Cyborg
Cyborgs are found in many aspects of performance as there is much interest in the unknown, many sci-fi films explore this concept in differing surroundings and situations. It is an interesting field of makeup to look at, as there are many different approaches that can be taken to create a cyborg. Cyborgs are a combination of mechanical and biological elements combined to create one being. The mechanical elements may or may not be visible, whereas the biological elements are generally always visible. There are many examples of cyborgs within performance, some examples are The Terminator, Ex Machina, David from Prometheus, Ash from the film Alien to name a few.
This area of the makeup design will be particularly interesting to explore as it combines both the mechanical with the human. Much of the experimentation and exploration will include the design and approach to creating realistic metal components. However a large aspect of cyborg makeup is taking the human being and altering it very slightly in order to create a being that looks mostly human with elements that create the idea of something being slightly wrong. The "perfect" human is also a large aspect of cyborg makeup to consider as machienes are generally designed to have the most desired features to make them look appealing.
Brick in the Yard Mold Supply (2013) Lifecasting Gel-10 Headcast Available From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GHvuqDHpec Date Accessed: 27/01/2015
Perfect Human
An initial concept for a makeup design was to create a 'Perfect Human'. This would involve very subtle prosthetic pieces to slightly alter the face to make it symmetrical and well structured. To create a prosthetic piece that has no visible edges with a perfectly flawless finish it would be necessary to create an entire face piece that applied smoothly in one. This is due to the edges that would be visible if placed in smaller pieces on the face. Looking into existing films concerning cyborgs it is noticeable that the faces have thick skin which is not quite the consistency of human flesh and the structure of the face is more precise and angular. It would be necessary to alter the shaping of cheekbones and the jaw to create a smooth finish as no one person has a perfectly even face. Films such as Ex Machina, Terminator, I Robot and Westworld, among many have cyborgs which have very defined and flawless faces. To create a makeup that worked effectively the whole process must be completed to an extremely high standard with very neat finishes. Another element of the design would be to create a back to the head, in order to create a full, cohesive final look. There are many ways in which this could be completed, these have been described later on this page.
This article from Empire Magazine concerning the new film Ex Machina details the advancement in technology and the materials and capabilities to which artificial intelligence is reaching. Cyborgs are no longer primarily made of metal as it is not flexible and has a shelf life before it starts to decay. Within the film Ava, the cyborg's brain is mafe of a '"structured gel" rather than circuitry'. 'If we are going to achieve this is the near future, it's going to require something dramatically different, in terms of how you can pack the necessay amount of switching elements into a small amount of matter'. (Salisbury.M, 2015) This matter of materials is worth considering as technology advances the cyborgs will be made of more technological materials making them smaller and become more advanced in abilites.
Looking in articles concerning makeup with extremely smooth finishes, one which revealed itself is the makeup that was applied for Angelina Jolie in Maleficent. There have been five small pieces applied to her face in order to create an eerie, slightly altered version of herself. This look creates more pronounced cheekbones, a ridge in the nose and two pointed ears. The pieces are extremely subtle and work very effectivly. This enforces the idea that subtly can work more powerfully than extreme, bold makeup. This would be a perfect exmple to base a "Perfect Human" makeup upon as the final result has an extremely powerful visual effect. Rick Baker designed the makeup to specifically only alter the face in slight twists, he wanted Jolie to remain recogniseable but with elements of magic and fairytales.
Goodwin. J. (2013) Robots Find Love in Winston-Designed 'Heartbeeps', Makeup Artist Magazine, No. 101 April/May, Pg 72-73
A very important aspect of cyborg to consider is the fine line between cyborg and body enhancement through technology, this could be classified as body modification. The idea is that a cyborg is a mechanical being created from scratch with biological elements added to the frame, however at what point does a biological being with mechanical elements added become cyborg. Most would be inclined to say that it must be a base of the mechanical such as Terminator and Alien, however there are examples such as the Cybermen in Doctor Who which are humans with mechanics merged with their bodies. There is one episode in which a reccurent character gets turned into a cyberman, we see the inside of the helmet, he has be fused with the metal to become one. This is a prime example of Cyborg. The makeup is also interesting to look at, as the structure of the helment makes the face have a structured shaping contouring the face with stong lines. The face has also been distorted by the mechanical elements that have fused with his flesh. The points are located on the bone structure of the actor, this makes it seem more believable as the helment needs to attach on to a point of strength in the skull. The colour scheme is interesting as it is relativly simple, with dark rings around the eyes, using a base tone of the metallic element of the machiene to create a coheisve look. The skin also has slight colouration and shadowing to emphasis the machine merging with skin. This design has been created for pre watershed television and therefore cannot be too visually scarring and scary. This has reached a good level, as it conveys the brutality of the situation however the final look is not harrowing enough to haunt children.
Salisbury.M. (2015) Human Cyborg Relations, Empire Magazine, No. 104 February, Pg 110-113
Bielik.A. (2014) Tv Minute 'Metal' Make-up, Makeup Artist Magazine, No. 111 October/November, Pg 24
Koseluk.C. (2014) From 'X' to 'Evil' Summer movies of 2014, Makeup Artist Magazine, No. 109 August/September, Pg 58-62
There is an article in the Makeup Artist Magazine that details the use of undercuts to create a successful mould. The general idea is that an ice cube tray is filled with silicone and allowed to set. These blocks are then used in the mould making process. When applying the silicone to the face. First Apply the detail layer to the face to pick up all of the detail, apply the second thicker layer to the face, while this is drying and becomes tacky stick the cubes into the silicone. Place evenly, apply more silicone over these to make sure that they are thoroguhly attached to the mould. Finally apply the final layer of plaster bandage over the silicone make sure to get the plaster tightly around the protrusions and allow to set. when removed from the face the silicone will fit perfectly into the plaster making sure that it goes back to its original position perfectly each time. There is a scanned copy of the article precisely detailing the process. Turi. J. (2013) Using Undercuts to Your Advantage, Makeup Artist Magazine, No. 104 October/November, Pg 78 Although this was researched in the actual lifecast of the face they were not used as the silicone was very thin and therefore would not support the weight of the pieces.
Lifecasting In SiliconeThe first step in the process was to mix the pro gel 10 parts A + B together to create a detail layer mix that could be applied to the model's face to pick up all the minute details. This was challenging as the silicone was very runny and kept dripping off the face, however after a period of time it began to thicken and stuck to the face effectively. | Lifecasting In SiliconeAlthough the first layer was very thin, it managed to pick up the detail of the model's face. Our tech dem, Humphrey.W suggested colouring the silicone with green pigment in order to see the areas of the face that were covered in silicone and to ensure that all of the areas were picked up. This proved very helpful as the clear silicone would have been difficult to keep track of through the process. | Lifecasting In SiliconeThe second layer of silicone was applied to the face, the silicone was combined with polyfibres in order to make it thicker and paste onto the face better. This allowed for a thicker layer of silicone, to ensure that the mould was strong enough to be fibreglassed into. Another method that could have been used to create thicker silicone would have been to use cab-o-sil, this works very similarly to polyfibers however the powder elements are not good to breathe in therefore it is the safer option. |
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Lifecasting In SiliconeThis is the result of the layers of silicone being applied to the model's face, the amount picked up all the details of the face, however ideally would have been thicker to make sure that it kept its strength throughout the rest of the process. | Lifecasting In SiliconeThe final step in the process was to create a plaster bandage around the face, this makes sure that the silicone has a strong shell to hold everything in place after removal from the face. The result of this layer was aesthetically pleasing as it has a smooth finish that looked professional. |
Lifecasting In Silicone
These photographs display the process of creating a lifecast using silicone. For this application pro gel 10 was used, the first layer was completed simply as a thin layer, the second the silicone was mixed with polyfibers to create a thicker substance that set quicker and did not run as much on the face. The only issue that occured through this process was that the silicone stuck to the hairs on the model's face, although vaselined the hairs stuck. To rectify this process in the future one must make sure to apply excessive amount of vaseline to the model's hair in order to ensure that the silicone comes off the skin smoothly.
WonderlexxFossshape (2012) II - Using Fossshape [Online] Available From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlVPimbJfSg Date Accessed: 01/02/2015
It is important to research into existing makeups that have previously be created to understand other artist's techniques and concepts, as this could help to improve anothers skill. There is an article in Makeup Artist Magazine details a television series 'Metal Hurlant Chronicles' in the article it is described what the designer was looking for within his team, also the idea that 'Metal Makeup' needs to be precise and formulated in order to create a realistic metal looking design. Another component that was crucial to the design was creativity, thinking outside of the box in order to produce the most effective final result. It is crucial to create a smooth finish on a metal makeup in order for it to believeable therefore this is an important asepct to focus on in the sculpting stage of the process.
Fullerton.H (2014) Doctor Who, Danny Pink: In Memorium [Online Image] Available From: http://www.radiotimes.com/uploads/images/original/61314.png Date Accessed: 15/02/2015
As mentioned earlier the Perfect Human was an intitial design idea. To create the whole look a structured face would have been sculpted and cast as a singular full face piece, however the back of the head would have remained as it was. Therefore to make the whole look more effective research was conducted into the creation of a cowl. The intial idea was to take a cast of the models head covered in a bald cap to ensure the final result fit perfectly. This would be cast in alignate and the plaster. From this a vacume formed shell could have been created which could be cut down to size and fit perfectly around the model's head. This could then be coloured with a black base layer and silver paint layered on top. This could be created with acrylic paint or a spray paintcan of metallic colouring, the black base layer helps to block out any colour that may come from beneath (the colour of the hair) it also helps to make the top colour stand out better. This was the initial concept. Another was to create a fibreglass shell, this would have been created in a similar method, taking the cast of the head, however either in silicone, or alginate and moulding over the plaster positive with silicone and fibreglassing into this silicone mould. However this would be a very rigid structure. It would however be lightweight and can be pigmented in the process. It would be important to ensure that the outer edge was smooth as this wil be the final finish on the shell.
Lifecasting Materials
There are many ways to cast a lifecast on a person, there are a great many materials that can be used. The primary material is to use alginate in which you can cast a plaster face. However after one running of plaster, the alginate is likely to rip or break which therefore means that it can only be run once. Other ways in which you can mould a face are to use lifecasting silicone, such as Go Cast, which is a material that can be applied directly to the face and picks up all the minute details of the face. However there is another way of creating silicone lifecasts, which uses Pro Gel 10. This video to the right displays the tehnique of creating a lifecast with this material. It is not the conventional method for creating a lifecast, however it works out slightly cheaper than the Go Cast silicone moulding kit. When creating a silicone mould it is possible to fibreglass straight into the cast to produce a fibreglass positive. This therefore cuts out the process of casting the aliginate, then plaster and finally the silicone before being able to make a fibreglass positive of the face. The dilema is that it costs more to create a direct silicone cast of the face than the alginate method, however the alginate method is much more time consuming.
The third methodology that could be used to create a shell for the head would be to use a soft material or fabric that represents the concept of a mechanical shell. This is due to the fact that progressing technologies require easier movement in the cyborg, this may mean that thin, lightweight interlinking materials could be used to create the shell. A mettalic coloured fabric could be used over a shell, such as the vacum formed shell to create the illusion of a moveable material The final methodology that was found used a material call Fossshape, it is a fabric that can be heated and shrinks to the shape it is formed around and becomes hard. The video above displays the process of using the material. If one were to get a block the size of the model's head and place pieces of the material on it, sew these together and heat with a heat gun they would form a shell, that is ridgid, yet realitvely soft for the model to wear. This could then be painted to resemble a mettalic material. However there may be a problem with stray hairs, this material appears to be like felt and therefore may have slight hairs that stick out of the shape, this would therefore not be suitable for film or television as the cameras would pick up the minute details, however it could be used for theatre or fashion shoots.
The Fifth Element
The film the Fifth Element is set in outer space with many characters that have exciting designs and concepts. Some of these concepts involve robotics and cyborg-like elements. They provide great inspiration as to potential designs and ways in which machienery can be utlized for productive use. These designs have been chosen for their concepts and potentiallity for further designs.
Wendy Smith (2011) A very Human-like Robot Invented by Japanese Scientists [Online] Available From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaTfzYDZG8c Date Accessed: 27/01/2015
First Ever Human Robots Invented by Japanese Scientists,Spirit Scienece and Metaphysics (N.D.) Available From: http://www.spiritscienceandmetaphysics.com/first-ever-human-robots-invented-by-japanese-scientists/ Date Accessed: 27/01/2015
Exisiting Examples of the Cyborg
Obviously robots are not cyorgs, however their movement and appearance is similar to a cyborg. Robotics have developed in technology extortionatly over the past decade and the abilities of those creating them have also increase with this. This is partly due to advanced machinery but also knowledge. This video to the right displays a robot that has been created by Japanese scientists, it has a human-like flesh that covers the surface, with hair and eyes to match a real human being. This can be the basis for development of a cyborg creation, to note their abilities or lack thereof and build upwards from this point. The robots are unable to do many things that a real human can do such as blush however technology is progressing to allow it to complete regualr tasks at extraordinary levels. Movement is becoming more fluid and speech moree lifelike. The Japanese suggest that 'We'll see robots take over repetative tasks and data management' implicating that robots are becoming more reliable and useful. It is important to note their physical attributes, location of certain equipment to replicate in a cyborg design.
Cyberware
There are some people who have used advanced technologies to further advance their bodies in order for them to have certain abilities or be able to record sets of data. Cyberware is the act of inserting hardware or machinery into a human being. Various companies are working on creating a hands-free mouse or keyboard, the technology uses brain signals to control computer functions. These interfaces are called Brain-Machine Interfaces. At the current time, these technologies are very expensive and therefore is progressing very slowly. The technology has reached a point where limited control over a computer is possible. A quadriplegic man was able to compose and check his emails using a cyberkinetic chip called BrainGate created by a company in massachusetts. A type of cyberware included prosthetic pieces, with their intentions to create a natural functionality and appearance. Experiments have been conducted where microprocessors are capable of controlling movements of an artificial limb through being attached to severed nerve endings in the subject. (Scientific American (1996) Controlling Computers with Neural Signals [Online] Available From: http://www.nature.com/scientificamerican/journal/v275/n4/pdf/scientificamerican1096-82.pdf; Date Accessed: 05/01/2015
MotherBoard (2013) Experimenting with Biochip Implants [Online] Available From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clIiP1H3Opw Date Accessed: 15/01/2015
pg 229.jpgThis design shows the diva character found on the space cruise in the film. This concept is not far off the design that was used in the film. The cyborg elements on the stomach and similarly the mechanical chest piece are inspiring for forms and shapes from which other elements can be taken to create a cyborg being. Similarly the simple small mechanical elements on the face highlight the shape and create a powerful effect, perhaps suggesting that simple and framing pieces may be more effective. | The Fifth Element DesignsThese are some more concept designs for the diva character. The design on the left is particularly interesting for this project as it contains robotics. The head structure is interesting and would be a good idea to think about while designing the cyborg. The wires running from the back of the head add a sense of fluidity to the concept which should be considered. | The Fifth Element DesignsThis design is the final stage for the concept of the diva, the biological elements of the design are more prominent and have a greater impact. The head, neck and shoulders are supported by a metal piece which frames the anatomy, this works particularly well. In a future it may be something to consider creating a piece that fits around the makeup to complete the look. |
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The Fifth Element DesignsThere are some powerful profiles in this work, emphasising the importance for considering the alternate angles of the face. Similarly the structure of the being that it is based upon will have a large impact, but must be considered. the interlocking forms of the machine is worth the thought, how will the pieces move together and what will be their purpose. | The Fifth Element DesignsThese designs have a few humanoid elements within their concepts and therefore are great inspiration for the cyborg design. The blue character has a respirator like mouth piece with strong structures and forms. These machine elements have been built on top of a human and therefore have the basic human shape, taking forms from the suits may also be a direction in which exploration could be furthered. | The Fifth Element DesignsThe bottom middle design has a respirator over the mouth, it has a smooth shape which reflects modern styling although designed in the 80s. The concept to the left, has strong, large, sharp forms this creates the idea of fear and power, it is important to take note of the initial gut feelings that occur when looking at designs, in order to work out what visual elements creates these feelings. |
The Fifth Element DesignsThis is yet another of the designs for the robots in the Fifth Element. The mechanical forms around the middle region of the right design have an interesting effect. These strong lines and uniform shapes could be an interesting design for the cyborg elements. | The Fifth Element DesignsThe forms of these designs are very interesting and provide an exciting effect. The central design with the triangular shaped head is an unusual shape that could work powerfully as a cyborg element, changing the head shape. Similarly the mechanical parts are worth considering,there is uniformity with matching shapes to create a suit that creates an air of power and structure. | The Fifth Element DesignsThis is the final design for the robots which are seen in the film, they are very cumbersome and large. They are seen more as friendly than threatening, rather like large policemen. However the spikes at the top of the design are interesting and create a unique visual aspect. |
Cyborg Implant SculptThis element of the design explores the concept of implanting technology into the skin, a wire crossing areas of the brain. This merges the realistic flesh like elements with the mechanical creating a cyborg design. This design worked well, however it is a simple design it will look powerful when applied to the face. | Cyborg Eye and ChinThese are two of the sculpts for the cyborg makeup. The designs are individual, the eye has a concept of different lenses that allow for various abilities (nightvision, xray etc) The mouth is a breathing apparatus, it lifts over the mouth allowing the wearer to breathe underwater or in hazardous environments. These are both based on existing concepts but altered to create a human/mechanical hybrid. | Cyborg EyeThis is the final sculpt for the eye piece, there are three holes for the small screws to be placed in the prosthetic when complete. Initially the screws were sculpted however Humphrey.W, 2015 suggested using genuine screws and bolts in order to create a realistic effect, and use these materials in the final application. |
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Cyborg Breathing AparatusFinal chin respirator piece, this piece uses a large amount of bolts and screws to represent the mechanical element of the design. The mesh material has been taken out of the square as this will not be moulded, similarly the bars at the side of the face are removed. This piece as a strong structure to make it appear more mechanical and apparatus like. | Cooling the SculptHumphrey.W, 2015 suggested placing the sculpt in the fridge in order for the monster clay to harden and allow the clay to be carved to create strong lines and produce a mechanical result. This worked particularly effectively allowing the clay to be shaped as required. | Final Sculpts including GroundingThis photograph displays all three final sculpts with the grounding applied to the fibreglass positive. The result worked effectively, the grounding is neat and has enough keys to bolt the two halves together. They have been strategically placed to produced thin edges where necessary. The clay has also been placed in the eyelid and nose in order to prevent any undercuts and locking between the two parts. |
Cyborg Sculpts
Designs
The First step in the porcess of creating prosthetic pieces is to create desigs from which to work, in order to produce the most effective and visually striking overall look possible. Creating a series of designs allows one to select the elements which work best from each design and merge them together to produce the most effective result. It is important to take note of anatomy when designing a character for example: the mechanical elements cannot be screwed into flesh they should be mounted on bone. These are some of the designs created for the cyborg makeup and the progession through the stages.
Cyborg DesignThis is a relatively simple design however it works well, as the minimalist effect has a large impact due to its irregularity. The skin is sunken in above the brow, it runs along the brow bone up into the hair line. The design contours the face creating a cyborg-like effect. | "Perfect Human" DesignThis is the design for the "Perfect Human", the face is very symmetrical with pronounced cheekbones and a squared jaw. Although this design is relatively simple in concept the creation and process of creating such a design would be involved and difficult due to its need for perfection. | Cyborg DesignThis is one of the best designs, it involves the horror of a creature combined with cyborg elements, the face has been modified with mechanical elements to improve the abilities of the creature. There are two symmetrical implants into the brain controlling the brain through a computer-like machine. |
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Cyborg DesignThis design includes a large amount of elements to create the cyborg look. There are wires entering the brain, creating electrical impulses that control the being, An earpiece and various other attributes. This look would be good for film or television, however may be too complex for theatre. It would be visually striking, especially as the mechanical elements alter the shape of the face creating and entirely different visual shape to the original. | Cyborg DesignThis is the initial design that was created for the cyborg makeup, it involves a whole head prosthetic and fabrication. The elements on the face would be created with prosthetic pieces that merge with the skin and the overall structure of the head would be fabricated potentially with plastics and various materials. | Cyborg DesignThis drawing shows the side profile of the design, the shaping would be made on a form of the head, building up the layers, using plastics shaped through sculpting and vacuum forming and merging these pieces together to create the shape and structure of the piece. |
Cyborg DesignThis is another of the designs, it is more of a hybrid of machine and man, the mechanical elements combine with the skin. Much of the face is on show, with a jaw piece that contours along the cheekbones. The top of the head has a piece that goes around the back connecting to the jaw. The lines on the face are indented in the skin rather than wires, it creates a more embedded, visually striking look. | Eye PiecesThese are the various mechanical designs for the eye, the concept is interchangeable lenses that are embedded in the head that allow for different abilities. It is important to create a range of designs, in order to create the most effective result, a combination of these designs have been merged to create the final sculpt design. | Mouth PiecesThese are some of the designs for the mouth piece, the concept is a respirator that will cover the mouth allowing the wearer to breathe in harsh environments and underwater. It is attached to the skin and when activated lifts over the mouth. These are a variety of simple designs to portray the concept. Ideas and elements were merged in order to produce the final result which can be seen in the sculpt. |
Another aspect of creating a realistic final metallic makeup is to look at reference, look at machienes and existing materials that inspiration can be drawn from. It is also important to consider the development of technology and materials, as these new materials and techniques will be used to create the future designs and allow for more advanced concpets to come to life. Makeup Artist Magazine has an article 'Robots Find Love in Winston- Designed 'Heartbeeps'' in this article there are images of robotic sculpts and designs, they are clearly mechanically based, with structured shapes and contours and components such as bolts to hold the pieces together. However this film was created in 1981 and is therefore extremely dated considering the technology available at the time. This therefore means that although a good starting point for research the makeups that are designs are dated and should only be used for sculpting technique inspiration and concept. The structured face shapes are an interesting idea, however would have to be adapted to fit the concept of cybrog as it is a human/machine combination and therefore would need to fit together cohesively.
Running the Pieces
The pieces were run in both silicone and gelatin in order to experiment and see which came out the best. It also allows one to see which apply the better and have a smoother and more professional finish to the overall application. This mould was run multiple times in gelatin to try to create successful edges for application, however it seems the original casting was the best result. These are show below. Photogrpahs were not taken of the other pieces as they were immediately remelted and cast again. The pieces that were applied to the face csated model were silicone for the wound piece and eye piece and the chin was made from gelatin. The silicone had many issues when trying to run the piece, it proved much harder to inject the silicone than originally thought, it required mutliple people, however there was no extra help available. The cap plastic remained in the negative fibreglass mould meaning that no detail was picked up on the silicone piece and there was no encapsulating layer. This could hav occured for many reasons from too much cap plastic, a bad batch of cap plastic, the fibreglass being too fresh and therefore containing many chemicals which needed to be baked out or the silicone was an issue causing the cap plastic to detach from the silicone. The results of both experiments can be seen below.
Final Fibreglass Mould and FaceThis photograph displays the final mould and core before running the pieces. The result of the work and research proved important to produce a successful result. The only issue with this was the location of the bolt points, it was difficult to find when drilling causing the location to be off on some points, however this could be rectified next time by drilling half of the mould then placing the halves together and drilling through the other. | Gelatin Chin PieceFirst Gelatin Piece, this mould was run multiple times with gelatin, reusing the same gelatin. This piece was never applied, however it was the best that came out of the mould. The two points of the sides proved very difficult to run and came out with air bubbles most of the time. | Gelatin Eye PieceThis piece came out quite well, there were some slight thick edges, however these could have been removed with persistent witch hazel application. The piece itself came out very well. |
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Gelatin Forehead PieceThis piece had issues with filling the whole mould, this was the area that the gelatin did not quite reach. Therefore there was an air bubble and the edge of the piece did not come out. However the edges on the rest of the piece were very successful, they would have proved succsesful upon application. | Injecting SiliconeAs mentioned above, this is the process for injecting silicone into a mould. Using large syringes the silicone is inserted through little holes in the fibreglass core. It allows the silicone to spread evenly, pushing out any air out the sides. In this photograph the grey silicone is coloured with ink and the other is a flesh coloured batch for the individual pieces. | Silicone Chin PieceThis is the silicone chin piece, coloured intrinsically with silver ink. The colour worked really well, however the edges were very thick and there was large air bubbles in the outer pieces. These are cut off in the photograph however. Similarly because of the cap plastic issue the piece had no edges to blend. |
Silicone Chin PieceThis is the pieces after removal of the excess pieces, this only works due to the piece being mechanical, if it were any other regular piece it would require the edges to blend into the skin. There is also an issue with this piece as the pipe used to insert the silicone pierced a hole in the piece on the right hand side, however due to lucky placing it could be turned into a mechanical port for placing a bolt. |
Colouring Silicone
An important part of the makeup is to make sure that the final result looks like genuine machinery has been attached and implanted into the face, therefore it is necessary to explore the different technique for colouration and finish. There are many ways in which it can be coloured, from pigmenting the material before running the piece, to colouration afterwards with varying products, such as greaspaint, aquacolour, alcohol activated paints and various other materials. These photographs display the experiments conducted into finding the most effective colouration technique.
Silicone Colour TestingThis photograph displays all of the experiments that were conducted to find out the more desirable result when using silicone appliances. Some of these samples were coloured intrinsically and others over the regular silicone. The sample at the bottom right is a flesh coloured silicone piece used for a base to compare. | Aqua ColourThis is the silicone sample coloured after setting with a silver aquacolour, it has been handled here, but it shows that the paint comes off very easily ruining the metallic effect on the silicone. It is also quite translucent so would not look realistic as metal. | Coloured with Acrylic PaintThis sample used golden acrylic paint after the silicone had set. Again there was an issue with cracking when moved, however this was much less that the auqacolour. The thickness of the paint also worked very effectively, colouring the piece successfully. The result is an opaque coverage which is desirable. |
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Intrinsically Coloured with InkThis sample is the intrinsically coloured silicone with silver ink. This worked particularly well, the colour was evenly spread throughout the silicone, with a mettalic result at the end, the silicone had no issues with curing and resulted in a successful sample. | Intrinsically Coloured with AcrylicThe colour altered slightly in the intrinsically coloured acrylic sample, from a golden colour to a flatter, brown colour. The colour spread evenly throughout with a good surface, however lost the shine that metal would produce. | Intrinsically Coloured with OilIntrinsically coloured oil paint worked well aswell, however changing the colour to a duller version of the original. The colour worked evenly through the silicone with no issues to the curing. With colour alteration this could be a successful material. |
Coloured with InkColouring ink on the top of cured silicone created a brilliant effect, with a shiny finish and very mettalic like result, however when dried the ink cracked a lot ruining the final effect. However for a cyborg makeup the piece will not have much movement therefore may be worth considering. | Coloured with Gold LeafUsing gold leaf to cover the silicone worked very well, producing a perfect golden colour with a shiny finish. However the leaf naturally wrinkles creating lines in the surface, this would not be seen in a high tech mechanical being, therefore would not work for the makeup. | Intrinsically Colored with AquacolorUsing the aquacolour to colour the silicone did not work particularly well, the colour was very washy. However if more of the colour was used this may fix the problem producing a more successful result. The surface was shiny and the cure was no inhibited therefore could be a potential material for use in the makeup. |
Applying the Pieces
These photographs show the final application of the pieces, with the colouration. There are three pieces which have been applied to the head, using prosaide glue, having recently worked on an extra-curricular film where snappy G was used it is now apparent that this is a much better adhesive for prosthetic application. This would therefore be the desired product to use, however it was unavailable for use at the time of application. Overall this first experimentation was unsuccessful, the pieces did not blend into the skin, due to the issue with the cap plastic as mentioned previously, the colour worked for some elements of the piece and the genuine metallic pieces created a realistic effect, but generally warrented a second attempt at the makeup.
This video displays a man implanting a device into his arm in order to record the temperature of his body and transfer this data to his computer. The machine is rechargeable through the skin, it has a coil that passes over the flesh to recharge the device. Although this is very basic technology it is a starting point for the development of machine implantation. It allows for the potential of an extrordinary range of possibilities. This video gives an overview of what is trying to be achieved, before and after the surgery and various information on the general subject of cyberware. It is an interesting video with lots of facts about the culture and why people believe in this adaptation of the body. It also shows the extremes that some individuals are willing to go through in order for 'progress'. It also provides a visual reference for genuine procedures and the way in which they are conducted and how they are placed after implantation. It opens a wide range of ideas as to the potential adaptations of the human body. This subject crosses over to body modification as the man in question has modified his body with machinery, which also means that it fits into the category of cyborg.
Besson.L, (1997) L'Histoire du Cinquieme Element Paris: Intervista
Cyborg MakeupThis was the overall finish of the makeup, none of these worked very well, the colour on the metallic pieces was successful, however the edges and the attempts to cover them drew more attention to the piece. | Cyborg MakeupThe chin piece would not stay on the chin well, as any movement made it peel off the face, this could be fixed with better glue. The edges on the gelatin were very thick and could not be blended with witch hazel therefore the results were unrealistic. The use of real mechanical parts in the makeup worked well, creating a genuine feel to the result. However the overall effect did not work. | Cyborg MakeupFor this eye piece homemade bondo was used to try to smooth the edges down, however there was no access to a hairdryer, therefore the bondo remained white coloured and clearly visible. The metallic element of the design worked really well, with a shiny finish and genuine metal screw in the piece to 'attach it to the head'. Without the white bondo it may have been a successful piece. |
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Cyborg MakeupThe results of this makeup were very unsuccessful, the edges were too thick and the was not good. The bad edges are due to the cap plastic remaining in the mould when cast therefore meaning that there was no edge at all. Bondo was used to try cover the edges here, however it was unsuccessful. |
Cyborg MakeupThis was the result of the eye piece makeup taken with the camera flash on, to see if it made a difference to the finish. The makeup was much paler and didn't appear to be under the skin. A Kryolan greasepaint wheel was used for the bruising and the silver ink for the piece. The edges were removed completely therefore there were no edges to blend. The silicone was mean to blend into the skin by the nose, but due to the lack of cap plastic was not possible. | Cyborg MakeupCloser up the bruising has a more tonal colouration which worked well. The metallic piece also works really well, with a finish that looks very much like metal. An improvement to be made would be straighter and neater lines for the black indents this would make it appear more mechanical and realistic. | Cyborg MakeupThe photographs taken without the flash showed a different result of the makeup. The colour appear much more blended into the skin, with darker tones more apparent, the mechanical element without the black lines also looked effective creating a seamless metal piece attached to the face.It was important to make the bruising dark around the attachment area and the inner eye as bruising builds up in this areas frequently. Overall the result was much more effective. |
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Cyborg MakeupThis shows the application of the gelatin piece, there was no witch hazel available at the time, however acetone was used to try and blend the edges. The front side of the piece blended very well, only in flashed photography were these edges visible. However with some bondo or witch hazel this could have been applied more successfully. | Cyborg MakeupGenerally the application was not too bad, although there were clearly visible edges at the back of the piece. Greasepaint highlights any edges on gelatin pieces therefore it was important to not use this as a colouration material, as it would have made the edges appear worse. The colour was quite similar to the skin tone, therefore meaning that it would not be necessary to colour too much of the skin tone. | Cyborg MakeupThis is the final result of the makeup using flash photography. The colour of the skin was not too far off the skin tone of the face, however aquacolour was used for the metal component and did not look realistic. Similarly the red area required more tonal work to create a realistic result to the makeup. |
Cyborg MakeupIn the photograph without the camera flash the skin colour works much more effectively, blending better with the face. The metal component and the wound still did not work, however this was due to the initial painting quality and the products used. |
For a final experiment with the cyborg makeup a photoshop edit was conducted to see if the edges could be removed and made to loo more realistic and effective. The result of that experiment is shown to the right, with the original above. This shows that any makeup can be altered to produce a powerful result that looks professional and successful. The edges of the gelatin flatpiece have been removed aswell as the colouration of the photograph edited to create a more powerful contrast in colours. Overall this experimentation with the programme Photoshop has helped to understand the digital elements that can be used within the makeup allowing the piece to be used in any format.
Cyborg Experiment Two
Ex MachinaEx Machina (2015) [Online Image] Available From: http://borg.com/tag/ex-machina-movie/ Date Accessed: 18/01/2015 | AIAI (2001) [Online Image] Available From: http://lebeauleblog.com/2011/07/19/thats-so-fetch-jude-law/ Date Accessed: 18/01/2015 | WestworldWestworld (1978) [Online Image] Available From: http://www.tgdaily.com/games-and-entertainment-features/69951-returning-to-westworld Date Accessed: 18/01/2015 |
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The Stepford WivesThe Stepford Wives (1975) [Online Image] Available From: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lisesilva/6825594965/ Date Accessed: 18/01/2015 | The Sarah Conners ChroniclesThe Sarach Conners Chronicles (2008) [Online Image] Available From:http://terminator.wikia.com/wiki/File:Cameron_Rescues_Sarah_Connor.jpg Date Accessed: 18/01/2015 | MetropolisMetropolis (1927) [Online Image] Available From: http://deepintomovies.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/film-review-metropolis-1927.htmlDate Accessed: 18/01/2015 |
CyborgCyborg (1990) [Online Image] Available From: http://filmconnoisseur.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/cyborg-1990.html Date Accessed: 18/01/2015 | Blade RunnerBlade Runner (1982) [Online Image] Available From: http://www.allthingsmike.com/CulturalBlender/robots2.htm Date Accessed: 18/01/2015 | Buffy The Vampire SlayerAdam From Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2010) [Online Image] Available From: http://www.gdsmakeup.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=73093104 Date Accessed:18/01/2015 |
Cyborg Examples
These photographs show a wide variety of films displaying a cyborg character within them, some have obvious mechanical elements, whereas others are more human-like with very little styling to distinguish them from another human being. It has been extremely helpful to research exisitng examples to see the way in which the designs have been approached, similarly the difference in style through the decades. The more recent the film, the higher tech the cyborg is, with more advanced materials. For example Ex Machina in comparison to Metropolis has extreme differences. Ex Machina is made from moveable materials with a hyper realistic face whereas Metropolis is made from metal components with very little movement except for at the joints. The shaping is also important to consider as the older cyborgs have harsher, straight lines, Whereas the more recent have smooth joints that conform to the body shape making them seem more realistic.
Injecting Silicone
To inject silisonce into the mould there must be two holes, these can be drilled into the fibreglass, one is to insert the end of the injection tube and the other is to allow air to escape the mould. These are called bleeder holes (they are mentioned on the foam latex page). The syringe must not have a latex rubber end on the plunger as this will inhibit the cure of the silicone causing it to fail. Make sure that release agent has ben thoroughl applied to the fibreglass to ensure that it detaches after casting. A mixture of IPA and Cap Plastic (Super Baldiez) in a ratio of 3:1 should be applied to the mould, with two or three layers. Once complete the injection process can begin. First the mould shold be closed with bolts tightened halfway. in order to allow the air to escape the mould. Mix the silicone, adding deadener if desired to get the consistnecy correct. Pour this mixture into the syringes, making sure to pour from a height to remove as many air bubbles as possible. Insert into the hole and push the silicone into the mould, try not to push the excess air from the syringe into the mould as this will create an air pocket in the piece. Leave the syringe in the top of the mould to prevent any air being sucked in. At this point tighten the bolts to fully close the mould. This completes the process, once cured after around 45 minutes open the mould, applying more IPA/Cap Plastic (Super Baldiez) to encapsulate the piece. Talcum powder and remove carefully. (Special Makeup Effects, Debreceni.T, Pg 165-166) Examples of this process being implimented can be found further down the page.