Looking for materials help making faux wet specimens

[fallimar]

I've gotten my hands on some perfect large glass jars and I want to make some fun fake wet specimens. Stuff like a dragon foetus, werewolf hand, xenomorph hybrid parts - that kind of thing in liquid.
I'm just a bit stuck on what kind of liquid I could use. If I coated the specimens in latex paint (acrylics + liquid latex) for instance, is there anything folks on here would recommend that wouldn't cause it to melt off? I know any kind of oil-based anything would be out, but what about things like water-based cheap lubricants or stuff?

Any industry tips would be greatly appreciated!

 

[BrundelFly]

This is painted with acrylic. Then covered with clear epoxy, like you would put over a coffee table. I fill teh tank with water. ...good for 6 months.

 

[PHArchivist]

This is painted with acrylic. Then covered with clear epoxy, like you would put over a coffee table. I fill teh tank with water. ...good for 6 months.

Show off...

That is an RPF classic...

 

[PotionMistress]

You could try vegetable glycerine. You can buy it by the gallon, it's perfectly clear, but thicker than water, generally doesn't go bad or moldy and less likely to need changing out. I can't guarantee it won't affect a painted object though, so I'd experiment with something small and see if it will work with the kind of paint you will be using.

 

[Daffy]

You can also try Propylene Glycol (PG). Same as with the VG being thicker than water, but you won't have the same issues as you are having with water.

 

[dropshipbob]

I don't know that I would recommend anything outside of water, can you imagine what a mess that would be created if one of them broke and it had something like the above in it? Waters bad enough! I too would suggest what Brundlefly suggested and that's exactly what I did on my facehugger, it worked great!

 

[Collektor]

If you're ok with the water not being liquid, Smooth On has a water clear encapsulation (Encapso K) that mixes 1:1 and self degasses. It takes about 24 hours to cure and since it's silicone base it shouldn't harm the paint. Its also soft enough that you can pull it apart to recover the prop should you need to recover it for any reason later.

 

[fallimar]

Thanks heaps everyone! I'm testing out a few of these to see what kind of result I like best. Looking into aquarium paints and such to see if I can find some good waterproof options too.

Great suggestions - I'mma try 'em all if I can!

 

[chrisnupp]

I haven't done anything large scale, just beakers and whatnot for harry potter theme props and haunted trail props. I filled them with clear Hair Gel.

 

[BikerPuppy]

If you don’t need the “liquid“ to be liquid, clear polyurethane resin (SmoothOn’s is good) works, and so does very clear soap base (for making melt and pour soaps).

 

[Lunajammer]

I'd love to see examples of any of those recommendations above. Almost all are products I've never seen used.

 

[Chromatophore]

Have you considered double walling your jars and just having the liquid between the walls? Won't look quite as good, but it will keep your props dry and safe and you can add a bubbler in the bottom to improve the look.

 

[Daffy]

Mineral oil might be a good option. Clear, inexpensive, and doesn't go "bad". Overclockers submerge working PC's in the stuff.

 

[BikerPuppy]

I'd love to see examples of any of those recommendations above. Almost all are products I've never seen used.

I’m a terrible photographer, but here are a couple I’ve made as give-aways related to my husband’s debut horror novel (Helminth, by S. Alessandro Martinez, published by Omnium Gatherum Jan 2021) - they are the “thing in the jar” that features in the story. (If you’d like one, read the book, post a review, and PM me!)

The first one in a soap base. It’s not perfectly clear, but that’s mostly by design - in the story, the jar is filled with murky lake water and this “thing” is floating in it). I added a few drops of terra cotta-colored alcohol ink before the mixture could set.

The second one is in SmoothOn’s resin 327 (has the slowest set time, which means it doesn’t get as hot while curing). I wonder now if I should have used Encapso K instead.

I’ll try to take better pics if you’re interested. And don’t forget - review the book and PM me and I’ll send you one!

 

[Lunajammer]

The first one in a soap base.

The second one is in SmoothOn’s resin 327

Those are delightfully disgusting! I really like the haze of the first one, like cloudy bio-ooze. Yuck!

 

[BikerPuppy]

Those are delightfully disgusting! I really like the haze of the first one, like cloudy bio-ooze. Yuck!

Thanks! I wish I had taken more picks of the beasties before I encapsulated them. They are made of Apoxie Sculpt, painted with acrylic paint, and then covered in multiple layers of liquid latex. It looks very ... squishy and snotty. I’ll have to see if my husband took some photos.

On a sort of related note, has anyone here tried the Stan Winston classes? They are pretty expensive, but maybe worth it. I just have no idea how easy they are to follow - of course you can pause while you catch up, but are they going to have tons of tools and materials we don’t have access to? (Stan Winston School of Character Arts)