The Makeup Artist Handbook

by Gretchen Davis

  Figure 11.56 Fit the gelatin: Step 2

  3. Lift areas of the appliance, and apply Pros-Aide with a sponge (Figure 11.57). Allow to dry most of the way clear. Press into place. It's best to start from the inside pressing outward. If you fold an edge, use a little alcohol on a brush, and lift the edge to replace it correctly.

  Figure 11.57 Lift areas: Step 3

  4. Have chin slightly down, and attach one side at a time (Figure 11.58).

  Figure 11.58 Chin slightly down: Step 4

  5. Take flash off with witch hazel (Figure 11.59).

  Figure 11.59 Take flash: Step 5

  6. Gently blend edges with witch hazel—it's easy to overdo this step and dig a hole in your appliance edge.

  7. Blend the edges with stipple sponge and Pros-Aide (Figure 11.60).

  Figure 11.60 Blend edges stipple: Step 7

  8. Apply Pros-Aide over the entire piece.

  9. Let dry completely.

  10. Use no-color powder around edges (Figure 11.61).

  Figure 11.61 Finished piece

  Painting Gelatin

  By Kenny Myers

  Now that your appliance is prepped and applied, you're ready to paint. If you've done your homework and have properly made your appliance (including the intrinsic coloring) and paid attention to translucency (the balance on intrinsic coloring to the mass of gelatin), the piece should require only a series of color stipples and wash passes using Skin Illustrator (my favorite). Taking a standard wedge of white makeup sponge and tearing holes in a random pattern on the application side of the sponge gives an excellent pattern on the appliance. Overstippling with this sponge will result in a natural soft skin pattern. Be careful not to use too opaque a mix of color, but instead, soft washes of color on the sponge.

  Another favorite technique of mine is a hand-painted scumble, instead of using orange or red stipple sponges. This technique uses a round natural-bristle brush, usually around a #8, and the color is placed on the appliance in what may seem like a random pattern. However, if you closely study most skin, you'll see variations of color density and color placement everywhere. This will help “sell” your paint job! Most Makeup Artists are people watchers—not only for behaviors, but also character traits and, most of all, variations in individual colorations. This is a great pastime when sitting around a mall or at any gathering.

  This brings up an issue for those of you wishing to move into the professional end of the industry. I say this only because if you are planning a career in the makeup industry, have a “for sure” before you have a “maybe.” I've seen many Makeup Artists ignore a tried-and-true method to keep themselves in the technological limelight—only to fail miserably in the 11th hour, when it was too late to correct the situation, and get themselves a reputation for irresponsibility. This warning cuts across all material usage or processes, no matter what they are. This is an issue of responsibility for your contract with your employer.

  Making a Gypsum Mold and Foam Latex

  By Gil Mosko

  [Gil Mosko created GM Foam in 1987 to meet the needs of the Makeup Artist for a more user-friendly foam latex. Gil has numerous awards and has developed the foam latex that has become Industry Standard. He explains how to approach working with foam latex, and how to make a gypsum mold.]

  To make a gypsum mold, the mold-maker needs to take a life cast of the actor and reproduce his or her face in gypsum (the positive mold). The most popular type of gypsum is Ultracal 30 from United States Gypsum, which is bought in 100-pound bags, or in smaller amounts from makeup-supply houses (such as Motion Picture Effects Company, in Burbank, California). The mold-maker would now need to complete a sculpture on the positive. There are many types of clay to sculpt with. Plastilina is the generic name for oil-based clay that never dries out. Common types are Roma Plastilina, and Chavant Clay.

  Once the sculpture is completed, it is important to use more Plastilina around the outside of the sculpture to provide “relief” from the negative. In other words, by using this “flashing clay,” a thin strip of contact between positive and negative is created. Having a thin strip of contact creates less surface area of contact, and therefore needs less pressure to squeeze foam out of this contact area. The finished foam piece will now have a very thin edge, which is most desirable for the Makeup Artist who is applying the appliance to hide in the final makeup application. The finished sculpture, complete with its flashing and setter points of contact (to prevent rocking), is now sprayed with KRYOLAN Crystal Clear Acrylic Spray. This creates a barrier that prevents the positive and negative from sticking to each other during the molding process. Many mold-makers also use a very light spray of MR 1500 (spray Vaseline) or Parfilm spray.

  The simplest form of foam mold is the two-piece squash mold. It has a simple positive, free from undercuts. To match it, there is a one-piece negative, containing all the information from the original sculpture, but in the reverse, or negative. These two mold pieces fit together intimately. The mold-making steps are simply put: Make a wet clay floor and walls around the sculpture, which sits on the mold positive; splash a coat of wet gypsum; add a second splash coat, hemp or burlap coats, and a finishing coat; including three feet.

  Our lab has a steadfast rule: “Feet on every mold.” Having little feet on the negative means that the mold will sit in a stable manner on the table, without rolling or rocking. This will enable the user to adjust the mold strap without having the resistance of the mold sitting on the strap. This is especially helpful in the context of having a full-foam injector and many molds to fill. The user can save precious seconds by not having to fiddle with mold straps that are rubbing against the bottom of the negative mold.

  The most popular form of gypsum for these molds is Ultracal 30, from United States Gypsum. Although many people use burlap as a mold-strengthening fiber, we prefer using hemp fiber. The simple reason is that hemp has many more fibers per inch than burlap, and the number of fibers adds to the strength of the mold. Once the mold is finished, it is always best if you have the time to allow the mold to sit overnight before opening it. GM Foam likes to heat the mold to about 120º F, so the Plastilina inside will be softened. In this way, the positive and negative can be separated with far less resistance from the rock-hard, cold Plastilina.

  In extreme cases, preheating before opening a mold will actually save the interior of the negative, which would otherwise be chipped and broken by the hard, cold Plastilina. After opening the two mold halves (positive and negative), all of the Plastilina must be carefully removed. Use wooden tools to scrape away the Plastilina. Never use metal tools, which will scratch the interior of a mold. When the mold is fairly clean, it is time to scrub the interior with 99-percent isopropyl alcohol with a chip brush. This will wash out any remaining Plastilina residue and oil. Your mold is now ready to be prepped for foam use.

  New damp molds should be sealed before attempting to run foam in them. Use a thin solution of Johnson's Paste Wax, thinned with 99-percent isopropyl alcohol. The ratio is about four to five parts alcohol to one part wax. Mix well, and then strain out the lumps through cheesecloth or window screen. Paint this “Alco wax” into both sides of the mold, all over the interior. Mop up any pools, and place the mold in front of a fan to dry. After the alcohol has evaporated, repeat this sealing process. It is always wise to bake out wet molds at this point. A convection oven works much better than a plain oven that does not have circulating air. We bake out molds at 140º F, but many of our friends use temperatures as high as 180º F. The moisture will stay in the mold for much longer than you think. It often takes a minimum of six hours to truly bake a mold.

  After baking the empty mold, a third painting of Alco wax is done. When that is dry, the interior mold surface can be brushed out with a chip brush, or polished with a towel. This will make the surface shine. Use GM Foam Mold Release around all of the edges, where the mold pieces contact each other. Just paint a very thin layer of the white GM Release all around the perimeter of the p
iece, and let dry to white film. Your mold is now ready to be used with foam.

  Steps to Mold-Making

  1. Little feet (Figure 11.62).

  Figure 11.62 Little feet

  2. Little feet (Figure 11.63).

  Figure 11.63 Little feet

  3. Sculpture (Figure 11.64).

  Figure 11.64 Sculpture

  4. Clay walls (Figure 11.65).

  Figure 11.65 Clay walls

  5. First splash coat (Figure 11.66).

  Figure 11.66 First splash coat

  6. Second splash coat (Figure 11.67).

  Figure 11.67 Second splash coat

  7. Hemp coat (Figure 11.68).

  Figure 11.68 Hemp coat

  8. Finished coat (Figure 11.69).

  Figure 11.69 Finished coat

  9. Two pieces (Figure 11.70)

  Figure 11.70 Two pieces

  Foam Molds

  All of GM Foam's latex kits come with excellent instruction sheets. For this illustration, let it suffice to say that liquid latex and other ingredients are weighed into the mixer bowl. The mixer is turned on low for a minute to mix all the ingredients, and then turned to a high speed to whip the foam to a desired volume, usually four to five times the original volume. When the foam reaches this height, the mixer is turned down to a lower speed to pop large bubbles and “refine” the foam. All the while, ammonia is escaping from the mixer bowl. As a function of this ammonia loss, the foam will have a steady drop in pH. When a certain point is reached (usually pH 10.4), the user carefully pours in a preweighed amount of gelling agent. This begins an acid-producing reaction in the foam, which will eventually coagulate into a solid mass, or “gel.” Before the foam actually gels, the user will have ample time to fill the foam molds and close them. It is important to gel the foam before putting it into an oven to cure, because un-gelled foam will collapse when exposed to oven heat. Cells will start popping, and the resulting foam will look like Swiss cheese.

  Curing the foam will cause the rubber molecules to cross-link, or “vulcanize.” This transforms the raw foam into a springy sponge. Most small appliance molds will need three to three-and-a-half hours in the oven at 185º F. Then the molds are cooled slowly to a comfortable temperature for handling. When removed from the oven, the two mold halves are pried apart, and the resulting foam piece is removed, taking great care not to tear it during removal from the mold.

  Pro Tip

  DO NOT USE YOUR HOUSEHOLD COOKING OVEN FOR FOAM USE!

  Please keep in mind that during the curing process, toxic vapors are given off, which will contaminate your oven for food use. Keep these chemicals away from children and pets.

  It is recommended that you wash the completed foam pieces in warm water and a few drops of baby shampoo, or a few spoonfuls of Simple Green. Then the pieces are gently rinsed, pressed between two towels, and placed on a form that keeps the natural curve of the piece intact. Never wring a piece of foam. If the foam is not allowed to dry in its own natural shape, it will “take a set” from any wrinkles or folds. These set-in flaws will almost always be permanent, ruining the piece, so please be careful to always store foam pieces in their natural curvature.

  For long-term storage, foam pieces should be powdered, and then sealed into plastic bags or airtight food containers. If kept in airtight containers, away from light, foam pieces can be successfully stored for years.

  A Word about the State of Latex in the World

  All foam latex systems are a combination of natural latex (concentrated sap of rubber trees), a soap to make the foam whip up to desired volume (foaming agent), a vulcanizer (curing agent), and a coagulant (gelling agent). Some of the ingredients are extremely safe, such as the foaming agent, and others are toxic. Both the curing agent and the gelling agent are poisonous. Therefore, the entire system should be treated with respect, and basic safety precautions should be used. It is important to note the following: Up until last year, there was one major plantation in Indonesia that manufactured natural creamed latex. Their largest customer was an elastic-thread manufacturer. When the thread manufacturer went out of business, the rubber plantation chose to discontinue the production of natural creamed latex. Several companies have begun making a replacement product. This new product is concentrated centrifuged latex. Normally, centrifuged latex has a solids content of 60 percent, which is too low for our type of foam making. But now the new evaporated product is a centrifuged latex at about 67 to 68 percent, which is perfect for making foam. To my knowledge, all the major foam companies are using this evaporated centrifuged latex.

  At GM Foam, we still believe in natural creamed latex. Through difficult dealings, we have contracted a plantation in another part of the world to start making the original type of creamed latex for us. We believe the physical properties of this type of latex to be superior to the evaporated centrifuged latex. Remember that the centrifuged rubber has been exposed to heat for hours. The latex in the huge drums turns to a thick glop. All of the ammonia preservative has long gone, and we believe that oxidation is occurring during this process. Of course, ammonia is added back into the latex before it is sold, but during the time the latex was a thick paste, it lost some of its physical characteristics due to oxidation of the evaporating process. Our new creamed latex is as good as anything we have seen in the past 20years. When we see cell structure that is strong and resistant to breakdown, and a smooth, shiny surface on gelled foam, we know that our rubber is performing the way it did back in the 1980s, when we started. Creamed latex is back, and we have it!

  Safety

  1. Read the instructions before starting. Refer to the material safety data sheet (MSDS) for more information.

  2. Have adequate ventilation to remove ammonia fumes.

  3. Wear safety goggles and gloves when working with foam.

  4. Do not let foam components come into contact with skin. If this happens, wash with soap and water as soon as possible. Clean up spills.

  5. Wash your hands after working with foam. Never eat, drink, or smoke without washing first.

  6. Anyone working with foam latex should keep a set of material safety data sheets (MSDSs) nearby in case of emergency.

  Prepping Ultracal 30 and Other Stone Molds

  New, damp molds should be sealed with wax before applying GM Foam Mold release. An effective wax sealer can be made using Johnson's Paste Wax (or any carnauba wax) that has been thinned with 99-percent isopropyl alcohol. We use a ratio of four parts alcohol to one part wax.

  Liquid latex and other ingredients are weighed and placed in a mixer bowl. The foam is now whipped at high speed until it rises like whipped cream. When the desired height is reached, the mixer speed is turned down, and the foam is refined to make the bubbles or cells smaller. This also allows the ammonia content of the foam to decrease. At just the right time, gelling agent is added to the slow-turning mixer. After about two minutes of slow blending, the mixer is turned off, and the foam is poured into the negative mold. The positive is carefully placed on top of the negative. Now pressure is applied to squeeze the two mold pieces together. With small molds, simply pressing with the hands will suffice. Larger molds require mold straps to create a good pressing action. Often the negative requires a wooden board to be placed on it and then be strapped. This increases the leverage of the strap, and gives a greater squeezing action.

  Filling Molds

  Curing

  Once the foam has gelled, in a few minutes the mold can be placed into the oven for curing. During this process, vulcanization occurs. The latex molecules chemically cross-link, and give the foam piece a memory. Once demolded, the foam will spring back into shape after being pressed.

  Demolding

  Specific instructions and product information can be acquired by contacting GM Foam, Inc. at (818) 908-1087.

  How to Paint Foam Appliances

  By Gil Mosko

  The gluing of a foam appliance is more or less a mechanical process. There are many different adhesives, b
ut an appliance is built to sit on the face or body in one specific way, and is never stretched. Let us assume that your appliance is glued to the face, and it is time to paint. The goal of course, is to make the paint job not only look like the surrounding skin, but to also make an opaque medium appear translucent. This is achieved by building up layers of thin wash of color, so you can see through the layers and see depth.

  We all learn by watching other artists. In my case, the truth is that the very gifted artist Greg Cannom had me visit his lab, along with my model, and literally showed me how he painted a bald cap. This was during the period in the 1980s when I was studying for my union exam. I applied a bald cap to my model, and Greg painted it. That simple act of generosity has, since that day, changed the way I look at painting.