Monday, October 25, 2010

Break and tips

Taking a quick break from working on costumes to bring you all some tips for grunging up your zombie costumes!

- It may sound gross, but take your shirt/pants/whatever to the rims and hubcaps on your tires. Its got a lot of black/brown gunk accumulated provided you haven't washed your car recently. It doesn't smell, so don't worry about that.
- Sandpaper, of varying grits. Work the cuffs and edges of your clothes, think of the pair of jeans you've had for years. Where would the natural wear and tear occur over time? 
- Run over your clothes a few times
- Sandpaper!
- Thin out "dirt" colored acrylic paints with water and paint the cuffs/edges/random areas of your costume. Deep, dark browns, maybe a hint of dark green. Get creative! Mix colors and test them on spare fabric until you get something you like
- The same above goes for the blood. I personally just use Barn Red or Brick Red colors. Theatrical blood is typically too bright and pinkish to look convincing. Woochie Blood Gel smeared in  places can look convincing if done right, too.
- A good way to get the "dripping" bood look is to saturate your paintbrush. Hold the shirt nearly vertical, and press the paintbrush into it until the paint/water mix comes dripping off and down the shirt. Behold! Gravity is useful for something!
- Don't be afraid to get messy with the blood and dirt, zombies aren't neat creatures.
- Did I mention the sandpaper? Steel wool will work, too! Try using both!

Thats all I have for now, if I can remember anything I've left off while I'm working, I'll post some more. :]

13 comments:

  1. Ooo great advice! I'm looking to cosplay Zoey from L4D soon so I could really use these. Thanks!

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  2. I'm going to try this for any future guro loli costumes :D

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  3. I need to try this for my zombie loli outfit. thanks for the tips!

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  4. If only I knew this before the Zombie Walk on Saturday! I might of been able to go. Very awesome tips.

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  5. Awesome, thanks so much for these tips :D I'm going to use these for a Dead Rising cosplay!

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  6. These are great tips! Too bad the zombie walk just passed >_>

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  7. I feel slightly dumb that I haven't thought of sandpaper before <_<

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  8. Thanks for the great advice! Not a ton of my friends know how to sew/make costumes, so as soon as halloween rolled around.. "hey make us stuff!" this will make for great cheap costumes, and a good group project! yaay zombies!

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  9. Sweet! Next time I go on a zombie walk I'll keep this shit in mind :3

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  10. All great advice! I've done the tire thing myself before and it really looks... authentic. xD

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  11. I lol'd at "Gravity is useful for something!"

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