Fantasy and Horror Author
Finally. Some awesome shots of my effects makeup from the haunted house this year. We had a pretty good year, so thank you to everyone who attended, and thank you to my wonderful cast and crew. Show them love by checking out their pretty (horrifying) faces.
Check out more on the Make up page! You’ll find even more pictures from this year.
New make up!
This was a lot of fun to do. sculpted the prosthetic on a cast of my face from a couple of years ago. I did my negative mold today, then poured in the silicone to create these custom fit prosthetic pieces. These were inspired by Pam’s make up this season on “True Blood.” Her rotting face was WONDERFUL and I knew I had to do it. This was the first attempt today, and will be refined until I’m happy. I’m thinking of making the cheek piece that can be torn off as well.
The silicone came from a company called Brick in the Yard. They’re a wonderful, super helpful company. Be sure to check out their stuff at www.brickintheyard.com.
Enjoy.
You can find more horror make up here.
It’s getting to be that time of year. Here is the quick zombie walk through I did last year. I thought this might be helpful for those starting to plan their costumes. Beth is my wonderful model, and this was filmed by the amazing April. Thanks ladies!
Lots of new stuff, I am happy to report. The site got some new sections, so look around, have some fun. I finally put up some pictures from “Jesus Christ Super Star” and a whole bunch of new make up shots.
Also, this:
And, in honor of “Deathly Hallows”….
Looking for something to do Easter weekend?
I am make up designing and spot oping for Midnight Productions “Jesus Christ Super Star” at the Keswick theater in Glenside PA. Its going to be a lot of fun. If you have the time and the means, get your tickets through Keswick Theater
For make up design, my focus is largely on the Priests. I want them to look exotic, but this is also their war, and they are the bad guys. Below are my rough sketches, just to get my ideas down, but it’s a glimpse in to how I work. These were sketched at a Saturday rehearsal.
This is straight out of my sketch book. No touch ups. I did add the text saying who they were.
I’ll start with Pilate. I wanted to really show how regal Pilate is. He’s either in this position because he royally pissed someone off, or he’s just that good. Either way, his patience is being tried at every corner. Because of that, he has a short fuse. I wanted to really emphasize his jaw and cheek bones to give him a harsher look. I’ll do that with redish purples. The highlights on his face will be done with silver/gold to make him look that much more above the crowd. I’ll emphasize his brow and eyes with black.
Caiaphas. The ring leader. The actor playing Caiaphas has this wonderful deep voice, and I want his appearance to be just as menacing. Beads and string will be woven in to his hair and beard. Annas and the Priestess mimic the features of Caiaphas. Because they are often seen on either side of Caiaphas, I wanted them to kind of balance him. Â All three priests will have black upper lips and eyes ringed with black. The line with the circle pattern and the lines around the mouth are inspired by the Maori warriors and their facial tattoos. As I said before, this is their war, so they are in their war paint. I’m going to use lots of golds and purples and blues for their coloring. The face with the X over it is a take for Annas that I didn’t like. It didn’t fit with the other priests.
And finally, with have Herod. I see Herod’s court as kind of a drunken bacchanal, so I really wanted to portray that feeling in Herod himself. He’s going to have really rosey cheeks and some definite bed head. Other than that, I wanted to keep Herod pretty simple. He’s having too much fun to have a high maintenance appearance. I also wanted him to have a different feel than the priests or Pilate. He’s a little removed from their situation, and doesn’t quite fit in with them.
I hope this was enlightening. And I’ll say it again, if you have the time and the means, this will be a really great show.
New make-up art will be added over the next several days. Check back often!
Also, expect some comic pin-ups soon, maybe even of characters you know and love!
Since Halloween is quickly approaching, I thought I could impart some quick and easy tips to get you up and running.
1) Less is more. This is always one of the first things I go over when teaching a make up work shop. You don’t need to use a ton of make up to get the desired effect. Start with a really thin application. It is always easier to add more than to try to take some off. You’ll also thank your self at the end of the night when you don’t have to wash as much off. That is one of the key things I’ve learned through my years of working at a haunted house.
2) White is a great tool–but it is not the end all be all of make up. A thin coat of white can give an awesomely ghastly pale complexion, but too much and you look like a clown. If that’s what you’re going for, great. But in most cases you only want a little bit of white. Try applying white to the highlight areas only.
3)The same can be said for black. Black is also wonderful and I use it all the time, but it’s an accent, not the base. Use it to darken shadows, not as the shadow itself.
4) A fun little trick for making eyes look really sickly is to apply a little bit of red right under the lower lash line, just like you would with eyeliner.
5) Also for that sickly pallor: A little bit of yellow on your highlight areas, and a smidge of purple on your shadows and you will rock the sick look.
6) Veins can be a really fun look. Take a thin brush, and trace really light thin lines on the face and neck, or even your hands. The eyes and mouth are a good place to focus, but if you need some ideas, google is your best friend. Reds, purples, and blues are great for veins.
Stay tuned for a part 2, but these should help you get out the door for some trick-or-treating.
