How to Make Bullet Holes in Your Halloween Costume

Last Updated: April 21, 2022

Want to add a gritty touch of realism to your Halloween costume? Whether you're a zombie who can take a body shot and not go down, or John F. Kennedy around the corner from the grassy knoll, this bullet hole effect is a great way to enhance your costume. This how-to can help with all costumes, from undead soldier to injured cop.

Steps

1
Take your clothing and lay it out on the work surface. If you want a through and through shot, lay it flat; if you want just an entry wound, you'll want to stretch it out so there's only one layer of fabric (i.e. just the front).
2
Hammer the nail through the fabric. Make sure to put it in far enough that you can't pull it out by hand.

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3
Yank the fabric up over the head of the nail. This will create a small round tear in the fabric.
4
Push a finger through. Make sure to go in the direction the bullet would travel (so push in on one side, out on the other; this will make it more realistic).
5
Paint the holes with blood. Use a small makeup applicator or paint brush, and consider what the blood drips and smears would look like.
- In a sweater or jacket, the blood would just absorb into the fabric.
- If the bullet holes are in a lighter material or closer to the skin, like this tee shirt, the blood would drip some before absorbing.
6
Let the clothes dry. Depending on the type of fake blood you used, you may or may not be able to wash the clothing afterwards, or you may want to dirty them up if you're doing a zombie or someone back from the grave.

Warnings

Be sure you have express permission to destroy the clothes you're using, and to put nails in the surface you're using. Don't borrow your roommate's favorite shirt, or put nails through your grandmother's antique table.

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Be safe! Don't use rusty nails or unstable work surfaces. Protect yourself: wear eye protection and don't smash your hands.

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Things You'll Need

Clothes you don't mind destroying
A work surface you can put a nail into (like a tree stump)
A hammer and nail
Fake blood (if you want, though it certainly adds to the effect)
Small paintbrush/makeup applicator brush (one which you don't intend to use for anything else later)