A theater makeup artist’s job is to make actors look their best onstage and, in some cases, on film. This can include using creative makeup techniques to enhance the actor’s natural features. It can also involve using cosmetics to create characters, such as adding wrinkles or features like moles, warts, or wounds. Makeup artistry is taught in many theater schools and programs. A theater makeup artist is essential to a company or production because he or she aids in the creation of the illusion that the actors are attempting to create.
Typically, a theater makeup artist will train for several years before working professionally. After that, he or she spends a few years working as an assistant or in small businesses to gain experience. Amateur actors are sometimes used in local productions, but professionals can work on Broadway or in Hollywood.
A successful theater makeup artist can understand a character’s look and feel and use cosmetics and techniques to help a performer more closely resemble the character. He or she must also understand how the planes and shadows of an actor’s face and form are affected by onstage or on-camera lighting. While the artist’s primary focus is on an actor’s face, he or she may also work with other exposed body parts such as the hands or neck.
Creating a look for a theatrical performance differs significantly from creating a look for fashion or everyday use. Because of the lighting and the distance between the audience and the performers, features must frequently be overemphasized. Close-up, a theater makeup artist’s work is usually completely unrealistic, but it looks great onstage.
A theater makeup artist might specialize in something like airbrushing in some cases. Instead of the brushes and sponges that are commonly used to apply cosmetics, an airbrush artist uses special air-driven applicators. Airbrushing is preferred by some artists because it is thought to provide a smoother, more even finish. Others, on the other hand, argue that using an airbrush makes deep coloration more difficult.
The art of special effects makeup is a distinct branch of theater makeup. It entails the creation of bizarre appearances such as monsters, aliens, murder victims, and so on. This type of makeup frequently necessitates the creation of prosthetic devices such as ears, chins, and scars. The makeup artist must be careful to apply the prostheses and makeup in the same way each day during a long theater run or during the filming of a movie to ensure consistency.