Thread: Na 'vi costume using liquid latex on skin and fabric

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Hi all,

I'm doing the Jake Sully/Avatar costume. Originally I was looking to wear a body suit but didn't want the fabric feel so I ordered teal dancing tights and am using a mix of green and blue latex to cover my upper body to my neck, and I have the Na vi appliance and ears for the face. Now I'm rethinking using the tights as they are because the legs should feel like flesh too but have to wear something under the burlap cloth I'll be wearing too.

That leaves me with wearing skin tight shorts covered with latex or use the full pair of tights covered in latex. But I need to be able to blend it well enough to make the edges invisible or at least not really obvious. While I'm not in bad shape I am not as trim as the Navi are! What I was thinking was to use gauze to pull my body in a bit and then cover that with latex.

Does this sound reasonable and might someone think of a better way to approach this?

Thanks

Randy

Never used latex before, but just from reading about other costume usages, you are going to want to SHAVE REALLY WELL any body part that the latex will be coming into contact with. It will soak through fabric as well, and there are pre and post latex coatings you'll need to consider...

http://breannacooke.wordpress.com/20...-liquid-latex/
http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...en.html?cat=69

Using Latex on your skin can be very dangerous. before you do start try a test spot to make sure you are not allergic. As Frankie stated it WILL soak through fabric and grab every single hair you have and will be very painfull to remove. I would try to stick to a body suit as much as possible and limit the amount of latex coming into contact with your skin. It will be a challenge but the costume sounds great!! make sure you show some pics of the finished product.

Thank for the replies.

I'm not allergic to latex. I've come in contact with latex when I used it to make skulls. I'm using a prep lotion to coat areas with short hair, like my arms. I'm just not sure if using latex on dance tights will be reusable. It would be nice if it can work but the fact that it's a tight fit makes it iffy. I got the teal fabric and it is much more accurate to the movie than normal blue.

The tail will be muslin, stuffed and latexed on the outside. I figure I can make the tip of hair from trimming the wig when it gets styled. Getting the tail on strong enough to stand being pulled which will happen.