1. Prepare your sutures

   • Separate the embroidery floss into two-strand sections long enough for you to comfortably tie (8-10 inches)

   • Tie around a chopstick, straw or pencil in a simple knot

   • Coat with Pro-Aide on the "stitch", the knot and about 1" of the tails, making sure the two strands of each tail are adhered as one thread.

   • Allow to dry stightly, and knot again

   • Allow to dry completely

   • Use a seam ripper to remove the stitches from the chopstick, leaving the tails long for now.

   • Thread the Upholstery needle with the same two-strand floss, and knot it in place, leaving long tails.

2. Prep the skin with a thin layer of Pros-Aide along the line of the intended gash.  It helps to choose a natural wrinkle line, as it will move better with the face.

3. Lightly sponge the area with yellow from the bruise wheel about 3/4 inch on either side of the intended gash to simulate betadine scrub staining.  Medical practitioners use betadine, then follow with alcohol, leaving a pale yellow staining.

4. Draw a thin line with the bright red from the bruise wheel to indicate the gash line, making it slightly wider at the outside end.

5. Artex

   • Using the palate knife, gather a small bead of Artex A, and the same amount of Artex B. (Be sure to clean the knife between dips.) Mix together on the palate, and quickly apply the pearl of Artex on top of the line near the inside end. Blend the edges to feather into the skin.  When partially set, use the edge of the knife to indent the pearl along the injury line.  It should look like a small coffee bean.

   • Repeat two or more times to create a string of little coffee bean shapes, leaving at least one space at the end open, where your red line is thicker.

   • Allow to set completely, (about 4 minutes from mix time).

   • Powder the Artex with translucent, or in this demo a yellow-toned powder.

6. Add Color

• In the space between each bump of artex, use a fine brush and the black from the bruise wheel to make two dots, above and below the injury line. 

• Use a fine brush to add dark red around the dot, and blend lightly onto the contour of the Artex bumps.

• Repeat for the space between each bump, and for the ends.  The inside end should be a little closer together, and the final end should be further apart.

• Add another thin line or bright red along the injury line.

7. Apply the Sutures

• Use scissors to trim the sutures to fit between the two dots.  Trim so that the knot is closer to one side than the other.

• Apply a tin layer of Pros-Aide or lash glue to the suture and allow to dry partially until tacky

• Use tweezers and  to place the suture with the ends centered in the dots.  Make sure the knot is above the injury line.

• Repeat for each stitch, except for the last one on the outside end.

• One they are dry, trim the tails about to about 1/4 inch.

8. Imbed the Needle

• Mix one more dab of Artex A and B. 

• Hold the needle in place crosswise to the injury, between the last two dots, pointy end up.

• Coat the area between the dots with artex, covering the center of the needle.

• Score the artex lightly when partially set, along the injury line. This may look more like a hot dog bun than a coffee bean, due to one end being still open.

• Blend the Artex edges out to the skin level.

• Hold the needle in place until the Artex is set.

• Powder the new Artex

• Touch-up the bright red line over the new Artex

• Optionally you can glue the tails of the thread with Pros-Aide to keep them where you wan them to "hang"

• Powder the whole look, brushing off excess powder from the sutures and the needle.

9. Add Stage Blood 

• with a small brush, add blood to each puncture dot, some more than others, and more blood oozing from the open end of the wound.

• For a more messy stitch-up look, additional dark red makeup and blood can be applied in the region with a stipple sponge.