The Makeup Artist Handbook Read online

  Table of Contents

  Cover image

  Front matter

  Copyright

  Preface

  Acknowledgments

  1. Shapes

  2. The Body

  3. Color

  4. Lighting

  5. Technology

  6. Foundations

  7. Beauty and Basics

  8. Design

  9. Hair

  10. Airbrush

  11. Effects

  12. How to Be a Pro

  Cosmetics, Tools, Labs, and Effects

  The Crew

  Glossary

  Professional Library

  The Pros

  Unions

  Index

  Front matter

  The Makeup Artist Handbook

  Second Edition

  The Makeup Artist Handbook

  Techniques for Film, Television, Photography, and Theatre

  Second Edition

  Gretchen Davis and Mindy Hall

  AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDONNEW YORK • OXFORD • PARIS • SAN DIEGOSAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO

  Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier

  Copyright

  Illustrators: Robert Revels (www.robertrevels.com), Devon Keene

  Drawings for shapes: Dan Gheno

  Drawings for color: Don Jusko

  Cover design: Mary Birchler

  Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier

  225 Wyman Street, Waltham, MA 02451

  The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1GB, UK

  © 2012 Gretchen Davis and Mindy Hall. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Details on how to seek permission, further information about the Publisher's permissions policies, and our arrangements with organizations such as the Copyright Clearance Center and the Copyright Licensing Agency, can be found at our website: www.elsevier.com/permissions.

  This book and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by the Publisher (other than as may be noted herein).

  Notices

  Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary.

  Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility.

  To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Davis, Gretchen.

  The makeup artist handbook: techniques for film, television, photography, and theatre / Gretchen Davis, Mindy Hall. – 2nd ed.

  p. cm.

  Includes index.

  ISBN 978-0-240-81894-8

  1. Film makeup. 2. Television makeup. 3. Theatrical makeup. I. Hall, Mindy. II. Title. III. Title: Techniques for film, television, photography, and theatre.

  PN1995.9.M25D38 2012

  792.02'7–dc23

  2011038123

  British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

  A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

  For information on all Focal Press publications, visit our website at www.elsevierdirect.com.

  12131415 54321

  Printed in China

  Preface

  The Makeup Artist Handbook has become our journey into writing about what we do, how we do it, and why we do it. The Second Edition gives updated information, with new artists and products, and the latest in innovations and techniques. Our pro tips and artist quotes will inspire you and give you an advantage on the job. Our new addition of on-the-job, professional examples written from the set, gives you insight into a moment, or day, in the life of a professional Makeup Artist, with invaluable lessons from the field.

  Our goal has always been to pay it forward and share the experience and knowledge of our careers in makeup, to provide the next generation of artists with the most real, timely knowledge from many points of view. The original idea was simple: think outside the box, include as many of our colleagues as possible to share their expertise and knowledge, and give the book as many “voices” to learning as possible. We had no idea how rewarding this experience would be, not only for you but for us—we have been inspired. Our global group brings knowledge rich with talent, skill, and innovation. This community's generous nature to share and mentor from their phenomenal experience is your gain, and to your advantage. You are learning from some of the best of the best!

  Learning from one standpoint puts the students at a disadvantage and our global base gives you more insight into working as a freelance Makeup Artist, with all the skills, knowledge, and protocol that are required of you. By exposing you to as many different approaches as possible you will learn to work outside the box and be able to handle the flow of your first day on any job. There are countless ways to go about creating and applying makeup, so we have included examples from different artists to develop your hand, your instincts, and open your mind.

  The innovations within our industry keep us constantly learning, evolving, and moving forward with our talents. This is a career where you never stop learning, so for us, this time of updating products, techniques, and added information is exciting, necessary, and an opportunity to continue sharing the experience.

  We assure you that all product references, lists of industry standards, and the techniques in this book are genuine working examples in today's market. The lists are a culmination of our 25-plus years of experience, interviews with our colleagues in all mediums, and done without bias or favoritism. No endorsements or promotional fees by any company or individual were paid to us or our colleagues in the preparation of this book. We are part of an international community: Sharing knowledge, product information, and techniques are all part of the lessons learned and shared with each other through our travels and our commitment to the art.

  Acknowledgments

  Gretchen Davis and Mindy Hall

  Once again, we could not have done it without our amazing pros, who continued to share, update, and inspire us. We are very grateful to have all of the original contributors and designers from the first edition join us again on the second edition, and we are thrilled to include new artists and pros to this global group. Their vast contribution of knowledge, talent, and experience to this edition is humbling.

  Tremendous thanks to Darla Albright, Matiki Anoff, Gary Archer, Mary Birchler, Fred Blau, J.C. Cerville, Debra Coleman, Richard Dean, Ken Diaz, Daniela Eschbacher, Kris Evans, Kim Felix-Burke, Dan Gheno, Steven Horak, Don Jusko, Devon Keene, Erwin H. Kupitz, Bradley M. Look, Gerd Mairandres, Randy Huston Mercer, Gil Mosko, Michele Mulkey, Matthew Mungle, Kenny Meyers, Dina Ousley, Christina Patterson, Robert Revels, Susan Stone, Joseph N. Tawil, Christien Tinsley, Nancy Tozier, Kazuhiro Tsuji, Jenny King Turko, Paul Wheeler, and Patty York.

  To S.E. Radich, there
would be no text without you. You kept us sane and organized with our crazy schedules, multiple time zones, locations, and our long hours on set. Your amazing patience, support, and input have made this book complete. Unending thanks to you for your invaluable contribution in getting us to the final manuscript. Once again, we could not have done it without you.

  Much thanks to Mary Birchler Design, for our beautiful book covers and elegance throughout both editions of this book. Thank you to Robert Revel and Devon Keene, whose illustrations give visual inspiration and life to our text.

  Thank you to Focal Press and Elsevier for recognizing the need for this book. Specifically, thank you Elinor Actipis for your continued support, guidance, and encouragement through two editions.

  We thank our friend, Jeffery J. Dicks, Esq., and colleague, Ashley C.L. Brown, Esq., for the support, guidance, and care in all things legal, and their wonderful enthusiasm for this book and the future.

  Thank you to the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, and to filmmaker and innovator, David Oliver Pfeil, who was the first to approach Gretchen about starting a makeup program for the Academy of Art University. Without his vision and understanding of the importance of makeup in the film department, both as an art form and a career, students would not have had the opportunity to experience and witness what a Makeup Artist does. Thank you to Dan Burns and Jack Isgro for their support in the success of the makeup program at the Academy. Jack, your input to Elsevier made this all happen. Many thanks to Elisa Stephens who encourages instructors to teach students how it really is in the working world.

  Much love and thanks to our families, friends, and mentors, who over the years have cheered us on in our careers, supported us in our travels, and offered unwavering, unconditional love, no matter how many times our schedules changed. You made it possible for us to give back, sharing all that we know and do.

  Lastly, to all those actors, models, and performers whom we have touched throughout our years, thank you. You have allowed us to do “that thing we do” with you as our canvas!

  Thank you.

  1. Shapes

  Proportions of the Face and Body in Art

  Makeup Artists are masters at illusion. We manipulate the shapes and features of the face and body with our artistry. We cannot achieve this without understanding how to correctly determine proportions, shapes, and the anatomical structure of the body.

  In studying anatomy drawing, you learn, for example, individual skeletal or muscular size, shapes, and functions. The functions and proportions are key in creating realism. There are fundamental drawing skills that teach you value, form, light, and shadows, as well as how these elements fall onto the surface of the face and body. For example, if you do not understand the shape and function of a muscle, your placement of highlight and shadow, a tattoo, body paint, or prosthetic will be off and therefore unsuccessful.

  Painting, drawing, and understanding the body will give you the skills and ability to understand how to change facial features and alter an individual's features to look like something or someone else. Your artistry will move with the subject, making it look more authentic. This is a very important lesson used in all areas of makeup artistry. “Anatomy is an applied science which underpins fine art, the study of structure is essential for artistic representation. The skeleton, joints and muscular system of a creature determine its proportions and the movement of the body.” (Fehér 7)

  Value, Shadow, and Light

  by Dan Gheno

  The study of values is a complicated subject. When trying to draw in a tonal manner, it helps your ability to see value changes on the model if you learn the terminology of the subject.

  Values: Each object, whether simple like a sphere or complex like the human figure, is composed of millions of tonal “value” changes. These range from the brightest bright (where the object most directly faces the light) to the darkest dark (where the object is turned away from the light source).

  Halftones: A generic term that refers to all of the value variations within the light side of the model. The halftones are brightest where the form turns most directly toward the light source, and are darkest just before the form falls into complete shadow.

  Dark and Light Halftones: To keep things simple, artists should class their halftones into two different categories: “light halftones” and “dark halftones.” Things can go wrong if these two types aren't kept separate. Some artists make all of their halftones equally dark, creating muddy-looking drawings, while others insist on making their halftones equally bright, creating washed-out drawings. Note in the Watcher picture (Figure 1.1) that the halftone shapes are distinctly lighter on the side of the forehead most directly facing the light source, while they are dramatically darker near the shadow shapes on the forehead. Try squinting to test the validity of the value renditions. When you squint, the light halftones should fade away and disappear into the overall light shape, while the dark halftones should visually melt into the adjacent, general shadow shapes.

  Figure 1.1 The Watcher Woman

  Shadow: As the form of the model turns completely away from the light source, the dark halftone shapes get darker and darker, until the light completely terminates and the big shadow shape begins. Literally called the “terminator” by those who deal with light as a science, this shadow edge can look abrupt and contrast at times, or soft and fused at other times. It all depends on the amount of reflected light bouncing into the shadow side of the model.

  Reflected Light: Shadows are simply the absence of light. The only reason anything can be seen within the shadow shape is because of reflected light. The light source illuminates not just the model, but also the surrounding environment. The light bounces off the walls, floor, and ceiling, ricocheting into the shadows, and lighting (or filling) the dark side of the model. Indeed, even various body parts reflect light onto the other shadowed parts of the model. One very important rule to know: no reflected light in the shadow shape can be as bright as the direct light hitting the model.

  Core Shadow: When the dark side of the face turns away from any source of reflected light, the shadow gradually darkens until the darkest part of the shadow, called the “core shadow,” is reached. This term refers to an area of the form that gets no direct light and very little reflected light. Even when drawn subtly or in a barely visible manner, the core shadow creates a cornering effect that helps to magnify the plane changes of the model.

  Pro Tip

  Makeup Artists are often asked to match a likeness from a real historical character to an actor, or from one actor to another actor (photo double), or from actor to stunt person. These are some examples of many different situations for a Makeup Artist where shadow shapes and their placement on the face is important.

  Movement of the Head: To determine the correct proportions of facial features when the head has moved in different angles, use the vertical and horizontal axes (Figure 1.2). The centerline is the vertical axis. This line determines the movements made by the face from side to side. The horizontal axis defines the brow line.

  Figure 1.2 Horizontal and Vertical Axes

  If the human head is turned in any direction, the main vertical and horizontal axes become elliptical curves (Figure 1.3).

  Figure 1.3 Elliptical Curves

  If the head turns in any direction, the parallel horizontal lines become parallel elliptical curves (Figure 1.4).

  Figure 1.4 Parallel Elliptical Curves

  Body and face measurements help the artist correctly achieve the right proportions. Artist Leonardo da Vinci calculated the parts of the body that could be used as units, and was the first to adapt the head for units of measurement. He used the length of the face, but not the length of the whole head. His methods are still in use today.

  Proportions for the Face and Body

  by Don Jusko

  The skull is the basic division of the human body (Figure 1.5). To draw the head, start with an oval (3 × 4). Divide the head into three parts:

>   Figure 1.5 Front View of Division of Head

  1. Top of the skull.

  2. Pupils are the middle.

  3. Bottom of the nose to the bottom of the chin.

  Add the lips a third of the way down, below the nose. Add the chin crease below the nose.

  Profile View: The height of the side head is one head length. The width equals one head length. The top of the ears are in line with the eyebrows. The ear hole is in line with the bottom of the nose and the occipital bone (the hindmost bone of the skull, which forms the back of the skull above the nape). The bottom of the earlobe always varies with each individual.

  The face triangle (Figure 1.6) is from the center of each pupil, through the nostrils, to the point between the top front teeth. This is an important trait, as every person's triangle is different.

  Figure 1.6 Face Triangle

  A smiling mouth lines up under the pupils. The two irises usually equal the maximum smiling width of the mouth. The space between the eyes is an average of 2-1/2 inches. One eye width equals the space between the eyes (Figure 1.7).

  Figure 1.7 Illustration of Pupils with Correct Space between the Eyes

  The Body: A perfect body is eight heads high. The neck is a quarter of one head length, starting under the chin with the top of the head. The second head starts at the neck mark.