Making a full size corpse

It isn't always pretty

If you have not yet watched Chutes and Ladders- Episode 1, do so before reading on. You've been forewarned.

I really pride myself on being a DIYer and finding the cheapest alternative for any project. So when I was asked to create a corpse for the big reveal at the end of episode 1, I was up for challenge. While a corpse is more of a prop than strictly makeup, I figured it was close enough. Luckily, I am a huge Bones fan, so I have seen my fair share of rotting and decaying flesh, well the television version anyway. Take a look at some of these rotting beauties featured in NYmag.com.

I don't like watching gory movies, I don't even like scary movies, and I don't like blood in real life either. But I like Bones, ozzy goozy guts and all. I think I appreciate all the work and creativity that goes into all the makeup, props and special effects. So I was pretty excited to get a chance to make a corpse.

I knew Backyard FX had a lot of really great tutorials, perfect for DIYers like me. I was able to find this one on creating a corpse.

I made a quick trip to Home Depot and was able to gather most of my supplies there, and charm my way into getting my PVC pipe cut according to the dimensions in the video. I made another stop at the 99cents store for pantyhose, a cheap barbie with black hair, and wire coat hangers. One final stop at a theater shop for liquid latex, and I was ready to start building.

I just needed to acquire a foam head. They have them everywhere around Halloween, but in March, they are surprising difficult to find. I only had two days, and Latex takes a while to dry, so I started building without the head.

I named him "Frankie" and here he is, just "bones." The drill I borrowed was too heavy for me, so drilling through the PVC pipe took forever. I enlisted the help of my friend Nahid, and she helped hold the PVC pipes steady. She also helped mold the rib cage seen below.

By the end of the night, I was ready to start wrapping "Frankie" in newspaper to build his paper body, wrap him in pantyhose, and cover him in latex.

Once "Frankie" was dry he was ready for wardrobe. At the end of episode 1, Alejandro discovers his own decaying body, wearing the same clothes he has on now. So Frankie's wardrobe had to match but look much older. I added a few burn holes to mimic heavy wear and tear.

Here he is with Alejandro on the day of the shoot. I wish I had more time, and more latex, but overall I was happy withe the final product. I couldn't fit him in the car after the shoot, so I left him at my parent's house. My mom was so creeped out by it, that he was promptly moved and hidden in the garage. He now resides in my closet, but I can't wait to put him on display somewhere for Halloween.

Photo Shoot Tests

We spent most of last Sunday at a park called, La Tierra de la Culebra. It's a tiny little park in Highland Park, but it has a great arts vibe.


A friend and I are planning a hair and makeup "Test for Print" shoot next month. We spent the day scouting locations and taking a couple test shots. Thank goodness our photographer came along, because I am useless with a camera. Here are just a few samples.

I am excited to see what this becomes, once we add hair, makeup, wardrobe and a few bounce boards to the our shoot. Stay tuned for uploads from the actual shoot.

Thrift stores = Biggest bang for your buck

For this scene in Chutes and Ladders, the hair was kept pretty simple, a thin braid that started on one side and wrapped around to the other. I'm lucky to have a friend (Ella Maria) who is an amazing Hair Dresser that I can call up before a shoot and make sure I am fully prepared.


The costume was a lot of fun to work on too. The vest started as an ugly puffy vest with fur trim on the hood (Think J-Lo circa P. Diddy). I promptly removed the trim and sewed the hood back together. I also wanted to add a little edge but had to find a way to do it cheaply. Taking a bit of inspiration from Project Runway a few seasons ago, I purchased the longest black zipper I could find, and broke it apart. 2 dollars well spent to add a metal trim up the front of the vest.

My favorite part however was the belt. I cleared out the rack of belts at the local thrift store. Four black belts, some with broken parts, were fasted together into this giant mega belt. To save time, I ditched the task of sewing through leather, and went straight for my card hole puncher. I snuck into my husbands desk and stole a few of the little brass fasteners used for scripts. Turns out, they are great for fastening pretty much anything. I told you I was resourceful. I was pretty pleased with the overall look of the final product. I think she is ready to kick some ass, don't you?

Making use of my bruise wheel

This was for a project I worked on recently, Chutes and Ladders, a web series my husband created and I helped produce along with one of the actors (Datta Dave).

Cuts and bruises have always been one of my favorite things. I am pretty clumsy myself, so I generally have plenty of real life samples to base my work on. I watched a few tutorial a few days before this particular day, but I didn't really find anything that was different from what I was already doing. I also searched for images I liked of fake bruises. If you can stomach it, I recommend searching for images of real ones too.

I used Ben Nye's Cuts and Bruise Wheel, layering on the blue and red tones with a nylon stippling sponge. Layering the two helps create the uneven purple tone found in real bruises, pale in some areas and almost green in others. I went back in with a little extra red to create fresh scratches and a little yellow in the center to make it look a bit swollen. I used a basic translucent powder to set it, also from Ben Nye. Brushes won't work here, bruises call for velour powder puffs so you can really press it into the skin. A little stage blood and in our case, a little bit of dirt and ashes, and you are ready to go.

Creating this look is fairly easy, because it's ok if it looks a little haphazard. However if continuity is going to be an issue, plan ahead and practice on your own face a few times. Getting it just right and exactly the same each time takes some practice. I like my cuts and bruises, but there is definitely some room to grow, so it's back to my make-up area until I get it "just-so."