When you watch celebrities walk down the red carpet, see actors on the silver screen, or look at the fashion models in your favorite magazine, what you don't see are the invisible hands of the people who make celebrities and models look their best - the makeup artists.
There's no doubt that makeup artists create magic. Their art tells a story. Sometimes it's a story of glamour, sometimes it's the story reflected in the season's fashions, and sometimes it's the reflection of a story being told by a script. What you may not know, though, is that freelance makeup artists also create lucrative careers in the worlds of fashion, celebrity, advertising, print media, music, television, and film.
The Path to Becoming a Makeup Artist
If you believe that makeup tells a story, enjoy being part of the creative process, and thrive on working in an environment that is always changing, a career as a makeup artist may be your calling. But in order to succeed as a makeup artist, you need training and experience. That's where makeup classes come in. With intensive makeup lessons, you'll be able to take your natural talent and learn the techniques necessary to get started in the business.
Finding Makeup Schools
While you may find a makeup workshop or makeup courses in most major cities, the place to go to really learn makeup is Hollywood. The greatest makeup artists reside and teach in or around the Los Angeles area. When evaluating various makeup classes, here's what to look for:
Small Class Size: Small makeup classes (with eight students maximum) ensure the best hands-on instruction customized to meet your individual needs.
Length of Makeup Courses: The best makeup courses are about eight weeks long and provide about 280 hours of instruction and workshop time. Becoming a makeup artist requires dedication and commitment, and a full eight-week course will provide you with all of the information you need to succeed.
Variety of Products: The makeup classes you choose should have product workshops that teach you about the myriad of cosmetic lines and products on the market today. You need to have information and develop experience in working with different types of makeup in order to make sound decisions when you invest in your professional makeup kit.
Variety of Techniques: Your makeup classes should teach you how to apply makeup for a variety of mediums, such as film, television, high-definition, fashion runway, and music videos. Look for makeup courses that specialize in airbrush makeup, as this technique has gained increasing importance in the industry. You should also be taught bridal makeup, ethnic makeup, mature makeup, and children's makeup.
More than Makeup
Developing your artistry in makeup application is critical, but there's more to succeeding as a freelance makeup artist than honing your skills. You also need information on the business aspects of being a makeup artist, such as marketing yourself and building your portfolio. The best makeup schools will include what amounts to a final course project, a three-day photo shoot that will both prepare you to plan your own photo shoots and give you a jump start on building your portfolio.
A career as a makeup artist is both personally and financially rewarding. Great makeup classes allow you to invest in your future and open doors to the glamorous, behind-the-scenes world of glamour, celebrity, and fashion.