Career Spotlight: Theater Makeup Artist

by Katie Schenk

There’s no one way to do makeup. You’ll find different techniques and styles everywhere you look. One of the most dramatic is clearly stage or theater makeup.

What Is Theater Makeup?

Theater makeup isn’t a singular branch. It can cover anything from the makeup used for actual stage performances to SFX makeup on movie sets. There are makeup artists that work for local television stations and those that are contracted to work on movie sets.

How Does It Differ from “Everyday” Makeup?

But, there are plenty of people in movies with “everyday” makeup. Surely not everyone working on TV and movie sets needs to work with special theater makeup, right?

You are right… sort of.

Even the makeup applied to news anchors is wildly different than what you would be comfortable wearing out to the shops. The look is pronounced. It has to be that way, so faces don’t appear flat through the medium of television or movie screens.

(And, yes, you’ll learn about this at cosmetology school.)

Who Uses These Artists?

As you can imagine, there will always be a call for theater makeup artists. They’re employed by just about every television station. Production houses typically have makeup artists on retainers or a list of artists they frequently work with.

Local theaters, all the way up to Broadway need theater artists. Just imagine what Cats would look like without the talents of these artists! And, if you’ve ever seen a movie with special effects, you’ve taken a peak at some extraordinary theater artists.

Cosmetology School Can Help

So types of makeup applications are different – wildly so. That is where cosmetology school is essential. In fact, it’s the perfect starting point to launch your career in TV or theater. After all, you’ll need to know all about color, light, face shapes, skin care, and more. Only after learning everything you can absorb through your traditional classes and become licensed can you get ready to take the next career step.

If you are interested in learning more about a future in cosmetology, please fill out the online form on this page or call us at 1 (800) 964-1328.

For important consumer info, please visit www.empire.edu/ge

January 23, 2017

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