Working with fake blood is very sticky, messy and oodles of fun. So, here are some things to consider when working with the gloopy red stuff to create realistic effects and injuries. We also list some basic recipes to make blood effects of your own. Blood makeup tips for the vampire in all of us!
WARNING: we use images of blood (real and fake) and minor injuries to illustrate this post.
Creating Blood Effects
If you’ve ever watched TV shows like Dexter or CSI, or any true-life crime documentaries, you’ll know there’s a whole science behind blood pattern analysis.
From how blood lands and its consistency, to the size and shape of the blood droplets – all these give investigators clues to what happened.
While we’re not going to get this deep, there are things to consider when working with fake blood to add to the realism and believability of the final effect. So, let’s get started!
Why is there Blood?
It is very simple – why is there blood? There are clues to be found in the script or requirements from the director. So, think about the situation and how the bloodiness occurred.
Was it because of a fall, stabbing, grazing, or bomb blast? Is it actually someone else’s blood that has transferred to another person? This all influences how the blood would look.
For example, would the blood be running, dripping, a series of scratches, splattered, or smeared? It could also be a combination of these. Also think about how much blood would be involved and, ultimately, what products are best to use to create this.
Where is the Blood Coming From?
Some parts of the body bleed more than others, and different types of wounds bleed in different ways. Also, the oxygenated blood from an artery is lighter in colour than the darker red blood from a vein.
How Old is the Blood?
Is it a fresh wound requiring fresh running blood, or old enough to have congealed, dried and scabbed over? Luckily, different products are made for all your fresh, dried and scab blood requirements!
Blood thickens and darkens as it dries and scabs over. It’s always annoying when someone has a fresh injury and the makeup artist has used a darker and thicker scab blood product and not lovely runny blood – it never looks quite right.
However, this can sometimes be down to the filming schedule not allowing makeup people to do their job properly. It can be difficult. In this case, set off down the right path by selecting the best products for the effect wanted and find a way to make it work.
Where is the Blood Going?
This question is relevant for health and safety reasons. For example, if blood is going in someone’s mouth, can the blood you are using be ingested? Many blood products are sugar-based, so if someone is diabetic, use a sugar-free alternative.
What is the Position of the Person?
Are they lying down, sat upright or face down? If they are found lying down, think about their posture and the effects of gravity. This is because the blood needs to be applied to flow in the right direction to be realistic.
Furthermore, blood doesn’t run in a straight line and it flows around the contours of the body. It will also find the shortest route downwards.
To create uneven blood runs, simply drop blood from a pipette or a brush end and allow the blood to find its own path rather than paint it on, as chances are, it will look painted on.
What Happens in the Scene?
Is the actor moving around during the take? If so, will they transfer any of the blood to another actor, costume, props, the floor, and so on?
Some fake blood products are not costume-friendly, so talk with the costume department if you think blood could get on the clothing accidentally. The costume department will have suitable blood to use on fabrics, so liaise with them.
Fake Blood Products
NEVER USE REAL BLOOD UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!
There are lots of great products available to help us create congealed blood, wounds, scabs, scratches, and fresh blood effects. Fake blood products come in liquid, dried and paste form in a variety of tubs, capsules and bottles. You can also make your own fake blood – we cover that later on.
Liquid Blood
- Liquid blood comes in containers, both large and small. It also comes in different reds to cover the difference in arterial and venous blood.
- This is the blood product to use for fresh injuries and to create running or flowing blood effects. It is also used to create pools of fresh blood.
- Makers of blood include the popular Pigs Might Fly (usually safe on a costume too), Maekup, Ben Nye, and Kensington Gore.
Powdered Blood
- This is a powder product that is activated by water, so you just add water to make blood. It can also be easily thickened with corn syrup or thinned with more water.
- It is used to create oodles of blood in a hurry or for those large bloody scenes.
- Powdered blood is quite useful when creating “live wounds”. For example, apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly to the skin for the powder to stick to and use a wet weapon to activate the powder, which then creates blood.
Blood Capsules
- These go in the mouth and, when bitten, they release the blood. They are good to use where blood has to appear in the mouth during a scene, as the actor can bite the capsule to release blood.
- There are pre-filled capsules (with powder that mixes with saliva to create a blood effect) and empty capsules to fill with a blood product.
- The capsules are usually made from gelatine. Therefore, they will gradually dissolve in the mouth, so be aware of timing.
- Kryolan and Ben Nye make blood capsules. There are also blood sachets on the market.
