Flat Mould Research

 Flat Moulds:

How are flat moulds made? Steps: (YouTube - Egg Head Fx, 2015)

  • ·         Step 1: take a small ball of clay and press it onto your surface to create a small circle or rectangle and blend the edges into the surface, getting it as flush to the surface as possible.
  • ·         Step 2: create the main lines for example 2 edges for a cut or a circle for a bullet wound.
  • ·         Step 3: use smaller balls in the centre of the sculpture and blend them then use your tools to add texture, add as much clay as you need to get it to the required depth.
  • ·         Step 4: add texture to the outside of the clay using tin foil or a plastic bag to create the texture of skin.
  • ·         Step 5: build a barrier about an inch away from the sculpture to hold the alginate in place while curing.
  • ·         Step 6: pour the alginate or silicone over the clay to create the mould.

You can use water or Vaseline to help smooth out the clay.

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

Step 5:

I looked at lots of different sources of how to create flat moulds including the tutorials on Gorton Studios, YouTube tutorials by ‘Freakmo’ and some other creators as well as looking on websites such as Hair and Makeup Artist Handbook but this video by ‘Egg Head FX’ on YouTube was my favourite source as it contained the most details which is perfect for beginners.

What materials are used? (Egg Head FX, 2015)

  • ·         Non-suplhur clay is best as it doesn’t shrink or dry out, Chavant being the preferred brand.
  • ·         Clay sculpting tools
  • ·         Tin foil or a plastic bag for texture.
  • ·         Water or Vaseline to smooth out the clay.
  • ·         Alginate or silicone to make the mould.

Clay Sculpting Tools

What are they used for?

Flat moulds are used to create prosthetics which can be used for a variety of looks but flat moulds are mostly used to create wounds as they are often better for beginners when making prosthetics (Gorton Studios, No Date). Out of the kit work can be very hard to get the same every time the makeup is needed so prosthetics are used to give as they are all moulded using the same mould which makes it easier to get it the same and photographs are used to get the position the same as continuity is one of the most important factors in film along with realism. This also makes it easier to create larger pieces, for example, the pieces used in Planet of the Apes (The Iver Makeup Academy, 2018).

Scratches Silicone Flat Mould – Titanic FX (No Date)

Films and TV shows where they were used:

There are thousands of films that flat mould prosthetics have been used for, but some examples include: (The Iver Makeup Academy, 2019) (Delmar Academy, 2017)

  • ·         An American Werewolf in London (1981) – David Naughton as David Kessler - Makeup Artist: Rick Baker
  • ·         Beetlejuice (1988) – Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice – Makeup Artist: Ve Neill
  • ·         Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) – Gary Oldman as Dracula – Makeup Artist: Matthew W. Mungle
  • ·         IT (2017) - Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise – Makeup Artist: Shane Zander
  • ·         How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) Jim Carey as The Grinch – Makeup Artist: Rick Baker & Kazuhiro Tsuji
  • ·         Mrs Doubtfire (1993) Robin Williams as Mrs Doubtfire – Makeup Artist: Ve Neill
  • ·         Darkest Hour (2017) Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill – Makeup Artist: David Malinowski

Bibliography:

Hair and Makeup Artist Handbook (2020) What is Prosthetic Makeup? Available at: https://hair-and-makeup-artist.com/prosthetic-makeup/ (Accessed: 9th January 2021)

Gorton Studios (No Date) Sculpting a Basic Flat Mould Appliance Available at: https://www.gortonstudio.co.uk/tutorial/sculpting-a-basic-flat-mould-appliance/ (Accessed: 9th January 2021)

YouTube – Freakmo (2016) Flat-Moulding and Casting the Infected Knee Tutorial | Freakmo and Powdah Collab Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=excs8ZIB7F0 (Accessed: 9th January 2021)

YouTube – Egg Head FX (2015) How to Make Prosthetic Transfers - Basic Sculpting #1 Available at: https://youtu.be/BQ7tsisltno (Accessed: 9th January 2021)

Gorton Studios (No Date) Flat Moulds Available at: https://www.gortonstudio.co.uk/learning-path/flat-moulds/ (Accessed: 9th January 2021)

The Iver Makeup Academy (2018) A guide to prosthetics in film Available at: https://www.iveracademy.co.uk/blog/2018/a-guide-to-prosthetics-in-film/ (Accessed: 9th January 2021)

Titanix FX (No Date) Scratches #1 Platinum Silicone Flat Mould By Stuart Bray Available at: https://titanicfx.com/products/scratches-1-platinum-silicone-flat-mould-by-stuart-bray?variant=46189395847 (Accessed: 9th January 2021)  

The Iver Makeup Academy (2019) Iconic hair and makeup looks from horror films Available at: https://www.iveracademy.co.uk/blog/2019/iconic-hair-and-make-up-looks-from-horror-films/ (Accessed: 9th January 2021)

Delmar Academy (2017) The best films to watch for prosthetic make-up Available at: https://delamaracademy.co.uk/industry-insider/best-films-watch-prosthetic-make/ (Accessed: 9th January 2021)

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