Handy Tips

Here are a few handy notes I have taken down in my time making and keeping costume that I hope will help other people, please be aware any advice given here is only advice, it is not written in stone, any advice given here is also general advice and so I cannot be held responsible to any adverse effects it may have on costume, if you have any specific questions or suggestions for handy tips, feel free to contact me and ask, I hope you find this information useful ..........................Gem

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Hat Care

Hard felt hats are simply hats that have been starched and so it is best to make sure they aren't squashed by being put under heavy items at the end of an event or stood on by monsters, if this happens they will go back in to shape but may have a dent, with time they also relax and become slightly floppy, this can be corrected at least a few times by holding the hat over a steaming kettle the steam will react with the starch and when the hat has cooled the hat will harden again, please remember though to be careful as it can be very easy to be burned.

Hints on how to apply and remove make up

If applying new make up for a new character for the first time it is a good idea to try the make up on before you go to the event, and just get comfortable with taking it on and off and decide if there isn't anything you would rather change while you have the time, I find in order to get a flat even base colour with water based makeup like snazaroo and a sponge using the sponge more like a powder puff and dabbing it on your face can help allot and then adding details latter with a brush, also with a dry finger can be used to rub semi dry make up giving it a more powdery detail which is good for if you only want to highlight an area in the same way someone might use blusher to highlight there cheekbones.

Spirit gum need not be applied like it is cement, as long as the weather isn't to hot or to wet simply a few dabs on your mask will hold it in place but some more is often needed in hot or wet days, spirit gum can be removed with any type of alcohol with an alcohol content of 40% Vol or above the stronger the alcohol content the better it will dissolve the spirit gum.

Boot Tops

Our boot tops only come in one size but a few idea's have been shown to me on how to get round this I have seen people with small calf's use string or elastic to tie around the top of the boot cover to stop it from dropping down, just remember to not tie it so tight it stops the blood flow.

Our boot covers come with two pieces of elastic attached one which you place over the front of your foot and one over the heal of your foot but many people find as this is only elastic and in contact with the ground these will very quickly come away so allot of people don't bother with them at all preferring to just wear it over the top of there shoes and remove the elastic themselves.

I met a man at a curious pastimes event who impressed me greatly with his fantastic idea for bucket top boots that keep your feet dry, because from a distance his boots looked the real deal, but when you got close up it was possible to see that what he had done was place a pair of boot tops inside his wellys and then folded the tops over the outside of his wellys, this looked really good and was a stroke of genius for keeping his feet dry.

Arrows

Always make sure your arrow flights are attached firmly and there is no damage to the head of the arrow, when you twist the head it doesn't move, and if you use fiberglass shafted arrows hold the shaft of the arrow an the base and the end and twist it to make sure it doesn't make a cracking noise (if it dose the shaft is probably cracked and this could cause it to split and shatter on impact which is very dangerous), if in doubt ask a ref, most people would be horrified if they shot someone and injured them.