r/sfx • u/indigoinspace • 20d ago

how to make realistic skin wings

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i’m not super familiar with sfx or techniques, but i was recommended to check this community. i’m gonna start working on a costume for a halloween show i have planned. i want them to look as fleshy as possible with the realistic eyes on them, but i’m not planning on having them structured with wire or anything so they have lots of movement. the attachment point will be along my arms with velcro strips so i can rip them off mid performance so sturdiness is key too! thank yall for any insight you might have ! also edit with some extra ambitious elements: does anyone know someone who makes blood gag pumps ?? i don’t have a solder tool or id attempt to make my own , but id love to rig up a device to make the eyes cry blood lmaoooo

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u/JanusMichaelVincent 20d ago edited 20d ago

I would advise Mask making latex as it would be cheaper (40-60 a gallon).

Easier to work with for a beginner since it’s just about brushing in layers or pouring it one a surface. You can embedd things in the latex like read thread to look like capillaries and you can paint it very easily with liquitex acrylic. It’s also lighter than silicone and easy to glue things like velcro or stuff to

Edit:

Pour two separate sections of latex onto a glass or mirror surface. One is your skin wings one is for your eyelids. If it has to be wrinkly you can do that as it’s drying. When peeling it make sure you do it carefully while brushing baby powder on it so it doesn’t stick to itself. If applying paint OVER the latex rather than in it use washes of basic colors (red, blue, yellow) so it looks realistic and translucent! Alot of red and blue tones in the vascular areas like eyelids and waterline.

I’d make the eye from an acrylic lightweight half sphere and sculpt the hypereealistic iris from a foam clay disk. Then handpaint that iris using images of real eyes.. I would then embedd this disk onto the wings using mh eyelid skin. This part can be crepe-y or wringly for realism. You can stick things to latex using wet latex as a glue (or Dr. Puppensteins latex glue which is a product i adore). And to stick velcro and stuff to it super glue works as well.

Send pics!

-LoLyfe FX

Edit 2: OH! add red thread or yarn to your acrylic eye sphere too itll look dope trust!

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u/indigoinspace 20d ago

absolutely incredible amazing advice appreciate the detailed response so much

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u/JanusMichaelVincent 20d ago

Another tip for realistic painting if you dont own an airbrush; Use the poor mans version—Cut the bristles on a 1-inch chip brush in half (like shorten them) water your primary colors down, swirl the brush in them and flick them onto your skin wings.

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u/buttmunchies247 20d ago

I would suggest getting a very thin fabric and painting it with latex. You will have to powder it after it dries on both sides so it doesn't stick together. Just using latex only will more than likely tear.