Decorative Ear Caps
== by Fran E.
Several people have asked about cheap elf ears either because of time
constraints or because they're allergic to latex. If you don't want to deal
with a prosthetic piece (like ears) at all you can do what I used to for
Science Fiction Futuristic Fashion Shows. I never had enough ear tips to do
the four or five people who'd end up as Vulcans or fairies or elves so
I just did up decorated ear caps.
I'd use a piece of sticky backed silver foil paper (available at most big
art and/or craft stores) - cut it to the approximate pointed ear shape that
I wanted. Put a couple of Rhinestones on it in whatever color the outfit was
supposed to be then glue a piece of thin elastic across the back. Then I'd
just slip them on over the person's ears after they were made up. They
looked pretty, were a lot easier than putting on real tips, and took much
less time.
I used the elastic rather than just pulling the paper off and sticking
the foil directly to the ear because some of the foil papers and/or their
adhesives could be very hard on the skin. While you couldn't do this for
Arwen's chase dress - for any of the fancy female elf outfits it wouldn't be
too hard.
- Just get some of the adhesive backed silver foil paper - or gold if
that's what you're into. (from craft stores)
- Take a simple tracing of your own ear. Get a friend to
take a piece of tracing paper and trace your ears -
label right and left - there will probably be a
difference.
- Figure out what the LoTR elf ear silhouette is then adjust the
silhouette to fit your ear shape.
- Cut the foil paper to the shape of the adjusted silhouette - leaving
about a half inch "seam" on the outer edge so you can bend it over and
around the back of your ear.
- You don't have to cover the entire front of the ear - just the upper
edge of it - though you can run the piece down around the outside edge
of the ear to the bottom.
- Given that the elf designs tend to be Art Nouveau -
you can either find a design in an Art Nouveau book or
modify one from one of the LoTR books.
- Carefully trace the design onto the front of the foil paper. I
say carefully because the foil will take a mark where ever you press a
pencil.
- Then use an exacto knife to cut out the design.
- With the new foil and laser papers you can glue colored pieces behind
the cutouts to make it look as if your caps are decorated with enamel.
There are always Rhinestones and faux pearls. You can also make
small dangles of beads to hang from the bottom. Just remember not to make
it too heavy - or it'll want to fall off.
- Glue the elastic (I used to use eighth inch elastic) across the back
at the point where it'll pass most comfortably and securely behind your
own ear.
As for the male elves. If you're doing something like Legolas or the
Lorien elves in their forest gear - then I'd suggest getting a dark bronze
or dark gold or copper foil paper and doing a leaf pattern ear cap.
You could also do a simple circlet of the foil paper decorated with the same
color or multi colored foil leaves and then the caps would just sort of
blend in. Use something like an amber colored paper as an
enameled accent.
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This page was last updated
04/22/08
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