How to Apply an Encapsulated Silicone Prosthetic
In this quick tutorial, we are going to show you how to apply an encapsulated silicone prosthetic. This includes preparing the skin, gluing down the prosthetic, blending the edges to the skin, blending with paint & makeup, and adding additional affects like blood and gore.
Preparing the Prosthetic and Skin
Start by prepping the prosthetic. First make sure it’s clean of all powders or release agent. This can be done with water and hand soap and then pat dry. Next, prep the skin by cleaning it with witch hazel or alcohol so that the skin is free of oils and makeup. Now you’ve got a great base to start with and won’t run into issues with adhesion or blending.
Applying the Prosthetic
First test the placement of the prosthetic to make sure the piece will work in the desired area. With a cotton applicator, apply a thin layer of Pros-Aide to the back of the prosthetic as well as the skin. Make sure to leave the clear encapsulated edges of the piece free of adhesive, you will be gluing them last. Once the adhesive is dry press the prosthetic firmly to the skin.
Blending the Prosthetic Edges
Next you will glue down the edges of the prosthetic. Do this by lifting the encapsulated edge, applying a thin layer of Pros-Aide, and allow it to fully dry before stretching the edge tight and pressing firmly onto the skin. It’s important that you wait until the Pros-Aide is completely dry before laying the edge done to prevent any wet pockets of adhesive from getting trapped under the edge of the prosthetic.
Now you’ll dissolve the blending edge, in this case the prosthetic is encapsulated with Baldiez which is an acetone-based cap plastic that requires acetone to be dissolved. With a cotton applicator dipped in acetone, work away from the prosthetic. It is important to not use to much acetone to prevent eating too far into the prosthetic, ruining the blending edge.
Once the entire prosthetic is blended, check for imperfections in the blending edge. Check the blending edge by running your finger over the edge. You should feel a smooth transition. Any problem areas are easily fixable with a little Pros-aide Cream and a palette knife. After the edges are corrected, you want to apply an even texture from the prosthetic to the skin by applying a thin layer of Pros-aide with a stipple sponge around the entire edge of the prosthetic. Once the Pros-aide is dry, you want to powder the entire prosthetic one last time, which prevents the prosthetic from feeling tacky.
Painting the Prosthetic to Match the Skin
To paint the prosthetic, we recommend using alcohol-activated palettes. In this case, we used PPI’s Skin Illustrator Flesh Tones Palette. The best way to paint encapsulated prosthetics to match a person’s skin tone is by applying washes of color to achieve the natural translucency that our skin has naturally.
This can be done with either a spatter brush or a trimmed-down chip brush. Holding the brush in one hand and you can use your fingers to flick the color covering the prosthetic with a thin spatter wash of color that looks very organic. When painting flesh tones, you may have to use adjuster colors like olive, Blue, or coral to achieve the desired skin color.
Safely Removing the Prosthetic
To remove the prosthetic, you will want to use Isopropyl Myristate and a cotton applicator. Start by Dipping the cotton applicator in the Myristate and then gently rub the edge of the prosthetic until the edge begins to lift.
Once the edge has begun to lift, you can then take a cotton ball full of Myristate and in a circular motion massage under the edge of the prosthetic while gently pulling the edge back until the prosthetic is fully removed. It is especially important that you go slow and take your time this ensures that you will not damage the skin.
