A fun product that can be used in many ways, from special effects to arts and crafts. It’s versatile and the best part is that it’s cheap. I’ve been using it since I was a kid when my dad taught me how to use this material. Today I’m going to show you nine different ways, from easy to advanced, on how you can use liquid latex for your own projects!
How long does liquid latex last?
This depends a bit on how well your body takes care of itself, but several hours should be possible.
Useful tips and tricks
When using this material there are some useful tips and tricks that you could use:
- – Since liquid latex becomes hard when exposed to air it’s perfect for creating masks! Simply apply a thin layer and wait until it’s dry, you can paint over the dried latex with normal acrylic paint.
- – When mixing several colors of liquid latex together, make sure to create a ‘base’ color first than add the other color(s) to this base. That way you don’t need to use excessive amounts of colors and your mixture won’t be so runny anymore.
- – It will probably take some practice before you get the hang of applying this material to your skin, but sooner or later it should be easy. Make sure that there’s enough fluid on your airbrush and create a test print on paper first then try applying this on your skin. If it doesn’t work out well at first keep practicing!
How to remove liquid latex from your skin and other materials?
This depends a bit on how much time you’ve spent wearing it and how well you’ve protected yourself against getting this stuff in your eyes, mouth and so on… But generally speaking, there should always be a way to get rid of it. First off you could simply peel it off as if it was a sticker! If that doesn’t work, try rubbing some baby oil or petroleum jelly into the area where the latex has been applied. You could also try applying a few drops of liquid dish soap. Afterward, a sponge soaked in a bit of hand lotion or hand soap should remove it from your skin easily. Keep in mind that liquid latex will stick to pretty much every material, so be careful with clothing and furniture as well!
Care for surrounding area
Before you begin working with liquid latex, make sure everything around your work area is properly covered. You don’t want any of this sticky stuff getting onto household items or clothes. Also, remember to use gloves at all times while working with rubber-based materials like this one. The first time I worked with liquid latex was right before Halloween so I thought it would be fun to turn my face into a latex mask. I’ll show you how.
Supplies:
liquid latex, cotton balls, spatula or butter knife, makeup sponge (not shown), cheap Halloween store mask (or an old one), paintbrush (not shown), newspaper, tissue paper
First, apply the liquid latex with the spatula around your eye area. Since this is water-based material, it dries pretty quickly so you have to work fast. Next, place the cotton ball over the latex and wait for that side to dry. Make sure you don’t breathe in any of the fumes from latex because it can be very irritating if it gets inside your lungs. But there are ways to avoid this like using scented baby powder or applying the latex in certain areas of your home where there is ventilation. Once this side dries, paint on some makeup so it looks more realistic. Next use tissue paper to cover up edges and wait for it to dry.
Coat
When that layer has dried, paint on another coat of liquid latex using any color you’d like. The last step is to place the mask over your face carefully and let dry completely! See? It’s pretty simple if you don’t rush things along. Just make sure the layers are drying before applying new ones because otherwise they will mix together and ruin your design (trust me I’ve made that mistake).
You can create different designs by how you apply the cotton balls or tissue paper around your eyes. I even tried using a toothbrush to create lines, but that’s only for the advanced artisans.
9 fun activities with different types of liquid latex
1) Liquid Latex Face Paint
Liquid Latex can be used as face paint if it’s thinned down with water. The skin must be cleaned before with soap and water. Then apply several layers on the skin until it looks nice and smooth when dry again. How long the paint will last depends on how well your body takes care of itself, but several hours should be possible.
2) Liquid Latex Temporary Tattoo
Liquid latex can also be used to make temporary tattoos. The advantage is that it doesn’t damage the skin like regular (permanent) tattoos do. This way you don’t have to live with your tattoo forever or go under the needle for hours to get rid of it.
3) Stretchable Liquid Latex Rubber Body Paint
This type of liquid latex is not only stretchable, there are different colors available too! You could use this paint as fake latex clothes or paint your whole body with it. It will dry hard and be shiny, just like real rubber clothes, but unlike rubber clothing, you can remove this easily without damaging your skin.
4) Liquid Latex Material for Masks
Liquid latex can be used as a material to make masks. It might take some practice, but you will probably get the hang of it quickly. The advantage is that liquid latex doesn’t have a specific smell and dries quickly.
5) Liquid Latex Craft Putty
Since liquid latex becomes hard when it’s dry, you can use it as a very good craft putty! You could use this putty on different surfaces such as wood or glass. Just clean the surface first with some alcohol and apply the liquid latex with a brush. When it’s dry you can paint over the dried liquid latex with normal acrylic paint.
6) Liquid Latex Modelling Putty
This type of liquid latex has a very similar consistency to clay. It can be molded, carved and painted when it’s dry, but you will not need to bake this in the oven before.
7) Liquid Latex Glue
You could use this glue just like any other white craft glue, such as gluing paper or cardboard together. This is great for making masks! When the glue is dry you can paint over it with normal acrylic paint and remove the mask after your project is finished.
8) Liquid Latex Rubber for Sculpting
This type of liquid latex has the same consistency as clay, but it’s much less sticky. This way you can sculpt different shapes easily and remove them afterward without damaging your surface (such as glass or ceramic).
9) Liquid Latex Mold Putty
Liquid latex mold putty is very similar to modeling putty since it also becomes hard when dry. The big difference is that this putty doesn’t stick to your fingers or any other surfaces. You can create several molds with it (by pressing the material into a mold), which makes it great for creating copies!
Final Thoughts
Liquid latex is a versatile, durable and easy-to-use material for arts and crafts projects. But don’t take our word for it – we’ve got 9 ways to have fun with this unique material! Check out these cool ideas to see what you can come up with next time you’re looking for an artistic outlet or some family bonding time. We hope that reading through these suggestions has helped broaden your creative horizons and given you the inspiration of how flexible liquid latex really is; now go ahead and explore, create, play around with all of those brilliant ideas floating in your head! What do you think? Is there anything else we missed?
