Learn make gelatin special effect prosthetic molds from scratch.
If you want to look like an older version of yourself for Halloween, or need a realistic deformity for a movie, you can make your own special effects makeup using gelatin. The kind of gelatin needed to make makeup prosthetic pieces is found in costume shops and craft stores, but you must first make a mold. With the right materials and procedure, you can make your gelatin makeup effects look exactly how you want.
Instructions
1. Sculpt the model of the gelatin prosthesis out of non-drying modeling clay. Press the mold against your face, or the face of the person who will be wearing the finished prosthesis, to be sure it is the right size and fits the the intended area of the face.
2. Flatten another piece of the non-drying modeling clay to about one-quarter inch thick -- on a clean, smooth place mat -- using a rolling pin. Place the bottom of the clay model of the prosthesis in the middle of the flattened clay, and gently press down the edges. Make sure there is about one-half inch of room between the edges of the prosthetic model and the edges of the flattened clay on all sides.
3. Cut one-quarter-inch-thick pieces of Styrofoam into four panels that will surround the clay model of the prosthesis like a fence. Measure the length and width of the perimeter of the model, one-half inch away from its edges on the flattened piece of clay. Cut the four panels according to these measurements, with a utility knife.
4. Glue the corners of the Styrofoam panels together with epoxy adhesive, and make sure the bottoms are pressed into the flattened clay surrounding the model of the prosthesis. Wait 24 hours for the adhesive to dry. The edges of the Styrofoam must be sealed tightly to each other and to the clay.
5. Spray the clay and the inner walls of the Styrofoam housing with a non-stick cooking spray. Mix 1 cup of water with 2 cups of plaster of Paris in a container, until there are no more clumps. You may need to make more, depending on how large the mold is.
6. Pour the plaster of Paris into the mold, starting in the corners. Allow the mixture to fill in all the nooks and crannies of the clay model -- filling the housing of the mold to at least one-half inch above the highest point of the clay. Wait 1 hour for the plastic to set.
7. Pull the Styrofoam away from the sides of the plaster mold, and gently pull it off the clay model. You now have a mold you can use to make many replicas of the gelatin prosthetic pieces.
Tags: clay model, flattened clay, model prosthesis, one-half inch, away from, clay model prosthesis
