SPECIAL MAKE-UP FX | ANIMATRONICS | BODY & FACE ART ISSUE 2 WINTER 2015 £6.95
IN THIS ISSUE… >> ADI: A Quarter
Century of Cool
How 25 years of making monsters led Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr. to start making movies
the sculpt ur issue e Tu torials, To and Touc ols hing Tributes
>> Show us Your Tools! Five accomplished sculptors share their top five tools of the trade
>> Knowledge &
Know-How
Step-by-step tutorials on starting your first project, bladder techniques, painting silicone dummy heads, colour theory and sculpting the human foot
Unsung Hero
>> Penny
Dreadful
Nick Dudman on the challenges of creating the 19th century’s classic horror characters
Rob Freitas leads a moving tribute to the extraordinary life and work of Moto Hata…
AN M DM O U RE C ! H
Talent from a Higher Place PROSTHETICS
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CONTENTS “On a big movie, you just say to somebody else, ‘Can you take care of that?’ On this series, it was, ‘I’d better fix it, then!’ ” Nick Dudman
06 04 WORDS OF WISDOM
Mike Mekash, triple Primetime Emmy Award winner and American Horror Story’s Key Prosthetics Artist sets the scene for this issue
06 PERIOD PERILS
Joe Nazzaro talks to Nick Dudman about the challenges of creating the 19th century’s classic horror characters for John Logan’s supernatural series
14 MUSINGS OF A MONSTER MAKER World-renowned creature designer Jordu Schell contemplates the reason for FX folks’ fascination with the bizarre, the ugly and the outré
16 DANNY’S DEMOS Make-up FX artist and teacher Danny Marie Elias shows you how to go about your first prosthetics project, whilst keeping the cost under control
24 UNSUNG HERO
Rob Freitas leads a moving tribute to his late friend, the prodigiously talented and inspirational Moto Hata
36 PROSTHETICS TECH SPEC
Millennium FX’s Rob Mayor reveals the materials that went into the creature suit for an 8ft animatronic polar bear
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40 MIKE MEKASH’S OPSITE BLADDER TECHNIQUE This issue’s industry leader shares his simple bladder technique that effectively rivals traditional methods
44 ADI: A QUARTER CENTURY OF COOL
Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr. talk to Joe Nazzaro about 25 years of Amalgamated Dynamics Inc, making monsters and making movies
52 WEIGHING UP WORK EXPERIENCE
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Journalist and make-up FX artist Laura Sutherland investigates the challenging path faced by industry newcomers, when progressing towards fully paid work
59 PAINTING A SILICONE DUMMY HEAD
Italian prosthetics artist Valentina Visintin shares her technique for creating a hyperrealistic appearance on a rubber surface
66 RISING STARS PART 2
In this issue: Vincent Van Dyke of Vincent Van Dyke Effects, USA gives an insight into a career that’s accelerated to the level of company director at a young age, with the influence of the legendary Burman dynasty
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wintER 2015
Welcome
to issue two of Prosthetics Magazine. Firstly let me say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who bought and read issue one, were so positive about it and have encouraged us to continue. Without you we wouldn’t be here with issue two! Putting together a magazine is a completely new experience for Lisa and myself and the choices we make are based on what we feel is genuinely interesting and informative. Of those choices there were some I thought may have drawn negative comment and I was pleasantly surprised that they didn’t; our inclusion of body art for example.
24 76 COLOUR THEORY In this primer for a multi-part tutorial, well-known transatlantic duo Stuart Bray and Todd Debreceni explain the fundamentals of colour theory and why they’re important in prosthetics
82 SHOW US YOUR TOOLS! Five highly accomplished sculptors share the tools of the trade they couldn’t work without
86 FX CRIBS Neill Gorton opens the doors to the brand new studio of Millennium FX Ltd, the company he co-directs with Rob Mayor in Aylesbury, UK
90 STEP-BY-STEP SCULPTURE: MASTERING THE HUMAN FOOT Leading classical sculptor Andrew Sinclair ARBS takes us through his system for sculpting a foot; one of the defining skills of the modern figurative sculptor
I’ve seen Facebook groups ban face and body art because they’re not considered to be make-up ‘FX’. While not strictly prosthetics, these disciplines often use prosthetics and are intrinsically about creating an effect or illusion with clever use of colour and shading. One major failing I often see with newcomers to our craft is their inability to paint their work, with good sculptures and applications ruined by a poor paint job. I think many people starting out would benefit from putting down the clay and instead first exploring what they can create with highlight, shadow and colour. Digital FX are so often demonized within our industry. We’ve always been an innovative bunch and to ignore these powerful tools that can compliment and augment our work would be crazy. Todd Masters’ message to embrace these tools and make them our own is an important one and was well received. The last thing I was surprised to find drew no comment was the fact we didn’t focus predominantly on current and popular projects. This content choice is born of the fact that I’ve always been far more interested in the quality of the work itself and the people and techniques behind it. If there’s an obscure foreign language TV show that no one has seen but the work is amazing, I’m going to feature that any day over some run-of-the mill work that just happens to appear in a current blockbuster. For me this magazine is about celebrating our craft and the artists themselves, not celebrating the films, TV shows and media that the work appears in. I hope you enjoy issue two! Neill Gorton Publisher Publisher: Neill Gorton Editor: Lisa Gorton Designer: Mike Truscott Sales: Laura Hargreaves Contact: Prosthetics Magazine, Unit 3 Penrose House, Treleigh Industrial Estate, Redruth, Cornwall TR16 4DE Email: info@prostheticsmagazine.co.uk Cover image: Personal project by Vincent Van Dyke, inspired by art work by Carlos Torres
Contributors Our sincere thanks to everyone who provided material for this issue and shared their knowledge so generously, in page order: Mike Mekash, Joe Nazzaro, Jordu Schell, Danny Marie Elias, Rob Freitas, Rob Mayor, Karen Spencer and Millennium FX, Laura Sutherland, Valentina Visintin, Vincent Van Dyke, Stuart Bray, Todd Debreceni, Stuart Conran, Gary Pollard, Andrew Sinclair and Nacho Díaz. Content, instructional material and advertised products: The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited material, technical/artistic instruction or materials cited or promoted herein and does not endorse, guarantee, provide assurance of or recommend any products advertised or techniques described. PROSTHETICS
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FORWARD
Words of Wisdom An industry leader sets the scene for the issue
Mike Mekash, triple Primetime Emmy Award winner and American Horror Story’s key prosthetic make-up artist on starting points, shaping careers and staying relevant
F
irst let me say, Neill - a magazine like yours has been long overdue! Congratulations and thank you for letting me be a small part of it. I don’t think anyone would disagree when I say that knowing all aspects of our craft is essential to being a true professional. As a make-up artist in IATSE Local 706, as I’m sure it is all around the world, we pride ourselves as being well-rounded make-up artists able to complete our duties as such. In an industry that seems to be shifting more and more towards specialization, it is more important than ever to not be that one-trick pony. When it comes to selecting a make-up artist to work with, Eryn and I both agree that someone who can do prosthetics as well as beauty will be more useful to both departments. Just knowing what things to correct on a non-prosthetic make-up, are the exact things we want to put back into a realistic prosthetic make-up. Knowing both is essential to being successful. There are many great make-up artists who excel in all areas of make-up. The greatest
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being those make-up artists who design, sculpt and apply. Knowing how thick to sculpt a prosthetic is just as important as knowing how to apply and paint one. Simply knowing that an edge may be too thick because the mold needs a bleeder hole could be the key to an invisible edge. Take the time to learn every step of the process. No one job is more important than another. Whether it’s designing, sculpting, molding, silicone/foam running, hair punching or teeth. It takes an army of people to make a great make-up, and only one to screw it up! I’ve been a working artist for 25 years. I started as a graphics artist in Seattle doing snowboards and skateboards. Eventually, I was introduced to the world of makeup as an art form and I have spent the last 15 years concentrating on design, prosthetic application and beauty. My past was valuable experience for my transition into make-up. For instance, knowing how to translate the wants of companies and the pro-athletes who ride their products, mirrors working with directors and actors. This also led to my first job drawing tattoos for many film and television shows through Tinsley Studios.
My wife Eryn Krueger Mekash, started in make-up effects shops and has been in this business for almost 30 years - her background was much different. Her experience gives her a priceless perspective now as a department head. Two different starting points, both are totally different introductions. My point being that all past experiences are vital to what shapes us as the artists we are today. But today will soon be yesterday and continued education (Prosthetics Magazine) is one way we stay relevant. Although I think it’s where we look to that will be where we advance in this industry. Of course classes that are aimed at one particular skill set are essential. I also am personally addicted to watching the TV show How It’s Made. Each episode having numerous factory or handmade products from start-to-finish in extremely detailed steps. I just know at some point I’m going to learn something that is going to lend itself to the work at hand. Thanks for indulging me and enjoy the mag! Mike Mekash Artist and 2 Trick Pony
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feature Main Image: Vampire from season one. Sarita Allison applying touchups before a take. Inset (right): Robert Nairne’s Vampire make-up consisted of prosthetics (including silicone ‘swimming trunks’), body make-up, contacts, teeth and fingernails.
Period
Per ils Nick Dudman turns his monstrous talents to Penny Dreadful
FEATURE By Joe Nazzaro
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