Introduction: FREE Wound FX at Home- Last Minute Laceration

About: I work in a D.i.Y style superstore. I am not sure if that is a good thing or not, but it certainly perpetuates my interest in such areas. I enjoy high powered devices of any kind. I do not give in, even…

This I'ble will show you how to create wound FX, at home on the cheap. With only a few items from around the average home, we shall try to accomplish some authentic looking last minute effects for our Halloween ensemble.

This was created in under 45min, done 1 handed obviously. That includes picture time also.

This was applied on my forearm, although I have used this method to do a full chest wound also. The technique can be used to achieve, many types of wounds.


Step 1: What You Will Need

Like the title says, this I'ble was done for nothing, from things around an average home. If you do not have one of these items, they should not amount to much to purchase.

~ Toilet paper- Full role

~ Plain flour- 4 Tsp

~ Jam- Blackcurrent or strawberry (no we are not baking a cake. )

~ Tomatoe sauce

~ Sharpie- Black/red

~ Foundation- This one might be a bit tricky, we may have to borrow some from your Mum or Girlfriend.  Ladies your in luck, you may perhaps have some already. This is not strictly needed, yet will take your wound from looking almost fake to looking real.

~ Hair dryer- Makes things 10 times quicker

Step 2: Making Our Binder

First we need to make some paste.

Take your flour and put it in a saucepan. Add some water and heat on the stove top. (Kids  get Mum or Dad to help please)

Stir till a paste forms. Add more water if necessary.

Set aside until we are ready.

Step 3: Priming the Surface

Take a small amount of our glue and paint a thin layer, over the skin which will be the wound area. Make sure this layer extends out past where our wound will finish.

I have chosen my forearm, so I have painted up to my hair level and slightly beyond.


This layer is what binds the wound to our skin.

Take your hair dryer, place it on warm setting and dry off the layer of glue.

Step 4: Apply the Skin Curles

In this step, we will create the outer skin curles. This is the effect of skin retracting. The edges also give us the height of the wound, in order to feather it back out again.

Remember the higher you make these, the further the wound will need to feather back into your normal skin .


To create the edge take some toilet paper and make two rolled and twisted lengths. Apply a little glue to the bottom edge and lay them along the wound edges...


Blow dry the area.

Step 5: Sheet Layer

Now we need to apply a sheet of the TP, over the entire area.

First we need to paint a thin layer of glue to help it stick.

Lay it over and press it down into all the gaps, chances are it we tear, don't worry.

Once it is on there take some more glue and saturate it, untill the TP almost goes see through.
Make sure the glue soaks back down to the skin.

Dry the area well.

Step 6: Tear Back

Now apply some glue, around the outer edge of the wound wall. We want to saturate the TP, so it will tear away. Do not get the wound edge wet.

Gently pull away the excess.

Dry the area again.

Step 7: Creating Detail

Now would be a good time, to think about some details for your wound. Depending on what you are trying to accomplish, this will differ slightly.

I have decided to go for a bit of a skin flap around the edge.

Take more TP and pack it where you want it.
Use more glue where needed.

Step 8: Sheet Layer

Apply another sheet.


Saturate the entire area, make sure to soak the glue through all the wound to the skin.
This is important to ensure your features bond well to the base layer. You don't want bits falling off everwhere, no do you?

Dry the area off.

Use some glue to dissolve and feather the outer edges into your skin. Remove any square edges to the TP.

Apply some final smoothing layers. Your may need to do half thickness TP sheets, so separate the two or three ply.


Dry off entire wound. Make sure it is bone dry down to the bottom layers.

Step 9: Adding a Black / Red Layer

Black is always great for wounds. Use your marker to fill in any cavity and the inside of the wound.
When your sharpie / marker runs out, open it and use the inside to give it a more feathered texture.

Repeat with your red marker also. I did not have a red one, but thought you might.

I like to repeat this process, up onto my skin to aid transition. Maybe best to use non-toxic markers, for that means though.

Step 10: Adding Foundation and Food Stuffs

We need to give the wound atleast some skin tone. Apply the foundation to the outer edges and your skin. Try to feather / grade the colors evenly. You may find more marker is necessary, here and there to help.


Once the foundation is down, it is time for some more goo.


Apply a thin layer of tomatoe sauce to the entire wound, let it soak into the TP to send it reddish. Dry this layer off, it smells like sauce if you don't. I apply the sauce back onto my skin, you do not have to if you do not want.

Alternatively you could buy a blood capsule.

Finally we need to add some sticky shiney goop. This is our jam.
Apply in thin layers and dry. If you add too much it will just run off / everywhere.

Step 11: Finished

Apply finishing details and your done..

Sure in the bright light, you can tell the difference between this and professional work. Yet professional grade products, are not always on hand especially at the last minute.


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