Corpse Finger

**ravenworks69** · 07-18-2010,07:44 AM

I tend to get a little detailed in my tutorials but its only (according to my wife) I'm a perfectionist. I say I'm careful so please bare with me. You can find 98% of the things you will need for this project at Wal-Mart.

For this technique you will need the following:

1. hot glue gun & sticks (low temp type)
2. snap blade knife
3. 2 tooth picks
4. toilet paper
5. 1/2 thick inch pink foam board
6. cup of water
7. school glue (Elmer's type)
8. Mod Podge
9. 1-2 paint brushes
10. liquid dish soap (Dawn)
11. Dullcote

Acrylic Paints:
antique white
red
nutmeg
pure black
raw sienna
toffee

Things you'll need:

Unlike other "corpsification" techniques you won't need cotton, card board, paper towels or wire to make the inner skeleton of your fingers. Take the pink foam board and carve out bone shapes. Use a chicken leg bone for reference if you need to. As a matter of fact try to replicate the chicken leg bone in shape and size for the larger finger bone. For the second largest just scale it down by about half. The finger tip can just be a pyramid shape with rounded corners.

Take one of the toothpicks, snap it in half, and sharpen the blunt end to a point. Insert the toothpick half its length into the finger tip bone being carfull not to poke it completely through. Add a drop of hot glue to secure it. After that insert the finger tip (toothpick point first) into the next "bone" and so on. Insert the second whole toothpick in the end of the last bone about half its length. DO NOT glue it into place. This will be used as a handle while you paint and will need to be removed later.

You can add an extra dab of glue into the joint but not to much. The gap between the "bone " helps sell the illusion.

While allowing the glue to set, mix your water & school glue in a 50/50 ratio. I keep this on hand all the time and usually make a cup and a half at a time. If you make to much, put it in a Rubbermaid container with a lid and place it in the fridge, it will keep for months.

Tear your toilet paper squares into strips about 3/4 inch and begin to wrap the finger starting at the tip. Wrap it in a winding down motion and paint on the water/glue mix. The tp will start to overlap itself in some places but don't worry that is what causes the effects of wrinkled skin and drawn flesh. To add more of a wrinkle effect wrap the next layer in the opposite direction still starting at the tip

Wrap whole strips around the knuckles. These are the weakest points of the finger so they will need the thickest wrap of tissue. While wrapping them and painting on the water/glue mix, lightly poke the tissue into the knuckle gaps. When the glue dries, the tissue will draw up and give the illusion of stretched skin. Using a stiffer bristle brush poke and shift some of the tissue "flesh" to create a texture. If you rip it during the process simply wrap another piece of tissue over it.

Take one of the strips and roll it up into a tight string leaving a small flap at the end. Using the flap to start it, wrap it around the base of the finger securing it with the water/glue mix. Wrap the finger with the tissue down to this point. With finger completely covered allow to dry over night. Placing it in front of a fan helps out quite a bit.

**ravenworks69** · 07-18-2010,07:45 AM

Time to paint. This is where artistic licence takes over. For a more dry corpse look you should go with earth tones, nutmeg, tans, browns, raw sienna, etc. For a fresher "juicer" looking corpse try cooler colors like blues, and greens mixed with white or off whites. I'm using acrylic paint Nutmeg, Antique White, and just a drop of red. Primary colors (red, blue, and yellow) go a long way so use them sparingly. After painting (stopping before the "bone" on end) allow to dry at least 1 hour.

Mixed

While the paint is drying you need to make a SLUDGE WASH. A sludge wash is just a very thin wash made of acrylic paint, water and a little dish liquid. The amounts needed are on the picture. Mix all ingredients thoroughly until a moderate amount of bubbles are created. After mixing, store in a squeeze bottle or other container.

After the finger has dried, its time for the sludge wash. To paint this on simply make small circles about the size of quarters really fast. If you do it right the sludge wash will make an inky foam. DO NOT brush it off. Foam up the entire finger making sure to get it in all the nooks and wrinkles then allow to dry. What happens is two fold, the wash will darken up the base coat color, and as the small bubbles of the foam disperse the inky wash will pull away from the higher wrinkles and settle and dry in the nooks.

After the sludge wash has dried, dry brush a top coat. I used nutmeg and antique white. Lightly drybrushing over the tops of the wrinkles gives it depth and dimension. Allow to dry 1 hour.

**ravenworks69** · 07-18-2010,07:46 AM

Time to seal it. I use Mod Podge water base sealer. It comes in gloss but I use the matte finish. I start at the finger tip and work my way around down to the knuckle. Then I do the next section around and down to the next knuckle etc. It dries fast so work quickly. Make sure to get in all the nooks for a complete seal but try not to let it pool. It could remain tacky where its thicker, and take longer to dry. DO NOT Mod Podge the bone.

After Mod Podge has dried, remove the toothpick from the bone end. Take the knife tip and pluck out chunks of pink foam making pits in it. Snap the toothpick in half, and place it back in blunt side out. This will blend in with the final product as well as fill the hole, and give the end a little bit of structural support.

Using the antique white completely paint the bone stump and allow to dry about 45 minutes.

When dry apply the sludge wash and allow to dry again for another 20 minutes.

After the sludge wash has dried dry brush with the antique white. This process will give the bone a worn, weathered sunbleached look.

Finally apply Dullcote to the bone stump. This will help two ways. First it will seal the paint, secondly it won't give it a shine like the Mod Podge would and insure its look of dry weathered bone.

Final product. I'm sure this method isn't perfect for every body but its just been the most consistant and successful for me. I think I went a little to light on the drybrushing of the skin but over all it works. This is the same technique I used on the "Corpse Hand " I posted in the Props section of this forum. I hope this helps some of you but by all means if you can improve on the technique list any suggestions here.

Thanks for looking, Marc V.