Make Up Effects for
Cosplay
Scars, Tattoos and other cool
things
What we’ll be doing
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Make up effects
Paint effects
Please ask questions throughout the
talk, there won’t be Q&A at the end
due to the demo.
Why do you need special effects?
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The character has a
scar/bruise/tattoo/is a zombie
You want to look more like the
character
For the lols.
Make Up Effects – Contact Lenses
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Make sure you get your eyes checked
This is
before wearing contact lensesLense Drift
Go for optician brands if you can.
It’s
Ones with more than one colour look more
annoying.
real than block ones
Keep them clean and if you feel irritated
take them out
If you’re getting photos done warn the
photographer to watch for lens drift.
Make up Effects- Male and Female
Male
 Darker skin
 Thicker eyebrows
 Defined
cheekbones
 Paler lips
 Bigger noses
Female
 Paler skin
 Thinner eyebrows
 Rounder faces and
cheeks
 Coloured lips
 More defined eyes
 Longer lashes
Make up Effects- Aging
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Most old characters have signature
wrinkles so you can copy them
Start out small and build up lines.
Subtle is better than really bold lines
Highlight in between the wrinkles
Make up Effects- Facial Hair
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Look for lace facial hair. Try not to be
too weirded out if it’s real human
hair.
Apply using spirit gum or prosaide
Remember if there’s stuff glued to
your face you can’t move it as much
Enjoy your new beard!
Make up Effects- Tattoos
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For small details biro pens work
really well
Snazaroo works well and is harmless
to most skin
You can mix snazaroo with prosaide
if you need it to be stronger
Fix with hair spray and talc/face
powder. This makes it look like it’s
under the skin.
Make up Effects- Scars
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Easiest way- paint latex on and peel back
the edge and use makeup to add the
colours desired
Medium way- paint prosaide and latex
over tissue paper to build up scar and
then add colours
Hard way- mould the scar in plastacine,
cast in plaster and mould in either latex or
gelatine and then glue it on
Easy
Medium
Hard
Make up Effects- Wounds
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They’re like scars, but you add blood.
Make up Effects- Blood
A Basic Blood recipe
 3 parts Glucose syrup to 1 part water
 Add Red food colouring
 Thicken with chocolate sauce or
sifted flour
Warning- this stuff is sticky!
Make up Effects- Bruises
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Bruises are more yellow on the bone,
and move towards purple where fat
and muscle are.
Look at pictures of the type of bruise
you’re after and copy it in makeup
People don’t expect you to be
bruised for most costumes. Be
prepared to tell people that you’re
not actually hurt.
Make up Effects- Body Paint
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Snazaroo is the best option available
Get a friend to help you apply it. Full
bodies take a lot of time so either
get up early or cheat by wearing a
zentai suit.
Apply in thin layers at a time for
even coverage
Make up Effects- Goblins
Make up Effects- Goblins
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This was made by taking a head cast of
Timber and then painting latex over the
head. It was then removed and a zipper
put in the back
On the day it was glued to his face and
then blended with latex and snazaroo
The hands were made by gluing cling film
to his hands with prosaide and then
painting them with latex and acrylic paint
Make up Effects- Getting it off
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Get a proper makeup remover
Use a lot of it
Wash with soap
Repeat until all gone
Paint Effects- Blood and Gore
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Use dark red and
brown for blood
and build up in
layers
Think about where
the blood would hit
on the costume
Use can use spray
paint, acrylics and
even snazaroo
Paint Effects- Smoke and Stains
(AKA steampunk)
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Think about where ash
would hit the character
or where they would
get dirty
Tea staining makes
your costume smell.
Use brown watered
down acrylic
Black spray paint is
very good for dust
effects
Paint Effects- Ice and Crystal
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Everything is blue.
Blue blue blue
blue.
Dry brush
white/pale blue
acrylic over
everything
Glue ice crystals
(aka salt) to things