Halloween: Our Top Picks

At Graftobian, we can't help but get a little excited about the upcoming Halloween Season. We've got a few of our favorite things listed below and some tips to get you in the Halloween spirit.

1) ProPaint™: This all-purpose face and body paint is great for Halloween. It utilizes a rich, pigmented, and ultra-durable formula, delivering exceptional results. When activated by water, ProPaint™ blends seamlessly.

Tip: The less water you add to your brush/sponge, the more vivid the color will be.  The more water you add, the more shear the color.

Makeup by Andrea O'Donnell

2) Character Kits: If you're doing your own makeup, the fun begins with our easy to use character kits. These bad boys come with everything you need to become a zombie, cat, werewolf, skull, clown, etc! Step by step instructions are also included, as well as costume and prop suggestions.

Makeup by Nick Wolfe

3) Blood!: If you still haven't got your costume/look figured out by October 31st, we can guarantee that our bloods will be your best friend(s). We've recently restocked our shelves with the popular F/X Gelatin™, which delivers burned and mangled skin effects. Blood Paste, Stage Blood, Blood Gel, Blood Paste, Buckets O'Blood, and Magic Blood Powder, are also fine options.

Tip: Do NOT boil or microwave F/X Gelatin™ . Instead, heat the bottle in a hot water bath for a few minutes until it is fluid. Layer all three colors for a pleasantly gruesome surprise!

 

4) Modeling Wax: For those who wish to make scars, bumps, warts, cuts, etc., Modeling Wax is for you. Our formula is pliable yet sticky enough to hold up under stress.

Tip: Apply Spirit Gum to the area. Tap with finger until it's tacky. Press a ball of Wax onto the gummed area and make your desired shape. Use a small amount of makeup remover on your fingertip to smooth the wax. Paint several quick drying coats of Flexible Wax Sealer over the wax area. Add blood and makeup to achieve your desired look. Remove with Spirit Gum Remover.

 Video and Makeup by MadeYewLook on YouTube

5) Cosmetic Powdered Metals: Oh, boy. There's a reason these guys are so popular.  Just take a look at that picture! It's a powder...it's a powdered metal...and now it's a liquid metal! Think of the Tin Man, metal statues, golden summer fairies, or just make a statement with this fun stuff.

Tip: Mix a teeny amount of Magic Set™ Mixing Medium with the powder in a dish to create a liquid.  The Magic Set™ will be more durable and give the metal more vibrancy than water.

Lips done by @VladaMUA

Stencils: Tips & Techniques

Stencil designs are easily applied using Disguise Stix makeup and a sponge. Cut a tablet sponge into 6 pie-shaped wedges and load the rounded part of the wedge with coloring.

Step 1:

Sponge on a light background color. Let dry before placing stencil to face.








Step 2:

Press stencil firmly against skin. Sponge on coloring to create the star's drop shadow.








Step 3: 

Load multiple colors onto sponge to create a gradient effect within your star.










Star 4:

Carefully remove stencil to avoid smudging the paint while it is still moist.









Add some glitter!

Simply sprinkle any of Graftobian's 24 shades of face painting glitter onto the design while it is still moist.

Want a specific area to have glitter? Use a paintbrush with paint on it, dip in glitter, then paint the face.


If you wish to clean up a stencil design that is a little smudged, use a sponge-tipped corrector. Just lightly moisten the tip of the corrector and use it like an eraser to remove unwanted coloring.

The finished look!

Products used:

Stencil Kit
Disguise Stix 
Sponge
Cosmetic Powdered Glitter 
Sponge-Tipped Corrector
Face Painting Book

Global Correction Collection

New Global Correction Collection

Graftobian now offers a selection of High Definition Glamour Cremes in our Super Palette (18 shade) configuration.

Our Global Correction Collection is a very convenient way for an artist to do corrective work on any skin tone or ethnicity.

Using opposite color theory, these shades work to neutralize any color that you wish to adjust.

Perfect to color correct, highlight and contour ANY skin tone.



Many of these shades are available in individual sizes.

Glamour Creme Correction and Contour Palettes

HD Creme Corrector Light and Dark shades are available in 1/4 oz individual sizes. Our HD Corrector shades are ideal for neutralizing discoloration.

HD Creme Contour Light and Dark shades are also available in 1/4 oz individual sizes. These HD Contour shades are ideal for contouring and highlighting.

Contour Palettes Light and Dark:

Inspiration for the Global Correction Collection

"I've been a fan of Graftobian HD Beauty products for quite a while now. The HD Glamour Creme and Powder Foundations have become staples in my kit, especially for male grooming because of their perfect level of coverage and natural look on camera.

"I was at the International Makeup Artist Trade Show and asked Eric Coffman of Graftobian why they hadn't expanded the collection to include a corrector palette for medium/dark skin tones and why they hadn't addressed the growing trend for highlight/contour kits and create palettes to accommodate all global skin tones?

"Thanks to my assertive questioning and the good nature of a very gracious company owner, Graftobian now offers two Color Corrector and two Highlight/Contour palettes for Light/Medium and Medium/Dark skin tones. We also designed a Global Super Palette (shown at top)."

--Kevin James Bennett
Makeup Art + Design Enterprises

Face Painting: Bubbles

Disguise Stix Series: Bubbles 

 

 
Step 1: 

Apply fish shape using Venus Purple and Clown White.









Step 2: 

Use Clown White to add scales and eyes.

Step 3: 

Paint half of the lips red. Mix Clown white 
and Venus Purple to make light purple bubbles. 
















Step 4: 

Add a bit of Clown White for highlights. 
Use both Martian Green and Deep Sea Green for the seaweed. Outline the fish with Midnight Black.  











 
  
Step 5:

Pucker up! 

Find all of the Disguise Stix colors here.  

We also have Disguise Stix in Mini sizes! 

Face Painting: Upside Down Clown

Disguise Stix Series: Upside Down Clown

Step 1:

Paint Crypt Green and Sunshine Yellow elongated semi-circles under both eyes.
















Step 2:

Use Ice Blue to shape both noses and cheeks.

Step 3: 

Apply Lovely Lilac and Fuchsia Fun to both "mouths." Paint on Contour details, and use a sponge where you wish to create a gradient. Finish with Midnight Black details.

And you're done! Go on and smile...or not.

Makeup used: Disguise Stix

Pro Paint™ vs Disguise Stix

For quite some time now, in fact since 1978 to be exact, Graftobian has been manufacturing Disguise Stix Makeup.  These Stix are an easy to use, non-toxic, soap-based, temporary coloring for skin and hair, and are also ideal for children.

Disguise Stix

Recently, Graftobian has added ProPaint™ for face and body painting to the collection.  ProPaint™ has a glycerin-based formula and works up a rich, creamy texture when activated by water.

ProPaint™

So what's the difference?

Price- Disguise Stix are a fun and inexpensive way for beginners to learn how to face and/or body paint. They're affordable in both the regular, mini sizes, and dishes.  ProPaint™ costs a bit more in price and is available in only one size.  Regular Disguse Stix: 1/8 oz of product. ProPaint™:  1 oz of product.

Base- Disguise Stix are a mild soap-based paint and are intended for children.  They wash off easily with soap and water. Can also be removed from clothing, bathtub walls, rubber duckies, etc. ProPaint™ has a glycerin-based formula for unbeatable pigmentation and coverage. It lasts a bit longer on the skin.

Water Activated- Both of these paints are water activated. Simply dip the Stix in a cup of water and load the paint up onto a dry sponge. If the sponge is too wet, the coloring will be weak. ProPaint™ works up a rich creamy texture when activated by water. Take a sponge or brush, dip in water and lather onto the ProPaint™.

Fragrance: Both are fragrance-free!


Which one would you get? ProPaint  or Disguise Stix ?

Blood, Blood, or Blood: What's the Difference?

Graftobian has a number of bloods to choose from.  Choosing one may seem rather daunting, but behold the choices; we have several options for different bloody occasions: 



Stage Blood

This blood is a bright red, water-based product that looks exactly like fresh spurting blood! When you or another needs to simulate the act of recently being shot or wounded, Stage Blood will be your go-to blood.
Tip: Water this blood down for special squirting effects.

Stage Blood is available in six sizes.

Blood Gel

 Blood Gel is a deep red, glycerine-based blood that never dries! This stuff drips very slowly. Let's say you want to keep that bloody oozing, wet blood effect last for hours--Blood Gel will be your bloody friend.

Wash this blood off only when you're ready--use soap and water.

Blood Gel is available in three sizes. 

 
Blood Paste

Blood Paste is a firm, deep red blood that you can smear into a wound or gash. It won't move and stays wet looking.

Tip: Apply to wide areas with a stipple sponge for a splattered effect.

Blood Paste washes off only when the night is over--use soap and water.

Blood Paste is available in two sizes.


Magic Blood Powder™ 

 Magic Blood Powder™ is a water-activated powder. When it's dusted onto the skin, it appears invisible, but it when comes into contact with water, it immediately looks like road rash, a bloody cut, an arc spray of blood.

Tip: A few tablespoons to a gallon of water will yield a very economical splashing blood.  Effects made with Magic Blood Powder™ wash off with soap and water. Almost like the incident never even happened...

Magic Blood Powder™ is available in two sizes.


F/X Gelatin™ 

 F/X Gelatin™ is used to create the look of burned skin, a mangled face, or a bloody gash that just won't heal. This is the "heat and serve" of gore makeup.

Heat the bottle in a hot water bath for a few minutes until the gelatin is fluid. Test the temperature of it on your wrist to make sure it's not too hot. We strongly recommend AGAINST microwaving or boiling F/X Gelatin™.

Tip: Apply one color or mix to create your custom gore effect. Make sure it has cooled. It will stay in place and remain flexible. Add any of our blood products or F/X Blood Powder if so desired. Peel the gelatin off to remove.