How to have a horrific Halloween

Rachel Knowles knows how to make a character look alive — or dead.

Knowles volunteers her makeup expertise with the Lakewood Ranch Mustang Players, the drama department at the high school taught by her mother Roxane Caravan. Knowles is the daughter of Roxane Caravan, the theater teacher, and she often does all of the costume and stage makeup for her mother's student performances.

Earlier this month, she gave students a prep class on creepy Halloween makeup.

Jessica Kroupa, a senior and president of the Mustang Players, said the extra effort with Halloween makeup increases “production value.”

“It definitely looks cooler and more believable than just putting black on an eye for a bruise,” she said. “That takes away from it.”

It’s not all about artistry. Rachel Knowles explained to the students a little common-sense anatomy knowledge creates a realistic look. She showed students how to make both a bruise and a gunshot wound, but it’s not just about using black-and-blue and fake blood.

“You have to think about color,” she said. “A fresh bruise is a different color than an old one.”

For wounds, she told them to think about placement. Depending on the location on the body, a wound may bleed a lot or only a little. For example, a wound to the front of the head might only have a little blood, but one on the back would gush.

Here are some tips she offered in time for Halloween.

Black eye/ bruise

You will need:

• Cream makeup, colors: dark blue, purple, red, green or yellow
• Powder (translucent or finishing powder)
• A brush or foam wedge for application
Start with dark blue and purple on the inside of the eye. Add a ring of red. To make a bruise seem older, add a thin ring of green and yellow around the edges. Blend the rings of color together and fade outer edges into the skin. Blot with powder to “set” makeup — this helps prevent the makeup from running if it gets wet.

Bullet hole/ flesh wound

You will need:

• Liquid latex 
• Cotton balls
• Fake blood
• Cream makeup in black, purple, red, and flesh color
• Brush or wedge for application
Use the liquid latex to create the raised edges and dimensions of the wound. Pull apart cotton balls into wisps, then dab wisps in the latex and affix to skin. Continue in this way until the wound has been built up. Let dry 10 minutes.
Fill in wound hole with black, then dark purple on the upper edges, then red around the hole edges and sides.
Use the flesh color around the edges of the latex to blend the wound edges into the skin.
Powder cream makeup.
Apply fake blood with the tail end of the brush or wedge. It is thick, and gravity will help it roll down the skin. Allow blood to dry 10 minutes, watch for drips.

Warnings:
• Do not use liquid latex if you have an allergy.
• Do not apply powder over the blood.
• Do not put the fake blood in mouth or eyes.
• Do not get fake blood on clothes or furniture — it will stain.