Thread: How to make fabric appear wet (w/o water)?

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Hey everyone,

This year I plan on being a drowning victim/ghost. It's mostly makeup (corpsy, algae effects, etc) but I'm making a costume that will basically be a dress with underwater plants attached, possibly also net/and other underwater items.

So, I'm wondering if anyone has any tips on how to make fabric appear wet without using water since that would be rather chilly.

Thanks!

Maybe use gloss acrylic medium to cover the fabric?

Edit: Clear Karo should work as well if you want something less permanent.

clear silicone caulking. brush it in for a soaked look, or let it drip or run for a dripping or running look.

Thanks for the suggestions!

You could use vasaline for your skin to give it that wet look.

it all depends on the color of your dress/outfit - it can be as simple & inexpensive as using RIT dye to go a couple of shades darker & dye is easy to create water-like stains where you want them. This will clearly not be a shiny wet look, but it could work for a certain look.

I usually find spilling beer on myself can create a functional "wet" look.

although, I wouldn't recommend it.

I dont know if this would add to much weight to your costume but I think it would be cheap, the clear elmers glue dries to a wet look, I have used it for a model.

You could also use clear polyurethane. Get the high gloss stuff. It might make your dress a little stiff, but it should remain flexible. Try it out on some scrap fabric first, to see if you can tolerate it. Also, for a more realistic effect you're going to want the dress to appear heavy and cling to you as would someones clothes if they were pulled out of the water. I second the clear caulk that was suggested earlier, but get the latex kind. It's much easier to work with, it goes on white but drys clear. Use it to create runs and drips.