Introduction: Snow White and the Undead Dwarves

About: Synth chick for electro-rock band, Former Human Beings

This is my take on what happened to Snow White and the Seven Dwarves in the end. To put it plainly: zombie apocalypse! This costume is great for anyone who isn't great at sewing or is new to special effects makeup. This is the first fake open wound I've ever made and it was fun and easy. Follow along to find out how to put together this look in about an hour's time!

Step 1: Supplies

You will need:

  • Snow White dress
  • black wig
  • red headband
  • white high socks
  • black Maryjane shoes
  • 2 Disney Dwarf plush dolls, 10" in size or bigger
  • adhesive Velcro strips
  • double sided carpet tape
  • cheap red lipliner
  • liquid latex
  • several bits of toilet paper
  • bloody scab makeup
  • paint brush
  • makeup sponge
  • hairdryer
  • mini scissors
  • liquid foundation in your skin colour
  • black eyeliner
  • cornstarch
  • ketchup
  • red food dye
  • blue food dye

Notes:

I got my dwarf plush dolls on eBay for about $8 each after shipping. I went with a 10" on my neck and 12" on my hip. Any bigger might have been too heavy. These were perfect and nestled on me all day.

The Velcro strips are good for the neck dwarf but not strong enough for the hip one. I used double sided carpet tape as it's strong enough to bind/hang the doll, but not rip off my dress or its face. :)

I got the bloody scab makeup because it was cheap when I went to get the liquid latex. You can also use the cornstarch/ketchup/food dye mix I made here for fabric-safe blood.

I made my diseased-veins look extra thick so they could be seen from far away, but you can go a bit easier for a more realistic look up-close!

Step 2: Placing Dwarf on Neck

Put on your Snow White dress and place a dwarf on your shoulder so it looks like it's biting your neck. Stick a piece of Velcro on your shoulder.

Stick the other side of the Velcro on your dwarf.

Attach dwarf to your neck with the help of the Velcro. It will sit on you nicely.

Step 3: Making the Wound Base

While your patient little dwarf is still attached to you, so you get an idea of where is a good placement, make an outline of your neck wound with red lipliner.

Paint on a nice thick coat of liquid latex in the wound area.

Immediately dab on bits of tiny toilet paper onto the painted area.

Paint more liquid latex onto the toilet paper. Repeat this process a couple times so it's thick.

Sit and wait until it dries, or speed up the process with a hairdryer on the cool setting.

Step 4: Colouring and Opening the Wound

Dab foundation on all over the wound so it matches your skin.

Take your small scissors and cut a slit open from end to end.

Cut out some flaps in some areas to make it look more busted.

Step 5: Blood and Black Veins

Dab some of the fake blood into your wound. Really get in there! You can remove your patient dwarf for now.

Take your black eyeliner and draw veins from the wound shooting outward toward your chest and up your neck and face.

Take a sponge and gently blot on a very small amount of foundation over the veins.

Now take your eyeliner again and make heavier black veins around to show depth.

Step 6: Wig and Touch-ups

Tie your hair into braids, pin to the top of your head, and put on your wig. Pull out some of your own hair for a more realistic hairline. If you don't have dark hair, use some mascara on it to blend.

Now that your wig is on, do some finishing touches on the vein work. Dabbing on a bit of liquid latex on the wound flap edges makes for awesome pus-filled looking gnarliness. Give it a try!

The veins should be heavier at the wound then muted going out. This is a photo of my makeup after I took off the dress.

Step 7: Attaching 2nd Dwarf to Hip

Having the dwarf hang off the hip needs a lot more strength than Velcro can handle. Take a piece of double-sided carpet tape and attach the dwarf to your hip at the mouth and at the belly.

Again, this stuff is strong so if you get it on your dwarf's beard (like I did) he will lose a bit of fluff. Sorry, little dude!

Step 8: Making Fabric-safe Fake Blood

If you'd like some fake blood on your outfit or on your dwarves, make some that you can wash off easily. Mix a bit of cornstarch in a dish with a touch of water.

Add some ketchup and stir. Add 3 drops of red food colouring and the tiniest half drop of blue food colouring. Mix.

Test out the fabric safety of your fake blood by adding it to an old white t-shirt or piece of cloth.

If it washes out nicely with some water and dish detergent, you're good to go! Spray that fake blood on!

Halloween Contest 2019

Participated in the
Halloween Contest 2019