DryCorpse

From Simreal

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This page shows the classic dry, mummified corpse. This is an easy project with a variety of alternate materials you can use. Of course, I don't have step-by-step pictures of the process right now. But I'll do what I can to talk you through it...

Materials

There are lots of materials you can use to make corpses.

The best, and most expensive, materials are liquid latex and cotton batting. You can get latex at any of the special effect suppliers listed in my SupplierLinks. Cotton batting can be found at beauty supplies, such as Sally Beauty, or probably at craft stores and other places. Maybe even drug stores, or the medicine section of your grocery... who knows? I found mine at Sally Beauty. Latex paint supplies the colors -- house latex, craft paints, whatever you have laying around.

For the skeleton, I use the 4th quality "halloween" Bucky from Anatomical Chart Company.

I get my hair at Sally Beauty -- it's cheap and comes in many colors. For a light, fluffy, old-person hairstyle, get the wool "crepe" hair used for makeup and available at special effects and makeup suppliers (some of which can be found in Links).

Lesser materials can also be used.

For the glue, you can use carpet latex (which takes forever to dry) or any rubbery glue-like substance. Heck, white glue would work.

For the fluffy bits you can use the cheap webs you can buy by the handful in the post-halloween sales, or any material used to stuff quilts, comforters, or pillows. Cheese cloth can also be used to good effect!

Skeletons don't have to be expensive if they are viewed from a distance. Target and other such places carry cheap blow-mold skeletons during the Halloween season.

Application

Before starting, you may want to take part of your rubber and color it, to give a nice base color. Latex will normally dry to a light tan color. Note that any color you mix now will dry to a darker shade.

You should also paint the skull a bit -- give the teeth some color, blacken the eye sockets. These parts will be visible under the corpse materials, so make them nice now. You'll also want to screw the jaw (and possible other body parts) into place.

There are two schools of thought as to application, both of which have value.

For large areas, you can paint latex (using a cheap, disposable brush) onto the skeleton to get a good sticky layer. Then apply your fluff over this. Finally, paint over the fluff with more latex, working it into the fluff so it all gets rubberized.

For sculpting, or if you just like to get your hands messy, you can dip the fluff directly into the latex. Squeege it out a bit and then apply it to your skeleton.

You can take the squishy latex-filled cotton and sculpt ears, noses, eyebrows, whatever! Give your dead person some character...

Painting

Once the latex dries, or at least becomes less wet and sticky, Your body has a nice base color. If you are using carpet latex, you can powder it with talcum powder or diatomaceous earth to take some of the "tack" away.

Now paint over this base color with ligher and darker colors. This gives it a LOT more visual interest and depth.

Hair

Adding hair is simple. First, mix and trim your hair as desired.

Now, starting at the lower edge of your skull, paint a small patch with latex that has been colored to match the existing latex.

Take a pinch of hair and spread it flat between two fingers. Press the ends of this into the latex and, if you like, dab a bit more latex over it. Gently release this patch.

Work your way around the bottom edge of the hairline this way, putting on a thin l ayer of hair.

Now, starting again, paint a patch of hair above the first patch and lay hair along this row.

Continue adding hair in layers, up to the top of the hairline or to the crown of the head.

After it all dries, feel free to give your skull a haircut.

When you lay the hair down, be sure to lay it in a "natural" direction. Note which way hair grows on your own body and point the hair on your corpse this direction.

You can do eyebrows, eyelashes (if you are insane), head hair, whatever...