Make Up Studio: Creating Cuts and Bruises

During this weeks practical with Sue we learnt how to create cuts and bruises which could be relevant to both Estella and Miss Havisham. 

Things that should always be considered before creating cuts and bruises for special effect is how old the cut or bruise is, this would change the colour palette you would use depending on whether the bruise was recent, or a little older. 

Creating Cuts and Bruises: 

Products Used:

 Kryolan Supracolor Palette

      Vaseline

Ben Nye Bruise and Cut wheels

Plasto Wax

Sealer

Fake blood

Palette Knife

Wound filler

Stipple sponges

Round brush

Fine Liner brush

Flat brush

MAC Red eyeliner pencil

Creating a Bruise:

1. Before you start creating your cuts and bruises make sure the skin is thoroughly cleansed and moisturised, this is important as the grease based products will blend much better and create a more realistic look.

2. First apply the lightest colour, which is yellow, around the area you wish to bruise with a small round brush, then blend with clean fingers.

3. Next start to add the red and purple tones from the Ben Nye bruise wheel to create a really swollen effect, the darkest area should be around the bottom of the eye.  You can gently feel your clients bone structure around the eye to place the colour around the right area. Build up the colour slowly, always asking your model to open and close their eye so that the colour is applied evenly.

4. To make the eye look sore, you can add the red MAC pencil into the waterline.  You could also use your fine liner brush to add darker colours such as blue or black to the bruise to add more detail.

5. To complete the look, add some vaseline (if desired), to create a shiny, swollen effect. 

Creating a Cut:

1. Remove some wax from its container using your palette knife, warm the wax up slightly on the back of your hand.

2. Place a small amount of wax onto the face and blend it upwards until it looks like it has disappeared. If the edges are looking a little bit thick, you can blend these out with some moisturiser.

3. After you have applied the wax to the face, take a small tool like a hair pin, and create the cut in the wax.  The 'cut' can be as shallow or deep as you want it to be.

4. After you have created the desired effect, take your sealer and apply this over the wax with a cotton bud.  This will stop the wax falling off the face and secure it nicely.  Remember if you are working close to the eye, ask your model to keep their eyes shut while you apply this.

5. Allow the sealer to dry, to speed up this process, use a hairdryer.

6. Next you can apply some wound filler or blood onto the cut, add the blood little by little.

7. To create scratches, take your stipple sponge and apply some blood lightly around the cut.  If you want to create the effect of dripping blood, use a spray bottle and spray as much blood around the cut as desired.