Zombie Make-up/Costume Ideas

12394 Views 23 Replies 11 Participants Last post by Death in the Reaper, Jul 19, 2007

Death in the Reaper

Discussion Starter · May 21, 2007

Alright so this year I've got to do something that isn't a Vampiress or just a plain demoness. I've never done extensive make-up before but that's why we have so many days before Halloween, all the more time to practice and scare the neighbors. :zombie: Also, some time toward the end of this year I plan on seeing Marilyn Manson in concert with a good friend of mine. We're so crazy we're going to go to this concert in costume and make-up of course. So I need some ideas.

So if anyone has any good zombie make-up idea's let me hear them! And I'm not apposed to getting up Halloween morning and putting on the make-up to wear all day if I have to just to make sure I have it set for that night. So if the idea requires some time to put on I'd love to hear it anyway.

Ideas for costumes are also welcome. This past Halloween I tore up old clothing the night before as a last minute attempt and it looked pretty neat so I'm sure if I have a good idea before hand what sorts of things I need to tear apart, sew together, etc I'll have an even better costume than last year. :3

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Revenant

· #2 · May 21, 2007

Zombies was my favorite theme through the years (hence my nick) and I've tried every different theme I could think of.

Texturing is a great addition in zombie makeups and it can be done on the cheap without pricey prosthetics. One of my favorite ingredients is cereal. big wrinkly flakes (like Wheaties) spaced close together gives a great dry-rot effect, sort of like a dry lakebed. Grape Nuts gives a nice corroded look (vermiculite is also good for this... just don't get them mixed up and try to eat your vermiculite in the morning). Rice Krispies here and there make nice warty nodules. Avoid Alpha Bits cuz it would look really, really stupid.

Since makeup doesn't spread well on the cereal flakes I lay them out on a newspaper first and give them a spritz of grey hair-coloring spray on the "seen" side, then powder them when they're dry.

Happy Re-animating! :zombie:

ededdeddy

· #3 · May 21, 2007

I found this place a while back. They got some pretty neat ideas check them out.

http://www.phillyburbs.com/zombies/costume.shtml

Sickie Ickie

· #4 · May 22, 2007

Rev, I once tried to use Rice Crispies for make-up on an actor and during teh shoot we heard tiny popping sounds. We located where the sound was coming from...the actor was sweating causing the rice crispies to go snap, crackle, pop!

Death in the Reaper

Discussion Starter · #5 · May 22, 2007

Haha, thanks guys! Keep the ideas coming I'm open to anything! (Just not to expensive of course..)

Sickie Ickie

· #6 · May 22, 2007

So I guess covering your body with gold leaf and pretending to be a zombie statue is out?

Death in the Reaper

Discussion Starter · #7 · May 23, 2007

Yeah that just might scare the neighbors in a different sort of way XD

Sickie Ickie

· #8 · May 24, 2007

Hey, I just realized, we have no idea what you look like! Time to post a pic!

Black Cat

· #9 · May 24, 2007

Here's a pic of her from last year. She wore those fangs for almost an entire month while working at Halloween Adventure.
Terror on Beechwood 2006 :: P2140032.jpg picture by troop134 - Photobucket

IshWitch

· #10 · May 24, 2007

Awwww, what a cutie!

Doomsday Cult Leader

· #11 · May 26, 2007

She'll look even cuter as a zombie, but then, who wouldn't?

My favorite character is a zombie, and I've done many zombie make-ups on myself and others. What always sets apart the great make-ups, from the good costumes, are the little details.
Things like;
Fake fingernails, yellowed and cracked.
Make-up coverage on all exposed skin. No pink ears, neck and hands.
Rotten teeth, either fake or painted. (Dental Distortions and Ben Nye tooth colorants!)
Leaves and stuff in hair.
Consistancy. If there is moss or mold on the costume, it should be growing on you, too. An old blood stain should appear on the clothes to match an old wound, new blood for a fresh one.
No new shoes. Go to Goodwill and get a pair to scuff and tear up. All that shuffling around really is hard on footwear!
Maybe even contacts, but I personally like the human eyes in an undead face look.

I've done several different styles of zombie, and the best advice I can give you is this, "The difference between starring role and background extra is the level of detail, which do you want to be?"

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Bodybagging

· #12 · May 27, 2007

3

Call me old fashioned if you will, But im still a firm believer in nothing will create a Zombie quicker than a Zombie Foam appliance and set of ZombieSkinZ.... (Shameless plug here)

Plus that Chicks dig DEAD GUYS!

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BlinkyTheHouse Elf

· #13 · May 27, 2007

Nice Work !!! but Rick Baker is the best at making zombies

BlinkyTheHouse Elf

· #14 · May 27, 2007

you could take some flesh colored latex and pour some on some wax-paper and let dry to use as flaps of skin just apply with more latex.

Death in the Reaper

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jun 6, 2007

These are all such excellent ideas...and I've finally figured out what sort of Zombie I'm going to be. I'm very excited about this...haha..I can't wait. Keep posting ideas as they come to you, I may just start practicing soon. :zombie:

Revenant

· #16 · Jun 6, 2007

Buy a scent pack of "Mildew", "dirt", or "compost/decay" from SinisterScents so you have that extra scent of authenticity when you're close-up to people! (They do have a Rotting Flesh/roadkill scent that would technically be more appropriate, but I know *I* wouldn't be real keen on smelling that stuff on me for several hours. Then again, you may be into this stuff more than me, who knows.)

Death in the Reaper

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jun 6, 2007

Is that so? Sounds interesting..I wonder if people would be able to smell me coming before they saw me

Bodybagging

· #18 · Jun 7, 2007

Sinister scents rock! Funny and yet nasty story here, the costume you see up above with the tuxedo, REEKED after a few seasons of use, no matter what I did the smell would not go away, so what did I do? I used it! I would walk up on people and stand really close, you could watch their noses start to sniffing involuntarily, GEEZ YOU STINK! why yes I do, Ive been dead for quite a time now, how should I smell! people would assume that it was part of the costume. We now lovingly refer to the costume as ole stinky!

TwistedDementia

· #19 · Jun 7, 2007

THAT STINKS!!! In a good way, and why not attack all the senses, it will only highten the atmosphere!

Bodybagging

· #20 · Jun 7, 2007

Thats right TD, kinda like going all out on your costume and leaving your brand new white hightops on......... defeats the purpose if you dont do EVERYTHING!

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