Customer Reviews

Special Effects Make-Up

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

From severed fingers to slashed throats and burns, Special Effects Makeup provides a complete guide to theatre and film make-up processes, covering a world of increasingly technical, sophisticated effects. These step-by-step coverages will prove essential to any working in theatre, surveying materials and their results.

This book primarily makes use of different types of modeling wax to create everything from small scars to bullet holes to disembowelments. I bought it for myself, but found it to be too advanced--I am more of a Halloween make-up sort of person. My co-owner, Cat, is an expert in theatrical makeup, and finds it an excellent guide, well worth poring over. So, if you're like me, keep looking; if you have a background in makeup and want to learn more about horror moulage, this is for you.

Great book for the novice entering into the world of Special Effects Makeup. Some easy, cheap gags that will get you started without breaking your bank. Good starter book.

this book does have alot of helpfully facts and tips and provides alot of trick for gore and horror movie effects wich is what im interested in. however the character make up jobs towards the back are really a joke. the one labeled freddy krueger seeing the make up job it really made me not want to read the book honestly. i thought wow if these makeup jobs reflect the work there going to teach you in this book then i dont want to learn from this book haha...but ill just try to ignore the sad excuse for the character make up in the back. over all this is a good book. this is my first fx book. ive always wanted to be a special fx makeup artist. im curently looking at schools to apply to in hollywood and i wanted to get a handfull of books to read and study so at least i know some things before i start in a school. this is a good starter book i can tell. but if your looking for character design dont go by this book!!

This book is absolutely amazing when it comes to its gore effects, prosthetics for the face and mouth, and essential but often forgotten special fx like corpsing a human body, making organ props, and creating odd yet simple effects like acne. He really knows how to work with a budget, and at the same time he doesn't cut any of the quality. I've been in the FX job for 3 years, and I have to say that THIS is a book you're gonna want if you are looking for producing your own slasher films and slabbing down the blood for Halloween and the Theatre. Get this book and Grande Illusions: A Learn-By-Example Guide to the Art and Technique of Special Make-Up Effects from the Films of Tom Savini and you can start killing people in no time!

BUT- it does have its faults, and boy are they obvious. (one of them is the fact that the products he uses have branded names instead of the traditional ones most of use might be used to, like Mastix and ProStick are actually Spirit Gum and Pros-Aide, respectively, but that can be forgiven because she gives a quick translation at the end of her book with EVERYTHING)

The author decides to end his book with a chapter on Character Makeup, and most of them look LAUGHABLE (and really impractical to create and use by his instructions). the rest leave you scratching your head wondering if he ever seen the movies of the characters hes "recreating." some of the worst ones include classic favorites like Frankenstein, Pinhead, Freddy Krueger, The Wolfman, and others just look horrendous altogether, like the Minotaur (which looks more like Hefer from Rocko's Modern Life). It's also obvious that some of her research is flawed with typos and errors that would probably sting the Horror Film fan's heart (Remember that 'Freddie' movie, Wes 'Gravens' New Nightmare?).

BUT- Do NOT judge this book by the last chapter! I recommend this to anyone as a helpful handbook to really good gore and injury makeup! Forgive the character Makeup, if you want monsters pick up Dick Smith's Do It Yourself Monster Make-Up a classic for quick and awesome monsters!

Final Vote: This is an awesome book for the beginner and a handy side arm for the experienced!
Janus knows his gore! This book rocks!

This book was just as informative and well written as the seller stated. It was of good quality and not damaged in any way.

If you're into S.E. make-up, this is a good book to have on your table.

Great intro book. Good use of easily found items. This is good for students. Lots of pictures. Good use of household items and very fun solutions for special effects. Most enjoyable to read.

I am a film student who needed to learn the basics of special effects makeup very quickly. This particular book did a great job of laying out some fundamentals of the makeup world. The book is organized into different effects, which if you only take at face value is limited. However, if you go through and read each effect that is being taught you will quickly realize that the book isn't a specific how-to for each effect, but rather an organized method to teach the fundamentals. For example, even if you don't need "monster hands", the chapter on making them is really just a great introduction into how to use latex on a medium scale.

Overall, this is a great resource for the beginner who wants to being learning the fundamentals of special effects makeup. It will certainly get your gears spinning and allow you to start thinking of how you can apply the different techniques it provides.

From gaping innards hanging out to oozing brains and ripped asunder eyeballs its all in here.How would like to grow another apendage,perhaps a little maligned and eat away at? Sprout a few bullets holes in yer head?Grow Dr.Spock ears?Be the hit of the trick or treat scene with this handy dandy easy to do reference guide.