History of Special Effects Make up

Because the early black and white movies didn't show colors, special effects make up had limitations. Actors had to find their own ways to help the make up bring their character to life. With time and new technology, make up special effects see no more boundaries.

The Special effects make up have been used since the old days when film making started producing with a mass production an d it is limitless. We can remembered since the old days where black and white film had been made in the 18th century. We can seen old films such as Frankenstein, Count Dracula, and many monster movies that used special effects make up for their films making.

There many movies that used special effects make up in the past such as:

Frankenstein

Count Drakula

Swamp Thing

How to Learn Special Effects Make up

FIRST

Special effects makeup (SPFX for short) is some of the most challenging and rewarding of artistry skills a makeup artist can accomplish. Many people go to school to learn special effects, but there are many "do it yourself" methods that can get you started on the right path. The real key to learning special effects is not being afraid to experiment and to always practice.

SECOND

Invest in quality makeup. Ben Nye makes professional and affordable makeup kits for learning some of the basics, such as bruises, burns, cuts, monsters, zombies and even wrinkles. All the Ben Nye kits come with complete easy-to-follow directions and are sold at costume stores all over the world.

THIRD

Books are a important resource for learning, even in the world of makeup. Kevyn Aucoin's book "Making Faces" is a useful resource for learning how to contour and change the shape of people's faces. Contouring is one of the most important things to master when creating monsters and 3D effects such as wounds. Janus Vinther wrote a book called "Special Effects Makeup," which has been a standard in most SPFX schools across the country and goes beyond the basics. Vinther's book also pairs nicely with the Ben Nye kits.

FOURTH

Practice on friends and build a portfolio. Once you have a couple of looks down, start taking pictures of your finished product. Try to find a photographer to take professional photographs that really showcase your work.

How to Make Fake Movie Blood

If you are looking to create a truly horrifying costume or simply want to play a scary prank on someone, try out a few makeup tips straight from the movie-making experts. Fake blood is one of the simplest ways to make any scary costume stand out from the rest. Now you can make convincing, real-looking blood right in your own kitchen.

1. Measure 1/8 of a cup of corn syrup into a small bowl or measuring cup. You may use light or dark corn syrup, but light corn syrup may require a bit more food coloring.

2. Add about 20 drops of red food coloring to the corn syrup and stir well. If you are going for a nonrealistic, super gory fake blood effect, bright red may be just what you are looking for to complement your monster makeup. If you are going for a more realistic look, add blue food coloring one drop at a time until you reach your desired shade

3. Thicken your fake blood for easier application by adding about 1 tsp. of sifted white flour. Stir the mixture as well as possible and let sit for 10 minutes. After the mixture has set and thickened a bit, the extra flour will float on top where you can easily remove the clumps. Adding flour will also make your fake blood less transparent and more realistic

4. Make your fake blood as tasty as it is realistic, especially for zombie or vampire costumes. Instead of adding blue food coloring, add a drop or two of chocolate syrup. The chocolate syrup not only makes your makeup taste good, it will thicken and darken your fake blood for a more realistic look

Examples of Special Effects Make Up