Thread: Pretty latex skin - how to?

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Does anyone know how to make a pretty and realistic skin? I want to put skin on my fortune teller prop. She has gesso right now, but it's shiny and hard. And the liquid latex I usually work with also dries shiny. Does anyone know what they use for masks? I need a cheap alternative, if possible. I know how to do the gross corpsing stuff, just not the 'pretty' stuff. Thanks!

Does anyone know how to make a pretty and realistic skin?

For realism you probably want to go with a silicone or foam latex.

Does anyone know what they use for masks?

Masks are mostly made out of latex or vinyl, however some of the most realistic are made of foam latex and or silicone.

I not sure if your looking to add a skin to the tellers head via brush on or appliqué over the top. You might think about just making a new mold of the head you are looking for and then you can cast whatever material you want into it.


Corpse Heads - Skull props
Blood and Torture props

I was really wanting just to paint on a skin over the existing head. Otherwise, I was thinking about a new head, and using the Celluclay over it like the awesome Bride. It looks great, but I also want a skin-like texture and feel. Do any of the craft stores (Michaels, Hobby Lobby) sell something that I could use?

I use both Gloss Medium for shinny, and Matte Medium for... well not so shinny. It is a kind of sealer used with fine art acrylics (latex). You can mix it with the latex or go straight over it as a shellac. You can pretty much mix anything that is water based with latex. The Medium is pricey but a lil goes a long way.

My corpse as my avatar I used matte.

So Yubney, you're talking about a matte paint finish? Unfortunately, I've never found anything that is really a matte, it is just not so shiney. Same thing with the acrylic sprays. Do you know if you can paint silicone over a gessoed surface?

The medium I described is transparent... it's an additive for fine art. What I know from silicon is caulking and it cures pretty shinny. Skin isn't really so matte imo so you might rethink that. And I like a lil gloss for light to pick up highlights in details. But with silicon I would expect it can go over pretty much anything as latex will as long as it forms a "glove" it shouldn't go anywhere.

Thanks Yubney, I appreciate your ideas! I'll look into the medium and see what looks good.