Special FX, Cosplay & Robotics Materials
A realistic prosthetic, wearable armour, a monster head for the stage or soft skin for a robot hand: it all starts with the right material. In this category you will find everything for special effects, cosplay and robotics, from sculpting clay and life casting materials to skin-like silicones, polyurethane casting resin and foam. Brands include Zhermack, Wacker, Polytek, CHT, Chavant and The Monster Makers, alongside our own house brand. Below you can see which material you need at each stage of your project.
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What can you make with SFX, cosplay and robotics materials?
- ✓ Masks, prosthetics and appliances for film, theatre and LARP
- ✓ Wounds, scars and other skin effects for make-up FX and first aid training
- ✓ Cosplay armour, helmets, weapons and props, cast in polyurethane or built up with epoxy putty
- ✓ Soft skin, fingers and grippers for animatronics and soft robotics
- ✓ Body casts and life casts of faces, hands or other body parts
Which material do you need at each stage?
Almost every SFX or cosplay project follows the same sequence: sculpting, moulding, casting and finishing. Each stage calls for a different material.
| Stage | Purpose | Material |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sculpting | Shaping the design | Sulphur-free sculpting clay, modelling wax, sculpting busts |
| 2. Life casting | Taking an impression of face or body | Alginate, brushable silicone, plaster bandages |
| 3. Mould making | The mould you cast the piece in | Mould silicones, plaster, epoxy mother mould |
| 4. Casting | The piece itself | SFX silicones, polyurethane, foam, epoxy putty |
| 5. Finishing | Colour, texture and effects | Pigments, flocking, gilding wax, theatrical blood |
Our range by application
Sculpting
- → Chavant NSP, sulphur-free and safe under platinum silicones
- → Chavant Le Beau Touché and Le Beau Touché HM
- → Chavant Monu-Melt, meltable for large forms
- → Monster Clay in grey and green, reusable and sulphur-free
- → Plasticine for stop-motion and small models
- → Ed & Alanna sculpting busts as a base for masks and prosthetics
- → Modelling wax hard and medium hard
Life casting
- → Alginate 3D-Gel and 3D-Gel Slow for faces, hands and body parts
- → Zhermack SkinForm, brushable silicone for body casting
- → Plaster bandages for the mother mould over your impression
- → Porcelain plaster for a highly detailed positive
- → Silicone Hand Copy Set, everything to make a silicone hand
Silicones for masks, skin and prosthetics
- → Zhermack SFX 00-20 and ZA SFX 10 WT 10, assessed to ISO 10993-1
- → Wacker Elastosil FX 10, FX 20, FX 28 and FX Gel 30
- → CHT True Skin 20 and True Skin 30
- → PlatSil Gel-OO, Gel-0020, Gel-0030, Gel-10 and Gel-25
For the documentation on skin contact per product, see Silicones for Masks and SFX.
Ultra-soft for animatronics and robotics
- → Zhermack SFX 00-30, elongation approx. 850 %
- → Silicone Soft Flex 00-35, elongation approx. 1100 %
- → Wacker Elastosil FX Gel 30
- → Addition Silicone Clear 0 Super Soft and Silpot 00-30 for gel-like fillings
- → Addition Silicone Colourless 5 for soft masks and parts
- → Silicone foam Closed Cell 2, 3, 5 and Open Cell 6 for light, soft parts
Moulds for props and parts
- → Wacker Elastosil Vario 15 and Vario 15 Fast, translucent and easy to cut open
- → Vario 40 and Vario 40 Fast with Cat. Vario
- → Addition Silicone Colourless 25 and Samsil Semi Clear 25
- → Condensation Silicone 20 Resin and Condensation 20 Universal, cost-effective for PU casting
- → Epoxy Mother Mould Glass Fibre and Carbon with glass fibre fabric for rigid mother moulds
Casting armour, helmets and props
- → Polyurethane Casting Resin D70 Fast and Fast Cast 160 for rigid parts
- → NEUKADUR MultiCast 11, impact resistant for weapons and props that need to take a knock
- → Ebalta SG 2000 L D80
- → Flexible PU A20, A40, A60 and Fleximasse A75 for bendable parts
- → Flexible PU foam 50 and AltroFoamFlex SF 280 for light, soft props
- → Apoxie Sculpt, Apoxie Clay, Apoxie Super White and lightweight epoxy putty for details and repairs
Silicone additives
- → Elastosil FX Thixo, makes FX brushable for brush-on work
- → Elastosil FX Softener and SAM Deadener 1000 to soften
- → Elastosil FX Fast for faster curing
- → Silicone pigment for skin tones and effects
Effects and finishing
- → SAM Silicone Wound, spreadable for wounds and scars
- → Theatrical blood Arterial, Venial and Aged
- → Glatzan Bald Cap for a bald head
- → Flocking for skin texture and a velvet effect
- → Glow Filler for glow-in-the-dark parts
- → Gilding Wax and Pébéo Gilding Wax for metallic finishes on armour
- → PU and epoxy pigment and transparent pigment
Silicones for robotics and animatronics
In soft robotics and animatronics, a silicone has to stretch a long way, spring back again and again, and not tear where it bends or is fixed to a frame. That is why you look not only at Shore hardness but also at elongation at break and tear strength in the technical data sheet.
- ✓ Skin over a mechanism: Shore 00-20 to 00-35, such as Zhermack SFX 00-30 or Soft Flex 00-35. Soft and highly stretchable.
- ✓ Grippers and pneumatic actuators: Shore A 10 to A 20, such as Elastosil FX 10 or FX 20. Firmer, with high tear strength.
- ✓ Fillings and soft pads: gel-like silicones or silicone foam, for a natural feel at low weight.
The softer the silicone, the lower its tear strength usually is. Make attachment points from a firmer silicone where possible, or reinforce them with fabric. Need a specific hardness, colour or elongation that is not in the range? In our own lab we adjust silicones to your specification.
Addition or condensation for SFX?
For the piece: addition (platinum)
Masks, prosthetics and robot skin are cast in addition cure silicones. They barely shrink, release no by-products and stay stable for a long time. All SFX silicones in this category are addition cure.
For the mould: either works
For a mould you cast polyurethane or epoxy into, condensation silicone is a cost-effective choice. If you are casting silicone into the mould, use an addition silicone mould with a release agent, or a plaster or epoxy mould.
⚠️ Note, cure inhibition: Addition silicones will not cure in contact with sulphur-containing clay, latex gloves, some 3D prints and condensation silicones. Sculpt with sulphur-free clay such as Chavant NSP or Monster Clay under platinum silicones, and test a small piece first if in doubt. Read more about cure inhibition of silicones and SLA 3D prints and platinum silicones.
Tips for the best result
- → Weigh both components accurately and mix slowly, including along the sides and bottom of the cup.
- → Degas silicones in a vacuum chamber if possible, or pour in a thin stream from height.
- → Colour silicones in the mix with silicone pigment. Ordinary acrylic paint does not adhere to cured silicone.
- → Slush cast armour and helmets by rotating the mould while the polyurethane cures. This saves weight and material.
- → Work with polyurethane and epoxy in a well-ventilated room, wear nitrile gloves and read the safety data sheet.
- → Choose the right hardness with our guide to Shore values.
Frequently asked questions
Which silicone feels most like real skin?
The softest silicones, around Shore 00-20 to 00-30, come closest to real skin. A deadener or softener makes them even softer and less springy. Colouring the silicone in layers makes the effect more realistic.
Which silicones can be used on skin?
That depends on the product and the type of contact. Zhermack SFX 00-20 and ZA SFX 10 WT 10 have been assessed to ISO 10993-1. Other brands come with manufacturer statements, each with its own scope. An overview per product is available in Skin-Friendly and Biocompatible Silicones.
What should I use to cast cosplay armour or a helmet?
Make a silicone mould of your sculpt and cast a fast-curing polyurethane in it, such as PU Casting Resin D70 Fast or Fast Cast 160. If the part needs to withstand impact, choose an impact-resistant type such as MultiCast 11. For a lightweight result, slush cast or use PU foam.
Which sculpting clay can I use under platinum silicones?
Use sulphur-free clay, such as Chavant NSP or Monster Clay. Sulphur-containing clay stops addition silicones from curing, leaving the surface of your mould tacky.
Which silicone is suitable for a robot hand or gripper?
For skin over a mechanism, a silicone around Shore 00-30 works well. For grippers and actuators that need to apply force, choose a silicone around Shore A 10 to A 20 with high tear strength, such as Elastosil FX 10 or FX 20.
Can you make a custom silicone?
Yes. In our own lab we adjust hardness, colour, elongation and working time to your application. Send your requirements to info@siliconesandmore.com.
Related categories
Not sure which material suits your project?
Tell us what you are making, how it should feel and whether it will touch the skin. Email info@siliconesandmore.com or visit our information centre.
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