@twilight samurai:

I posted a pic of me as a zombie last year. Not really planning anything this year, but I do enjoy working the make-up effects.

The amount of white depends on how swollen you want the bruise to appear, and what visual range you're working with. If a lot of people will be seeing it close up (less than ten foot range), the white highlight would be smaller and more heavily accented with the light pink to look more natural. I'm used to working with a visual range of 25+ feet.

LOL This is so funny!

I don't really celebrate Halloween, but I would love just to dress up one of these days. Lol This looks neat and fun to do. Hmm... What are you going to be this year? I recall one year you were a zombie or something? XD Also, in your demo, would you add that much white? I would think you'd cover a bit more up. But I don't know this stuff like you do!

@Adam:

If you do use it, please let me know how it turns out.

@:

It's not the corn syrup you have to worry about, it's the iron used to make the red food color. That stuff will scratch your eyes if it gets in them.

@:

Actually, that's a great question. Skin tone is something that will affect the end result, and the colors that should be used too. I'd suggest trying a red-brown, or a darker red (something maroonish in tone) for the base. If she knows what shade of blush she'd normally use, it would either be that, or one to two shades darker. Dollar stores are a great way to get cheap supplies to be able to experiment with different shades to see what works. They also sometimes have colors that big retailers don't carry.

On the stage blood, In a nutshell:

You'll need, 1 qt of light corn syrup (it has to be the light kind, clear or yellowish colored)
1oz bottle of red food color.
1 blue food color dropper from the four pack.

Mix the entire 1oz red food color with the corn syrup, then add 1-2 drops of blue food color to that, blend well and you have a quart of stage blood you can safely put in your mouth.

A word of warning though, keep it away from the eyes.

@:

hey, do you know a good way to produce dull metal?

Last year, I made the metal plate of a Konoha headband for my Kiba costume by cutting out some card board from a cereal box and wrapping it in tin foil. But this year, I'm going as a Diablo-style Barbarian, so I'm looking for a metal look that's sorta.....dull. Like I got some metal sheets in a raid, stuck them in a fire, banged on them with a hammer, and strapped them to my body.

Anybody got advice?

@Markus wolfe:

I'm thrilled that this how-to has been as well received, so I already have plans to do more. I'll do one on burns and of course I'll do one on budget scars as well. I can't guarantee that they'll be done in time for Halloween, but I will try.

@CosmicSailor:

In that case, please create a post on it. I'll be sure to read it, even if it isn't published!

@Markus wolfe:

Yeah, I can do a reasonable amount of the gory stuff. Not just bruises, but cuts, burns, scars and the like, there's a really cheap way to make lots of edible stage blood too.

About scars specifically, I know at least two solid ways of making decent scars. The theatrical way takes time and materials that aren't as easily accessible as the budget way, but both work out really well.

cool...do you know anything about making scars or fresher, bloodier wounds?

This is a great tutorial, CS. It is very detailed and the examples are well shown.

I don't know if I'll be using this any time soon for dressing up for Halloween is not really a thing here in the Philippines that much yet.

It's good to know that I can go over to this world should the need arise for any make-up special effects.

Good job! ^^

Very cool. If I could use it I would but poor Dill would freak over it... I will keep it in mind for next time if he ever grows out of the freak of this stuff...

Thanks for sharing CS...

Later,
Kita

@somegirl:

Halloween is one of my top holidays because I'm good at the make-up effects so I get to do my thing. I can't wait for it either, even though I don't really do much for it, I do have fun with what I do get done.

I will have a print-friendly version of this "how-to", complete with pictures including one I couldn't fit here, done up this weekend.

Pictures are blocked where I am but I can't wait for halloween! >DDDD
i dono what i'm going to be. I still have to go through all of the boxes of stuff we have but it's going to be so much fun.
I'm a christmas person but i love halloween too!^-^

-Jae ♥