Pointy ears (a costuming question)

Feraway Hawkbriar · 02-17-2002, 10:01 PM

Ok, I've looked and looked and looked, but I just cant seem to find pointy latex ear tips (I'm assumingmost types are made of latex, or silicon) that are even remotly similar to those used in the movie. Yes yes I know those used in the film were made specificaly for the film and were made of something not latex or silicon, but isnt there anything on the general market even similar in design to those used? All the ones I have seen have either been evil looking or have a weird curve to them.

Any help on this would be great.

LuthienTinuviel · 02-17-2002, 10:12 PM

your looking for some too!

i even do stage makeup , and i can't find any or sucessfully make them to look good..

i am thinking of just cutting the tips off of a quality pair from the drama shop though.. and then mould them to fit my own ears.

if you have a quality theatre makeup shop or a theatre shop, then you could find some alright ones and just use the tip and some liquid latex and spirit gum..

ohh or go to the shop and buy nose putty, and mould your self a pair, cover them in liquid latex and then colour them accodingly

but now that i think of it, you might not have these things at your fingertips like i do..

so, i guess, i am as stumped as you.

p.s. good drawings! i absoluteley LOVE them!

Feraway Hawkbriar · 02-18-2002, 07:05 PM

hrrm, all good Ideas I could order alot of that stuff online...hrmm.

I found somemthing comming almost close to what I'm looking for..but they have a bit of that weird curve that I'v mentioned...they could be altered so they sit differently..but I dont know, I'm not skilled with this stuff.

http://www.chamberofhorrors.com/Merchant2/87007.jpg

Maybe I should go to newzealand and kidnapp one of the makeup/posthetic artists from weta...then I could have an un-ending supply of really nice custom made pointy ears....

Wouldnt it be cool of a line of LotR brand pointy ears (and other prosthetic stuff) came out? alas, there is prolly no chance in hell of that convenience happening. *sigh*

Tanoliel · 02-19-2002, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Feraway Hawkbriar
Maybe I should go to newzealand and kidnapp one of the makeup/posthetic artists from weta...then I could have an un-ending supply of really nice custom made pointy ears....

Wouldnt it be cool of a line of LotR brand pointy ears (and other prosthetic stuff) came out? alas, there is prolly no chance in hell of that convenience happening. *sigh*

Can I help you to kidnap them? Pleeeease?

And actually, if enough people bugged them, they might...you know...merchandising and all that...let's start a campaign!

Okay...I don't know where you live, or what kind of costuming places you have around....but someplace like Display and Costume (or is it Costume and Display? One of the two, i can never remember) and there's another right near my school...yargh. Eruviel, if you're reading this, can you tell me what that costume shop on Denny is called? The one by the center?
ANYWAY. Sorry. As I was trying to say before I distracted myself, most costume shops have "alien ears" or something of the kind, and usually they're good enough. Also you can get those and then use putty and/or makeup to mold them and color them the way you like. Hope that's helpful. Also looking up that kinda stuff on the internet is helpful too...
-tanoliel

Feraway Hawkbriar · 02-19-2002, 07:33 PM

Aaaaaaaaaalllrighty then...

*mission impossible music starts playing in the background*

Our Mission: kidnapp artist from weta workshop in Newzealand so that we may have many many custom prosthetic pointed ears made.

Our target: Vance Hartell

Our Objective: Pointy eared Happiness.

...lets get some artist.

Nibs · 02-19-2002, 07:41 PM

Actually, as I've noticed with my own ears, if you pinch them a little behind the top curve a certain way it gives it that pointy look. I wonder if one could make some kind of adhesive clip that would do that. That would be way less troublesome than the latex form-fitting and so on.

My ears are rather petite to begin with, but the more I try it in front of a mirror, the more it looks like it could work. I just wouldn't know what materials to use and what not.

Tanoliel · 02-19-2002, 10:51 PM

Hmmm...another thing that makes you look Elvish (at least, in most people's opinion) is, if your hair's long enough, to wear it with some in front of the ear....for some reason that makes it look more pointy.
But...
Well...
I prefer kidnapping WETA artists....
"Let's go hunt some artist!"
-tanoliel

***anduin*** · 02-20-2002, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Actually, as I've noticed with my own ears, if you pinch them a little behind the top curve a certain way it gives it that pointy look. I wonder if one could make some kind of adhesive clip that would do that.

How bizarre, I was thinking the same thing this morning while I was pinching and looking at my ears....there has to be a way.

I saw this dude (Trekkie) on TV once that was actually considering having his ears surgically altered to look like Spocks! I guess that is ONE way to go about getting pointy ears.

Feraway Hawkbriar · 02-20-2002, 01:53 AM

o_O...wouldnt want to go THAT far...no I think I'll stick with slip latex thankya very much.

Laurelyn · 02-21-2002, 07:29 AM

Ah . . . I'll pass on the plastic surgery, thanks very much . . .

Nariel Starfire · 02-21-2002, 03:26 PM

The best thing I can think of is looking at a comic con, or going to the star trek store and adapting some vulcan ears...

aldesign · 02-21-2002, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tanoliel
Hmmm...another thing that makes you look Elvish (at least, in most people's opinion) is, if your hair's long enough, to wear it with some in front of the ear....for some reason that makes it look more pointy.
But...
Well...
I prefer kidnapping WETA artists....
"Let's go hunt some artist!"
-tanoliel

yeah the hair thing works, especially with girls, ie Liv Tyler... mmmmmm

and actualy ive seen a couple of girls around college with hair like that, and it does "highlight their ears"

andy

Feraway Hawkbriar · 03-01-2002, 03:14 PM

I learned something on wensday, and that is: Apparently I can sculpt, furthermore I gues I can sculpt ears.

I was just messing around and I managed to make these

http://www.artsquish.homestead.com/files/hobbitears.jpg
(pic is in super zoom in mode @_@*)

Theres still work to do on them(smoothing and adding some stuff), but I'm happy with them so far
( I've been told they're pretty freekin good for a first try).
If I can finish them and they look good enough, I'll try molding and casting them in slip latex, it looks tricky but I think I can manage...maybe, heheh.

Any thoughts?

StrawberryIcecream · 03-01-2002, 03:36 PM

hee hee! They are really good! If you can sculpt like that I'm sure you can make latex ones.

My ears are actually naturally pointy. They are no wear near as pointy as the elvs but for instance two people noticed just today and said something like "you've got elf ears". That ws pretty cool. Now I just need to diet till I'm weightless, grow my hair and become amazingly beautiful. I will be an elf!!!!!

Nibs · 03-01-2002, 04:14 PM

Odd... I did some sculpting on Wednesday too, for my first time. I did a decent Elf-head, but his friggin' left ear broke off like three times.

So, considering that I know what it's like to be a beginner, those ears look great. They match remarkably well, which is the problem that I kept running into.

However, wouldn't the latex have to be fitted to your own ears first? That could be troublesome. I still think a clip of some sort would work.

Feraway Hawkbriar · 03-01-2002, 04:24 PM

Fitting the latex on the inside to perfectly fit the wearer is done sometimes, but because I dont have the experience to do that, I'm just going to have them plain hollow inside, wich is perfectly fine too.

LuthienTinuviel · 03-01-2002, 04:30 PM

if ya got some good drama shops around buy some nose putty and use that. (if ya don't know how to use it, i can help)

but it really is up to you, they are your ears.

TinuvielChild · 03-01-2002, 09:43 PM

like strawberryicecream, my ears are naturally pointy, but not quite like elf ears..i like nibs's idea of the clip, anyone have an idea of how that might be accomplished?

LuthienTinuviel · 03-02-2002, 12:22 PM

spirit gum is a good lclip.. it looks like a lil bottle of watery maple syrup.. im pretty sure it's what they used in the movie too, cause i read this funny interveisaying that when all the cast would go out to eat, the hobbits would have smelly feet with lil bits of glue on them, and the elves would be picking thier ears ( cause of the glule)
it's kinda umcomfy..
i would use the piching method, like if you could hmake a splint of some sort and put it on at night, then your ears would just grow to be pointy.
come on, the aztecs smushed thier bab'ys heads between boards to look like comeheads. ears can't be much of a problem, eh?

Tanoliel · 03-02-2002, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LuthienTinuviel
i would use the piching method, like if you could hmake a splint of some sort and put it on at night, then your ears would just grow to be pointy.
come on, the aztecs smushed thier bab'ys heads between boards to look like comeheads. ears can't be much of a problem, eh?

Ouch...

Actually, yes, spirit gum is sort of the sticking matter of choice for most ears and feet and whatnot...I'd reccomend trying it (it's not that expensive to get a small bottle). But be sure you have somethig around you can use to get it off...instead of just ripping off the latex from your ears...*wince*. There is sprit gum remover, which they usually sell right along with the gum, and I think rubbing alcohol works fine, too.
Btw, awesome ears! I can't sculpt like that to save my life....*applause*
-tano

02-17-2002, 10:01 PM	#1
Feraway Hawkbriar Elven Warrior Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: California Posts: 348	Pointy ears (a costuming question) Ok, I've looked and looked and looked, but I just cant seem to find pointy latex ear tips (I'm assumingmost types are made of latex, or silicon) that are even remotly similar to those used in the movie. Yes yes I know those used in the film were made specificaly for the film and were made of something not latex or silicon, but isnt there anything on the general market even similar in design to those used? All the ones I have seen have either been evil looking or have a weird curve to them. Any help on this would be great. __________________ "The barks goes ever on and on out from the dog where they began. He's out there crapping on my lawn. Till I hit him with my van."

02-17-2002, 10:12 PM	#2
LuthienTinuviel protector of orphaned rabbits Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Kalamazoo... yes, its a real place! Posts: 1,236	your looking for some too! i even do stage makeup , and i can't find any or sucessfully make them to look good.. i am thinking of just cutting the tips off of a quality pair from the drama shop though.. and then mould them to fit my own ears. if you have a quality theatre makeup shop or a theatre shop, then you could find some alright ones and just use the tip and some liquid latex and spirit gum.. ohh or go to the shop and buy nose putty, and mould your self a pair, cover them in liquid latex and then colour them accodingly but now that i think of it, you might not have these things at your fingertips like i do.. so, i guess, i am as stumped as you. p.s. good drawings! i absoluteley LOVE them! __________________

02-18-2002, 07:05 PM	#3
Feraway Hawkbriar Elven Warrior Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: California Posts: 348	hrrm, all good Ideas I could order alot of that stuff online...hrmm. I found somemthing comming almost close to what I'm looking for..but they have a bit of that weird curve that I'v mentioned...they could be altered so they sit differently..but I dont know, I'm not skilled with this stuff. http://www.chamberofhorrors.com/Merchant2/87007.jpg Maybe I should go to newzealand and kidnapp one of the makeup/posthetic artists from weta...then I could have an un-ending supply of really nice custom made pointy ears.... Wouldnt it be cool of a line of LotR brand pointy ears (and other prosthetic stuff) came out? alas, there is prolly no chance in hell of that convenience happening. sigh __________________ "The barks goes ever on and on out from the dog where they began. He's out there crapping on my lawn. Till I hit him with my van."

02-19-2002, 07:33 PM	#5
Feraway Hawkbriar Elven Warrior Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: California Posts: 348	Aaaaaaaaaalllrighty then... mission impossible music starts playing in the background Our Mission: kidnapp artist from weta workshop in Newzealand so that we may have many many custom prosthetic pointed ears made. Our target: Vance Hartell Our Objective: Pointy eared Happiness. ...lets get some artist. __________________ "The barks goes ever on and on out from the dog where they began. He's out there crapping on my lawn. Till I hit him with my van."

02-19-2002, 07:41 PM	#6
Nibs Head Hollara Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 751	Actually, as I've noticed with my own ears, if you pinch them a little behind the top curve a certain way it gives it that pointy look. I wonder if one could make some kind of adhesive clip that would do that. That would be way less troublesome than the latex form-fitting and so on. My ears are rather petite to begin with, but the more I try it in front of a mirror, the more it looks like it could work. I just wouldn't know what materials to use and what not. __________________ "People used to ring up and say 'Don't quit your day job' or 'sell your synth', but the joke's on them: we were fired and the synth is broken!" -John Flansburgh from They Might Be Giants Ever heard of Mormons? I'm one. Click here to know more about us.

02-19-2002, 10:51 PM	#7
Tanoliel Eccentric Chocolate Crow Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: The Emerald City--Seattle, WA Posts: 1,861	Hmmm...another thing that makes you look Elvish (at least, in most people's opinion) is, if your hair's long enough, to wear it with some in front of the ear....for some reason that makes it look more pointy. But... Well... I prefer kidnapping WETA artists.... "Let's go hunt some artist!" -tanoliel __________________ Wisdom for Short Attention Spans...Ozy and Millie. It rocks. Food Of The Gods: 3,7-dihydro-3,7-dimethyl-1H-purine-2,6-dione Feed Me.... Another Online Dwelling Place... "All right, I confess. It is my intention to comandeer a ship, pick up a crew in Tortuga, to rape, pillage, plunder and otherwise pilfer my weasely black guts out." -Captain Jack Sparrow "The trouble with unknown enemies is that they are so difficult to identify." -Amelia Peabody Emerson "Most people obey the orders of someone who is pointing a gun at their head." -A.P. Emerson

02-20-2002, 01:53 AM	#9
Feraway Hawkbriar Elven Warrior Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: California Posts: 348	o_O...wouldnt want to go THAT far...no I think I'll stick with slip latex thankya very much. __________________ "The barks goes ever on and on out from the dog where they began. He's out there crapping on my lawn. Till I hit him with my van."

02-21-2002, 07:29 AM	#10
Laurelyn Elf Lord Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Valinor, right next to Telperion . . . what did you expect, Michigan? Posts: 1,315	Ah . . . I'll pass on the plastic surgery, thanks very much . . . __________________ The Third Age of Entmoot has begun. Angel of music, guide and guardian! Grant to me your glory! The country I eat and spend the day in is by no means the country I sleep and dream in. Define patriotism. Hold the boat, you spastic monkey! ~ Elenka

02-21-2002, 03:26 PM	#11
Nariel Starfire Elven Warrior Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: La La Land Posts: 309	The best thing I can think of is looking at a comic con, or going to the star trek store and adapting some vulcan ears... __________________ It is the failed skydiver who leaves an impression upon the earth. "But what about the R.O.U.Ses?" Yours Truly, The Tisroc -You forgot to say "May he live forever" -That's because I don't want him to live forever! - The Horse and his Boy--C.S. Lewis

03-01-2002, 03:14 PM	#13
Feraway Hawkbriar Elven Warrior Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: California Posts: 348	I learned something on wensday, and that is: Apparently I can sculpt, furthermore I gues I can sculpt ears. I was just messing around and I managed to make these http://www.artsquish.homestead.com/files/hobbitears.jpg (pic is in super zoom in mode @_@) Theres still work to do on them(smoothing and adding some stuff), but I'm happy with them so far ( I've been told they're pretty freekin good for a first try). If I can finish them and they look good enough, I'll try molding and casting them in slip latex, it looks tricky but I think I can manage...maybe, heheh. Any thoughts? __________________ "The barks goes ever on and on out from the dog where they began. He's out there crapping on my lawn. Till I hit him with my van." Last edited by Feraway Hawkbriar : 03-01-2002 at 03:15 PM.*

03-01-2002, 03:36 PM	#14
StrawberryIcecream Elf Lord Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: In my jeans Posts: 915	hee hee! They are really good! If you can sculpt like that I'm sure you can make latex ones. My ears are actually naturally pointy. They are no wear near as pointy as the elvs but for instance two people noticed just today and said something like "you've got elf ears". That ws pretty cool. Now I just need to diet till I'm weightless, grow my hair and become amazingly beautiful. I will be an elf!!!!! __________________ www.foolofatook.com for all you pippin's out there.

03-01-2002, 04:14 PM	#15
Nibs Head Hollara Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 751	Odd... I did some sculpting on Wednesday too, for my first time. I did a decent Elf-head, but his friggin' left ear broke off like three times. So, considering that I know what it's like to be a beginner, those ears look great. They match remarkably well, which is the problem that I kept running into. However, wouldn't the latex have to be fitted to your own ears first? That could be troublesome. I still think a clip of some sort would work. __________________ "People used to ring up and say 'Don't quit your day job' or 'sell your synth', but the joke's on them: we were fired and the synth is broken!" -John Flansburgh from They Might Be Giants Ever heard of Mormons? I'm one. Click here to know more about us.

03-01-2002, 04:24 PM	#16
Feraway Hawkbriar Elven Warrior Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: California Posts: 348	Fitting the latex on the inside to perfectly fit the wearer is done sometimes, but because I dont have the experience to do that, I'm just going to have them plain hollow inside, wich is perfectly fine too. __________________ "The barks goes ever on and on out from the dog where they began. He's out there crapping on my lawn. Till I hit him with my van."

03-01-2002, 04:30 PM	#17
LuthienTinuviel protector of orphaned rabbits Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Kalamazoo... yes, its a real place! Posts: 1,236	if ya got some good drama shops around buy some nose putty and use that. (if ya don't know how to use it, i can help) but it really is up to you, they are your ears. __________________

03-01-2002, 09:43 PM	#18
TinuvielChild Padawan Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: The Barony of Carolingia Posts: 2,176	like strawberryicecream, my ears are naturally pointy, but not quite like elf ears..i like nibs's idea of the clip, anyone have an idea of how that might be accomplished? __________________ There are only four questions of value in life: What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made? What is worth living for? What is worth dying for? The answer to each is the same: ONLY LOVE. Dance as though nobody's watching. Sing as though nobody's listening. Dream as though you'll live forever. Live as though you'll die tomorrow. EIDRIORCQWSDAKLMEDDCWWTIWOATTOPWFIO and proud! FRODO LIVES!!!!!

03-02-2002, 12:22 PM	#19
LuthienTinuviel protector of orphaned rabbits Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Kalamazoo... yes, its a real place! Posts: 1,236	spirit gum is a good lclip.. it looks like a lil bottle of watery maple syrup.. im pretty sure it's what they used in the movie too, cause i read this funny interveisaying that when all the cast would go out to eat, the hobbits would have smelly feet with lil bits of glue on them, and the elves would be picking thier ears ( cause of the glule) it's kinda umcomfy.. i would use the piching method, like if you could hmake a splint of some sort and put it on at night, then your ears would just grow to be pointy. come on, the aztecs smushed thier bab'ys heads between boards to look like comeheads. ears can't be much of a problem, eh? __________________

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