Bespoke ageing transfers for a production with Olivia Jones

The Brief

For Olivia Jones, a subtle generic facial ageing was required that works for male and female performers and costs neither expression nor recognisability.

Instead of a full-face prosthetic, the ageing was built from individual transfer pieces, allowing specific areas to be aged while the face stays mobile. Hooded eyelids, under-eye bags and crow's feet demand the finest edges: they sit exactly where the camera goes in close-up.

The Process

Each ageing area was sculpted individually in oil-based clay on gypsum positives and then floated under water. The set covered the brow area, glabellar lines, nasolabial folds, under-eye bags, hooded eyelids and crow's feet.

After mould making, the pieces were fabricated as individual Bondo transfers. Because the system is modular, the elements can be combined differently depending on the performer and the degree of transformation.

Materials & Techniques

• Oil-based modelling clay

• Gypsum positives

• Bondo transfer material

• Thickened Pros-Aide

The Result

A modular ageing system rather than a rigid mask: individual pieces that combine into a coherent, camera-optimised facial ageing.