Make a Scar Using Stage Makeup Step by Step

7 Parts:

What You Will Need

How to create realistic looking scarred skin

Applying the scars

Create a bruise/bruised skin to compliment your scar

Adding the blood

Tips

Comments

You remember how ghoulish the dancers were in the most famous music video of all time, "Thriller" with Michael Jackson, and how horrific Linda Blair's face appeared so realistically scarred in the movie, The Exorcist? It's remarkable how Hollywood special effects (FX) makeup artists create such realistic looking scars on actors for videos and movies. You may want to scare your friends at your next Halloween party, or for a stage play at your local theater. Learn the makeup artist's secrets to create natural looking scars and bruises to complement them in the following tutorial.

All the supplies for this horror project can be found in the health and beauty section of your local store, with the exception of liquid latex, which can be found at costume shops.

1. 1
   Liquid Latex

   

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
2. 2
   Spirit Gum

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
3. 3
   A hand mirror

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
4. 4
   A straight razor blade

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
5. 5
   Sponge

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
6. 6
   Tissues

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
7. 7
   A pallet of different colored matte powdered eye shadows.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
8. 8
   Foundation - a color similar to your skin tones.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
9. 9
   Fake blood.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help

I made him into a zombie using liquid latex. At school - his teacher made him take some of the scars off - he was disturbing the other children.

It's recommended that you do this part of creating the scar a day or two before you need to dress up. The drying between layers of liquid latex is time consuming.

1. 1
   The liquid latex is in a bottle similar to nail polish with a brush

   .

   Brush the liquid latex onto the mirror in the shape you want your scar/scars, but a little bigger than you want. You can make several at once.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
2. 2
   Let it dry for about ten minutes

   .

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
3. 3
   Apply another coat.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
4. 4
   Let it dry for about ten minutes

   .

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
5. 5
   Apply another coat.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
6. 6
   Tear up tiny pieces of facial tissues, or toilet paper, and carefully add them to the scar for texture

   .

   You can also use a sponge for texture.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
7. 7
   This is when you'd put a slash into the scar, carefully using the straight razor blade.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
8. 8
   Let it dry for about ten minutes

   .

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
9. 9
   Apply another coat.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
10. 10
    Let it dry for several hours.

    Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help

1. 1
   First, make sure the area of skin where you want to apply the scar is clean so the latex used for the scar will adhere to your skin well.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
2. 2
   Use the straight razor blade to gently lift the "scar" or "scars" from the mirror.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
3. 3
   Apply some liquid latex to your skin where you want to put the first scar

   .

   Shape it the same as the scar you've made. A little larger is better than too small. If you don't have enough to stick the entire scar on, the edges won't adhere.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
4. 4
   Rather than attaching with liquid latex, you could use spirit gum instead.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
5. 5
   Both the liquid latex and spirit gum will leave a shiny look to the skin

   .

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
6. 6
   Using makeup to blend it to your skin.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
7. 7
   Apply a liquid foundation that's close to the color of your skin to your entire face, including the scar/s.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help

1. 1
   The colours that work best for bruises are

   :

   • Mossy green.
   • Pale yellow.
   • Burgundy.
   • Purple.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
2. 2
   Experiment, but what you want to do, is apply the powdered eye shadow AROUND the scar

   .

   Try using the burgundy closest to the scar, then to mossy green, fading in a pale yellow.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
3. 3
   For that spooky "Thriller" look, dab a bit of blue-black makeup cream in places within your bruise

   .

   This will give it a three-dimensional appearance from the contrast. Blend its edges into the other colors.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
4. 4
   Now, for your last Hollywood color effect

   .

   Dab some light brown makeup cream along the edges of the bruise. Then, blend it so that it fades onto your real skin.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
5. 5
   For that finishing touch, use a powder brush and dust your bruise with translucent makeup powder

   .

   With this Hollywood makeup artist trick your bruise will hold in place and keep its ghoulish color.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
6. 6
   This will give a natural appearance to your bruise

   .

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help

The last thing you should add is the blood.

1. 1
   You can apply a thin line of red makeup along the "cut" to appear as a wound that hasn't completely healed.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
2. 2
   More dramatically, you can dab some fake blood along the slice, even having some seep out.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
3. 3
   Now you are ready for Halloween

   .

   Be prepared to be confronted by looks of horror and concern from those who see you. Tell you startled friends they don't need to call an ambulance, that it's just Hollywood magic.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help

• Just as the work of any artist seeking realism, you want to blend the colors completely for your scar and bruise. You will be much more successful in making your creations look natural and horrific.

If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.

Comments