Experimentation

EYEBROWS

I wanted to experiment with both knotted and punched brows. One main benefit for knotting the brows is they would be a separate piece, rather than a punched piece (if the piece folds or something goes wrong with it then all the punching work will be wasted).

I wanted my model to have fine and over plucked brows. I looked at references when deciding width of brow. I found it difficult to tell whether or not my knotted brow was too thin.

I used the smallest available Marcel tongs to style the eyebrow and then trimmed them. This is something I will need to practice further, as I feel it will take time to gethe technique right. I got used to it furhter along the brow - initially I was trying to curl too big a chunks.

I found that the hair was still too long so I trimmed it further.

Sara suggested using some product in the brow to help it lie flat.
Also suggested angling the hair in the corner of the nose more rather than straight up - as this is more of mans style and is a bit harsh for women.

I also had some problems where a few hairs were lying strangely (I did trya nd ensure that they were all the right direction) however Sara suggested that this may be where one of the hairs has not gone through the loop. She also told me it is best to pull each hair once it has ben knotted to make sure it is tight in the lace.

I also plan to knot my next brow in a darker brown.

FIRST TEST MAKE UP

WRAPPING HAIR WITH GAFQUAT

I totally underestimated the level of stickiness when using Gafquat. It is the first time I have used this product however had seen it recommended by many industry professionals so wnated to try it.

I attempted to wrap the hair in three sections using the gafquat (disastrous!!). It began to set and was not flat and was only becoming tangled.

I decided it was best to wash it out, blow dry it and start over again.

SECOND ATTEMPT AT GAFQUAT

This morning I am unsure whether I was not thinking properly, trying to rush or being lazy by not parting the hair properly - perhaps a combination of all three. This morning demonstrated how crucial the prep work will be to make my bald cap work. I MUST take every care to make sure it is as neat as possible.

I sectioned the hair and then made small sections along each row, starting from the nape upwards. I used kirby grips to keep the gel in set while it set. I was much happier with this as it looked so much neater.

On my next bald cap test, I will know what I am doing and be able to hopefully make this tighter and neater as there were still some areas which could be far tighter to the head. I also want to make sure that there are no thick ends sticking out as these will harden with the gafquat and try to poke through bald cap.

I also found that in my first attempt, I use far too much gafquat - it is better to be sparing.

Before my next application, I intend to actively seek out research regarding the use of gafquat and hair wrapping by asking some of the online forums for advice.

BLOCKING BROWS

I tried using Telesis 7 to flatten my eyebrows, I then added powder and creme make up, followed by more powder.

I wanted the eyebrows as light as possible, as I wanted to apply a silicone brow cover but needed it to be as thin as possible. My model has thick dark brows so I thought I would try lightening them first. I feel this worked well - next time I would angle upwards in the direction they lie as I forgot to do this.

I forgot to take a photo however my silicone pieces were a little too big length way however they sat correctly into the socket of the eyeand were comfortable for her to wear. I was also really happen with how well the brow was covered.

I used a creme based make up to build up a base couolour and then continued with golden tones, experimenting with different colours. I was a little too heavy with the application and next time , if I use creme based make up I will be a little lighter handed.

For a first attempt, I am very pleased with the colour match. It still needs work and experimentation, but the colour matching was something I had been worried about. This test put me a little at ease. The edge of this piece is not very good as my piece folded on itself. I think if the edge had not done that, it would be a sucessful brow cover.

As it was too long, I will sculpt another brow cover but make it a similar thickness as thisworked well.

This eyebrow test, although not applied, allowed me to see the eyebrow from different angles. I think the brow looks quite sucessful however i would like to make my next brow finer and knot it from darker hair.

BALD CAP APPLICATION
(DISASTER NUMBER 2)

My bald cap did not fit! I was gutted as I had taken several attempts to get a really nice neat bald cap. I was also disheartened after spending so long trying to get the hair wrapped.

HOWEVER - onwards and upwards. After receiving some feedback from Sara, she suggested that the bald cap was too thin (I followed the Glatzan instructions of 5 layers, it said 3-5.) Sara suggested that she would do about 8. She said that some of the bits of hard gafquat that are sticking out would not be obvious if the bald cap was thicker. I also plan to avoid these hard thick strands next time I wrap the hair.

I had a few other issues - there was an area on top of the head where the gafquat had not dried. This meant that the bald cap was sticking and rippling on top of the head in that area.

Sara explained that because there was no tension because it was too small to stick down, that there would be wrinklage in other areas there may not usually be.

I later realised why the bald cap was too small. When taking the template, I used pincurls in the hair. I also remember making it super tight with tape - when I took a new template today, Jazz (model) commented on how it was far tighter the last time. Hopefully next time I will have the right template size.

The cap also appeared a little underpigmented in some areas. I think this is more where the cap plastic is a little thinner. I would not want to add any more foundation (which I used to intrinsically colour) as I would not want it to be too opaque. I think if I add a few more layers, this will solve that problem.

As the bald cap did not fit, I only stuck down part of the front. I thought the part that I stuck down and dissolved away with acetone had a nice blending edge and found the glatzan a nice material.

i also found that the intrinsic colour I used was a good base. I planned to colour the bald cap but was running out of time so only tried a small section - I have found a good base colour (Bamboo 1, Skin illustrator Dark), I am then going to try a layer of Ochre and Olive adjuster.

NOTE - I forgot to turn the cap inside out so it is not matte. Must remember this next time. (cap is shiny on one side as I applied prosaide for flocking).

FLOCKING BALD CAP

I wanted to experiment with flocking human hair onto my bald cap to create a shaved head. I had also read in the Todd Debrecini that you could use an airbrush to give the flock direction.

I was happy with the flock effect however found that it used a lot of hair quite quickly. I will need to make sure that I have enough prepared next time. The airbrush was great for creating directional flock and is something I will use again when I test my next bald cap.

I found that due to the layer of prosaide that is required before flocking, the surface is very tacky. I tried to powder this down however this flattened the hair. I will need to find a mattifying spray to see if that will work.

I like the view of the hair sitcking up from the side from the bald cap. I need to do further research to see if there are any ways to avoid the ahirs laying flat. It is difficult as it may be unavoidable that they lay flat. I will also do some small sample pieces as see what happens when I used more hair to add depth as there is not enough hair on this cap. I will also see if I can get some industry advice for flocking bald caps while at the Prosthetics Event which is coming up soon.

This picture shows the directional flocking quite well.

Incredibly useful tutorial - discussed using more layers of glatzan and also using red flock as the blood layer intrisincally within the bald cap. Also pulling ear through a hole in the bald cap. Consider earirings and costume.

I really like this tooth palette and thought the 'rank' colour and 'fag' would be ideal for my character as I imagine that she is a smoker. I like the effect of this, however my context is for a photoshoot and the teeth are unlikely to be seen.

I first experimented with using stencils and airbrushing tattoos using skin illustrator. I used acetate as this was recommeneded in the Debrecini book. I found it difficult to make all areas of the stencil stick to the skin as they naturally wanted to stick up. This meant that in some areas I did not get the hard edge I wanted.

Next time I would use spray mount to stick the stencil to the skin.

TEETH PAINTING EXPERIMENT

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I tried the marker pen/tracing paper technique and initially could not get any of the ink to print on my arm. I then tried soaking the paper with some IPA which made the ink transfer but it was smudged.

I then tried with a different marker pen and realised that the sharpie I was using was the problem.

STENCIL TATTOOS

After a couple of attempts, I managed to get a good transfer. I went over the stencil print using skin illustrators, mixing blue, black and green to make it less of a solid black. This was time consuming and I think the overall effect was a little messy.

I painted this on the knuckles using skin illustrator. I really like the design and also the way the cross has 'bled'. I like that it is messy as I imagine it may be a tattoo my character has received in prison. I definitely plan to use hand tattoos on my character. Will explore this further.

I like the effect these tattoos have together - Although the 'Family' tattoo is too messy, I like how it works with the hand tattoos. I like the idea of roman numerals - may use these in my final design.

PRINTING TRANSFERS

I found some stencils and tattoo designs, then printed them on tattoo transfer paper. I then cut around the design and peeled off the back, sticking the design on my skin. It is important that next time I spend time cutting around the edge of the design. Next time I will use some nail scissors as this will be easier. Otherwise there is more of an obvious edege.

I think the result was very effective and quick. I would use this for creating similar tattoos. It looks like a fresh tattoo, which could be considered a negative if I waned the tattoo to look old. However if it is a new tattoo, this would be perfect.

It is imprtant to be careful when sticking the tattoo down. Placement is also important as they can crinkle a little bit. I found that after time the tattoo wrinkled anyway. For my tattoos, I will combine various tattoo methods depending on each tattoo.

HAIR PUNCHING

I used magnifying glasses but found they were not necessary - in future I may use these when knotting hair instead.

I used hair which I had cut, the hairs were not cut to the same length which was an issue.

I found the silicone too thin to punch, the needle was too big and I should have curled the hair prior to punching.

I changed to a smaller needle which was more effective but the silicone was still too thin to punch the hair in the right direction and hold it in place. I am unable to make the silicone thicker because it needs to look subtle on her eyebrow. I think that knotted brows are more effective however I will need to try and conceal the lace.

HAIR WRAPPING DOLLY TEST
I practiced wrapping hair on my dolly head for several hours trying to get it right. The below picture on the left was one of my first attempts andthe picture on the left was the final wrap. I was happy with the final attempt howevver it could still be tighter and neater,

TEST 2 - FLOCKING BALD CAP

Although I practiced wrapping hair the 'walnut' method a lot yesterday, I found when it came to using gafquat and doing the same technique, it was a lot harder. I could not get it as neat and flat as yesterday. I am still getting used to using gafquat.

I ended up with some bits that were sticking up and could not get the hair to sit on the crown as it should.

I dried the gafquat under a hood dryer and once it was dry, some of the bits that I had not got toatally flat were sticking through the bald cap. I was not happy with this shape. Next time I experiment, I may try using gel rather than gafquat as I am not great at wrapping hair and I wonder whether the gafquat is working aginst me as it emphassies the areas I am struggling to get flat.

I coloured the frnt of th ecap to test colours. I was happy with the colour I managed to make using my Dark skin illustator palette. I started with Bamboo, and then golden ochre. I then used Bamboo 2 and some Chocolate. I then used olive adjuster. I think next time I will use more of the golden ochre. I am happy with the development of colour. I had problems with the edges of the cap and think that if I can get better edges, the colour will look better.

I intend to try a different technique for creating a fine edge next time.

I was unhappy with the bald cap and feltdisheatened however I continued to apply prosaide all over and flock it. This time I used a precut lock, 6mm long black nylon. It was so much more effective as it was all the same length. I am really happy with th result. I will need to do more research into hair lines and look at more shaved heads for the next test I do as I did not use reference for the flock hairline.

I found the hair stood up and the airbrush was useful for directionally flocking.

I need to purcahse a mattifying spray for my next test.

I have also taken another bald cap template, as my previous one was too big which caused the bald cap to be far too big today, particuarly around the neck.

I was very careful to take a precise template this time - hopefully y next bald cap will be a good fit.

YAY!!!! First successful hair wrap. Very proud of this as has taken many attempts to get the hang of. I used gel for this wrap rather than gafquat and found it so much easier. I also found that it was much smoother as there were no bits which has 'cemented'.

For my next test, I want to pull the hair near the ear higher as some strands came through when I was blending the cap around the ear.

TEST 3

I tried using this method of clear glatzan all over the dolly head including the front. It didn't do anything minus be uncomfortable for my model and make itdifficult to apply the bald cap. However once I had got rid of the excess, the clear glatzan was really useful for blending the cap into the skin. For my next attempt, I will use clear glatzan again but only a small amount on the forehead.

I need to make sure that I take my time when gluing the cap as there are some little airbubbles trapped in the cap where it is not glued down properly. I also need spend time blending the cap eedge as much as possible.

The white eyeliner that I used on my red head transferred onto the cap and I was unable to get it off - I tried IPA, acetone and eye make up remover. Next time, I will use a nude lip pencil.

I dissolved a hole around the ear rather than cutting it like last time - this created a much nicer edge. It is a bit tight around her ear which is causing tension - I will make sure the ear fits in it better next time.

In this picture you can see a couple of air pockets - similiar to the front, need to make sure that glue the cap down properly.

flocked up to the white line to try and conceal the white line however this meant had an unnatural hair line which did not look right.

Must focus on natural hairline next time.

Happy with the colour match on the forehead - although it could maybe be a little warmer.

The shine on the cap is the biggest issue that i am having. bought some Ben Nye final seal however that did not mattify the shine at all.

Overall I am really happy with this test, i think its going in the right direction.

MATTIFYNG EXPERMENTS

decided to ask for some advice in regards to my shiny bald cap on the Special Effects and All Things Practical group as there are many indistustry professionals that are willing to offer advice.
There were many useful responses such as

- Using super baldies to flock into as it dries matte rather than adhesive

-Use matte spirit gum - Telesis lace adhesive most recommended - K.D matte spirit gum also recommended.

-Hairspray

-Prosaide no Tack

-K.d Matte and Attagel

Tom Savini also commented saying 'great work' - I intend to keep posting my work on these groups as I feel it may help me to create more of a web prescence.

Results of experimentation

Product Result

Hairspray                                                         Made hair crusty and only a little less shiny
Brunette Dry Shampoo                                  Caused hair to look chalky/grey
Super Baldiez as adhesive                            Did not dry matte - was as shiny as prosaide
Prosaide mixed with Attagel                       No change - Prosaide still shiny
K.D Matte Spirit Gum (not tacked)             Shiny
K.D Matte Spirit Gum (tacked)                    Far less shiny, still slight shine
K.D mixed with Attagel (tacked)                Almost completely Matte. Must flock before too dry.
K.D thinned with IPA (1:1) and Attagel     Not mainy hairs stuck. Completely matte.
K.D thinned with a little IPA & Attagel      Very Matte, spread on easier with a little IPA in. Must make sure to apply in small sections

After a lot of tedious testing I found that K.D thinned with only a small amount of IPA to make it a bit more fluid, mixed with attagel was the best mattifying combination. I plan to use it for my next test make up to see how it works. Ideally if had the budget would use Telesis Matte Lace adhesive as it dries matte. However it is out of budget at £100 for adhesive and thinner.

I decided to experiment with my 50% aged K.D tattoo pen. First I drew the outline freehand and then added shade using the 'chisel' end of the pen as well as the fine end.

I used a cotton bud and IPA to create highlights on the tattoo - this worked well.

I was really happy with the result and found it looked a lot more natural than the transfers. I also found that it stayed in place far longer than the transfers did as they are alcohol activated.

i intend to use the rose tattoo within my design, I am not sure where it would work best at the moment.

TEST 4

My second set of eyebrows - the direction of the hair is not right, the hairs arepointing upwards rather than lying accross the brow. I was also knotting them from the corner of the nose inwards, I learnt later that it is best to knot from the outwards in.

TEST 4

Experimented with both the Black K.d tattoo pen and the 50% aged pen. I like the effect of both but thin k I prefer the older look onthe knuckles as it is more subtle.

I put the bald cap on but did not properly allign it. I thought it was on correctly however realised too late that it was not centered properly. I have a reference point on the cap to make sure that it is on correctly - I did not check this.

This caused a lot of issues and is somethign I will make sure is correct on my next application.

I got carried away when dissolving the ear area and dissolved it too much. This meant that the edge by the ear was harder to blend and conceal, instead it created a hard jagged edge.

I ensured that when dissolving the left ear that I was careful not to dissolve too far. This meant that ear pulled through and was flush to the cap making the edge far less visible.

As the bald cap was not centered correctly, it meant that it did not sit in the right place and some hairs were not covered and can be seen in this photo poking out of the back o the cap. I am however happy with the colouring - it is still slightly too red in the photo and needs more green (olive adjuster)

KD Matte Spirit Gum

I tried using matte spirit gum, mixed with some attagel (thickener and mattifying agent) and a small amount of IPA. I had to do this in sections and 'tack' them with my finger as I went. This was difficult as some areas 'tacked' more than others. This resulted in the application of the flock being uneven and very patchy.

I also found that the flock did not stay secure and the majority of it fell out, giving the appearance of alopecia rather a shaved head.

Although I was unhappy with the flock application, I was pleased with the edge of the bald cap and the colour match. The area just underneath the hairline was not coloured however, in my next application I must make sure that I colour enough of the forehead.

I applied a small amount of prosaide (the adhesive I was originally using before realising the shine was a problem) and flock and looked at in natural light. I realised that it did not look shiny in natural light - I am shooting outside and not under lights, therefore the shine should not be an issue.

I also found that this cap had issues with lifting edges - I do not feel that I stuck it down enough. I must make sure that I apply enough glue on my next application.

Gelatine Vs Silicone eyebrow covers

have found the silicone brow covers difficult to intrisically colour correctly, I have found them very hard to colour match with pigments as it requires me to use the tiniest amount of pigment and can easily use too much.

I used the same foundation that I used in the bald cap in the gelatine brow cover, the colour worked well but I found the edges difficult to blend.

I found the silicone pieces worked better than the gelatine however next time I am going to try colouring the silicone with the foundation.

This was my third attempt of creating eyebrows. I made sure that all the hairs were knotted in the right direction. I had previously knotted them pointing upwards rather than at a 45 degree angle from the nose (womens eyebrows are more of an angle whereas mens eyebrows point upwards at the start of the brow).

By this point, I also had more practice with the marcel tongs and found them easier to use. I made sure that I tonged the hair in small sections.

I still found that the result was not what I wanted. Although I had knotted individual hairs, I found that the outer part of the brow looked too thick so I thinned this down with my scissors which looked better. The hair was still not lying how I wanted it to.

The hair is short which causes the hair to stick up and not lie flat. I tried using clear brow gel however this was not successful in taming the hairs.

Eyebrows - Third attempt

I soaked the hairs and pinned every hair down using block pins. I then put them in the wig oven for a couple of hours until they were dry. I unpined them and found that I had missed several hairs and repinned the hairs and sprayed them with hairspray. I let the brows setover night.

I found this technique was effective in keeping the hairs in the right place and making them lie flat.

I tried using a transfer tattoo on the chest first however, due to the shape, it was hard to peel the transfer away without accidentally tearing pieces off. I feel like this tattoo looks fake and not effective.

I tried doing a similar design using the K.D tattoo pen freehand which worked much better and looked far more natural. I used the aged ink pen so that it had a more natural effect and looked older. It was difficult as I was drawing on my own chest and could not get the design how I wanted, however I definitely found the pen effective.

I tried using the transfers on the arm and painting them with skin illustrators. THe edge around the tattoo was really visibile and once again did not look very effective. I do like the colour in the tattoo however for my character I would prefer to use black/blue ink.

I wanted to experiment with using butterflies in my design as I could imagine my character having a butterfly tattoo as this is quite a common tattoo. I tried once more with the transfer but feel it is far too 'fresh' looking.Next time I want to create tattoos, I will purchase differnt tattoo paper as I feel it may be the paper quality which is effec ting the result as I know that transfers are used in industry. Howvever, for this project I will not be using any transfer tattoos and intend to sole;y use my tattoo pen.

Inspired by Cheryl Coles had tattoo, I decided I wanted to experiment with a similar tattoo on my hand. I like he look of this however if i use this in my final design, then I would put it on the other hand which does not have 'mum' on the wrist - as it currently looks too busy.

Fig. 117 - 224

I created silicone tests to test colours and try to match closest to the models skin tone using silicone pigments. I found this difficult as I kept adding too much pigment. I eventually found that foundation worked well in the silicone. If this still didn't work, I would have used flock to colour the slicone.