Making Fake Wounds

To make a wound with liquid latex, first make sure the application area is clean and dry.

Apply a thin layer of latex a little larger than the size you’d like your cut to be, taking into consideration how much “skin” you want flapping around.

Wait until the latex is completely dry, which generally won’t take more than 10 minutes.

CAUTION: Before you use latex on anyone, be sure they’re not allergic. Put just a drop of liquid latex on your subject’s arm —- if they react with redness or itchiness, you should not use latex on them.

Once the latex is dry, disguise the line between latex and skin. This is done by applying makeup color with a stipple sponge.

Use a light hand; you can always go back add more. If you’d like a clean cut without bruising or too much discoloration, use various hues of natural skin tones.

For a bruised area, use mustard yellow, dark red, dark purple-the colors in your “injury stack” of makeup.

When you’re satisfied with the color of your wound, you can create the cut. I recommend using a toothpick for small cuts (and even larger ones) because you’ll have more control in how your cut will look.

Gently pick through the latex with the tip of the toothpick, a little at a time, forming the cut.

You’ll see clean skin underneath the cut. Color that skin with a dark-color creme makeup, preferably black — this will give your cut more depth.

Gently apply a red color to the edges of the cut and apply fake blood.

Again, use a light hand here. You can always add more if you’d like.

For an even more dramatic cut, use your stipple sponge and drag it in the direction of the cut with a dark red color. This will create smaller scratches.