the whole process; pour adhesive, blender and makeup sealer into small cups so they are easy to use and make sure you have ample cotton swabs and makeup sponges to hand (more than you think you will need). If you don’t have a professional makeup kit, check out our post on essential items you can buy in any supermarket.

If you’re going to apply a lot of prosthetics, you need a well stocked kit

2. Pre paint as much as you can

It’s far easier to paint colour into wounds before you apply a prosthetic – especially if you’re applying it to yourself. Use a fine brush and take as much time as possible to add details, highlight edges and create shadows; it will look amazing once it’s applied! Even non-wound prosthetics (zombie brows for example) can be pre painted if you like. Add a base tone, veins and spots and then once it’s applied you only have the task of blending your skin to match the prosthetic which can sometimes be a far easier job. If you are applying zombie prosthetics, watch the video below for a complete painting guide.

3. Clean your prosthetic

You should never assume your prosthetic is 100% clean and ready to apply. If you have cast your own prosthetic, you may have used mould release which will stop adhesive from sticking to it; if you’ve purchased a prosthetic (for example, from Nimba Creations!) It will have been handled during the packing process and you will also have handled it when you removed it from the packaging. Trace amounts of sweat and natural oils from your skin will be transferred onto your appliance, so you need to clean the back of it thoroughly right before putting on adhesive. Use 99% alcohol (or IPA) on a sponge, and allow it to dry out completely. You can buy IPA at most pharmacies and at various places online including Amazon UK and Amazon US.

4. Clean your skin

It’s equally important to clean your skin before you apply your prosthetic. For a long lasting bond you want the adhesive applied to grease-free skin, so use some 99% alcohol on a sponge to wipe the area you are going to apply to. Don’t use too much (although it is safe for the skin) and do not smoke or have the alcohol anywhere near naked flame is it’s highly flammable.

5. Decide on placement of your prosthetic

Before you add adhesive, offer up your prosthetic and get a clear idea of where you are going to apply it. Placement is often vital so you want to think about this carefully before you commit to sticking it down. Once you have the prosthetic in the ideal area, tap around the edge with a little talc on a sponge; this will leave a ‘ghosted’ area on the skin so you know exactly where to apply adhesive and a good visual clue as to wear the prosthetic needs to be when it’s finally time to stick it down.

This little bit of extra thought will pay dividends when you start the makeup process.

If you are applying a prosthetic to yourself, watch our 3 minute video guide below to see some basic tips and techniques.

Got a makeup FX question or comment?

We love hearing from Nimba Creations customers, Cosplayers, Actors, Movie Makers and Makeup FX artists at every stage of their career. If you’ve got a question or comment about our products, Makeup FX or want to show off your latest creation you can contact us via our Facebook Page.

Wound FX (also known as casualty simulation or moulage) is one of the most popular uses of prosthetics, but getting a convincing effect can take more than just applying a prosthetic and applying buckets of blood. Here are our 5 Top Tips for Prosthetic Wound FX.

1. Blood

It’s an obvious addition if you are applying wound prosthetics, but also consider using blood in other areas. A little blood in the hairline or coming from the nose, mouth or near the eyes (not in the eye itself) can give a disturbing effect. Remember that there are different types of blood for different looks; as well as our standard Special FX Blood, we also stock Zombie Blood which is darker in colour and suggests that the fluid is old or infected. Our makeup palette also has a dried blood colour which is great for creating blood effects that won’t smear or run. Try mixing different styles of blood to give more depth to your makeup and don’t use too much – there’s no point going to all the trouble of applying a prosthetic then covering it in buckets of the red stuff. Keep it subtle, less is more.

Try using different types of blood to give your makeup more depth

2. Choose the right material for the job

If you are working in the casualty simulation industry (applying wounds to simulate real world situations to allow the police, military or medical staff to train for extreme situations) then using silicone appliances will be the best choice. The possibility of seeing an edge isn’t as much of a concern, and silicone prosthetics are reusable which means they can be used over and over again for different projects. If you have a one-off project such as a one day film or TV shoot or a Halloween party, gelatine prosthetics are great as the edges can be made invisible using Gelatine Blender. You can also use our Sil-Blend Paste to hide edges on our silicone prosthetics, but remember you are adding material to the prosthetic itself (rather than melting away material, which is what happens with the gelatine pieces) so each application will be different. Watch the video below to see how we applied our Zombie Mini Kit and Autopsy Scar Prosthetic, which are both cast in silicone.

3. Experiment with creating wounds from your makeup kit

As well as Prosthetic Gelatine which can be used to build up flesh like wounds directly on the skin, we also stock Skin Wizard Instant Burn Kits which come with 3 different coloured gels to allow you to create horrific wound effects on-the-fly. Being able to produce wound effects straight from the box without prosthetics is a handy skill to have and it allows you to have complete freedom with the size and shape of the wound area – give it a go!

Our Skin Wizard Kit is an ideal way to create direct application wounds

4. Add dirt

Adding dirt to wound prosthetics suggests that the something happened in the real world; if you’re trying to simulate an accident outdoors chances are those wounds wouldn’t be clean. Fullers Earth (clay powder) is fantastic for adding dust and dirt, and if you add some drops of water it clumps up and clings to the skin and clothes like lumps of mud, but is easy to wash away.

5. Add glass, leaves, shrapnel and stiches

If you are doing makeup FX to simulate someone who has been beaten or wounded outdoors, stick a few scraps of leaves into the blood and onto the skin so it looks like your model has been lying in the dirt. Dried herbs also work well as miscellaneous debris that would stick to the skin. If your actor is supposed to have been in a car crash or a bar fight, adding fake glass is a great way to give an extra dimension to your makeup. Sili-Glass is a clear silicone rubber that looks like glass but is completely safe – ideal for using in prosthetics. Never use real glass.

There are many objects that can be added to wound appliances to make them look particularly gruesome. Fake knives, scissors and screwdrivers are al favourites, but also consider smaller objects that can suggest that the wound truly penetrates the skin. Scraps of wood and blunt metal work well and our Shrapnel Wound Prosthetic is specifically designed for the addition of a small piece of debris.

Adding a little shrapnel can bring a lot to your effect

Got a makeup FX question or comment?

We love hearing from Nimba Creations customers, Cosplayers, Actors, Movie Makers and Makeup FX artists at every stage of their career. If you’ve got a question or comment about our products, Makeup FX or want to show off your latest creation you can contact us via our Facebook Page.

Thanks to shows like The Walking Dead and World War Z, zombies are hugely popular these days, particularly Halloween comes around. If you want to be a truly convincing walker, here are our top tips to perfect your look.

1. Clothing

Tearing and dirtying clothes is a great way to complete your zombie, but make sure the wear and tear is authentic. Don’t cut your clothes with scissors – rip them. Cuts will look too obvious and unrealistic. Also consider which areas would wear out first, such as around the neckline, cuffs and hems. Use sandpaper to make holes in clothes to suggest your zombie clothes have worn away over time, and use paints and polishes to stain clothing rather than using real dirt and mud which will dry out and fall off. Watch the video below to see how we distressed a medical gown to go with our hospital zombie prosthetic.

2. Blood

It’s tempting to cover your zombie in buckets of blood for extra gore factor, but don’t go too crazy. Think about where your zombie would have blood and why; has he been biting other people? If so put a little blood around the mouth. If your zombie has wounds, add blood but not too much – let your makeup show through. Try using different tones such as standard Special FX blood, Zombie Blood and blood coloured paint, and use spattering, dripping and hand prints for extra realism.

Use fake blood sparingly

3. Prosthetics

If you want to go full zombie, prosthetics are a must. We stock several zombie brows including a standard gelatine prosthetic, a One Eyed Zombie Brow with a withered eye socket and a reusable Silicone Zombie Brow. If you have smaller features and are worried that a full brow may be too large for you, try our Silicone Zombie Mini Kit which includes cheek bone and nose ridge appliances that can be placed to fit your face exactly. Zombie Mouth Prosthetics are a great addition for a comprehensive zombie makeup, just be sure to bring some drinking straws with you to the Halloween party to avoid loosening your appliances on your big night out! Watch the video below to see a complete application and painting guide.

4. Hair

If you’ve gone to all the trouble of wearing down clothes and applying prosthetics, don’t forget to dress your hair, and do not just back comb it with hairspray – you are trying to look like the undead, not an extra from a 1980s music video! Your hair should look lank and dirty, so use lots of hair gel (or hair conditioner) and add Fullers Earth (clay powder) to make it look like you’ve just clawed your way out of the ground. Coloured hair sprays are also available but choose carefully and don’t overdo it.

Make sure your hair matches your look

5. Eyes

The only safe way to use contact lenses is to get high quality lenses from a supplier like 9mm who will ask you for dimensions to ensure that your lenses fit your eyes correctly. There have been a lot of horror stories in recent years from people who used cheap lenses for fancy dress parties and severely damaged their eyes.

9mm stock a range of superb zombie contact lenses

7. Teeth

It’s no use making your face look decayed if your teeth look perfect when you open your mouth. You can add black food dye to mouth wash to darken them down which looks great as it pools between your teeth and makes them look like they are rotting from the edges, but this effect will wear off over time. For a longer lasting solution, use tooth enamels and choose yellows and browns to make your teeth look putrid.

Watch our zombie makeup application video below for extra tips and techniques, and don’t forget to show us photos of your finished walker!

Got a makeup FX question or comment?

We love hearing from Nimba Creations customers, Cosplayers, Actors, Movie Makers and Makeup FX artists at every stage of their career. If you’ve got a question or comment about our products, Makeup FX or want to show off your latest creation you can contact us via our Facebook Page.

If you are going for an extreme look for your party, film shoot or cosplay, prosthetics can give a lot of exciting options. But have you ever thought about creating a completely unique look to your own specifications? With gelatine prosthetics, it can be easier than you think to mix and match and come up with your own look from off the shelf prosthetics.

Decide on a look before you start

With a little effort you can create completely new looks from off the shelf prosthetics

Have a think on the look you are going for before you shop. It’s tempting to get stuck in and design as you go, but you could run into problems like running out of materials, prosthetics that don’t go well together or overloading one area with too many appliances. Decide on the look you want to end up with and backward-engineer the process from there.

Select your prosthetics carefully

In our example we have used our Animal Attack, Swollen Eye, Shredded Nose Tip and Ripped face prosthetics. We selected these pieces to create one cohesive look that would use the whole left side of the face for a really gross torn face effect.

Select your appliances carefully and make sure you have enough to cover the area your design calls for

Make sure you have all the materials and tools you need

As you are making up your look from your imagination, you need to make sure you have your kit complete and ready to go before you start. Do you need extra gelatine for blending between prosthetics? Will your design require an excess of adhesive? You will definitely need a good sharp pair of small scissors for cutting your prosthetics to fit and we also recommend using Toms Sculpting Tool, soaked in hot water for manipulating the gelatine to create the shapes that fit your design.

Gelatine prosthetics can be cut with small sharp scissors

Keep the gelatine that you cut away

If you trim your prosthetics to help them fit together, keep the off-cuts. They can be melted down and used to create blends that look like flesh or sinew to help transition from one prosthetic to another. We stock 200g units of gelatine if you want to create larger built up wound areas and Bald Head Gelatine for creating areas of the head where the hair is missing (a disturbing effect).

Use gelatine off-cuts to create blended areas

Make small changes as you go

As you go through the makeup process, you will want to make small adjustments as the look develops. Be methodical, take a step back and review what you are doing regularly.

Make small adjustments as you go

Keep your paint job uniform

You’ve gone to the trouble to cut and blend your prosthetics for a cohesive look, so make sure you do the same with your paint job. Don’t paint the appliances individually; paint everything at the same time using the same tones, colours and levels of blood throughout the makeup to reinforce the look.

Keep your look unified with a solid paint job

Watch the 3 minute video below to watch this mash-up come to life, and get creative with your own looks – have fun! Don’t forget to show us photos of your finished work, we love to see the wide range of looks our customers get with our products!

Got a makeup FX question or comment?

We love hearing from Nimba Creations customers, Cosplayers, Actors, Movie Makers and Makeup FX artists at every stage of their career. If you’ve got a question or comment about our products, Makeup FX or want to show off your lastest creation you can contact us via our Facebook Page.

Gelatine is a versatile material – it’s flexible, soft and recyclable. To get the best out of your prosthetics, there are a few things to know to make sure you don’t end up with brittle or fragile appliances.

Gelatine is the most versatile material for casting prosthetics

1. Don’t boil it

Although you need to get the gelatine hot to melt it, never boil it. Boiling will affect the structure of your gelatine and when it’s set, it will become sticky and unusable. If you are using a microwave, warm the gelatine a little at a time, checking and stirring regularly. If you are using a saucepan, keep the heat low and stir at regular intervals.

2. Don’t chill it

It’s not just boiling that will ruin the integrity of gelatine – chilling cast appliances will adversely effect it too. Although appliances are best stored in a cool place out of direct sunlight, the fridge it not the place for them. Chilling gelatine prosthetics will make them brittle and likely to break or tear when handled.

Chilling your prosthetic in a fridge can leave it brittle

3. Be careful when melting it

Pay the utmost attention when melting gelatine. Hot gelatine sticks like glue, if it gets on your skin it can cause serious burns. Use heatproof gloves when handling it and never leave melting gelatine unattended. If you are leaving excess gelatine to cool, make sure it is in a stable container away from the edge of your table or counter and if possible, cover it.

4. Make sure the temperature is right for pouring

Gelatine needs to be hot to make sure your prosthetics are cast properly. As gelatine cools, it thickens, and pouring cool gelatine into a mould will result in air bubbles and poor castings. Get the gelatine to a fluid consistency and pour it into your mould right away. To test it, dip in a metal spoon and allow some gelatine to pour off it. If it pours in a thin, fluid line it’s ready for your mould.

5. Keep it clean

One of the best things about gelatine is that that is can be reused. Any overflow from casting prosthetics (and any bad castings) can be melted and used again which is great, but you can pick up debris such as hair and grit as you use it. Have a good metal sieve to hand (not plastic – it will melt!) and pour your gelatine through it to remove foreign objects.

Use a metal sieve to remove debris from your gelatine

6. Don’t reheat it too many times

Although it can be reused, don’t reheat your gelatine too many times. Eventually, it will break down and become brittle and you will end up with unusable castings. If your gelatine is beginning to go darker or turn amber in colour, its been overheated or used too many times. We would only recommend re-heating gelatine 3 or 4 times – after that, move on to a new batch.

We sell gelatine in 1kg, 400g and 200g units, and it’s the same recipe that we use to cast all of the prosthetics that you see in our shop. Watch the video below to see the best way to apply your gelatine prosthetics.

Got a makeup FX question or comment?

We love hearing from Nimba Creations customers, Cosplayers, Actors, Movie Makers and Makeup FX artists at every stage of their career. If you’ve got a question or comment about our products, Makeup FX or want to show off your lastest creation you can contact us via our Facebook Page.