Film Tutorial : Spirit Gum

I will start this comment by saying, yes, we are not funny. Sorry.

This video is on how to use spirit gum to apply prosthetics to you, such as, in this example, the Steampunk Eye Patches I've been making recently, but it works for any sort of prosthetic (aka shit you want to glue to your face).

I'm sure everyone has their own little tips about how to use spirit gum, but this is just how I've been taught to use it, and have for ever. There have been so many people I've talked to, especially regarding the horn prosthetics that claim that spirit gum never works for them, that we needed to do this.

The most common error, when applying spirit gum, is not letting it get tacky enough before putting the two pieces together. Also, it is common for people not to realize that you need to put it both on the thing you want to glue to yourself, but your skin as well.

How to tell when it becomes tacky

Take the back of your fingernail and lightly touch it to the patch of spirit gum. If, when you pull your nail away, there isn't much residue, and the contact lifts the skin a bit, you're set. If goop comes off on your nails, you need to let it set longer.

How to remove the spirit gum

We did a tutorial about that, too, but I'm debating whether to upload it.

Truthfully, spirit gum remover is your best bet - it's a mineral oil concoction, and is usually purchased with the spirit gum if you get it from a Halloween store. This is the same thing that they use if you've ever had eyebrows waxed - it simply helps to get the goo off of your skin.

Now, if you do not have any of it, or don't like using it for one reason or another, you can remove spirit gum without it. It's a little more difficult.

Please, whatever you do, do not pick at the spirit gum residue! You'll just wind up hurting yourself, and ripping off layers of skin.

Remove the prosthetic, and have some moisturizing soap, warm water, and a washcloth near by. Start by soaping up the area a bit, and then softly begin to scrub at it with the washcloth. You'll notice bits of it begin to flake off, just keep at it, gently.

If the area becomes a little red or irritated, stop. Give it some time to calm down, and, if you have some moisturizer around, that'll help loads, too. Put a bit of that on it, let it sit for a while, and then start again. It usually takes 4 or 5 of these little bits of work to get the spirit gum off.

Getting it off of the prosthetic is even more of a task, but it's pretty much done in the same way. If you do not remove the spirit gum from your prosthetic, it won't stick as well the next time, and after three or four times wearing it, it will become basically unusable unless you dedicate a huge amount of time to getting all of the residue off, and by then, it's usually crystalized and just nearly impossible to get off.

Where you can buy spirit gum

Halloween Express (usually has brick-and-mortar stores during the Halloween season)
Spirit Halloween (usually has brick-and-mortar stores during the Halloween season)
Silly Farm (online store, where I buy most of my makeup)
The Costumer (online store)

Target, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Toys 'r Us (all of these may have spirit gum when they put out their Halloween items)
Amazon.com & eBay.com are other sources to search for spirit gum on

I hope this all helps you out a bit, and we're not too annoying!

2009 Taeliac Studio - BeAnime.com