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Minnesota Elvis Impersonator/Tribute Artist Art Kistler
Elvis Tribute Artist
LINKS and tips!
Jumpsuit maintenance tips below!
LINKS to E.T.A. RESOURCES AND Up-and-Coming ETA Sites!
(We don't necessarily endorse them all, we just share the links...)
KING TRACKS ACCOMPANIMENT CD'S
PROFESSIONAL COSTUMER MAKES ART'S SUITS!
MAKING YOU OWN SUITS? GREAT MATERIALS SITE!
GOLDEN VOICE ACCOMPANIMENT CD'S
ELVIS WIGS: NICK IS THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS!
KAY MURPHY MAKES ELVIS JUMPSUITS
HOLLYWOOD COSTUMES FOR SUITS ON A BUDGET
B&K ELVIS OUTFITS WHEN BUDGET DOESN'T MATTER
Other Up-and-Coming, Established and Unique ETA's!
Art is flattered, proud and honored to share tips of the trade and mentor fellow ETA's:
Kevin Boucher in Italy!
Michael St. Angel in the Chicago area
Donnie Elvis James in Victoria, British Columbia
Scott H. in Tacoma is getting it together!
OTHER COOL ELVIS SITES
ELVIS TRIBUTE ARTIST/IMPERSONATOR TRICKS AND TIPS OF THE TRADE:
DO YOU USE SPIRIT GUM FOR SECURING SIDEBURNS OR WIGS? There are a few decent solvents out there to remove the residue from your skin, but I've had the BEST luck using a small amount of non-acetone fingernail polish remover and a tissue!
MAKE-UP remover: the BEST eye make-up remover is "MARY KAY Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover!"
A Few suggestions about JUMPSUIT MAINTENANCE:
High standards, depicting the King in an appropriately professional manner and looking the best you can for your audiences all call for proper suit maintenance. The folks who make the pro costumes will advise you as to how to wash the suits on a regular basis, but sometimes more intensive attention is needed. Here are some things that have worked for me, plus some GREAT input from fellow "Elvii"...
Stuff: 3M Tarnish Shield, Q-Tips, a soft clean brush.
Apply Tarnish Shield as described on label, using a Q-Tip to every stud. This takes awhile. Allow to dry.
Wash the suit as you usually would. I hand-wash in the machine, because then you have your wash water supply, rinse water supply, drain and spin-cycle to speed drying. MONITOR MACHINE AT ALL TIMES and don't allow it to agitate as this may damage your suit! Be very careful when putting suit into and removing it from the washer, so that studs don't catch on edges, etc.
Hang to dry and spot-press as (if) needed.
I can do a highly studded jumpsuit like the one above emulating the black "Butterfly" suit in about two hours, after which it will look great for about six shows/washings between treatments.
HERE'S ANOTHER EXCELLENT JUMPSUIT CLEANING, STUD POLISHING METHOD SUBMITTED BY "BRANDON E" IN ATHENS, TN:
"To clean the studs on your suits, all you need is 'The Works' (WITHOUT BLEACH!) which is a tub and shower cleaner. It comes in a white bottle with a green label. When you wash your suits, just spray all of the studs with "The Works" and they will brighten right before your eyes like magic. After you spray all of the studs, place your suit in a king size pillow case and place in the washing machine on gentle/hand wash cycle, then add Tide with Febreeze. They make different kinds of Tide, but I use the one with Febreeze in it. It makes the suits smell really nice. After you suit finishes washing, take it out immediately and hang it up to dry on the shower rod or anywhere you choose. Your suit will look brand new."
A word from Art: I tried this with my black suit (same as one in pics above) and it worked VERY well and it's MUCH faster! So far the shine has lasted just fine and the black polyester fabric was unaffected! Several fellow "Elvii" have tried this and have been thrilled with the results!
THANKS BRANDON!
SIDEBURN MAINTENANCE:
Having your own 'burns is best if possible, but maintenance before a show has its tricks of the trade. I've had the best luck keeping them dark enough black using Clairol's "Just For Men" real black mustache and beard coloring kit. Be sure to read and follow all label cautions in case of skin sensitivity.
1. Shave the rest of your mug and sculpt/shape/trim your 'burns BEFORE the next step.
2. Using a petroleum jelly (like Vaseline), carefully outline the skin around your sideburn lines, temple areas - whatever - with a thin layer, avoiding the hair you want to darken. This will ensure that only the sideburn areas you WANT to darken will BE darkened, and give you nice, straight lines without dark, over-lapping blotches on your skin.
3. Follow the directions on the box. I use a retired toothbrush instead of the little mustache brush in the kit. I also leave it on longer a few minutes longer than is recommended: there will be some coloring of the skin under the 'burns (etc.), but this will make the sideburns appear thicker. This can result in a not-so natural look/contrast at the temples (but typically fine under stage lighting), so caution is advised. Try a little toothpaste on over-lap areas you don't like; if it doesn't work, don't worry - everything will be fine within a couple of days as a rule.
TAKE IT EASY AT FIRST and don't rush; PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!
Thank you; thank-you-very-much for visiting ElvisTributeArtist.com!
God bless you and goodnight......
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