Non-staining blood recipe? at DVinfo.net

Nathan Quattrini · August 12th, 2007, 07:20 AM

I need fake blood that won`t stain clothes. I have to do some pick up shots that can`t be scedules until after the death scene and the costume can`t get replicated. Anyone know of any?

Richard Alvarez · August 12th, 2007, 08:39 AM

For costume blood, I use a mix of baby shampoo and food coloring. Food coloring generally WILL stain clothes, but the baby shampoo seems to act as a surfectant, and if you get to it quickly will usually wash out. My advice is to test it on a sample of the clothing you plan to use, and don't let it dry in place.

Find clear baby shampoo if you can, a pale blue is next best, it tends to darken the red to a deeper wine colour.

Most people like a drop of blue with their red food coloring, some prefer a drop of green. Again, best to test the mixture under lighting conditions to see how it will replicate against the color costume and actor's skin.

Mike Teutsch · August 12th, 2007, 08:57 AM

Nathan,

In a shoot a few months ago, we used Karo Syrup and red food dye. We even added a little cocoa too darken it.

We tried very hard to keep it off of everything, because we thought it would stain it! Turned out that it would not stain at all. Everything it was spilled on, accidentally or on purpose, washed up easily and didn't stain at all.
Even place mats that were going to be tossed out, cleaned up a week later with no stains.

I think it has to do with the mixing of the food dye without water.

Test it first, but it worked fine for use. And of course, it doesn't taste bad either!

Mike

Ben Winter · August 12th, 2007, 10:52 AM

If you search around the web there's a recipe that uses corn syrup that we thought would stain, but washed out of everything. I think it was corn syrup, red food coloring (the whole dropper bottle) and some milk or flour to make it opaque.

Richard Alvarez · August 12th, 2007, 12:15 PM

The standard Kayro syrup formula WILL stain clothes/costumes. I know this for a fact. I've got costumes stained with it. I produced stage combat for more than a decade.

Granted, if you can get it to soap and water quickly enough, there's a good chance it won't stain. But if you are leaving it on for any length of time, my reccomendation is to go the baby shampoo route.

Trust me on this one.

Obviously, if you need to put the 'blood' in someone's mouth... go with the Kayro/corn syrup formula.

(I once made the mistake of mixing up the shampoo pack with the kayro pack, put the wrong one in my mouth.)

But as always, when in doubt, mix up BOTH formulas and test on a sample of the fabric.

August 12th, 2007, 07:20 AM	#1
Nathan Quattrini Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Warwick, Rhode Island Posts: 740	Non-staining blood recipe? I need fake blood that won`t stain clothes. I have to do some pick up shots that can`t be scedules until after the death scene and the costume can`t get replicated. Anyone know of any? __________________ Cinematography Site

August 12th, 2007, 08:57 AM	#3
Mike Teutsch Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Port St. Lucie, Florida Posts: 2,614	Nathan, In a shoot a few months ago, we used Karo Syrup and red food dye. We even added a little cocoa too darken it. We tried very hard to keep it off of everything, because we thought it would stain it! Turned out that it would not stain at all. Everything it was spilled on, accidentally or on purpose, washed up easily and didn't stain at all. Even place mats that were going to be tossed out, cleaned up a week later with no stains. I think it has to do with the mixing of the food dye without water. Test it first, but it worked fine for use. And of course, it doesn't taste bad either! Mike __________________ Chapter one, line one. The BH.

August 12th, 2007, 10:52 AM	#4
Ben Winter Trustee Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hollywood, CA Posts: 1,675 Images: 1	If you search around the web there's a recipe that uses corn syrup that we thought would stain, but washed out of everything. I think it was corn syrup, red food coloring (the whole dropper bottle) and some milk or flour to make it opaque. __________________ BenWinter.com

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August 12th, 2007, 08:39 AM	#2
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	For costume blood, I use a mix of baby shampoo and food coloring. Food coloring generally WILL stain clothes, but the baby shampoo seems to act as a surfectant, and if you get to it quickly will usually wash out. My advice is to test it on a sample of the clothing you plan to use, and don't let it dry in place. Find clear baby shampoo if you can, a pale blue is next best, it tends to darken the red to a deeper wine colour. Most people like a drop of blue with their red food coloring, some prefer a drop of green. Again, best to test the mixture under lighting conditions to see how it will replicate against the color costume and actor's skin.

August 12th, 2007, 12:15 PM	#5
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	The standard Kayro syrup formula WILL stain clothes/costumes. I know this for a fact. I've got costumes stained with it. I produced stage combat for more than a decade. Granted, if you can get it to soap and water quickly enough, there's a good chance it won't stain. But if you are leaving it on for any length of time, my reccomendation is to go the baby shampoo route. Trust me on this one. Obviously, if you need to put the 'blood' in someone's mouth... go with the Kayro/corn syrup formula. (I once made the mistake of mixing up the shampoo pack with the kayro pack, put the wrong one in my mouth.) But as always, when in doubt, mix up BOTH formulas and test on a sample of the fabric.