nothing adds special effects like realistic-looking blood. There are many ways to concoct it, ranging from edible blood made from kitchen ingredients (especially useful for kids, and when going for the "bleeding from the mouth" look) to chemically mixed, chillingly realistic blood used on movie sets. Whatever your preference, here's how to put it together.
Steps
Non-Toxic, Movie/Haunted House Blood (edible)
Buy dark syrup to use as a base.
Add red food coloring (baking gel works best, but the regular kind works nearly as well) and mix, testing occasionally to see if the color is right.
This mixture is easy to make, takes little time, and works well. It can be a little sticky or awkward when it dries, but is generally the easiest and safest to use.
Non-Toxic Blood (edible)
Combine 1 part water with 3 parts corn syrup.
Add red food coloring and mix gently by shaking or stirring. Continue adding drops until the shade resembles that of real blood. Add a small amount of green food coloring to achieve a more realistic shade.
Add a thickener.
Dry thickener - Add sifted flour or corn starch to your mixture, and gently mix it all again. You may get small lumps forming at the top of the mixture. Wait about a minute and they will float to the top where you can remove them.
Wet thickener - Stir in chocolate syrup until the desired consistency is reached. It will also add a realistic brown tone to the blood.
Let the mixture sit for ten minutes in a warm environment. This will give it some time to thicken.
Movie Blood (not edible)
Pour about 3/4 as much alcohol-free, water-soluble hair gel as the amount of blood you want.
Add water-soluble motor/radiator lubricant, any brand. This should be semi-opaque and slightly thicker than water. Start off with a very small amount and mix with the gel until it turns watery.
Mix in about half as much red food coloring as there is liquid. Preferably, buy a "super strength" type at a bulk foods store to save money, and skip cheap, 1oz bottles; they look too pink.
Add small amounts of chocolate syrup to make the blood more brown, and improve the thickness. It shouldn't be too much like water, but still very dribbly.
Add small amounts of hand sanitizer if you're having trouble with a nice, drippy consistency. Be warned, this weakens the mixture easily.
Check the mix. The final mix should be a little bit thicker than water, deep brownish-red, and about the opacity of milk. Unlike the non-toxic blood, it will not be sticky. When dribbled from about five feet, this blood will create nice "splatter" patterns, like real blood does. On skin it will flow easily and smear like the real deal. But, be careful how you use it. It can easily get everywhere.
Jelly Blood (edible)
Microwave 3-4 bottles of glycerin.
Add one cube of strawberry jelly and mix thoroughly.
Add 1/5 of a packet of gelatin.
Add red food coloring.
Stir until thoroughly mixed.
Use for large wounds to simulate clotting.
Peanut Butter Blood (edible)
Use smooth or creamy peanut butter for best results. Chunky peanut butter will add a coagulated look, but is more difficult to work with.
Slowly mix in corn syrup until the desired consistency is reached. As the mixture ages, it will thicken a bit, providing more realism.
Slowly add single drops of red food coloring until the mixture is dark red; the darker the better - it will look more like real, drying blood.
You can add a little bit of chocolate sauce or chocolate fudge for a darker color.
Feel free to use in and around the mouth, or on items that may go into mouth. It should taste much like the peanut butter center of your standard candy peanut butter cup (especially if you add chocolate).
If you want a thicker mixture, slowly add corn starch (in
very small amounts to ensure even mixing). The solution should thicken with time.
Mixture may stain clothing, so be sure you don't want to use them for normal wear again.
Tips
Remember that real human blood is thick and dark. Fake blood that looks thin and transparent will look, well,
fake. But don't go overboard on the syrup--real blood isn't that sticky, either. Instead, condensed milk can help make the mixture less transparent.
For vampires and zombies, take a big swig of edible blood and hold it in your mouth. Slowly let the mixture ooze out of your mouth (at the corners for vampires, all over for zombies). Tilt your head back to let it run down your neck, or just let it drip straight onto your shirt/chest. Wait five minutes before touching "blood" trails.
Using a toothpick or the back of a pen is great for applying the blood to specific locations (such as in wounds).
The Karo syrup blood will likely stain white or light-colored clothes, but usually washes out of denim and dark clothes.
If the blood is going to be applied on the face or on a child use the non-toxic version. Save the movie blood for sets or outside.
When using the inedible movie blood, you can make the stains on clothing less permanent by a good dose of liquid Dawn dishwashing detergent. Adjust other ingredients to balance it out.
Warnings
All variations
may stain clothes permanently.
Edible fake blood should be used immediately or refrigerated. You want to
look like you're wounded or dead . . . but you probably don't want to
smell like you're dead, (or taste rotten fake blood). The Karo Syrup recipe is an exception to this.
You can use the "movie blood" for wounds and gashes, but it often ends up on your hands or face. It's better to use the non-edible/toxic for clothes or sets only and use the edible blood for makeup effects.
Many children (and adults) are highly allergic to nuts and nut products, particularly peanut products. It may be a good idea not to use the peanut butter recipe around others who may be allergic.
