The tutorial video includes more in depth instructions on how to apply elf ears including tips on proper ear placement, ear prep, cleaning and makeup blending. If you would like to skip straight to mixing adhesive jump to the 9:20 mark.
What Adhesive Should be Used
Silicone elf ears and fx can be glued on with a silicone adhesive such as SkinTite. A sample of this is included with each purchase (marked A&b). Skin-tite can be purchased on line at Amazon and directly from Reynolds Advanced Materials An acrylic emulsion adhesive such as pros-aide can also be used. I prefer SkinTite silicone adhesive for application of our elf/character ears because it is waterproof and long lasting yet easy to remove, and it doesn’t leave the kind of residue that most makeup adhesives do. Therefore the video tutorial and the following instructions will refer to skinTite (or other brand of silicone adhesive) when discussing the application of the ears.
Warmer temperatures will reduce pot life and accelerate the cure time of Skin Tite®
Adhesive may be inhibited by certain contaminants such as latex, skin oils, aloe vera,
Step by Step Instructions
Important! Clean Ears Before Application
The wearer’s ears should be washed with a gentle soap so that they are free of any powders or skin oils, the glue will not work otherwise. Dry the ears before applying the adhesive
Mix equal amounts of parts A and B. Skin Tite® can be hand mixed. Aggressively hand mix for 30 seconds, making sure that you scrape the sides and bottom of your mixing container several time
Brush a small amount of Skin Tite® onto the appliance or surface of the skin
Hold the appliance to the skin until the Skin Tite® is cured. This should occur in approximately 5 minutes or less, dependent on body temperature Once the Skin Tite® is cured, it will remain tacky
Use a small amount of Skin Tite® to carefully blend the edges of the appliance if needed
After Skin Tite® is fully cured, makeup can be used to further blend and color the piece, powder may be necessary to remove shine from any skin tite that was used to blend.
To remove the appliance from the skin, slowly peel the piece away from the skin
Using baby oil or make-up remover can assist in removal. Isopropyl alcohol works well to remove any uncured silicone glue
Care and Cleaning
The silicone can attract dust and dirt after a while. To extend the life of the prosthetic please follow these instructions:
The ear tips should be washed with a gentle soap such as dish liquid (I use dawn original scent). Avoid antibacterial soaps or any soaps with aloe.
If there is glue residue it can be washed off with isopropyl alcohol or makeup remover. It will then need to be washed as described above
air dry or pat dry (keep in mind some fiber may stick to the silicone)
if the silicone is shiny they can be powdered before putting away or the next time you use them
place the ears in the baggie they came in or other container to protect them when not in use.
If you live outside the US you can find a skin-tite distributor at: https://www.smooth-on.com/distributors/
Here is my latest creation; hobbit ears, inspired by the halflings of middle earth. I wanted to create an ear closer to those envisioned for the movie characters but with my own interpretation. I try to balance a realistic design with the goal of achieving a universal fit.
Bilbo & Company
Whether you’re cosplaying Bilbo, Frodo, Sam Gamgee, Rosie or any hobbit, these are the ears for you! Plus they’re waterproof so they can withstand a ride on the river, even over a barrel.
Why Cast in Silicone
All of my ears are cast in silicone, this material offers several benefits. Silicone allows the flexibility to fit a good range of people, it looks super realistic, it’s waterproof and non-latex. I have designed these Hobbit Ears in two sizes: regular fit as well as a size for larger ears. As a general rule size regular fits teens and women and large is generally a better fit for men or larger ears. This is just a guideline and because of the flexibility of silicone there is some overlap in sizing.
I have recently begun creating silicone prosthetic noses, and it’s been a lot of fun sculpting my first two projects. The orc nose is my first completed silicone prosthetic nose and I’m so happy with the results. I created this original design based on a long history of varying orc styles and incorporated some anatomical design from a wide range of primates. The nose will fit a wide range of cosplayers and because its made of silicone it will afford a wide range of facial motion while remaining quite comfortable.
Full Mask vs Prosthetics
Using multi-piece prosthetics gives the cosplayer/LARPer a much more comfortable alternative to wearing a full mask. That can make an all day event much more enjoyable. It can be cast in any custom color as well as our five stock skin-tones. Customers can pair the prosthetic nose with our orc ears and their make-up to create an orc look all their own. A full silicone face mask can get a bit heavy especially if worn all day and even though silicone masks can be expressive they can’t beat multi-piece prosthetics for mobility of facial features.
Expanding Silicone Prosthetic Appliances
I plan on expanding my selection of silicone appliances to include more prosthetic noses as well as chins and other facial components. The goal is to provide affordable high quality component pieces. This will give cosplayers the ability to mix and match pieces to incorporate into their own costume creations. Allowing LARPers and cosplayers to achieve a level of realism currently not available to the average costumer.
Latest Work in Progress: The Wicked Witch of The West Prosthetic Nose
I began a sculpt of the Wizard of Oz wicked witches’s nose. I finished the rough sculpt and should finish the finer details and texturing on Thursday’s Twitch stream. This sculpt was done on the scale of a man’s nose, while it should fit most people I will also do a women’s scaled version. I also plan on following up this project with a wicked witch chin prosthetic to complete the set. I’ll update this post as the project progresses.
We now offer Half-elf Ears that are absolutely perfect for most Lord of The Rings cosplays. Here is a little primer to assist you in your elf ear decisions. Many of the elves in LOTR sport pretty low profile ears. Legolas has very subtle ears, yet his father, Thranduil has more substantial elf ears. Legolas apparently takes after his mom, in regard to his ears and temperament.
Half-elf Ears Are Perfect For The Majority Of Middle Earth Elves
Our Half-elf Ears are both elegant and low profile and are the perfect choice for Arwen, Galadriel and Legolas cosplay. I am including some comparative photos with Middle Earth elves and various shots of our ears. These elven ears are understated, and very realistic, commonly mistaken for ear surgery. They are cast in silicone and hand painted in your choice of color; five stock skin-tones as well as color-match.
Classic Elf Ears Work Well for Characters With More Substantial Ears
Our Classic Elf Ears are a good choice for Thranduil and Tauriel cosplays. These ears are quite elegant as well, but are more substantial than the Half-elf style. Our elf ears, are cast in life-like silicone so the best choice for those with latex allergies. These recommendations are based on the Peter Jackson vision of Middle Earth, needless to say that if your creating your own Middle Earth elf the choice is up to you.
Ears For Other Middle Earth Characters
Hobbits have a larger somewhat rounded ear.Since originally posting I have added a Hobbit Ear design and there is a post dedicated to it. Heres a link. For Orc cosplays we have designed and offer Orc ears available in whatever shade you need from our shop.
The Alara ears were inspired by the character Alara Kitan from the show “The Orville”, which will be airing it’s second season premier December 30th. The critics weren’t kind, but fans, including myself, loved it. It includes 2 strong female main characters including Alara. She’s super strong physically and unbelievably rugged due to the high gravity of her home planet, therefore she’s super handy to have around. Need some pickles opened, no problem.
Alara Cosplay
She exhibits some interesting characteristics which make an Alara Cosplay an interesting choice. She has gill like protrusions on her forehead and nose and intricate, distinctive ears. I designed the Alara ears and prosthetics with this in mind. With your costuming, these ears and a lot of time at the gym your cosplay will kick some butt.
Silicone Ears and Prosthetics
The Alara ears and prosthetics are cast in silicone, so they are safe for those with latex allergies. They are also wonderfully realistic both visually and to the touch. They are easy to clean and care for, plus they’re waterproof. The ears are one size fits most. If your ears are on the large size we can tell you how to measure them and let you know if they will work for you.
Other Uses for this Ear Style
You could also use these pieces in an original sci-fi cosplay creation or incorporate them into a creature cosplay.
Jacqueline Whalen; artist/owner, LARPer, nerd and sculptor, maker & purveyor of silicone elf ears, special FX, masks & props. Jacqueline holds a degree in Fine Arts and has been designing and creating silicone ears and prosthetics for 5 years.
Jacqueline Whalen; artist/owner, LARPer, nerd and sculptor, maker & purveyor of silicone elf ears, special FX, masks & props. Jacqueline holds a degree in Fine Arts and has been designing and creating silicone ears and prosthetics for 5 years.
