„Knabe Mix“ advertising campaign with HandOfBlood – Instinct3

The Brief

For the “Knabe Mix” advertising campaign by Knabe Drinks, Maximilian Knabe (HandOfBlood) was to appear as “President Knabe”: humorously aged, yet convincing enough for high-resolution close-ups. The commercial was built around close-up work.

A second requirement concerned the surface. Liquids had to run across the skin naturally during the shoot without breaking the impression of aged skin.

The Process

The starting point was a full lifecast of the upper body, taken with skin-safe platinum silicone. The cast was poured in gypsum and tapered with water-based clay. A second silicone mould was taken from that form and laminated with epoxy resin, producing the durable positive for sculpting.

The aged upper body was then sculpted traditionally in oil-based clay. Loose skin, wrinkles and loss of volume follow the performer's anatomy rather than a pattern. After sculpting came the mould in epoxy resin and fiberglass, from which the encapsulated silicone prosthetic was cast.

Painting was done with silicone pigment systems, after which the chest hair was punched strand by strand with real human hair. The finished prosthetic was shipped to the location; I carried out the application and on-set support myself.

Materials & Techniques

• Lifecast in skin-safe platinum silicone

• Sculpting in water-based and oil-based clay

• Gypsum for the core build

• Epoxy laminating systems and fiberglass for the mould

• PlatSil Gel as the prosthetic silicone

• Baldiez cap plastic as encapsulation

• Painting with silicone pigment systems

• Hair punching: hand-punched real human hair

The Result

An encapsulated silicone body prosthetic that holds up in close-up and stayed consistent through the entire shooting day, including the shots where liquid ran across it. On-set support kept fit and colour intact to the last take.