Make-up artistry is a creative field that provides a wide array of opportunities. RAVI MITTAL tells students how they can make it a lucrative option
Beauty has a way of capturing attention. Beauty treatments and fashion trends have always been in trend but today more people have become conscious about their looks. With the boom in entertainment industry, and more competition in the fashion field, the demand for good looks has come up like never before. This has resulted in a need for professionals.
Make-up is an art and a make-up artist is a professional artist who uses different mediums to transform or enhance the appearance of a person. Make-up artist uses human skin as a canvas and makeup as a medium. These professionals prepare individuals for appearance in front of cameras or a live audience.
It is also a creative career with a wide array of possibilities, and successful artists are able to use design skills, experimentation and products to create stunning looks. Make-up artists must keep up with fashion trends and product developments, and have an interest in skin science and beauty. There are two main categories of make-up artist. Fashion artists who prepare fashion models for photo shoots, and theatrical or film artist. While fashion makeup artist work with designers to create a certain look for the model, such as emphasiaing lip shape or cheekbones; theatrical or film makeup artist enhances an actor’s features to emphasiae the character he or she plays in performance art.
To make successful career as a make-up artist, aspirants need to develop important personality traits. They must have an attractive personality, dexterity, sound health, energy and excellent communication skills to compete in this field. Candidates must also aware of latest fashion trends. Hygiene and cleanliness. Other qualities such as imagination, creativity and complete knowledge of the cosmetics and other related products have significant role in determining the positive course of makeup. Work in the salon industry is relatively stable, with jobs predicted to grow over the next decade by 14 per cent. Experience is essential to land this kind of job. Beauty parlors, advertising agencies and magazines also recruit make-up artists at high salary.
A professional course will always help them to enhance their career in this field. They can complete specialiaation in make-up under any major academy. Since expert make-up artists often work in the movie, TV or theatre industries, some theatre production, they must attain bachelor’s degree programs allow students to choose a make-up concentration where they can learn skills like basic make-up application, special effects make-up and remedial make-up.
The three-word secret to becoming a great makeup artist is practice, practice and practice! The more people you try your skills on, the wider range of skin tone, complexion and face shape you’ll have experience of. Creating a portfolio is just as important when you are applying for jobs — for portfolio shots, it’s best to use a professional photographer, who will make sure your models look amazing, and your work is displayed to best advantage. Your portfolio should showcase different styles of makeup — beauty, experimental, simple and editorial. Other ways to gain experience include working backstage in amateur theatre, or on student film projects.
Apart from all the above attributes, complete and updated knowledge of makeup and other related products play an integral role in determining the right professional in this field.
The writer is Managing Director, Makeup Studio Training Centre India