How to: Using Moulds to Create Wounds

Equipment:
-Gelatine
-Wound moulds
-Release spray/Vaseline
-Fixer spray
-Microwave
-Pros Aide
-Pros Aide remover
-Witch hazel
-Cotton buds
-Bowl
-Powder brush
-Loose translucent powder
-Small angled brush
-Supra colour palette
-Blood paste
-Fake blood

Step by step:
1. Clean the moulds fully and make sure they are dry.
2. Apply a thin layer of vaseline or release spray onto the mould.
3. Heat up the gelatine and put it into the moulds, making sure they don't overlap each other and that the top of flat.
4. Once the mould has fully set, take it out of the mould and cut it down to the right size.
5. Apply some pros aide, with a cotton bud, to both the wound and the skin, as it is a contact adhesive.
6. Wait until the pros aide drys and goes clear.
7. Press the wound onto the skin and hold firmly to secure it.
8. Apply more pros aide around the edges if necessary.
9. Put some witch hazel in a bowl and, using a cotton bud, rub the witch hazel backwards and forwards along the edges of the wound to melt away the edges and make them look more seamless.
10. Powder well over the top of the wound with some translucent powder and a powder brush.
11. Use a small angled brush and your fingers to apply the supra colour on the wound to suit what look you are trying to achieve.
12. Add some blood paste and fake blood to the wound to make it look more freshly cut.

Wound before any colouring added.

I was excited to experiment with using moulds because it was completely new to me; however I am not particularly happy with how it came out. I was fine with applying the mould onto the skin, but when I came to rubbing the edges with witch hazel and a cotton bud, I found that the gelatine came away from the skin and that it didn't 'melt' the product away very easily. I therefore found that the edges looked very obvious and fake looking. I think if I had loads of time to wear the gelatine away it would have worked better as I think it was working, but just very slowly. I was happy with the colouring, however even after I had coloured the would, the edges still looked very obvious. I like how the blood paste and fake blood gave the wound more depth and how the redness of the wound extended to the surrounding skin, as I think it made the wound look more realistic. If I choose to use this method in either of my character designs, I will have to practise to get it how I wanted it.