Compound Fracture SFX Makeup by Caroline Healy

Warning: some of the pictures in this blog are quite graphic, but they are all make up!

This gory compound fracture makeup SFX with DIY prosthetic is so incredible, it's hard to look at!

Before attempting any SFX makeup, it is good to prepare by researching real life injuries and then planning any prosthetics you will need to make.

Method: Prosthetic Creation
 
1 - I began by sketching the basic shape of the wound on a clear plastic sheet using a permanent marker.

2 - Next I covered it with Liquid Latex, using a cotton bud. I then covered the liquid latex with torn up pieces of cotton wool and then another layer of liquid latex.

 

3 - I painted it with Diamond FX Red, using a cotton bud as parts of the latex were still a bit wet so this wouldn't be good for brushes.

I then added some red play dough where I wanted the flesh/muscle, using a sculpting tool to create texture and then I positioned the bone and pressed it into the play dough at the base.

4 - Next I made small yellow balls of play dough and placed them around the edges to appear as fat or tissue. I used a sculpting tool to blend these in.

5 - Using a cotton bud I covered everything (apart from the bone) with a generous layer of liquid latex to seal and then dried it using a hairdryer.

6 - Once dry I was able to see which parts needed more work. I then mixed yellow and pink playdough to create a more realistic colour for fatty tissue and added more small balls around the edges, fixing again with a layer of liquid latex.


7 - Here is the finished prosthetic!

Application and Makeup:

8 - Once I'd finished the prosthetic and it was completely dry I fixed it to my model's leg using Spirit Gum.


I then applied spirit gum to my models skin around the prosthetic, this was to secure the Wax.

9 - I then rolled sausage shapes of FX Modeling Wax and flattened it using my fingers and applied it around the prosthetic, blending with a sculpting tool.

It's best to apply a layer of Vaseline over the Wax after it is secured as it makes the Wax less sticky and easier to blend.

10 - Next I Sponged Dermacolor (A1) over the outside of the Wax to match my models skin tone.

After sponging I used a Round Number 3 Brush to apply more Dermacolor to any areas missed by the sponge.

I used Translucent Powder to fix the Dermacolor using a 3/4 Flat Brush (or you could use a Powder Brush)

11 - The inside edges of the Wax were painted with Burnt maroon and Df-2 brush.

12 - To fill the wound I used a Dark Stage Blood, squirting it straight from the bottle ensuring all cracks and details were covered and then also covering the plastic bone.

13 - For the bruising around the wound I used my Bruise ProColoRing by Mehron.

As this would be a fresh injury I used Burnt Maroon as a base and dabs of Midnight Sky. I used my fingers to apply and blend as I find this gives a good effect.

14 - I added Fresh Scratch/Blood Paste inside the edges of the wound, using a sculpting tool. As I wanted it to appear like clots and also to create different textures of blood.

15 - Next I used crimson Blood Spatter Spray to cover the wound inside and out. I did this the make the wound look fresh (fresh blood is quite red, whereas older blood is darker and more brown in colouring).

16 - For the final texture inside the wound I applied GRIMAS dirt paste, using a sculpting tool again. I then spray some more of the blood spatter spray over the top.

Product list:
Creating the Prosthetic
 Clear Plastic Sheet
 Liquid Latex
 Cotton Wool (sub Cotton Balls)
 Diamond FX Red
 Plastic Bone from Trauma Hurt Box
 Playdough - Red, Yellow and Pink
 Cotton Buds (Swabs)
 Sculpting Tool

Makeup Application
 Mehron Spirit Gum
 FX Modeling Wax
 Vaseline
 Kryolan Dermacolor light mini palette (A1)
    (Substitute: Diamond FX Skin Tone Palette)
 Transparent Powder
 Mehron Bruise ProColoRing (Burnt Maroon and Midnight Sky)
 Vermilion FX Dark Oxblood
     (sub Mehron Venous Squirt Blood)
 Kryolan Fresh Scratch Blood
    (sub Graftobian Blood Paste)
 GRIMAS Dirt Paste
 Blood Spatter Spray

 Small Makeup Sponge
 Loew-Cornell Round Number 3 Brush
 Diamond FX Flat Brush, Df-2 (sub TAG Round Number 2)
 3/4 Flat Brush or Powder Brush

Thank you for taking the time to read this, I hope you have found this blog useful, for more of my work follow me on Instagram carolines_face_painting.