Foam latex
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Foam latex is a lightweight, soft form of latex which is used in masks and facial prosthetics to change a person's outward appearance. The Wizard of Oz is one of the first films to make extensive use of foam latex prosthetics in the 1930s.[1] Since then is has been a staple of film, television and stage productions, as well as finding use in a number of other fields.
To create foam latex, a liquid latex base is mixed with various additives and whipped into a foam, then poured or injected into a mold and baked in an oven to cure. The main components of foam latex are the latex base, a foaming agent (to help it whip into a froth), a gelling agent (to convert the liquid foam into a gel) and a curing agent (to turn the gelled foam latex into a solid when baked). A number of additional additives can also be added depending on the required use of the foam.[2]
Foam latex has also seen heavy use in the field of stop motion animation, being used to form the skin and muscles of many puppets. The characters in The Nightmare Before Christmas and Coraline were made partially of foam latex. It is also used in place of clay in productions such as Celebrity Deathmatch in which the various celebrities who appear to be made of clay are in fact foam latex over wire armature.
Artists such as Lordi and GWAR wear costumes that include this material.
