Super Easy - How to Make Your Own Prosthetics Mold (Joker - Arkham Asylum)

Hi, I have made this instructable to show everyone a super easy way to make your own prosthetics for cosplay, Halloween, Or just facial features in general...

I personally made the facial features of the Joker From 'Arkham Asylum'

Ps, The attached image is from Arkham City, Not Arkham Asylum, I am stating this because I dont need people correcting me :D

Step 1: You Will Need...

So for this build you will need a few things, If you can improvise then do so, but if not then this works great.

You well need...

Plaster of paris Bandages...
Good Quality air setting clay (Make sure to not buy some kids play stuff, its rubbish, go to an art shop and you should have some more luck)
A big bag of Plaster of Paris
Cardboard boxes
Plastic bags
Water - You may have some trouble finding this... :D
Some carving tools help
A jar of liquid latex (Can be found at most art shops)
Jar of Vaseline
Cotton Buds

Step 2: Making Your Face

For this first step you are going to need:

Plaster of Paris bandages
Plaster of Paris
Bowl or bucket of water
Your face
Vaseline

First, Take your Vaseline, and coat your entire face in a thin layer of it, You will want to put a fair bit more on your eyebrows and hair line.

Now this step is usually best done with a friends help, but you can do it on your own, You are to dip the cut up bandage strips into water, then apply them to your face, It is that simple, do a good 3 or 4 layers, then relax for 20 mins or until it dries.

If you do this on your own, you will make the mask like below so you can see what you are doing (this is not my mask, I forgot to take photos :( ), once it has dried, you will have to cover the eye and nose holes while its off your face, Or however you think you will get the best results.

After you have covered all the holes up, you need line with Vaseline, and fill up the mask with Plaster of Paris, it is recommended you support the sides of the mask with bricks or sand bags etc.

Plaster paris is usually 2 parts powder - 1 part water, but check your packet in case..

When this has set, you can carefully remove it from the plaster, but generally the plaster just gets soft and you just tear it off.

Now you have a casting of your own face.

Step 3: How Do You Want to Look?

For this you will need....

Clay
Some carving tools, (not necessary but are really worth it)
Your Plaster face.
Vaseline

So theres not a lot too this step, you have to take the face, Put a very small amount of Vaseline over it, then build onto it with the clay to make the shape you want.

My joker face here isn't the greatest picture sorry, Had a rubbish camera at the time.

Once you have done this, put it in a warm, area to dry.

Ps. while you are shaping your clay it would be really good to have a bowl of water near to dip your fingers into, this will prevent sticking and help to keep clay hydrated.

Step 4: Now, on to Making the Mold....

For this step, your going to need....

Your plaster with clay face
Liquid Latex
Vaseline
Cotton buds

What your going to do is cover your plaster and clay face in Vaseline, then your simply just going to have it sitting on a piece of card board, And cover it in latex, Not alot, just a good 2mm thick coat,, then let it cure in a warm area.
You want this to dry, then add another coat, let it dry, then add another coat.
after you have applied the 3rd coat, you will place some cotton buds or cotton balls every 6 cm away from each other (Roughly) on the latex, Put it in a warm area, let it dry.

The image here is of my plaster and clay face covered in latex after its dried with one layer.

Step 5: 2nd Mold Making Step

This part is really easy, your going to line a cardboard box (a strong one) with a plastic bag, you will simply place face with cardboard base into the box.

When it is in the box, you will mix together a heap of Plaster Paris to fill a the box, You will pour it, then leave it for an hour or two to set.

Step 6: Removing Mold From...mold?

Ok so now is the moment of truth.

Really simply and carefully remove all the cardboard and plastic, turn over.

Some plaster managed to sneek under my cardboard, so I carefully cracked that all off.

Now you just have to carefully pry the face from the mold without breaking it... not hard.

Once you have done this you can discard the clay from the face. set mold and plaster face aside to dry more. (you may need to gently clean out mold from some clay)

Step 7: Now Your Done!

Now you are done, To make your Prosthetics, you are going to have to simply line your mold and plaster face with Vaseline, Pour your prosthetic material in your mold, then place your face on top of prosthetic material in the mold until its flush like image.

Good luck, I hope this helps someone!