Mouth Dye?

[Xsyven]

Alright. So I'm in this play where we have to have our faces, backs of necks, in our ears, on our hands and arms, etc, painted all in gray scale, as to give the impression that we're entirely black and white. This is an example of my first costume:

I even had to dye my deliciously blonde hair black for this play.



Anywho, our biggest problem is our mouths. We can't have a deliciously monochromatic face with a bright red tongue!

We've tried dying it black (and even purple) with food coloring, black frosting, grape candy, etc, but no matter what we try, it always fades out in a matter of minutes.

Does anyone know how to make someone's mouth black, and stay black for at least three hours? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Rici]

Have you tried black(or any shade of gray) lipstick yet? <_< You should check out any gothic/heavy metal places or something like that, me thinks.

 

[Xsyven]

Have you tried black(or any shade of gray) lipstick yet? <_< You should check out any gothic/heavy metal places or something like that, me thinks.

You want us to lipstick our tongue?

I mean like... inside the mouth.

 

[Rici]

Oh ****, didn't read that part, sorry . Uhm.. you could still try the lipstick idea, maybe it'll work, but you gotta watch out that you don't poison yourself with it or anything .

 

[Jammer]

Well, I believe that there are a few diseases that give the tongue a black color. You could infect your cast with the fungus that causes Black Hairy Tongue. Black Hairy Tongue is usually seen in people who smoke or are on antibiotics. So your best bet is to have your cast smoke 3 packs a die while taking 4 times the normal amount of antibiotics.

If that doesn't help, I don't know what will.

Also, is it so bad to have the tongue be red? I mean, your eyes have quite a bit of red, plus the color of the iris. It might look sort of artistic to have red eyes and a red tongue.

 

[Xsyven]

Also, is it so bad to have the tongue be red? I mean, your eyes have quite a bit of red, plus the color of the iris. It might look sort of artistic to have red eyes and a red tongue.

The eyes are fine-- we're on stage, so people can't see us that close.

And no. When there's no red in the entire play, except for our mouths, it's sort of distracting.

 

[Jammer]

And no. When there's no red in the entire play, except for our mouths, it's sort of distracting.

Wait...you're saying that the entire play is in black and white?

In that case, you don't have to contrast one part (the black and white part) with another (the color part).

If you want to get across the black and white feeling, I think it would be much easier, and very nearly as effective, to have all the sets and props, as well as the costumes, be black and white, but not to worry about painting your skin or any other part of your body at all. I mean, it even helps to show how the characters are alive, and not just part of the set.

In some movies, they pay millions to have a special effects guy go through, frame by frame, and make everything except skin and hair and other stuff be black and white. It's a great effect that you can get for free.

 

[Xsyven]

Wait...you're saying that the entire play is in black and white?

Not entirely. All the principle characters's costumes are slightly saturated with color, and they each have their own color on their eyes and fingers. I'll get some full stage/cast pictures up soon.

If you want to get across the black and white feeling, I think it would be much easier, and very nearly as effective, to have all the sets and props, as well as the costumes, be black and white, but not to worry about painting your skin or any other part of your body at all. I mean, it even helps to show how the characters are alive, and not just part of the set.

No, no. You don't realize how amazing it looks. And we're not supposed to look alive.

In some movies, they pay millions to have a special effects guy go through, frame by frame, and make everything except skin and hair and other stuff be black and white. It's a great effect that you can get for free.

This just doesn't work with this play. It's not happy. It's dark, and very depressing. And not only that, but I'm not directing it. We just need black mouths.

 

[Jammer]

This just doesn't work with this play. It's not happy. It's dark, and very depressing. And not only that, but I'm not directing it. We just need black mouths.

Okay. I'll see what I can do. These ideas are actually serious:

Lots and lots of Pepto-Bismol. Pepto-Bismol makes some people's tongue (and poop) black. While it usually doesn't work on everybody, I figure that chugging upwards of a gallon of Pepto-Bismol will make anybody's tongue black.

Another idea: find a nontoxic, waterproof paint, and use that. Get ready for a really bad taste and probably some oral health problems. I'm not sure if it would even really work, to tell you the truth.

You said that food coloring does work, but it's very temporary, right? Well, just have tables off-stage covered in little cups of black food-dyed water. Right before they go on stage, the actors should take a swig, swill it around a bit, and be good to go.

 

[Xanthyr]

I'm sure that the play will have intermissions, so maybe you can have something backstage to refresh the color? And is the red tongue that noticeable? You said that people aren't going to be too close to the stage.

I guess it depends on the lighting and how the actual actors speak.

Anyway, I think Jammer has something with the paint.

 

[tmw_redcell]

I think refreshing the colour between scenes is your best bet. If the play allows it, you could have the characters drinking the food coloring or whatever during the scene, as if it's a regular drink. Characters usually need something to do anyways.

Also, if you can find any black gatorade or posicles, try those, they usually colour my mouth for a good while.

 

[Xsyven]

Yeah, we have tons of off-stage time to go use our simple remedies... it's just too bad that we can't figure out something that just sticks around for 3 hours.

 

[Seed of Sorrow]

Don't have suggestions beyond the food coloring refreshing, but good luck with the play though, your character's makeup looks awesome.

Edit: I googled "making the tongue black for plays" and this myspace video popped up. Idk what it is (may be a song or something stupid) because it says "cannot play due to java console" but it may have something good?

 

[AltF4]

Games Workshop paint is non-toxic. You can drink them and be perfectly fine, if you don't mind the taste. In fact, quite a few people do. I've heard multiple people tell me about how good "Warlock Purple Milkshakes" are. (I used to work for Games Workshop)

I would imagine that would stain your mouth a color. Haven't actually tried it though.

 

[Rici]

WTF? Are you serious? That is some crazy ****. I used to collect Warhammer 40k, and I honestly never knew that. I also saw that when people wanted to make a small point at the tip of their pencil, they licked it with their tongue and I always thought "dude, ain't that bad for you or something".

How could I've been more wrong? xD

 

[commonyoshi]

Instead of dyeing your tounge black, would it just be easier to have some sort of thin covering over it? Like a fruit roll up.

It should work if you can still pronunciate correctly.

 

[GoldShadow]

What's black and white and red all over?

Spoiler

Xsyven.

I can't think of anything to help you though, short of charring your tongue to a crisp black.

 

[Tryptomine]

http://www.foureyesjokeshop.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=409

Maybe try that?

 

[Jammer]

Hey, it's been a while, Xsyven. Have you guys found a solution yet?

When's the play?

 

[Xsyven]

We closed Saturday night. I posted this in the middle of the run. =/

We ended up taking this pure black food dye that was about the same consistency as lotion, dabbed a bit on a Q-tip, and painted our tongues. It sort of burned.

It only lasted about 15 minutes before fading to purple, but it looked really good.

 

[Jammer]

So, what were you guys doing before you went with the Q-tip-applied food dye? Did you just try to ignore the red tongues?

Also, your play had a super-long run. At my school, they only last about 3 or 4 days, with about 500 people total (the musicals get a total of about 4000 people).

 

[Xsyven]

So, what were you guys doing before you went with the Q-tip-applied food dye? Did you just try to ignore the red tongues?

Before that, we were using black tainted mouthwash, black frosting, and:

http://www.foureyesjokeshop.com/inde...ROD&ProdID=409

Maybe try that?

Also, your play had a super-long run. At my school, they only last about 3 or 4 days, with about 500 people total (the musicals get a total of about 4000 people).

College production-- lasts a bit longer. We only got 8 days.


Anywho. Expect some pictures in Las Pictoras soon.