Playing with latex
After 3 years of learning, and getting comfortable with paper mache as my primary medium for corpsing, I’ve decided to give Latex a try. I’m sure it will take time to get the techniques down to a science, but I am definately pleased with the trial run. For anyone considering trying latex, I say go for it.
4th quality bucky skull corpsed with liquid latex and cotton
There are benefits and downfalls to using latex, as with any other medium. Latex is not cheap. I paid $15 for a 16 oz canister of Mold Builder Liquid Latex at a local Michael’s craft store. This project used only a fraction of that container, but a larger project (i.e. a full corpse) may take a considerable amount. Gallon size containers of Mold Builder Liquid Latex sell for about $50-$80. Latex is also very messy to work with, much more so than Elmers glue and water, and it stinks like ammonia. A little money and some sticky fingers are a small price to pay for the benefits of using the latex. Liquid Latex applied to unrolled cotton balls make for a very realistic mummified skin. It is also much less time consuming to work with than the traditional paper mache. But the biggest benefit, especially for those of us who had to endure torrential rains this Halloween, is the ability to hold up to damp weather.
The bottom line is, I enjoyed playing with latex, and I’ll definitely keep working with it. But dont expect me to give up on the Paper Mache just yet. Especially considering som e of the props I’ve got planned for next year’s haunt.
