Making Your Own Blood, Scars and Special Effects

I have already spent quite a bit on props and decor for my first Boo Bash, so I have been looking for economical ways to finish up. After looking around on the web I found the following recipes for making fake blood, scars, scabs and various other wounds or special effects. Most use items that you already have at home. You've gotta love that!

These all were found at: http://www.budget101.com/.

Fake Blood

1/2 bottle of light corn syrup
very hot water
1 tsp of liquid dish soap (Dawn)
red food coloring
blue or green food coloring (optional)
In a small bowl combine the corn syrup and water (just add a little add a time till the correct consistency is achieved. Add your red food coloring, it can be made darker by adding the blue/green.

Store in the fridge. Prior to applying to the skin, apply cold cream. To use: drip, spray or smear as your ghoulish heart desires.....

OR

For blood use blue liquid laundry starch with red food coloring added. It sticks well, it gives the coloration of blood, and dries with the consistency of real blood. Or a mixture of cocoa and water with food coloring, placed in squeeze bottles drips marvelously. Very gory.

OR

For a simpler simulation of blood: mix catsup and face cream!

MYO Blistered Skin Effect
Apply a coating of Vaseline over the area, add white tissues to simulate the look of blisters. You'll need to add more Vaseline


MYO 2nd & 3rd Degree Burn Effect
Ground rouge and then ground charcoal over the top of Vaseline for third degree burns, tissue (either Kleenex or toilet tissue) over the Vaseline and rouge, then possibly torn and lifted up for the blister) for second degree burns; this can also be added for third degree burns. Just don't use the charcoal for the second degree.

MYO Flesh Wounds
petroleum jelly
red food coloring
baking cocoa powder
disposable tissue
bowl
toothpicks

Use a toothpick to mix 3-4 drops of red food coloring into a dollop of petroleum jelly (e.g., Vaseline).
Stir in enough cocoa (a pinch or so) to darken the red color to a deeper, blood-like tint.
Separate the tissue and tear out a small rectangle (3x2 inches) from a single layer of the paper.
Place the tissue at the wound site and cover it with the petroleum jelly mixture.
Carefully mold the tissue into a wound shape, with the edges raised higher than the center of the wound.
Add some petroleum jelly mixture to the center of the wound.
Sprinkle cocoa at the edges of the wound to darken it. Add cocoa to the wound center if a scabby (as opposed to fresh) appearance is desired.
Red food coloring will stain, so avoid wound contact with clothing or furniture.


Make Your Own Fake Intestines

Find an old pair of natural color pantyhose and trim the "feet" off. Carefully fill the hose with cotton or cut up cloth (old bedsheets work well for this). Using a hot glue gun seal the ends.
Randomly twist your intestines and stitch them in various places to make them appear more realistic.
Soak them in the Fake Blood recipe, wring slightly (as it does stain when it drips!). Hang them from a torn shirt, or let them hang out over the top of your pants as though you had surgery that the doctor didn't bother to complete!

MYO Fake Skin
8 TBSP flour 5 TBSP warm water Regular or Halloween face makeup
Mix together the flour and water, this will result in a dough like mixture. Do not add the makeup into the mixture.
Use this mixture and with a bit of regular elmer's school glue it can be affixed to the face or body. Mold the dough or fake skin to desired effect and then let dry. Drying time is at least 10-15 minutes, However after adding the makeup and the fake blood or other gruesome effects the simple skin recipe come to life.

MYO Gore Blood
2/3 cup Oriental 'Cherry' Dipping Sauce 1/3 cup Water1/2 Teaspoon Red Food Coloring 2 or 3 Drops Green Food Coloring Mix the Cherry dipping sauce with water, thoroughly enough to thin down the sauce into a gooey consistancy. Add food coloring. Stir again, and let the sauce sit, preferably in a fridge. When needed, take it out and spoon it onto areas where 'gore' effect blood is needed. The blood will drip in glops & globs, but doesn't puddle out like watery blood does.
(recipe courtesy Jane at Budget 101 forum)

MYO Snot for slime
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup water
green food coloring
Mix all ingredients. Great for squeezing through your hands. You can change the consistency by adding more water, then more cornstarch
This makes a great addition to body wounds, color it green and pretend to sneeze. Go dressed as a tissue with boogers in it.


MYO Bruises
deep/dark blue powder eye shadow
charcoal or smoke gray powder eye shadow
sparkling green powder eye shadow
make up brush
Carefully wet your make up brush & blot the blue eye shadow first, applying carefully. Use Q-Tips or your fingertips to add blots of color (gray/ charcoal & blue mix). Touch up around the edges using your green eyeshadow for a gruesome appearance.

MYO Burnt Skin Effect
Burnt marshmallows work excellent for giving the appearance of burnt skin. Burn the marshmallow- peel off the burnt area- open and apply to skin when cool enough to handle.

MYO Scar Special Effect
To easily create the effect of scars, Combine pink & green facial tissues in corn syrup, allow to soak and apply carefully. Let them dry before adding any make-up.
Also, various colors of craft tissue paper work well too.

MYO Gruesome Pus Boil
Get a band-aid about the size of the boil you want. Then, dip some tissue (toilet paper works best) into a mixture of PVA glue and water, and form it onto the band-aid. Make a groove by pushing a pencil about halfway into the tissue. Wait for it to dry and cut around the hardened glue and tissue. Peel the backing of the band-aid off and place it in the desired location. Use makeup to blend it onto your skin.

MYO Hairy Wart Special Effect
Whole peppercorns white or black
Corn syrup or eyelash glue
Hair bristles from a paintbrush or out of your hair brush
Non-toxic watercolor paints or Make-up brush
Keeping the peppercorns away from your eyes, (warts look better on noses and chins), "glue them in place using a little corn syrup or eyelash glue. We've actually had good luck with Elmer's School Glue as well, (It will come right off with a little vinegar). Hold in place until dry.
Carefully dip the ends of your "Hairs" 2 or 3 will do, and hold them in place in the glue/syrup until dry. A hair dryer on low heat will help set them quickly.
You can lightly dust your warts with a make-up brush rubbed in eyeshadow, or you can even spray paint your peppercorns green or gray and let them dry prior to applying.



MYO Scuzzy Face Make-Up
Two paintbrushes
Small saucepan or use 1 c. glass measuring cup in microwave
Cornmeal
Corn syrup
Red or brown water colors or make-up blush
One envelope unflavored Knox gelatin
Dissolve gelatin in 1/4c. cold water in a small saucepan, let set 1 minute, then continually stir over low heat until gelatin/water mix is clear. Allow to cool.
In the meantime, using a paintbrush, paint the shape of your scabs on your "victim" with corn syrup. Carefully cover the entire "scab" cornmeal. Let it set up for 2 full minutes, then lightly blow off the excess. Carefully shade the scab with the make-up colors you have chosen. By now your gelatin mix should be cool, very carefully paint the "scab" with the mix, avoiding pressure so you don't ruin the cornmeal texturing. The gelatin will help seal your "scab" and prevent it from wearing off.


Want to really gross someone out by eating your wounds? Try these:

Edible Scabs & Road Rash
Use Various Flavors of Jello/Gelatin to create edible scabs and road rash effects:
peach, lemon, orange, grape: skin growths, foundation for scabs, blisters, scars
black cherry or cranberry with a teaspoon of grape mixed in: blood, veins, moles, road rash
lime: boogers, pus, various marine life (algae, seaweed)
Plain: create the foundation for scars, scabs and other creations; dribble colored gelatin over the clear, shaped foundation

5 o'clock Shadow
Carefully burn a piece of cork, let it cool for a couple minutes and then rub on your face... or stubble by using used coffee or tea grounds stuck on with eyelash adhesive


These are things that we probably won't use much of this year, but may in future years. It is good to know how to do these things without having to spend a lot of money on make-up or kits.