How to MAKE a Geico Caveman Costume

Step 1 What you will need

MATERIALS:

For lifecast:
Alginate
plaster bandages
plaster
petroleum jelly
bald cap
drinking straws
another person

For sculpture:
modeling clay
miscellaneous utensils
orange
more plaster

For mask:
liquid latex
wig
spirit gum
makeup
scissors

Comments

[ZelenVR]

Any chance someone could post quantities of the supplies needed? Specifically I'm looking the clay and the laytex, but tips on the rest would be great too!  Looking for amounts for each item,  per mask, on the high side if estimates. I'm really new to this and dont want to run short, and I tend to have pretty steep learning curve with this this artistic. Thanks everyone!

[Vessie]

I started this project last night and it took me 3 times to mix the aliginate correctly. I bought 1lb of alignate, which is enough for about 3 masks. When you mix the alignate with water, make sure you use a 1:1 ratio. I used 16oz (2 cups) warm water with 2 cups alginate powder. On the alignate it told me to use 5.5oz alginate for 16oz water, but they base that on weight, not volume. if you dont have a scale to measure the alginate to 5.5oz, just use a 1:1 ratio. (2 cups water, 2 cups alginate. Note: Make sure you have another person mix the alginate and apply it on your face. Doing it by yourself is pretty impossible. Keep me updated on your mask building venture!

[fylraen]

A few words of advice: If you start from scratch this project will cost you a lot more than $30. For me: Latex = $20. Alginate = $12. Clay = $7. Bald cap = $3. Plaster = $7. Wig = $20. Spirit gum = $2. Plaster bandages = $3.

When you get modeling clay, BUY OIL-BASED CLAY. I can't stress this enough! Otherwise the plaster will stick to it and make things impossible.

The liquid latex I bought (Mehron) is pretty thin and takes about 15 minutes to dry a coat, more in the cracks / crevasses. You need dozens of coats of latex in the thick areas that need support (nose, cheek ridges, upper lip, brow ridge) at 15 minutes a shot. It takes a long time. Give yourself plenty of time.

You can use a drinking straw in your mouth to breathe, since you will be cutting out the mouth anyway. Make sure you hold it loosely in the mouth so as not to distort the face. It's much easier for breathing than the nose.

[thepelton]

A good oil based clay is Plastiline. (Not sure about the spelling, but it should be available in art supply stores.)

[rafalobo]

sidenotes: to make the mask easier to blend in with your face, go easy on the latex around the edges...like the eyes, the sides, or the mouth. when making the first positive cast from the alginate mold...before the plaster sets, try putting a "handle" in place and let the plaster cure around it...that will give you something to pull the clay sculpture from the 2nd plaster cast. a "handle" can be anything...bolt, old cabinet handle...or even a groove you make with your fingers...not so deep so it interferes with the facial features of the cast but just deep enough so you can put at least two fingers in there to pull the clay sculpture away from the plaster. when making the alginate mold from your face, make sure you cover enough real estate..meaning a few inches past the top of your hairline all the way to the underside of your chin, and the sides of your face to your ears....this is to ensure you have a bowl-like mold deep enough to hold the plaster. For smoothing out the clay on the sculpture...try using a sponge with warm water...but be sure you're using oilbased clay or else the clay will turn liquidy.

[rafalobo]

also...it's a good idea to stuff some cotton on the inside of the latex mask..in the empty spots like the brow, the nose or the cheekbones...because you will sweat underneath it.

[carliman56]

Where did you get all this stuff??? I gonna get it today! well I just need to know where to get the plaster, bandages and alginate! help thannxx!!

[fylraen]

You can get that stuff at an art store like Utrecht or Dick Blick. Craft stores like Michael's have the bandages and plaster but I didn't find any alginate.

[carliman56]

thanks!!!

[rafalobo]

also at Douglas & Sturgess in San Francisco or Richmond, www.artstuf.com

[carliman56]

thank you guys!!