Cosplanations - Paint and Apply Elf Ears

Intimidated by unpainted latex? Fear not!

My favorite elf ears come from Aradani Costumes. I prefer to buy them unpainted, then paint them myself for a customized look. In this tutorial, I'll show you my secret method of making the ears look super real - spoiler alert, it's bronzer!

What you need:
Ears - I use the 'Nomad' style elf ears from this site: http://www.aradanicostumes.com/elf_ears/nomadelves

RMG makeup aka rubber mask grease in three colors - one that is a few shades lighter than your skin tone, one that is a few shades darker than your skin tone, and red. I ordered the 'Light Flesh' color palette from here: http://www.aradanicostumes.com/make_up/RMG_light_stack

Makeup sponge
Bronzer or shimmery eye shadow
Liquid latex
Spirit Gum or Sticky Strips - I recommend these: http://www.capezio.com/sticky-strips-1
Spirit Gum remover
Loose powder for setting makeup

Step one - Cover your latex ear completely in the lighter RMG color.
Step two - Use the darker RMG to shade in the cupped and folded parts of the ear.
Step three - Carefully dab a small amount of red to the edges and tips of the ear and blend in thoroughly. Use your own ears for reference when it comes to how much red to apply, start with a small amount.
Step four - go back over the main fold and cupped part of the ear with fresh makeup, and while it is still drying, glide a little bronzer onto it for a convincing shine. Ta dah!

To apply your ears, you can use sticky strips, the ones that are marketed to keep costumes taped down. Rip off a small piece and use it as you would a double-sided sticky tape. It doesn't hurt when removing at the end of the day, and should keep your ears in place for several hours if you're gentle.

The traditional route - dab a little Spirit Gum on your own ear, wait til tacky, and then apply your latex ear, holding it firmly in place til dry. This will hurt like the devil when you remove it at the end of the day.

To blend the latex ears into your own skin, use multiple layers of Liquid Latex. Paint this on and allow to dry between coats. Use some RMG to cover the latex and blend up into the ears and down into your cheeks. Set with loose powder.

...and no, this isn't a paid advertisement for Aradani Costumes. They simply sell the best stuff out there at reasonable prices, and I am happy to recommend them.
Music: "Quasi Motion" and "Comparasa" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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