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Logan McNeil, a friend of mine
needed help looking right for the Memphis
Comics and Fantasy Convention (MCFC)
this year. Along with friends, A.G. Howard
and Kasey Dees, I helped him complete his
“V, the TV Series” inspired look. Whereas
A.G. and Kasey focused on his face using
liquid latex and grease and cake colorants,
I knocked out his gloves/hands – we used
the same processes to get our appliances
skinned, though, and that’s what I will
cover in this month’s article.
First thing’s first – supplies needed: I
used Gel-00 Silicone (again, you can use
liquid latex, too, as A.G. did for the face
appliance), because I used silicone, I also
needed some tin thix to help work with my
mixture, oil based clay, a purchased
section of textured vinyl from an arts and
fabric store, water-based-acrylic colorant
(for liquid latex, you can also use this but
more sparingly), popsicle sticks, clear
cups, acrylic fingernails kit, super glue,
baby powder and at least two, thick means
needed help looking right for the Memphis
Comics and Fantasy Convention (MCFC)
this year. Along with friends, A.G. Howard
and Kasey Dees, I helped him complete his
“V, the TV Series” inspired look. Whereas
A.G. and Kasey focused on his face using
liquid latex and grease and cake colorants,
I knocked out his gloves/hands – we used
the same processes to get our appliances
skinned, though, and that’s what I will
cover in this month’s article.
First thing’s first – supplies needed: I
used Gel-00 Silicone (again, you can use
liquid latex, too, as A.G. did for the face
appliance), because I used silicone, I also
needed some tin thix to help work with my
mixture, oil based clay, a purchased
section of textured vinyl from an arts and
fabric store, water-based-acrylic colorant
(for liquid latex, you can also use this but
more sparingly), popsicle sticks, clear
cups, acrylic fingernails kit, super glue,
baby powder and at least two, thick means
 |
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All that was left was trimming excess, unwanted silicone around the wrist area, and
then, when Logan put the silicone gloves on, I could then trim/shape and carefully using
super glue put into place his fingernails/claws. If Logan had wanted, we could have
further detailed the textures with black grease paints and could have used a yellowish
fingernail polish on his nails/claws.
Duane P. Craig is a 10 year veteran in the special fx industry and currently works in and
around the mid-south. Check out other articles in the SFX Focus series by visiting our
news archive section.
then, when Logan put the silicone gloves on, I could then trim/shape and carefully using
super glue put into place his fingernails/claws. If Logan had wanted, we could have
further detailed the textures with black grease paints and could have used a yellowish
fingernail polish on his nails/claws.
Duane P. Craig is a 10 year veteran in the special fx industry and currently works in and
around the mid-south. Check out other articles in the SFX Focus series by visiting our
news archive section.
of rolling pins (I purchased a 4 inch, sturdy grade of PVC pipe, and I also used a thick
cardboard middle roll from painting plastic previously used).
For a flat skin with texture, it’s as simple as rolling flat the oil based clay, preferably
onto some wax paper, and then after super gluing the textured vinyl onto the thicker PVC
piping, I then press-rolled with enough pressure back over the oil based clay to create a
very nice negative mold to cast/skin.
cardboard middle roll from painting plastic previously used).
For a flat skin with texture, it’s as simple as rolling flat the oil based clay, preferably
onto some wax paper, and then after super gluing the textured vinyl onto the thicker PVC
piping, I then press-rolled with enough pressure back over the oil based clay to create a
very nice negative mold to cast/skin.
It’s straight to the silicone, then: Mixing one parts A to B and using just enough water
based acrylic color for it does the trick. Pouring it and lightly spreading the silicone over
the textured clay (ensuring you don’t touch the clay itself to ruin the texture, of course),
keeping it thin enough, as well is all that’s left before waiting for it to dry.
based acrylic color for it does the trick. Pouring it and lightly spreading the silicone over
the textured clay (ensuring you don’t touch the clay itself to ruin the texture, of course),
keeping it thin enough, as well is all that’s left before waiting for it to dry.
| The resulting skin appliance looks really good. |
But, again, this wasn’t my focus for Logan’s costuming. I need to make his
gloves/hands, and I needed to do them out of silicone, as well I would need to make him
some claws/fingernails on them. That means that I had to take next to 3 lbs. of oil based
clay and sculpt a hand approximately the same size as Logan’s hand. Then, after letting
the clay harden by refrigerating it, I had to take smaller pieces of the textured vinyl and by
hand, I had to press the texture carefully into the clay.
gloves/hands, and I needed to do them out of silicone, as well I would need to make him
some claws/fingernails on them. That means that I had to take next to 3 lbs. of oil based
clay and sculpt a hand approximately the same size as Logan’s hand. Then, after letting
the clay harden by refrigerating it, I had to take smaller pieces of the textured vinyl and by
hand, I had to press the texture carefully into the clay.
It’s a tedious process, but it’s actually one that overall saved me time compared to
sculpting, molding a negative, pouring a positive, making a new negative, etc. etc. etc.
This is a prime example of how doing FX isn’t always an exact science per processes,
and/or that you or I can and likely will come up with new and/or better ways to pull off
effective works.
Next, and slightly as tedious was setting upright the hand sculpt and pouring and
lightly brushing/spreading over into place my colored silicone. (important note: this is
where using tin thix in your silicone mix becomes amazingly helpful – it makes your silicone
mix no longer soupy and runny…it will be like icing a cake and stay where you spread it).
About 20 minutes later when dry, I used baby powder to dust it and carefully peeled the
silicone off and in inside-out fashion…and wa laa…I have textured gloves/hands.
sculpting, molding a negative, pouring a positive, making a new negative, etc. etc. etc.
This is a prime example of how doing FX isn’t always an exact science per processes,
and/or that you or I can and likely will come up with new and/or better ways to pull off
effective works.
Next, and slightly as tedious was setting upright the hand sculpt and pouring and
lightly brushing/spreading over into place my colored silicone. (important note: this is
where using tin thix in your silicone mix becomes amazingly helpful – it makes your silicone
mix no longer soupy and runny…it will be like icing a cake and stay where you spread it).
About 20 minutes later when dry, I used baby powder to dust it and carefully peeled the
silicone off and in inside-out fashion…and wa laa…I have textured gloves/hands.
