How To Make Fake Blood For All Hallows' Eve.

With Halloween fast approaching I thought this would be a good time to share some recipe's for blood...
The brand that I have been using is Grimas, they make two different shades, film blood ‘A’ and film blood ‘B’. 'B' is the darker of the two and is the most popular and sells out before the big night.

The most frequently ask question I get asked are;

Q.

Which one looks more realistic blood.

A.

And that would be film blood 'B' as it is black red, while film blood A is bright red, (or as we call it hammer horror film blood)

Most professional-quality fake blood uses toxic compounds like antifreeze. Since you're likely to use your blood at parties or haunted houses, and such gatherings are often magnets for children (and children + antifreeze = bad). So, we'll start with the non-toxic variety of fake blood. It may not be the choice of indie horror film directors, but it'll get the job done for Halloween.
Here's the recipes.

Recipe One: Corn Syrup Blood

• White corn syrup
• Red food colouring
• Water
• Blue or green food colouring
• Arrowroot powder or Corn Starch

Start with about 1 tablespoon of Arrowroot powder or Corn Starch in a large bowl. Either one of these will do, though Arrowroot powder is better for avoiding lumps. Now add about a cup of White Corn Syrup and mix it up with the powder. The results will be rather thick, so once you have it mixed, start thinning it down with water until you get something close to the consistency of blood -- about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water should do the trick.
Now that you have a base, it's time to add the dye. Start with the red and add a few drops at a time, mixing thoroughly until you have a nice red color. But of course, real blood isn't bright red. That's where the blue and green dye comes in. Add a couple of drops of either colour until it looks more like actual blood.
Once it looks like blood, set your mixture aside and let it thicken a bit before applying it to your costume. If you're looking for something a bit more edible, add a few drops of peppermint extract. Mmmm -- minty blood!
CAUTION: This mixture will stain your clothes and might temporarily discolour your skin as well.

It won't leach lead into your skin or do anything else truly frightening, but you definitely don't want to let this fake blood near your mouth, eyes, nose or any other orifices.

Recipe Two: Blood Of Hair Gel

• Water-soluble hair gel. (alcohol-free)
• Water-soluble personal lubricant
• Red food colouring or liquid dye
• Blue or green food colouring or liquid dye

Pour alcohol-free, water-soluble hair gel in a bowl. We're going to add some other liquids so you only need to use about three-quarters of what you want the total amount of blood to be. Now add some water-soluble personal lubricant (Astroglide works well here). You want the lubricant to thin the hair gel down so that it's just slightly thicker than water -- start with a small amount and add more if you need it.
Now it's time to colour the mixture. As with the non-toxic version, start with red dye and then add blue or green to shift the color to something more bloodlike. Chocolate syrup can also be used to create a bit more maroon color.
The advantage of this blood is that it's not sticky and, if you experiment a little bit, you'll find that flinging it around creates very realistic splatters.
But, as with the other variety, use caution since this mixture will stain just about everything it touches.

Recipe Three: Kitchen Cupboard Blood 

• Flower
• Syrup
• Red food colouring
• Blue food colouring

Mix 5ml of flower and 20ml syrup in mixing bowl
Add one cap of red food colouring
Dab (very small amount) of blue food coloring and mix in
Put in container for use on set

RUMOUR: add washing up liquid/powder makes the fake blood wash out of clothes (not tested, only use on old clothes first)
Try different colours by varying amount of blue food colouring
Thick blood by adding chocolate sauce
Thinner blood by adding water

Recipe Four: Homemade Fake Blood

• 1 c. Karo Syrup
• 1 Tbsp Water
• 2 Tbsp Red Food Coloring
• 1 tsp Yellow Food Coloring

Mix together in a mixing bowl and you're done. Try adding blue or yellow for a different shade.

Recipe Five: Chocolate Fake Blood

• 1/2 c. Warm Water
• 4 Tbsp Corn Syrup
• 1 Tbsp Powdered Cocoa
• 1 tsp Red Food Colouring

Mix the water and cocoa together and then add the rest of the ingredients. Let the concoction sit for awhile and skim the bubbles off of the top. Add a couple of drops of yellow food colouring if you're not satisfied.

Recipe Six: Simple Fake Blood

• Clear Corn Syrup
• Red Food Colouring
• Milk - Optional

However much fake blood is how much corn syrup you'll need. Pour it into a bowl and mix in some red food colouring. Add some blue if you like. Adding a small amount of milk will make the blood appear darker and thicker.

Recipe Seven: Realistic Recipe

• 2/3 c. Corn Syrup
• 1/3 c. Warm Water
• 5 Tbsp Corn Starch
• 4 tsp red food colouring
• 1 Tbsp Powdered Cocoa
• 2 drops of green or yellow food colouring

Mix the corn starch with the water in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the corn syrup. Add the food colouring slowly, checking for colour.

Recipe Eight: Gravy Blood
This is fairly new and I haven't had chance to test it properly but its looks GREAT!

• Gravy Granules
• Red Food Colouring
• HOT Water

The directions are EASY, all you do is make the gravy up as you would normally but if you feel like it, you can make it a bit thicker, then add the red food colouring. It's up to you how much you add but too much will stain as it will not have been diluted enough.

Recipe Nine: Cheap 'N' Easy Blood
This is good for spidering:

• Plain Flour
• Water
• Red Food Colouring
• 1 tsp. of Coffee

Boil the water on the stove, then sieve in the flour, making sure you get ALL of the lumps out. The quantity of ingredients aren't important, it just depends on how much you want. Once you have the flour mixed nicely into the water it should look nice and thick. Next, add the red food coloring.
You will notice that it's a ghastly, bright red colour but don't worry this is why we add the coffee. It is important that when you add the coffee to make sure the mixture is hot, otherwise it wont dissolve, but up until adding the coffee can be done in a ordinary mixing jug or pan.

DIY Make Up

Yes I know that it is half way through festival season, (My timing dose kind of suck). I found this recipe (article) in company magazine back in 2012. (Such a sham that it is another lost in time.) This can work of any occasion, weather it be summer festivals, partys, new year, halloween. When every you need a last minuet/DIY face pant.
But before we start please, please please, remember to do a skin test with any product first. on the soft part of the inside of you arm, behind your ear and neck.

You will need:

• 1 tbsp of cornflour  (available in your local supermarket in the baking aisle)
• 1 ½ tsp thick cold cream (try classic Ponds or Nivea)
• ½ tsp of cold water
• Natural food colouring or odds and ends of old eye shadows and blushers, (Keeping those favourite eye shadows that tuned to dust and lumps after that night club incident involving them being dropped in to the sink.)
• A small 30ml container
• A small mixing bowl and spoon
• Make-up brushes and sponges

How to make:

1. Add the cornflour and cream to the bowl and stir together until completely combined.
2. Next stir in the water- the mixture should start to thin out.
3. Now add the food colouring drop  by drop until you get the desired colour and vibrancy. You can blend in crushed up loose powders from old eye shadows and blushers for extra pigment to make the paints brighter. If the mixture is too thick add I a drop or two of water and stir to combine. The consistency of the finished paint should be thick but pourable and glossy.
4. Finally pour the paint in to containers and store it in a cool, dark place when not in use.

Neon Face paint

Been out on the hunt for neon face paint and all you can find are small tubes. keep an eye out for neon hair gel's. You can mix these with a thick cold cream,  it make's in go feather and sit on your skin better.

Lose Glitters

A party is not a party with out a little bit of glitter. same little trick here, mix it with a thick cold cream. 

note: The more cream you mix the glitter with the thiner the coverage.

The less cream the glitter is mixed with the thicker the glitter coverage will be.
Another quick one is to use Vaseline. Wipe a little on your fingers, then dip in to the lose glitter, then paint where you want. . 

Make Up Effects

Out of pure curiosity of wanting to no how to use Derma Wax, during a very slow day I decided to have a play. I opened a pot of Grimas Derma Wax, Black, and Red water based face and body paint, and a tube of Film Blood B and I started to play. 

The Whole idea of using this product seamed to come very natural to me. I love it, the only thing is, is cleaning it of your skin, as it takes a little time. 

 

The next to images of a cut wrist effect, I also used a little liquid latex and tissue paper to help create a ripped flesh look. Good effect for a machine wound.

The knife through the hand is created using a toy sliding dagger, Derma wax and spirit gum to stick the blade and the hilt to my hand. with a lot of blood.

Slit wrists. created with Derma Wax black and red paint and film blood B

A stapled hand. Braking up a strip of staples and using 2 stuck together, I pushed them in to the Drema Wax after creating the cut line with the end of the paint brush, then painting around it and in the cut grove. 

Lovely gruesome stuff

Why use Red Paint?

The red paint is lighter then The Film Blood B. The paint drys while the blood dose not this helps to create different shades of drying blood.

Why not use Film Blood A and B you may ask?

aAs the blood dose not dry if you put one then paint on the other they are going to mix and you don't get the same effect.

And the black paint?

The black creates the clotted blood look. Makes it look less a fresh wound and makes it more gruesome and a little more real.

How to make fake blood.

With Halloween fast approaching and knowing the job that pays the bills will run out of film blood ‘A’ and film blood ‘B’ before the big night. here are some of the recipes we use to make fake blood.
But  firstly the, most frequently ask question I get asked is;
Q.
Which one looks more realistic blood.
A.
And that would be film blood B as it is black red, while film blood A is bright red, (or as we call it hammer horror film blood)

Most professional-quality fake blood uses toxic compounds like antifreeze. Since you're likely to use your blood at parties or haunted houses, and such gatherings are often magnets for children (and children + antifreeze = bad). So, we'll start with the non-toxic variety of fake blood. It may not be the choice of indie horror film directors, but it'll get the job done for Halloween.
Here's the recipe:

• White corn syrup
• Red food colouring
• Water
• Blue or green food colouring
• Arrowroot powder or Corn Starch

Start with about 1 tablespoon of Arrowroot powder or Corn Starch in a large bowl. Either one of these will do, though Arrowroot powder is better for avoiding lumps. Now add about a cup of White Corn Syrup and mix it up with the powder. The results will be rather thick, so once you have it mixed, start thinning it down with water until you get something close to the consistency of blood -- about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water should do the trick.
Now that you have a base, it's time to add the dye. Start with the red and add a few drops at a time, mixing thoroughly until you have a nice red color. But of course, real blood isn't bright red. That's where the blue and green dye comes in. Add a couple of drops of either colour until it looks more like actual blood.
Once it looks like blood, set your mixture aside and let it thicken a bit before applying it to your costume. If you're looking for something a bit more edible, add a few drops of peppermint extract. Mmmm -- minty blood!
CAUTION: This mixture will stain your clothes and might temporarily discolour your skin as well.

It won't leach lead into your skin or do anything else truly frightening, but you definitely don't want to let this fake blood near your mouth, eyes, nose or any other orifices.
Here's the recipe:

• Water-soluble hair gel
• Water-soluble personal lubricant
• Red food colouring or liquid dye
• Blue or green food colouring or liquid dye

Pour alcohol-free, water-soluble hair gel in a bowl. We're going to add some other liquids so you only need to use about three-quarters of what you want the total amount of blood to be. Now add some water-soluble personal lubricant (Astroglide works well here). You want the lubricant to thin the hair gel down so that it's just slightly thicker than water -- start with a small amount and add more if you need it.
Now it's time to colour the mixture. As with the non-toxic version, start with red dye and then add blue or green to shift the color to something more bloodlike. Chocolate syrup can also be used to create a bit more maroon color.
The advantage of this blood is that it's not sticky and, if you experiment a little bit, you'll find that flinging it around creates very realistic splatters.
But, as with the other variety, use caution since this mixture will stain just about everything it touches.

Recipe:
Mix 5ml of flower and 20ml syrup in mixing bowl
Add one cap of red food colouring
Dab (very small amount) of blue food coloring and mix in
Put in container for use on set

RUMOUR: add washing up liquid/powder makes the fake blood wash out of clothes (not tested, only use on old clothes first)
Try different colours by varying amount of blue food colouring
Thick blood by adding chocolate sauce
Thinner blood by adding water

Recipe:
Homemade Fake Blood

• 1 c. Karo Syrup
• 1 Tbsp Water
• 2 Tbsp Red Food Coloring
• 1 tsp Yellow Food Coloring

Mix together in a mixing bowl and you're done. Try adding blue or yellow for a different shade.

Recipe:
Chocolate Fake Blood

• 1/2 c. Warm Water
• 4 Tbsp Corn Syrup
• 1 Tbsp Powdered Cocoa
• 1 tsp Red Food Colouring

Blend the water and cocoa together and then add the rest of the ingredients. Let the concoction sit for awhile and skim the bubbles off of the top. Add a couple of drops of yellow food colouring if you're not satisfied.

Recipe:
Simple Fake Blood

• Clear Corn Syrup
• Red Food Colouring
• Milk - Optional

However much fake blood is how much corn syrup you'll need. Pour it into a bowl and mix in some red food colouring. Add some blue if you like. Adding a small amount of milk will make the blood appear darker and thicker.

Recipe:
Realistic Recipe

• 2/3 c. Corn Syrup
• 1/3 c. Warm Water
• 5 Tbsp Corn Starch
• 4 tsp red food colouring
• 1 Tbsp Powdered Cocoa
• 2 drops of green or yellow food colouring

Mix the corn starch with the water in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the corn syrup. Add the food colouring slowly, checking for colour.

Recipe:
Gravy Blood
This is fairly new and I haven't had chance to test it properly but its looks GREAT!

• Gravy Granules
• Red Food Colouring
• HOT Water

The directions are EASY, all you do is make the gravy up as you would normally but if you feel like it, you can make it a bit thicker, then add the red food colouring. It's up to you how much you add but too much will stain as it will not have been diluted enough.

Recipe:
Cheap 'N' Easy Blood
This is good for spidering:

• Plain Flour
• Water
• Red Food Colouring
• 1 tsp. of Coffee

Boil the water on the stove, then sieve in the flour, making sure you get ALL of the lumps out. The quantity of ingredients aren't important, it just depends on how much you want. Once you have the flour mixed nicely into the water it should look nice and thick. Next, add the red food coloring.
You will notice that it's a ghastly, bright red colour but don't worry this is why we add the coffee. It is important that when you add the coffee to make sure the mixture is hot, otherwise it wont dissolve, but up until adding the coffee can be done in a ordinary mixing jug or pan.

DIY face paint.

DIY face paint.
I found this article (recipe) in company mag’. it can work of any occasion.

You will need:
1 tbsp of cornflour  (available in your local supermarket in the baking aisle)
1 ½ tsp thick cold cream (try classic Ponds or Nivea)
½ tsp of cold water
Natural food colouring or odds and ends of old eye shadows and blushers
A small 30ml container
A small mixing bowl and spoon
Make-up brushes and sponges

How to make:

Add the cornflour and cream to the bowl and stir together until completely combined.

Next stir in the water- the mixture should start to thin out.

Now add the food colouring drop  by drop until you get the desired colour and vibrancy. You can blend in crushed up loose powders from old eye shadows and blushers for extra pigment to make the paints brighter. If the mixture is too thick add I a drop or two of water and stir to combine. The consistency of the finished paint should be thick but pourable and glossy.

Finally pour the paint in to containers and store it in a cool, dark place when not in use.

Make Up Effects

Some of my make up effect created using Derma wax, black body paint, red body paint, and film blood B.

The Bullet wounds are my first attempt of using Derma wax. No overly bad.

The bite marks, now these are better.