Liquid Latex vs Liquid Rubber: Experts I need your help!

Cleverlilminx

Well-Known Member

• Aug 26, 2008

• #1

Here is the situation, I am in the early planning stages to build my son a Godzilla costume for Halloween. I have an idea of the direction I want to go in, making a comfortable under-suit out of heavy fabric and coating that with something to make the "skin" for Godzilla and then airbrushing the final color onto the "skin". The question is which do I use, liquid latex or liquid rubber?

I have worked with liquid latex in the past when I used to do SFX makeup for a couple of very low budget horror movies, and I know it could work but it will take having to apply several layers to achieve the right consistency and look. I have never worked with liquid rubber and was wondering, in this application, if it would be easier to use.

Any help would be greatly appreciated of course.

 

Bilbo Baggins

Well-Known Member

• Aug 27, 2008

• #2

Hmmm. Interesting.
I guess I'm in the same boat as you, as I didn't even know there was a difference..obviously Liquid Latex is Rubber. I've worked with it for many years myself.

I do know a lot of people like to use plastidip..in the Jug or Spraycan..but that would prolly be a lot more expensive..

I would just use what I know how to work with..new stuff scares me :confused :lol
IMO it would be fast to just tint the latex green and apply it with a brush and use a blowdryer to speed up the curing time.

you could also use the same tinting method with 100% silicone right off the shelf..minus the blowdryer..it may take longer and stink worse though.

sorry to be of little help, but I'm old and old-school seems to always work better for me.

I'll be watching to see if this old dog can learn something new though.

 

Cleverlilminx

Well-Known Member

• Aug 27, 2008

• #3

Maybe this link will help:

http://www.smooth-on.com/liqrubr.htm

Smooth-on calls this line liquid rubber, but I never used anything other then liquid latex in the past.
http://www.smooth-on.com/liqrubr.htm

 

M

mfxreplicas

Official Licensee

• Aug 27, 2008

• #4

Latex tends to be cheeper, simpler, safer, stretchier and more practical to paint than any synthetic rubbers.

It is possible to spray liquid latex through an automotive spray gun and get great results. You do have to be patient to allow the layers to dry thoroughly but the results are terrific. I'm assuming that you'd build the form of the Godzilla costume out of upholstery foam over the top of the under-suit made out of heavy fabric. The latex would then give a 'skin' to the unpholstery foam?....... Is this right?

Best
Neill

 

H

hankey01

Sr Member

• Aug 27, 2008

• #5

To paint my rubber yoda I diluted liquid latex with water, added acrylic paint to color it and sprayed it with my model airbrush. It clogged a lot, but it did work. The results were pretty good...

Before and after pics here:

http://artood2fett.blogspot.com/2006_03_01_archive.html

 

Last edited: Aug 27, 2008

Cleverlilminx

Well-Known Member

• Aug 27, 2008

• #6

mfxreplicas said:

Latex tends to be cheeper, simpler, safer, stretchier and more practical to paint than any synthetic rubbers.

It is possible to spray liquid latex through an automotive spray gun and get great results. You do have to be patient to allow the layers to dry thoroughly but the results are terrific. I'm assuming that you'd build the form of the Godzilla costume out of upholstery foam over the top of the under-suit made out of heavy fabric. The latex would then give a 'skin' to the unpholstery foam?....... Is this right?

Click to expand...

Yes that is kind of the idea, parts of the costume will have foam underneath the heavy fabric, other parts may have foam over the fabric as well and then the latex will be the outside layer. It's all going to be a trial and error project for me for sure.

I do have access to a couple of paint guns as well. What would be the best paint to use for painting over latex? Can I dye the latex as well since the main color of Godzilla is black, I was hoping to either buy black latex or dye it myself so it becomes the undercoat.


Man the things you do for kids sometimes. :lol

 

Jayn

Sr Member

• Aug 28, 2008

• #7

Hey Minx! You can use a universal tint in latex..I've also used inks to good effect for base tiniting (like india ink).. You can use acrylic inks to airbrush a topcoat on latex..
Latex would be a bit cheaper than silicone, but silicone is a lot more flexible and durable..I've used both ecoflex and a couple of other silicones over spandex..

 

H

hankey01

Sr Member

• Aug 28, 2008

• #8

Like I said..I just added acrylic paint to liquid latex...diluted it a bit and used an airbrush. It worked great!