The writer’s children, Brittany A. Roth and her brother, Pierce A. Roth, created this Xenomorph costume, based on the second “Alien” movie, using more than 30 rolls of duct tape. It won them first place in the novice category of the HorrorFind Weekend costume contest on September 4 at a convention center near Gettysburg.
Written By Jeffrey Roth
Call it duck or duct tape. Making Halloween Costumes Out of the Universal Quick Fix
It makes no difference what you call it, both are historically correct. Since its invention in 1942, it has morphed from sealing ammunition boxes to becoming one of the most used quick fIx materials in the household arsenal.
Although duct tape continues to be used for a multitude of repairs, patches and quick fixes, it has entered the art and fashion world, according to Bill Aldrich, an adjunct instructor in the continuing education division of Carroll Community College.
In addition, duct tape has also invaded the Halloween costume market, which is huge. Halloween is now a $4 billion business, second only to Christmas in consumer spending.
This summer, Aldrich, a Howard County, Md., middle school art teacher, taught a week-long duct tape art class with the Kids at Carroll program.
“We looked at the fundamentals of what tape is,” said Aldrich, who lives in New Windsor. “Then we redefined it from being something to use to fix a leak or tape something together, to a viable art media. We did that in several different ways.”
Aldrich’s students started by creating a flat, mosaic piece of art. From that beginning, they explored using duct tape for “functional art, wearable art and thinking outside of the box. They created É sticky animals, animal sculptures made from duct tape,” he said.
“The kids get really excited about it,” Aldrich said. “They were taking an everyday object and redefining it, whether it be a duct tape wallet, a duct tape tie, a duct tape costume or a duct tape mask.”
“There are a lot of resources online É for an artist’s reference there is a contest sponsored by Duck¨ Brand Duct Tape, (manufactured and distributed by Shurtape Technologies, Hickory, N.C.),” said Aldrich. “It’s called Stuck at Prom¨. There are also a couple of blogs that provide weekly duct tape assignments or duct tape art contest.”
The winners of the competition each received a $3,000 scholarship, which was awarded for the best duct tape prom dress and duct tape tuxedo. The winners’ school also received $3,000 for sponsoring the prom, according to Sara Sinex, media representative for the company.
Sinex said the company’s website provides the basics of fashioning duct tape art and costumes. This year, Duck¨ Brand is sponsoring a Stick or Treatª Jack-O-Lantern Contest. First place carries a $1,000 prize, second place, $500 and third place winner, $250. The deadline for entries is November 1. Contest details are available at www.duckbrand.com.
Michaels, the arts and craft store, is sponsoring a “Spookduckular Duck Tape¨ Halloween” Costume Contest. The deadline is October 31, to enter a handmade, Duck Tape¨ inspired Halloween costume. First prize is a $500 Michaels gift card. Both adults’ and children’a costumes are eligible. Contest rules are available at Michaels stores or online at www.spookduckularhalloween.com.
Creating a duct tape costume or mask starts with brainstorming to obtain a concept, Aldrich said. The next step is to sketch out the idea. For a costume, the first design decision must focus on how the material is to be created.
Duct tape is a heavy, non-porous material. It does not “breathe well,” said Aldrich. No one wants to wear a costume that sticks to your skin, he said, so one important consideration is how to avoid that problem.
Although doubling it over or coating it with a non-stick laminate are two solutions, both of those options add to the weight and increase heat retention. A duct tape shirt can weigh up to 10 pounds or more, said Aldrich.
A simple solution is to use a cloth template or pattern and apply the tape to its surface. That solves the “sticky” problem, helps reduce the weight and increases the breathability of the finished product. Clothing patterns, available at fabric, craft and department stores, are helpful in constructing a costume that fits, said Aldrich.
“A template is a time-saver,” he said. “Especially if you are creating a costume that allows flexibility of movement. It is a lot more complicated.”
An entire duct tape costume may require using 80 to 100 rolls of duct tape, Aldrich said. The time required to make a duct tape prom dress, for example, ranges from 86 to 134 hours. Less intricate costumes may take 11 to 15 hours.
A simple duct tape wallet can take three or four hours to create, Aldrich said. The more rolls used the higher the cost; a large scale project may require the expenditure of a $100 or more just for the tape.
Using duct tape to create a mask carries similar design considerations, as well as comfort and safety concerns, Aldrich said. A full-sized sketch of the mask should be designed first, so that openings for eyes, nose and mouth correspond to the face of its wearer.
“If it’s going to be a three-dimensional mask, you have to start thinking about how to go about adding a muzzle or sculpting conical ears, a heavy ridge or prominent eyebrows,” Aldrich said. “Sometimes we work from a baseball cap, which provides a structure and allows it to be more encompassing around the head.”
Tim Nyberg and Jim Berg, the Duct Tape Guys, offer 101 whacky costume ideas in their book, The Original Halloween Duct Tape Book. The irreverent book contains examples of duct tape costumes ranging from Elvis to Siamese twins.
“I pretty much just wing it; depends on the idea that you come up with,” said Nyberg, who is working with Berg. They have written seven duct tape books.
“It’s always easiest just to apply tape to something that is the right shape – whether it’s a box or clothing,” he said. “Start with that as a base and just build on it using duct tape and whatever other materials you need to build out the shapes that you want.”
Duct tape does not stick to wet, dirty or dusty materials, said Nyberg. They should be clean and dry.
“Do not apply to hair; you’ll be in a world of pain,” he said. “If you need to duct tape your head, to make a hat or mask, cover it with saran wrap first, taking care not to smother yourself.”
The front section of The Duct Tape Book is devoted to the how-to of costume construction, he said, adding, “almost anything that anyone wants to know about duct tape and The Duct Tape Guys is on our webiste: www.ductapeguys.com.”
Professional make-up artist, Roger Riggle, of Frederick, who has worked in television and theater, has created special makeup effects simulating wounds for disaster drills in the training of the military, Secret Service agents and nurses, doctors and EMS personnel.
Known for his Halloween and special effects makeup transformations, Riggle began his career with Kinetic Artistry, a theatrical supply house in Takoma Park.
A sought-after instructor, Riggle runs seminars for community, professional and university theatre programs throughout the Washington-Baltimore metro area.
“Movie make-up costumes are not always easy to pull off, as are regular Draculas or skeletons,” said Riggle, who by mid-August, was already getting booked up for the Halloween season. “The movie simulations stuff is hard to do in a few hours.”
There are several important, but often-overlooked practical considerations in creating a costume, Riggle said. First, choose a costume that allows its wearer to go to the restroom with relative ease: “a walking TV may not be able to get into a stall,” he said.
Second, masks that completely cover the head may make it difficult or impossible to breathe, eat, drink or talk, he said. Finally, the comfort level of the costume should be considered: Will it be easy to walk, to sit? Will it be too hot, too cold, too rigid, too heavy?
Riggle has five how-to tutorials online. One is about creating a tiger and another is a werewolf, at www.monkeysee.com, He said there are many quality, inexpensive prosthetics available at costume and theatrical supply companies, as well as online. Many of the premade foam or latex prosthetics, such as pointed ears, sell for as little as $9 a pair; $8 for a nose; $16 for the two parts of a werewolf’s muzzle.
Duct Tape is Actually Made of Cotton Duck
“Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.” – Oprah Winfrey
Invented by the Permacel Division of Johnson & Johnson in 1942, during World War II, duct tape, has changed little, but now, in addition to the original army green, it comes in a rainbow of color choices.
According to Duck¨ Brand Duct Tape, the product was originally used to prevent moisture from getting into ammunition cases. It was called “duck tape” by soldiers. It is composed of three layers: the top is a polyethylene plastic; the middle is a cotton duck fabric, similar to what was used for medical tapes, and the bottom is a rubber-based adhesive.
Resourceful military personnel quickly adapted the tape for use in fixing vehicles, guns, aircraft and other equipment. Duct tape is so strong, when doubled over it can pull a one-ton vehicle; yet it does not require cutting with a tool. Sections can be ripped apart by hand.
After the war, a silver-colored brand was used to connect duct work together. That use spurred the change of name from duck to duct.
By the 1970s, Mancon Inc. packaged the sticky tape in shrink wrap making it easier to stack on store shelves. Different grades and colors of tape came on the market and today it is one of most ubiquitous and versatile tools found in most American households.
An endlessly versatile material, duct tape was the focus of a one-hour segment of the Mythbusters television show, exploring facts and myths surrounding duct tape. Among other things, the dynamic researchers created and sailed a duct tape sailboat.
There are websites and books devoted to the venerable and adaptable fixer-upper. Tim Nyberg and Jim Berg, The Duct Tape Guys, have become duct tape experts.
To date they have written seven books devoted to duct tape and its uses. Their latest is Stump the Duct Tape Guys. For crazy Halloween costume ideas, The Original Duct Tape Halloween Book,” by The Duct Tape Guys, includes 101 costume ideas, from duct tape Elvis to a duct tape metallic mummy.
For more information on The Duct Tape Guys, visit www.ducttapeguys.com. For manufacturing and other things duct tape, visit www.duckbrand.com. For the Mythbusters duct tape show, visit www.mythbustersresults.com/duct-tape-hour. For costuming in general, check out International Guild of Costumers, www.costume.org., which has a chapter in Columbia, MD.
