10
Skin Textures and Abnormalities

As with aging, it is imperative that when you are creating skin textures or abnormalities you do research first, so that you are not "indicating" but truly replicating the look that you want.

Five O’Clock Shadow

Creating the look of a day-or-two-old beard is very simple, but you need to approach it carefully. If you are male, you will know where the outline of your beard and moustache are. If you are a woman playing a man, you will need to do some visual research to determine where the edges should be.

Because natural hair is not all one color, choose two cream colors that are close to your hair color. Even if your hair is black, you will find that is has highlights of a lighter value. Use your stipple sponge as you did in Chapter 9. Starting with the lighter color, carefully press the makeup onto your beard area, a little at a time, fading out towards the edges. Repeat with the darker color, stopping before you get to the edges. If the edge looks a little too regular, you can stipple some base color on it to roughen it up.

Ruddiness, Rosacea, and Acne

Stippling for ruddiness was covered in Chapter 9. Use a warm (reddish) blush cream makeup and carefully stipple onto the cheeks and nose. Rosacea is usually found on the cheeks, nose, and chin. Acne is found anywhere on the face and also on the shoulders and back. You can find many good pictures on the internet. If you skin is light in tone, these conditions are red. If your skin is dark, sometimes these conditions are red, but often they are a purplish color.

STIPPLED BEARD SHADOW

STIPPLED AREA

Start by stippling two shades of red onto the areas you want to cover. For acne, and more extreme forms of rosacea, use the pad of your middle finger to apply additional spots of color. For extreme case of acne, use your finger or a cotton swab to apply dots of a highlight color to the spots.

Finish by stippling cream foundation over the red areas to tone them down.

SPOTS

HIGHLIGHTS

STIPPLED FOUNDATION

Bruises and Black Eyes

Bruises go through a series of stages. They start off dark reddish-purple, turn purplish-black, and then fade back to red, with yellow around the edges as they heal. We will look at these three stages on the eye. Because you will need to use red theatrical makeup near your eyes, test it first when you have time to take care of any reaction. Never use cosmetic lipstick around the eyes because it has oils in it that can irritate and damage your eyes.

For phase one of a black eye, use a stipple sponge to apply a combination of red and purple cream makeup to your eye. When you have a black eye, the blood pools down in the socket, therefore, use more purple in that area, following the curve of the socket.

APPLICATION OF RED IN PHASE ONE OF A BLACK EYE

APPLICATION OF PURPLE IN PHASE ONE OF A BLACK EYE

PHASE TWO OF A BLACK EYE

For phase two of a black eye, use the stipple sponge to apply a combination of purple and purplish black (mix purple with a little black) cream makeup to the eye socket again, with the darkest part in the bottom curve of the socket. Use some of the darkest color in the crease of the eye as well.

For phase three of a black eye, begin by applying yellow ochre cream makeup to the eye socket, extending a bit beyond the edges.

Next, apply red to parts of the eye socket.

Finally, apply a small amount of purple just above the edge of the socket and in the crease of the eye.

YELLOW BASE OF HEALING BRUISE

RED LAYER OF HEALING BRUISE

PHASE THREE OF A BLACK EYE

Scars and Welts

Scars and welts are most convincingly created using latex. If you are not allergic to latex you can build your scar directly on your skin. If you are allergic to latex, you can build your scar on a mirror, a piece of glass or a laminate counter, peel it off—powdering the underside as you go and apply it to your face using spirit gum or medical adhesive (see Chapter 11).

Apply a layer of latex to your face a little bit longer and wider than the desired scar. Let the latex dry and repeat two more times. This is the base of your scar.

Unroll a cotton ball and rip off a piece as long as and several times wider than the desired scar. Twist it to the thickness desired; wider in the middle, thinner at the ends. The more irregular your scar is, the more realistic it will look. Cover the twisted cotton with a coat of latex and press it to the latex base on your face.

LATEX BASE OF SCAR

COTTON SCAR ADHERED TO BASE

COTTON SCAR COVERED WITH LATEX

Cover the scar with two or three more layers of latex, allowing it to dry between layers.

Use a non-latex sponge to apply a thin layer of castor oil over the scar, wipe off as much as possible, and then powder.

Apply cream foundation to match the rest of your face. Apply highlight to the edge of the scar, then shadow underneath.

If the edge of the scar is too visible, you can soften it by stippling lightly with your shadow color.

OILED AND POWDERED SCAR

SCAR WITH MAKEUP APPLIED

STIPPLED EDGE

Peeling Skin or Sunburn

To create the look of peeling skin, use a single-ply piece of facial tissue or toilet paper and rip it to the size and shape you want. Rip all the way around so there are no even, pre-cut edges.

Apply a layer of latex to your face a little bit larger than the paper.

Let the latex dry and repeat two or three more times.

Before the last layer dries, press the paper to it smoothly so it adheres. Apply three more layers of latex, allowing it to dry each time.

FIRST LAYER OF LATEX

MULTIPLE LAYERS OF LATEX

MULTIPLE LAYERS OF LATEX OVER TISSUE

Use a non-latex sponge to apply a thin layer of castor oil over the "skin." Wipe off as much of the oil as possible, then powder.

Apply cream base to match the rest of your face.

OILED AND POWDERED LATEX "SKIN"

"SKIN" WITH MAKEUP APPLIED

Carefully peel an edge of the latex-coated tissue from your face, powdering the underside.

Apply a reddish color makeup—either cream or powder—to the skin underneath the peeled latex.

PEELING LATEX-AND-TISSUE "SKIN"

RED MAKEUP SHOWS "TRAUMA"