Frequently Asked Questions
The questions below are listed in order of frequency.
- Q: Can I have this for free or at a drastically reduced price for one or more of the following reasons? I.e. I'm making a fan film, I do charity work, I don't have enough money, etc...
- A: No. I do not accept credit on your fan film, IOU's, or the promise of "I'll advertise for you by telling people where I got it" as payment.
- Q: Did you sculpt this and mold it yourself?
- A: Yes
- Q: Is this something that you will have on hand all of the time?
- A: No. Even though I own the mold I have many projects and depending on certain factors, I am not always able to make copies. Legal Disclaimer
- Q: How long will this product last?
- A: With proper care, a long time. Every item I ship comes with detailed care instructions which can also be found on this site. Being that latex is a natural product it can break down over time but some useful tips can help prevent that from happening within your lifetime. In addition, with everything I make, I take extra precautions to improve longevity such as: I wash the residual chemicals from the foam latex using a mild detergent and all of the products are sealed with a PAX paint sealer then coated in a thin layer of urethane. Care Instructions
- Q: How do I care for this?
- A: See above question and the care instructions section on this site. With all latex items you'll want to keep them free of moisture, oils, temperature extremes, and out of direct sunlight. So after you're done wearing it, it's a good idea to wipe out the inside (do not use solvents like rubbing alcohol) and re apply some talc powder to help with on and off. Care Instructions
- Q: Do you do custom commissions like a different paint scheme or a new character altogether?
- A: Yes. Although, most of the processes that I do are costly and time consuming. If there have been multiple requests for the same item, the scratch build are costs that I'll cover myself. However, if the buyer would like something totally unique, where I don't have other interested parties, they will have to cover those costs. Simple modifications like custom paint jobs are relatively inexpensive. Please use the Contact Us page for custom requests.
- Q: Will this fit me?
- A: All of the wearable items I make such as masks and hands are made to easily fit over an average sized head or hands. Excessively large persons may experience discomfort with some of the more snug-fitting items.
- Q: Can I add animatronics to this?
- A: No, you need to understand the difference between a static latex Halloween type mask as opposed to a flexible material like foam latex or silicone. If you would like to have a mask built that is capable of motion, I would be able build you something custom. See above question.
- Q: How flexible/dexterous are the hands?
- A: The hands will be like wearing thick latex gloves that, depending on the design, will hinder some movement. Excessively long fingers, webbing between fingers or attaching fingers together will alter the functionality of the hand. Certain considerations have been made to the designs of the hands in particular. While I try to stay true to the original designs, I try to work in natural fold points in the wrinkling of the palms, wrists and fingers wherever possible to assist in movement but bottom line is, when you're wearing something that alters your overall profile, it will obstruct your movement.
- Q: How well can I breathe in that thing?
- A: Wearing anything over your mouth and nose will block air flow. I try to cut ample vent holes in the masks while still maintaining the creature effect but you will be aspirating a lot of your own air that will become rich in carbon dioxide and moisture from your lungs so you'll need to remove the mask periodically to "air out". You can also modify the mask to add vent holes with a pair of sharp cuticle scissors wherever you'd like and the newly trimmed latex can easily be tinted with an appropriately colored sharpie if you like.
- Q: How well can I see in that thing?
- A: The masks are designed to have openings where your eyes would be even though some of the original masks did not and the actors had to just "fake it". The masks that have a tinted eye spheres will have a wavy distorted look and a bit of a blur so you probably wouldn't be able to read a book very well but can still navigate your way through a convention room floor and see who is taking your picture at least.
- Q: What kind of paint do you use?
- A: For airbrushing, I use FW's. For base paint or touch-ups, I use acrylic paint mixed with a prosthetic-grade adhesive as a binder (such as Pros-Ad).
- Q: Are you hiring, or do you take interns?
- A: No, I appreciate your interest but do not have any openings. I also do not take interns at my shop. There are a lot of online resources for you to explore if you are interested in this field.
- Q: But I still have more questions about materials, supplies, techniques, etc!
- A: No problem! I have all of the answers to your questions here.