Evaluation

Evaluation - Overall I have thoroughly enjoyed my chosen option special effects make-up. I have definitely learnt a lot from the process of creating prosthetic and I created two designs, one of which was a snake bite wound and the other was a human hybrid crocodile.
I really struggled to begin with as I found special effects very difficult to pick up as the procedure was very intense and time consuming. What I felt most time consuming was blending the edges to make sure they were really smooth before applying the silicon; however Kat did show me another technique to use using one of the special effects tools which I felt helped me a lot. I feel with the more practice I get the more I will improve on this weakness. I would definitely say special effects was a lot more harder to grasp than I imagined, but that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it as I did and I managed to get there in the end. I was very happy with the end results of my prosthetics, I feel I just need to make sure I don’t get so hit up about it and to just take my time as I am still learning.
My positives from the snake bite wound were that I was very happy with the make-up in which I created over it and the swelling which I created around the outside of it. The only thing I would say which disappointed me about the wound would have been that I felt I created the snake bite wound itself perhaps just slightly too big in height and I had to use more product. However I did this because I wanted to show swelling as from my research this is something that is very common in snake bites.
Creating the hybrid I found very fun and I was happy that we had our own choice of what to create, it gave me a lot of excitement as to what I could create, I had so many cool and artistic ideas. However I decided on the crocodile and I was most happy with the way I textured my mould to give it the scales of a crocodile, I did this using my special effects tools. I did want to create more prosthetic on the body however I didn’t have enough product left to do this, so I worked with what I could to get the best outcome possible and I can say I am very happy with what I have achieved.
For some reason I lost the photo’s in which I saved on my SD Card, however I have backed it up with photo’s which I have taken from my phone which I hope will be OK.
Unfortunately I feel I didn’t include as much as I wished in my blog, this was due to personal matters, however I didn’t let it affect something that I love and I am passionate about so much. So I did the best I could possibly do. I feel I have gained so much from special effects and it’s a shame for me that it is over with now but I will continue my practice within this in my spare time to boost my skills and confidence as this is definitely the area of work I would like to work in when I graduate from University.

Technical File Evaluation – I found creating the silicon moulds a little bit daunting at first as there is a lot involved in order for you to get your perfect piece. I learnt how to sculpt a wound by using all the necessary tools from my special effects kit and using a hair-dryer to heat the clay to make it easier to mould. I learnt to make sure all edges of the clay were smooth so they didn’t show up on the prosthetic, this is something I struggled with greatly but Kat kindly showed me a better way of smoothing the edges with one of the special effects tools. I also learnt how to create the mould itself by using fixing spray, petrolease, a measuring cup, hot glue and weighing scales; this part I didn’t have a problem with, it was just making sure I added the correct ingredients to get the perfect outcome.
Then I learnt how to cast and apply prosthetic by using a protective layer of baldease and alcohol proportion 2:1 alcohol:baldease and mixing them together and spreading approximately three layers onto the mould. Then I had to mix the ingredients together again to create the pigment and once the pigment was dry, I could then slowly peel away the prosthetic using talc and a brush. Again I didn’t struggle with this part either, for me it was just trying to remember the order of everything.
I also learnt that it was extremely important to follow health and hygiene regulations at all times. Below is my list of health and hygiene which I followed.

 Have hair tied back at all times
 Remove all jewellery
 Wear appropriate clothing so they don't get ruined from the products being used
 Open windows as the products being used are very strong
 Make sure the client isn't wearing Aloe Vera based products as this can react with the products
 Always be sure that the client is not allergic to any of the products, if they are unaware then the signs will be itchiness or swelling which is then a key sign to remove the products immediately with cold water
 Wear latex free gloves at all times
  Do not contaminate any of the products, use a new, clean pair of gloves when dealing with different products
 Use different spatulas to scoop out the product or to mix the products by labelling them, e.g. A, B + C
 Wear a mask when creating the moulds
 Always spray the setting spray next to an open window to prevent the increase of fumes in the room
 Clean your mould with alcohol or acetone because if there is any product left on the mould then it will cause cross contamination
 Do not put any products down the sink as this can cause poison in the water system. So therefore it is vital to use couch roll to clean up the products and then place it in the bin straight after
 If any spillages occur, then it is very important to clean them up immediately using couch roll to prevent any accidents
 Always keep a clean and tidy kit
 Always store products in the correct place, e.g. in a cool area

I have learnt a lot from special effects and I will continue my practice in order to build my skills and confidence even higher.