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Making Custom Prosthesis Makeup: Part III

So far, we've sketched out a design, and made a mould of the subject's face. We've got our design perfected, and we have something to sculpt on. It's time to sculpt! This is my favourite part of the process. It takes some practice, but the better you get, the better you want to become. It's an addictive cycle!

Sculpting requires the use of a material soft enough to be manipulated but stable enough to remain in the shape it was formed into. Usually, this involves a type of clay-either water-based smooth pottery clay for larger sculpts or an oil or wax based clay known as plasteline-similar to plasticine.

Water based clays are often used for large sculptures such as full body creature suits and masks and quick maquettes or designs. It is useful for designs and three dimensional sketches as it is so easy to work with, and can be used to make shapes and forms very quickly.

Smaller appliances are usually sculpted in plasteline rather than water-based clay. This is because a prosthetic has to blend seamlessly into the skin requiring the sculpture to have tapering edges which become feather thin at the point at which the sculpture stops and the real skin begins.

Water based clay will gradually dry when exposed to air, especially in thin areas, whereas as oil based plasteline will not. This is edge issue is a crucial aspect in prosthetic sculpture.

Getting a flawless transition between the appliance and skin is at the heart of prosthetic makeup. If the edge is apparent, then the appliance will be visible as something stuck on the skin and will consequently look artificial. Every process in the creation of appliances needs to be done carefully to ensure a perfect blend is achieved.

Plasticine

There are a number of brands of plasteline, and many are available in different grades of softness. Plasteline is temporarily softened by the addition of heat, and using a heat gun or a hair dryer allows you to sculpt bolder forms in the softened material, and finer details as it cools and returns to its original softness. You can melt it entirely by gently heating the plasteline in a pan or a special melter. This is particularly useful when sculpting large appliances such as full heads or whole bodies. Melted plasteline can be first applied as a thin layer with a brush and then as the material cools and becomes a soft paste, rough shapes can be built up to block out form.

It is important to establish the correct form early on, as this is the essence of the sculpture. Once the form is established, the sculpture is refined with tools and finally details such as pore texture, wrinkles and folds are added to finish the surface. Textured surfaces which have poor form tend to look flat and lifeless.

Clay

Water based clays are great for working on large sculpts and it is usually much cheaper by weight than plasteline. The type used is usually a smooth grey potter’s clay.

It is much quicker to work with, being much softer than plasteline. It is smoothed easily using water and a brush or sponge. Water needs to be occasionally sprayed onto the surface to maintain the same softness, or else the clay begins to harden as it dries. This can be useful once the form is established, allowing for finer details to be worked into the more resistant surface.

Greater detail can be achieved with plasteline owing to the actual size of the grains which make up the clay. This makes it less suitable for small appliances but aside from this it is an incredible material to work with.

Tools

The tools used to work the clay or plasteline fall into two main categories: those that add material and those that take away. There are a number of tools available from sculpture and specialist suppliers, art shops, pottery supplies and dental suppliers.

Many artists make and customise their own to suit their needs or replace broken kit. They include wooden tools, loops, dental tools, rakes and brushes. For those local in Syracuse, I suggest a trip to Commercial Art Supply on Erie Boulevard for a great selection of tools.

The Appliance

Prosthetics by their very nature can only add volume, not take anything away. If you are creating a huge creature head or monster mask then your only limitation is the practical size of the finished item.

When creating realism for drama however, then you need to maintain minimal additions with maximum effect. The illusion of sunken cheeks for example is achieved by building out the cheekbones and jaw thus creating the appearance that the cheeks have become hollowed.

The skill of the sculptor is to create the necessary additions in such a way as to appear natural while keeping the appliance as thin as possible so as not to make the appliance appear bulky. A mantra to bear in mind is to add only much as it needs, but as little as you can.

While sculpting prosthetics there are two elements which need to be considered. The first is the creative element which is the actual reason for doing the appliance in the first place-you need to create the bullet hole, the laceration, the pointy ear tips, the aged forehead or whatever it happens to be.

The second element is the practical, where the sculptor must consider the appliance is going to fit into the surrounding anatomy of the performer. Sculpting prosthetics requires the sculpture to abide by the anatomy of the lifecast, as well as successfully creating the alteration required by the makeup design.

It also matters where the appliance sculpture will finish, as this is as important as a feather thin blending edge.

If a beautifully sculpted cheek appliance is continued on so it finishes just under the jaw line for example, then it will be much less obvious when the final prosthetic is applied than if the edge was to finishin the middle of the face. With the best will in the world an appliance is still not real skin and every effort must be made to hide the edges from view.

Also, when the appliance is worn all day it tend to be edges which start to deteriorate first, so keeping these tucked into less obvious places will help on set too.

Considerations such as these are developed through experience of how appliances behave once applied to skin. Human skin is very complicated to replicate exactly, and although modern materials such as silicone go a long way to being close, it still pays to do everything possible to ensure that your appliance looks as realistic as possible.

Destroying the Sculpture 

Once the sculpt is finally approved, it is time to make the mould. This process allows the delicate sculpture to be recorded in reverse so multiple versions of it can be made in a suitable material. Sadly, the original sculpture is usually damaged or destroyed removing it from the mould-something many people don't realise when they first start out. But it's okay-we don't need the sculpt any more. All that matters now is the mould. And we'll talk about that process next time.